Engineering topics

Lopes-Gautier, R.

Publications and source records attributed to Lopes-Gautier, R..

39 records · Page 3

NASA NTRS1993

(abstract) Hermes Global Orbiter: Mission to Mercury

The Hermes Global Orbiter is a proposed Discovery-class mission. Hermes will be launched aboard a Delta II rocket in 1999 and will be placed in an elliptical polar orbit about Mercury. Remote sensing measurements of the planet's surface, atmosphere, and magnetosphere will be performed. Key mission goals include mapping the entire surface at 1 km resolution, characterizing the surface composition, texture and topography, searching for water ice at the poles, characterizing the atmosphere, and constraining the interior structure.

Mercury Hermes orbiter remote sensing surface atmo↗

NASA NTRS1993

Martian lavas: Three complementary remote sensing techniques to derive flow properties

Several remote sensing techniques have been developed to determine various properties of lava flows. We are currently focusing on three such techniques to interpret Martian lava flows on Alba Patera, which are based on measurements of distal flow lobe widths which can be used to infer silica content; convolution of flow margins which can distinguish between pahoehoe and a'a types of basaltic flows; final flow field dimensions which can be combined with ground slope to derive effusion duration and average effusion rate. These methods are extremely complementary and together provide a more significant and complete understanding of extra-terrestrial lava flows. However, each of these techniques have specific and distinct data requirements.

Lopes-Gautier, R.↗

NASA NTRS1993

Extra Terrestrial Lava Flows

Volcanism has been one of the major processes shaping the surfaces of the terrestrial planets. Lava flows have been identified on the Moon, Mars, Venus, and on Juptier's moon Io. The study of extra-terrestrial lavas has largely relied on the interpretation of remotely acquired imaging, topographic and spectroscopic data. Models relating the final flow morpohology to eruption characteristics and magma chemistry have been important tools in the interpretation of these data.

lava volcanism↗