THERMAP: a mid-infrared spectro-imager for space missions to small bodies in the inner solar system

O. Groussin (1) , J. Licandro (2) , J. Helbert (3) , J. L. Reynaud (1) , P. Levacher (1) , M. Reyes Garcia-Talavera (2) , V. Ali-Lagoa (2) , P. E. Blanc (1) , E. Brageot (1) , B. Davidsson (4) , M. Delbo (5) , M. Deleuze (6) , A. Delsanti (1) , J. J. Diaz Garcia (2) , K. Dohlen (1) , D. Ferrand (1) , S. F. Green (7) , L. Jorda (1) , E. Joven Alvarez (2) , J. Knollenberg (8) , E. Kuehrt (9) , P. Lamy (1) , E. Lellouch (10) , J. Le Merrer (1) , B. Marty (11) , G. Mas (6) , C. Rossin (1) , B. Rozitis (7) , J. Sunshine (12) , P. Vernazza (1) , S. Vives (1)

1 LAM - Laboratoire d'Astrophysique de Marseille
2 IAC - Instituto de Astrofisica de Canarias
3 DLR Institute of Planetary Research
4 Department of Physics and Astronomy [Uppsala]
5 Observatoire de la Côte d'Azur
6 CNES - Centre National d'Études Spatiales [Toulouse]
7 PSSRI - Planetary and Space Sciences Research Institute [Milton Keynes]
8 DLR Institut für Planetenforschung
9 DLR - German Aerospace Center
10 LESIA - Laboratoire d'études spatiales et d'instrumentation en astrophysique
11 CRPG - Centre de Recherches Pétrographiques et Géochimiques
12 Department of Astronomy [College Park]

We present THERMAP, a mid-infrared spectro-imager for space missions to small bodies in the inner solar system, developed in the framework of the MarcoPolo-R asteroid sample return mission. THERMAP is very well suited to characterize the surface thermal environment of a NEO and to map its surface composition. The instrument has two channels, one for imaging and one for spectroscopy: it is both a thermal camera with full 2D imaging capabilities and a slit spectrometer. THERMAP takes advantage of the recent technological developments of uncooled microbolometer arrays, sensitive in the mid-infrared spectral range. THERMAP can acquire thermal images (8-18 mu m) of the surface and perform absolute temperature measurements with a precision better than 3.5 K above 200 K. THERMAP can acquire mid-infrared spectra (8-16 mu m) of the surface with a spectral resolution Delta lambda of 0.3 mu m. For surface temperatures above 350 K, spectra have a signal-to-noise ratio \textgreater 60 in the spectral range 9-13 mu m where most emission features occur.

Domaines: Astrophysique [astro-ph]

O. Groussin, J. Licandro, J. Helbert, J. L. Reynaud, P. Levacher, et al.. THERMAP: a mid-infrared spectro-imager for space missions to small bodies in the inner solar system. Experimental Astronomy, 2016, 41 (1), pp.95--115. ⟨10.1007/s10686-015-9475-9⟩. ⟨hal-01440673⟩