Engineering topics

P M Schenk

Publications and source records attributed to P M Schenk.

3 records

NASA NTRS2022

Ganymede Observations by JunoCam on Juno Perijove 34

During the Juno Mission's encounter with Ganymede on 7 June 2021, the Juno camera (JunoCam) acquired four images of Ganymede in color. These images covered one-sixth of Ganymede at scales from 840 m to ∼4 km/pixel. Most of this area was only previously imaged by Voyager 1 in 1979, at lower spatial resolution and poorer image quality. No changes were observed over this area of Ganymede in the 42 years since Voyager. JunoCam provided overlapping coverage, from which we developed a digital elevation model of the best-resolved area. A 3 km high dome at the subjovian point was confirmed, 450 km by 750 km. We used the JunoCam images to refine the geologic map of Ganymede in eastern Perrine Regio.

Ganymede↗

NASA NTRS2020

Color, Composition, and Thermal Environment of Kuiper Belt Object (486958) Arrokoth

The New Horizons spacecraft flew past the Kuiper Belt object (486958) Arrokoth (also known as 2014 MU69) in January 2019. Because of the great distance to the outer Solar System and limited bandwidth, it will take until late 2020 to downlink all the spacecraft's observations back to Earth. Three papers in this issue analyze recently downlinked data, including the highest-resolution images taken during the encounter (see the Perspective by Jewitt). Spencer et al. examined Arrokoth's geology and geophysics using stereo imaging, dated the surface using impact craters, and produced a geomorphological map. Grundy et al. investigated the composition of the surface using color imaging and spectroscopic data and assessed Arrokoth's thermal emission using microwave radiometry. McKinnon et al. used simulations to determine how Arrokoth formed: Two gravitationally bound objects gently spiraled together during the formation of the Solar System. Together, these papers determine the age, composition, and formation process of the most pristine object yet visited by a spacecraft.

New Horizons spacecraft↗

NASA NTRSDate not supplied

Lessons From Pluto for Uranus Moons

Introduction: Small patches of starkly different albedo on both Oberon and Umbriel may be evidence for frost segregation and volatile migration. The high obliquity of the Uranian system makes it a good candidate for volatile transport activity. CO 2 and ammonium species have been detected on some Uranian satellites, and CH 4 is at least theoretically viable as a resident volatile. The OWL-recommended UOP Orbiter spacecraft should be equipped with instruments capable of evaluating the nature and extent of volatiles in the Uranian satellite system.

J M Moore↗