Sanin, Anton | Search NASA

NASA NTRS2015

Parallel Study of HEND, RAD, and DAN Instrument Response to Martian Radiation and Surface Conditions

Nuclear detection methods are being used to understand the radiation environment at Mars. JPL (Jet Propulsion Laboratory) assets on Mars include: Orbiter -2001 Mars Odyssey [High Energy Neutron Detector (HEND)]; Mars Science Laboratory Rover -Curiosity [(Radiation Assessment Detector (RAD); Dynamic Albedo Neutron (DAN))]. Spacecraft have instruments able to detect ionizing and non-ionizing radiation. Instrument response on orbit and on the surface of Mars to space weather and local conditions [is discussed] - Data available at NASA-PDS (Planetary Data System).

Mars↗

NASA NTRS2011

Correlation of LEND and Diviner Data

Correlated results from the Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter's (LRO) Lunar Exploration Neutron Detector (LEND) and Lunar Orbiting Laser Altimeter (LOLA) suggest insolation effects influence the spatial distribution of Lunar H poleward of 60deg latitude. Diviner results indicate an insolation induced thermal contrast between pole-facing and equator-facing slopes of crater walls. Our research shows that the contrasting thermal conditions observed in pole-facing vs equator-facing slopes and epithermal neutron rates from LEND are positively correlated. Numerical transformations of LOLA topography facilitated a systematic decomposition of LEND epithermal maps as a function of insolation effects. The results suggest a significantly positive local epithermal contrast in these regions. Comparing pole-facing and equator-facing slopes, we find that the pole-facing slopes show epithermal neutron suppression ranging from -0.005 to 0.02 cps relative to the equator-facing slopes .. We further investigate insolation effects on epithermal neutrons by comparing the predicted insolation contrast derived from the 3-D LOLA topography model with the LEND results. We also investigate and discuss the possibility of slope mass wasting effects being correlated with our insolation-effect hypothesis

McClanahan, Tim↗