Huygens probe entry trajectory and attitude estimated simultaneously with Titan atmospheric structure by Kalman filtering

Space probes entering planetary atmospheres are used for in situ study of their physical structures. During the entry phase aerodynamic forces exerted on the probe depend on atmospheric density. As a consequence accelerations measured by on-board sensors can be used to derive probe trajectory as well as atmospheric density, pressure and temperature profiles. In this work acceleration data acquired by the Huygens Atmospheric Structure Instrument (HASI) have been used to reconstruct the probe trajectory and the Titan's atmospheric structure from down to of altitude. An accurate six degree of freedom model of Huygens during the entry phase has been developed and a new reconstruction technique based on Kalman filtering is presented. This technique estimates simultaneously the probe trajectory, the attitude profile consistent with measured data and the atmospheric density, pressure and temperature.     

Huygens probe entry and descent trajectory analysis and reconstruction techniques

Cassini/Huygens is a joint National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA)/European Space Agency (ESA)/Agenzia Spaziale Italiana (ASI) mission on its way to explore the Saturnian system. The ESA Huygens Probe is scheduled to be released from the Orbiter on 25 December 2004 and enter the atmosphere of Titan on 14 January 2005. Probe delivery to Titan, arbitrarily defined to occur at a reference altitude of 1270 km above the surface of Titan, is the responsibility of the NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL). ESA is then responsible for safely delivering the probe from the reference altitude to the surface. The task of reconstructing the probe trajectory and attitude from the entry point to the surface has been assigned to the Huygens Descent Trajectory Working Group (DTWG), a subgroup of the Huygens Science Working Team. The DTWG will use data provided by the Huygens Probe engineering subsystems and selected data sets acquired by the scientific payload. To correctly interpret and correlate results from the probe science experiments and to provide a reference set of data for possible “ground-truthing” Orbiter remote sensing measurements, it is essential that the trajectory reconstruction be performed as early as possible in the post-flight data analysis phase. The reconstruction of the Huygens entry and descent trajectory will be based primarily on the probe entry state vector provided by the Cassini Navigation Team, and measurements of acceleration, pressure, and temperature made by the Huygens Atmospheric Structure Instrument (HASI). Other data sets contributing to the entry and descent trajectory reconstruction include the mean molecular weight of the atmosphere measured by the probe Gas Chromatograph/Mass Spectrometer (GCMS) in the upper atmosphere and the Surface Science Package (SSP) speed of sound measurement in the lower atmosphere, accelerations measured by the Central and Radial Accelerometer Sensor Units (CASU/RASU), and the probe altitude by the two probe radar altimeters during the latter stages of the descent. In the last several hundred meters, the altitude determination will be constrained by measurements from the SSP acoustic sounder. Other instruments contributing data to the entry and descent trajectory and attitude determination include measurements of the zonal wind drift by the Doppler Wind Experiment (DWE), and probe zonal and meridional drift and probe attitude by the Descent Imager and Spectral Radiometer (DISR). In this paper, the need for and the methods by which the Huygens Probe entry and descent trajectory will be reconstructed are reviewed.     

Theory of instantaneous triple-probe method for direct-display of plasma parameters in a low density flowing collisionless plasma

An exact theory is developed for a triple-probe in an orbit-motion-limited flowing collisionless plasma, i.e. when the charged particle mean free path ? Debye length ? probe radius, and the electron thermal velocity ? probe speed ? ion thermal velocity. Formulae for determining electron temperature and electron density are given for both spherical and cylindrical probes. Analytical results show that the effect of ion temperature on measurements of plasma parameters is small when the probe speed is large.     

PAET,an entry probe experiment in the Earth's atmosphere

On June 20, 1971, an instrumented probe designated PAET entered the atmosphere near Bermuda at a velocity of 6.6 km/sec carrying experiments designed for use at planets other than the Earth. Instruments to measure in situ the structure and composition of the atmosphere included accelerometers, pressure and temperature sensors, a mass spectrometer, and a radiometer (to sense characteristic emission from the probe shock layer at high speeds).The experiments were largely successful. The thermal structure of the atmosphere, including two major reversals in gradient, was shown to be well defined to an altitude of 80 km by comparison with more conventional meteorological soundings. The atmospheric mean molecular weight was defined within a percent by the structure experiment. The radiometers defined the bulk composition accurately and the trace quantity of CO₂ to one significant figure. The mass spectrometer functioned properly, but failed to give the correct composition because of problems in its sampling system. Oxygen was depleted, apparently by chemical reactions before reaching the spectrometer, and the inlet leak conductance was reduced from its preflight value by an order of magnitude. There is reason to believe that contamination by large molecules from the heat shield was responsible. This experiment should stimulate intensive laboratory work on sampling systems, so that similar problems do not arise in measurements of atmospheric composition at the planets.Results of auxiliary experiments to measure atmospheric water vapor, vehicle dynamics and heating, and communications blackout are also given.     

Atmospheric Chemistry in Giant Planets, Brown Dwarfs, and Low-Mass Dwarf Stars: I. Carbon, Nitrogen, and Oxygen

The chemical species containing carbon, nitrogen, and oxygen in atmospheres of giant planets, brown dwarfs (T and L dwarfs), and low-mass stars (M dwarfs) are identified as part of a comprehensive set of thermochemical equilibrium and kinetic calculations for all elements. The calculations cover a wide temperature and pressure range in the upper portions of giant planetary and T-, L-, and M-dwarf atmospheres. Emphasis is placed on the major gases CH₄, CO, NH₃, N₂, and H₂O but other less abundant gases are included. The results presented are independent of particular model atmospheres, and can be used to constrain model atmosphere temperatures and pressures from observations of different gases. The influence of metallicity on the speciation of these key elements under pressure-temperature (P-T) conditions relevant to low-mass object atmospheres is discussed. The results of the thermochemical equilibrium computations indicate that several compounds may be useful to establish temperature or pressure scales for giant planet, brown dwarf, or dwarf star atmospheres. We find that ethane and methanol abundance are useful temperature probes in giant planets and methane dwarfs such as Gl 229B, and that CO₂ can serve as a temperature probe in more massive objects. Imidogen (NH) abundances are a unique pressure-independent temperature probe for all objects. Total pressure probes for warmer brown dwarfs and M dwarfs are HCN, HCNO, and CH₂O. No temperature-independent probes for the total pressure in giant planets or T-dwarf atmospheres are identified among the more abundant C, N, and O bearing gases investigated here.     

Measurement of electron temperatures in the lower ionosphere by detecting the space potential on the langmuir probe characteristic

Electron temperatures have been determined at Thumba on Nike Apache flight 10.11 (12 March 1967, 1857 hr IST) by the usual retarding potential analysis and by using an a.c. modulation technique for detecting the space potential on the Langmuir probe characteristic. Simultaneous measurements with the two techniques show that the space potential technique gives temperatures which are related to the temperatures obtained from the retarding potential analysis in a manner remarkably similar to the relations obtained by Booker and Smith as well as by Carlson and Sayers between radar temperatures and d.c. probe temperatures. This result is interesting in view of the fact that radar temperatures have been found to be in good agreement with the temperatures obtained by a.c. modulation techniques on satellite borne probes. The space potential technique is simple, requires limited additional electronics, does not make stringent demands on telemetry and can be easily adopted for rocket borne Langmuir probes.     

Reconstruction of the trajectory of the Huygens probe using the Huygens Atmospheric Structure Instrument (HASI)

The Huygens probe returned scientific measurements from the atmosphere and surface of Titan on 14 January 2005. Knowledge of the trajectory of Huygens is necessary for scientific analysis of those measurements. We use measurements from the Huygens Atmospheric Structure Instrument (HASI) to reconstruct the trajectory of Huygens during its mission. The HASI Accelerometer subsystem measured the axial acceleration of the probe with errors of 3E−6 m s⁻², the most accurate measurements ever made by an atmospheric structure instrument on another planetary body. The atmosphere was detected at an altitude of 1498 km. Measurements of the normal acceleration of the probe, which are important for determining the probe's attitude during hypersonic entry, were significantly less accurate and limited by transverse sensitivity of the piezo sensors. Peak acceleration of 121.2 m s⁻² occurred at 234.9 km altitude. The parachute deployment sequence started at 157.1 km and a speed of 342.1 m s⁻¹. Direct measurements of pressure and temperature began shortly afterwards. The measured accelerations and equations of motion have been used to reconstruct the trajectory prior to parachute deployment. Measured pressures and temperatures, together with the equation of hydrostatic equilibrium and the equation of state, have been used to reconstruct the trajectory after parachute deployment. Uncertainties in the entry state of Huygens at the top of the atmosphere are significant, but can be reduced by requiring that the trajectory and atmospheric properties be continuous at parachute deployment.     

Double probe theory for a low-density flowing collisionless plasma

Existing theory for cylindrical and spherical probes are used to derive expressions for double-probe current-voltage characteristics under low density, flowing collisionless conditions. These conditions prevail when the following conditions hold: charged particle mean free path 》 Debye length 》 probe radius, and ion thermal velocity ? probe speed ? electron thermal velocity. Explicit formulae are given for calculating electron temperature and plasma density for both spherical and cylindrical probes.     

Physical parameters of the atmosphere of Venus

The following parameters have been computed for the Cytherean atmosphere: pressure, density, speed of sound, collisional frequency, column mass, density scale, mean-free-path, viscosity, pressure scale, mean particle velocity, number density at an altitude from 0 to 170 km.The chemical composition, the temperature distribution function of the altitude, the surface pressure and the surface temperature measured by Pioneer Venus have been used as input data for these computations.     

Ionospheric temperature and density measurements by means of spherical double probes

Rocket-borne double probes for electric field measurements can be intermittently operated in special, diagnostic modes involving current bias and low-impedance shunts to obtain information on the properties of the ambient ionospheric plasma along the flight path. Several such modes, and the information that they can provide, are analyzed. For example, in a low-impedance mode with asymmetric bias, the attenuation ratio (i.e. signal amplitude in this mode over the signal amplitude in the electric-field measuring mode) is in a simple way related to the electron temperature of the ambient plasma. The special surface coatings (Aquadag or vitreous carbon) normally used for electric field probes provide very homogeneous surface properties, a feature which also contributes to the reliability of the electron temperature measurements. In addition to electron temperature, the modes analyzed can be used to measure electron density and to give some information on ion temperature. The data from four rocket flights from ESRANGE are discussed in the light of these results. Electron temperature was measured in three of these flights. In all cases the temperature profile is in good agreement with theoretically predicted profiles based on the CIRA 1965 reference atmosphere and the solar illumination prevailing during the respective flights (twilight). Electron density profiles obtained by means of the double probe are in good agreement with the density measured by the Langmuir probe in the two flights for which both kinds of data are available. They are also in agreement with the electron density data available from ionosondes. Finally, pulses occurring when one of the probes passed through the rocket's shadow, are used to determine the photoelectron yield of the probe coatings (Aquadag or vitreous carbon). The values obtained, (7 ± 3) × 10^?6 A/m² for Aquadag and (4 ± 2) × 10^?6 A/m² for vitreous carbon are in good agreement with expectations based on laboratory data and solar Lyman α radiation.     

对称模式下的CHAMP弯曲角掩星数据同化

简单介绍了无线电掩星技术探测行星大气的发展史,列举了该技术中存在的若干问题。从 Eyre提出的统计学的最优估计反演方法,比较了用相位、弯曲角和折射率作为同化因子时出现的问题和各自的优缺点。对弯曲角同化因子,以欧洲中期天气预报中心(ECMWF)资料为背景场,运用一维变分技术,进行CHAMP掩星观测资料变分同化反演,从而获得水汽和温度剖面。将反演获得的气象剖面与非同化的剖面作比较,并且采用相应的探空气球资料作为验证,可以看出变分同化技术比传统的标准反演技术反演误差小。证实掩星数据资料的一维变分同化技术可以改进目前的数值天气预报模式。     

The cloud structure of the jovian atmosphere as seen by the Cassini/CIRS experiment

We analyze the thermal infrared spectra of Jupiter obtained by the Cassini-CIRS instrument during the 2000 flyby to infer temperature and cloud density in the jovian stratosphere and upper troposphere. We use an inversion technique to derive zonal mean vertical profiles of cloud absorption coefficient and optical thickness from a narrow spectral window centered at 1392 cm⁻¹ (7.18 μm). At this wavenumber atmospheric absorption due to ammonia gas is very weak and uncertainties in the ammonia abundance do not impact the cloud retrieval results. For cloud-free conditions the atmospheric transmission is limited by the absorption of molecular hydrogen and methane. The gaseous optical depth of the atmosphere is of order unity at about 1200 mbar. This allows us to probe the structure of the atmosphere through a layer where ammonia cloud formation is expected. The results are presented as height vs latitude cross-sections of the zonal mean cloud optical depth and cloud absorption coefficient. The cloud optical depth and the cloud base pressure exhibit a significant variability with latitude. In regions with thin cloud cover (cloud optical depth less than 2), the cloud absorption coefficient peaks at 1.1±0.05 bar, whereas in regions with thick clouds the peak cloud absorption coefficient occurs in the vicinity of 900±50 mbar. If the cloud optical depth is too large the location of the cloud peak cannot be identified. Based on theoretical expectations for the ammonia condensation pressure we conclude that the detected clouds are probably a system of two different cloud layers: a top ammonia ice layer at about 900 mbar covering only limited latitudes and a second, deeper layer at 1100 mbar, possibly made of ammonium hydrosulfide.     

The Huygens Probe Descent Trajectory Working Group: Organizational framework,goals, and implementation

Cassini/Huygens, a flagship mission to explore the rings, atmosphere, magnetic field, and moons that make up the Saturn system, is a joint endeavor of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration, the European Space Agency, and Agenzia Spaziale Italiana. Comprising two spacecraft—a Saturn orbiter built by NASA and a Titan entry/descent probe built by the European Space Agency—Cassini/Huygens was launched in October 1997. The Huygens probe parachuted to the surface of Titan in January 2005. During the descent, six science instruments provided in situ measurements of Titan's atmosphere, clouds, and winds, and photographed Titan's surface. To correctly interpret and correlate results from the probe science experiments, and to provide a reference set of data for ground-truth calibration of orbiter remote sensing measurements, an accurate reconstruction of the probe entry and descent trajectory and surface landing location is necessary. The Huygens Descent Trajectory Working Group was chartered in 1996 as a subgroup of the Huygens Science Working Team to develop and implement an organizational framework and retrieval methodologies for the probe descent trajectory reconstruction from the entry altitude of 1270 km to the surface using navigation data, and engineering and science data acquired by the instruments on the Huygens Probe. This paper presents an overview of the Descent Trajectory Working Group, including the history, rationale, goals and objectives, organizational framework, rules and procedures, and implementation.     

Measurements of the thermal plasma environment of the space shuttle

The paper presents some initial results on measurements of the thermal plasma environment obtained by a spherical retarding potential analyzer and a Langmuir probe flown on the third space shuttle flight (STS-3) as part of the NASA Office of Space Science-1 (OSS-1) payload in March 1982. One of the major effects observed is a higher degree of turbulence in the ambient plasma compared to what is observed from similar instruments flown on unmanned satellites. In addition we see the temperature of the thermal electrons elevated to values of 4000–5000 K. Associated with elevated electron temperatures are regions of enhanced plasma density resulting from the appearance of high densities of molecular ions. The thermal plasma data also show clear effects of an induced V × B · L potential at the location of the probes which matches that produced by an L vector linking the probes to the engine nozzles; thereby establishing the prime return current location on the Orbiter. The final observations discussed are the pronounced and complex wake effects resulting both from the main structure of the Orbiter and from the complex shapes of appendages attached to the Orbiter.     

Huygens’ entry and descent through Titan's atmosphere—Methodology and results of the trajectory reconstruction

The European Space Agency's Huygens probe separated from the NASA Cassini spacecraft on 25 December 2004, after having been attached for a 7-year interplanetary journey and three orbits around Saturn. The probe reached the predefined NASA/ESA interface point on 14 January 2005 at 09:05:52.523 (UTC) and performed a successful entry and descent sequence. The probe softly impacted on Titan's surface on the same day at 11:38:10.77 (UTC) with a speed of about 4.54 m/s. The probe entry and descent trajectory was reconstructed from the estimated initial state vector provided by the Cassini Navigation team, the probe housekeeping data, and measurements from the scientific payload. This paper presents the methodology and discuss the results of the reconstruction effort. Furthermore the probe roll rate was reconstructed prior to the main entry phase deceleration pulse and throughout the entire descent phase under the main and drogue parachute.     

Scintillations during occultations by planets I. An approximate theory

Fluctuations are observed during occultations of both stars and spacecraft by planetary atmospheres. Existing treatments of spacecraft scintillations ignore a major effect unique to occultations: the severe flattening of the Fresnel zone or source image by defocusing. Other large effects, due to “saturation” of the scintillation, have also been ignored. The deeper portions of atmospheric temperature and density profiles inferred from occultation data are seriously in error if other planets' atmospheres are as turbulent as our own. Thus, profiles obtained from entry probes (e.g., the Soviet Venera series) are probably more accurate than those from radio occultation (Mariner 5 and 10) data. Scintillation greatly reduces the information obtainable from occultation observations; much of the detail attributed to layering in published profiles is probably due to aliasing of turbulence. This paper gives an approximately correct theoretical treatment that is a substantial improvement over published theories, and shows how a more accurate theory could be constructed. Some methods for a more accurate determination of atmospheric structure are proposed.     

Comparative study of Langmuir probe characteristics in different ionospheric conditions

This paper examines the role played by the high energy tail of the electron distribution function on Langmuir probe characteristics. A model is developed to derive the mean energy and the density of the hyperthermal electrons from probe characteristics for two ionospheric rocket flights involving different plasma conditions. The hyperthermal electrons are shown to influence the electron temperature measurement even if they constitute only a small fraction of the total electron concentration. The influence of the geomagnetic field, the collisions and the velocity of the vehicle on the probe data are also examined.     

Titan's damp ground: Constraints on Titan surface thermal properties from the temperature evolution of the Huygens GCMS inlet

Abstract— A simple thermal model is developed to determine the temperature history of the inlet tube of the Huygens probe gas chromatograph mass spectrometer (GCMS) after its fortuitous emplacement on the surface of Saturn's moon Titan. The model parameters are adjusted to match the recorded temperature history of a nearby heater, taking into account heat losses by conduction to the rest of the probe and to Titan's cold atmosphere. The model suggests that after impact when forced convective cooling ceased, the inlet temperature rose from ?110 K to an asymptotic value of only ?145 K. This requires that the inlet was embedded in a surface that acted as an effective heat sink, most plausibly interpreted as wet or damp with liquid methane. The data appear inconsistent with a tar or dry, fine‐grained surface, and the inlet was not warm enough to devolatilize methane hydrate.     

大气、陆地水储量和海水质量分布变化与地球低阶引力场球谐系数的关系

大气、固体地球及海洋组成了一个复杂、变化的地球动力学系统，这一系统中的任一质量分布变化都将产生地球引力场变化。采用全球7000多个地面气象台站的月平均降水及温度资料、NCEP提供气压月均值、TOPEX／Poseidon卫星测高资料和WOA98海水温度及盐度模型计算了大气、陆地水储量和海水质量分布变化引起地球低阶引力场系数变化。比较综合大气、陆地水储量和海水质量分布变化对带谐项J2，J3，J4影响的计算结果和人卫激光卫星的测定结果，可以看出，大气、陆地水储量和海水质量分布变化是引起地球低阶引力场系数周年变化的重要激发源。     

Titan atmosphere profiles from Huygens engineering (temperature and acceleration) sensors

Data from several Huygens probe housekeeping sensors (an engineering accelerometer and housekeeping temperature sensors) are studied to determine how effectively such nonideal instruments may characterize the density or temperature structure of the atmosphere. While only confirming the results of the dedicated atmospheric structure instrument, this exercise is of relevance to possible future missions to various bodies which might not be equipped with such science-grade sensors able to accurately profile the atmosphere top-to-bottom. It is found that for typical engineering accelerometers with 8-bit resolution, the atmosphere density for ∼4 scale heights above the peak deceleration altitude may be recovered. If, as with Huygens, the peak deceleration exceeds the range of the accelerometers, recovery of an additional scale height or so below the peak is still possible, but relies on accurate total velocity knowledge. Engineering temperature sensors can, with care, be analyzed to recover the temperature structure of at least the lowest ∼30 km of Titan's atmosphere. Fortunately, in the case of Huygens, data from the surface after landing were available to constrain models of heat leaks which offset the observed temperature from that of the ambient air during descent; data from before and during the entry phase on other missions would be similarly useful. When corrections are made for the estimated heat transfer processes, the atmospheric temperature can be recovered to within about 3 K.