The New Horizons mission to Pluto and the Kuiper Belt

The New Horizons mission to Pluto and the Kuiper Belt

Leslie Young

New Horizons Deputy Project Scientist

303-546-6057 (USA)

[email protected]

mailto:[email protected]

Janvier 12 2006Workshop 3e zone Slide 2

Pluto, Charon, Nix, and Hydraas seen from HST

http://images.google.com/imgres?imgurl=http://faustula.free.fr/religion/charon.jpg&imgrefurl=http://faustula.free.fr/religion/charon.html&h=440&w=268&sz=24&hl=en&start=1&tbnid=U47yvDQfNJ-isM:&tbnh=127&tbnw=77&prev=/images%3Fq%3DCharon%2BLouvre%26svnum%3D10%26hl%3Den%26lr%3D%26client%3Dsafari%26rls%3Den-us%26sa%3DG


Pluto, Charon, Nix, and Hydraas seen in the Louvre

http://images.google.com/imgres?imgurl=http://faustula.free.fr/religion/charon.jpg&imgrefurl=http://faustula.free.fr/religion/charon.html&h=440&w=268&sz=24&hl=en&start=1&tbnid=U47yvDQfNJ-isM:&tbnh=127&tbnw=77&prev=/images%3Fq%3DCharon%2BLouvre%26svnum%3D10%26hl%3Den%26lr%3D%26client%3Dsafari%26rls%3Den-us%26sa%3DG


New Horizons trajectory

Pluto-Charon14 July 2015

KBOs2016-2020

Jupiter System28 Feb 2007

Launch19 Jan 2006


Instrument Payload

SWAPSolar wind analyzer

PEPSSIEnergetic particle detector

LORRILong-rangevisible imager

Ralphvisible pan. and color imager, IR spectrometer

AliceUV imagingspectrometer

REXRadio science & radiometry

Star TrackersGuidance and control

+Y

+X

+Z

SDCStudent dust counter(under spacecraft)


New Horizons Remote Sensing Instrument Fields of View (-X)


Ralph/LEISA (Linear Etalon Imaging Spectral Array)Infrared imaging spectrometer

256 x 256 pix, 64 microradian/pixel

2.10-2.25 µm, R≈560

1.25-2.50 µm, R≈240

scanned to form 256 x 256 x n spectral image cube4444-4762 cm-1

4000-8000 cm-1

40008000 wavenumber (cm-1)


Ralph/LEISA (Linear Etalon Imaging Spectral Array)Infrared Imaging Spectrometer


2.10-2.25 µm, R≈560

1.25-2.50 µm, R≈240

scanned to form 256 x 256 x n spectral image cube


Ralph/MVIC (Multi-spectral Visible Imaging Camera) Four Color Time Delay Integration (TDI)

780-975 nm860-910 nm

400-550 nm540-700 nm

5000 pix, 20 microradian/pixel

scanned to formfour 5000 x n images


Ralph/MVIC (Multi-spectral Visible Imaging Camera) Panchromatic Time Delay Integration (TDI)

400-975 nm


scanned to form 5000 x N image


Ralph/MVIC (Multi-spectral Visible Imaging Camera) Panchromatic Framing Array

400-975 nm


128 pix,20 microradian/pixel

5 km

0.6 km/pix


LORRI (LOng Range Reconnaissance Imager)High-resolution Imager


400-975 nm

0.6 km/pix

0.1 km/pix


Alice Ultraviolet Long-slit Spectrometer

465-1881 Å

"Box""Slot""

32 pix (30 active), 0.27°/pixel

1024 pix (780 active), 1.8 Å/pixel

46.5-118.1 nm.

FWHM = 2.7-3.5 Å (point source), 172 Å (filled slit)

465-1181 Å.

FWHM = 3-4.5 Å (point source), 9 Å (filled slit)

Pluto's EUV/FUV Line-of-sight Atmospheric Opacity

Wavelength (nm)60 180Wavelength (nm)60 180

Alti

tde

(km

)

0

2000

10-4

104

Pluto Airglow Brightness SNR Model

Mod

el B

right

ness

(R

)

10-3

104


January 19, 2006On our way!


New Horizons in Flight Ralph/MVIC Imager and IR Spectrograph

Ralph pan frameImage of M7: The oddly shaped “blobs” (in rectangles) are energetic particle hits.

Digitized Sky Surveyimage of same field:


New Horizons in FlightAlice UV Spectrometer

Sky background showing Lyman-, the shape of the box and slot, the decrease in flux in the middle of the photocathode gap from 2006 Aug 31.


New Horizons in Flight REX Radio Science

1.2° full width between 3 dB points

Mapping out the High Gain Antenna (HGA)


New Horizons in Flight LORRI High Resolution Imager


New Horizons in Flight SWAP Solar Wind Analyzer

• Solar wind speed, temperature and density variations observed.• Three instrument cycles are required for the solar wind to be observed at each energy step.

This gives the appearance of the solar wind flux changing over 3 cycles.

Speed Changes

Day of Year (Oct 17 - Nov 17)

• Compression & or Shock

• Increase in temperature, velocity, & number density


New Horizons in FlightPEPSSI Energetic Particle Detector

Cou

nts/

bin

(log)

1

10

Very good Alpha / proton separationdown to 20 keVDOY 172 (June 21) – 2000V


New Horizons in FlightSDC Student Dust Counter

July 14 - August 16


New Horizons Jupiter Gravity Assist

• Achieve the Pluto JGA• Serve as practice for Pluto-system encounter• Do good Jupiter science - Jovian meteorology, satellite

geology and composition, auroral phenomena, and magnetospheric physics

Jupiter closest approach

2007 February 28

31 Jupiter radii

Press conference

2007 January 18

PEPSSI, LORRI (Jupiter), LEISA (Callisto), ...


New Horizons at Jupiter: Jupiter Meteorology and Aurorae

• NIR image cubes of storm activity near the GRS• Hi-res imaging of the Little Red Spot• Global imaging of atmospheric circulation• UV stellar occultation• UV, NIR scans of polar aurorae and airglow


New Horizons at Jupiter:Galilean Satellites

• Visible and NIR imaging of high-temperature volcanic thermal emission on Io

• Mapping plumes and surface changes on Io

• Mapping global topography on Europa• UV stellar occultations and auroral

emission studies of satellite atmospheres

• NIR mapping of surface composition

LORRI

MVICLEISA

New Horizons view of Io at closest approachIo atmosphere

stellar occultation signature


New Horizons at Jupiter:Rings and Small Satellites

• Search for small satellites embedded in the rings

• Map ring vertical structure during ring-plane crossing

• Map spatial distribution of “gossamer” rings

• Determine ring particle phase function

• Phase function for outer satellites Himalia, Elara


New Horizons at Jupiter:Magnetosphere

• Fly down the magnetotail for the first time– Investigate plasma loss mechanisms

• In-situ plasma measurements in the middle magnetosphere• Solar wind observations on approach to complement Earth-based auroral

observations• High-resolution imaging spectroscopy of the Io plasma torus


New Horizons at Jupiter:Education/Public Outreach Imaging

• Imaging of selected scenic alignments between bodies in the Jupiter system


New Horizons at PlutoClosest Approach 2015 July 14

• S/C trajectory time ticks: 10 min• Charon orbit time ticks: 12 hr• Occultation: center time• Position and lighting at Pluto

C/A• Distance relative to body center

Pluto

Charon

0.24°

SunEarth

12:40

13:40

11:40

Pluto C/A11:59:0011,095 km13.77 km/s

Charon C/A12:12:5226,937 km13.87 km/s

Pluto-Sun Occultation12:49:00

Pluto-Earth Occultation12:49:50

Charon-Sun Occultation14:15:41

Charon-Earth Occultation14:17:50


New Horizons at Pluto:Geology and Geomorphology

Young et al 1999

Young et al 2001• Hemispheric panchromatic maps (<0.5 km/pixel)

• Hemispheric color maps (<5 km/pixel) • Phase integrals (moderate and high phase angles)• Topography (stereo imaging, photoclimometry)• High-resolution terminator images• Bolometric Bond albedos (normal reflectance and

photometric phase functions)


New Horizons at Pluto:Geology and Geomorphology

• Hemispheric panchromatic maps– Encounter hemispheres of Pluto (MVIC) and Charon (MVIC, LORRI) at 0.5 km/pix– Maps of Pluto and Charon at 12-hour intervals from 6 days out at 36 km/pix (LORRI)– Nightside maps of Pluto in reflected Charon-light. 0.4 km/pix (MVIC), resolution depends on SNR

• Hemispheric color maps (<5 km/pixel)– Redundant four-color maps of Pluto at 0.7 km/pix, of Charon at 1.4 km/pix (MVIC)– Maps of Pluto and Charon at 12-hour intervals from 6 days out at 144 km/pix (MVIC)

• Phase integrals (moderate and high phase angles)– Phase studies during cruise and approach, 5-15 deg– Pluto at 9 phases 16-161° (attempt at 170°). Charon at 6 phases 18-104°.

• Topography (stereo imaging, photoclimometry)– <1 km heights (at baselines of > 1000 km). <5 km heights (at baselines < 250 km)

• High-resolution terminator images– Pluto: 6-10 images 38x1500 km at 0.30 km/pix (MVIC),

6-10 72x72 km images at 0.07 km/pix (LORRI).– Charon: entire hemisphere at 0.52 km/pix (MVIC), – 2-8 143x143 km images at 0.14 km/pix (LORRI).

• Bolometric Bond albedos (normal reflectance and photometric phase functions)– Same dataset as phase integrals


New Horizons at Pluto:Surface Composition

• Hemispheric infrared spectra (1.25-2.5 micron)

• Spatial distribution of N2, CO, CH4

• Presence of other volatiles, hydrocarbons, or minerals• High spatial resolution spectral images• Map surface temperatures

wavelength (micron)1.5

1995

1998

2.5

Douté et al 1999

N2

CH4

CO

Grundy and Buie 2001

2.0

Geo

met

ric A

lbed

o

0.0

0.8

1 nbar

1 μbar

1 mbar

32 36 40 44 48 52 56 60

Equilibrium Vapor Pressure of Pure Ice

Frost Temperature

N2

CO

CH4


• Hemispheric infrared spectra (1.25-2.5 micron) – "Far-side" maps at < 446 km/pixel (LEISA) at /D ≈ 240 (1.25-2.50 µm) and /D ≈ 550 (2.10-2.25 µm)

– Pluto: two maps of approach hemisphere, at 6 and 10 km/pixel (LEISA)

– Charon: two maps of approach hemisphere, at 5 and 10 km/pixel (LEISA)

• Spatial distribution of N2, CO, CH4

– Pure N2 at 2.15 µm, and N2:CH4 from shifts in CH4 bands at e.g., 2.2 µm

– CH4, CH4:N2, or N2:CH4 at many weak and strong bands throughout Pluto's spectrum

– CO at 1.58 and 2.25 µm

• Presence of other volatiles, hydrocarbons, or minerals– H2O at e.g., 2.0 µm. Crystalline form at 1.65 µm

– NH3 or NH3 hydrate at 2.2 µm

– CO2 at 1.96 µm

– C2H6 at 1.68, 2.33 µm. C2H2 at 2.45 µm, C2H4 at 2.22, 2.26 µm, CH3OH at 2.28 µm

– SO2 at 2.13 µm, H2S at 1.64 µm, HCN at 1.91 µm, HC3N at 1.83 µm

– Pyroxene at 1.79-2.33 µm, kaolinite-serpentine clays at 1.40 µm, Al-bearing phyllosilicates at 2.115 µm

• High spatial resolution spectral images– Pluto: 824 x 333 km scan at 1.3 km/pixel

– Charon: 1033 x 486 km scan at 1.9 km/pixel

– Color (0.89 µm CH4 band) maps of Pluto at 0.7 km/pix, of Charon at 1.4 km/pix, and far-side at 144 km/pix (MVIC)

• Map surface temperatures– Average temperature to 0.1 K at 1340 km or hemispheric averaged resolution (REX, radiometry at 4.2 cm emission)

– N2 temperature to 2.0 K at 56 km resolution (LEISA, Grundy, Schmitt and Quirico 1993, Tryka, Brown and Anicich 1995)

– Crystalline H2O temperature to 5 K at 40 km resolution (LEISA, Grundy et al. 1999)

– Pure CH4 temperature to 6 K at 96 km resolution (LEISA, Grundy Schmitt and Quirico 2002)

New Horizons at Pluto:Surface Composition


New Horizons at Pluto:Atmospheres

• Composition (N2, Ar, CO, CH4; H, H2, HCN, CxHy)

• Pressure, temperature, temperature gradient• Hazes and clouds• Escape rate• Ionosphere• Search for atmosphere around Charon

0

500

1000

1500

2000

2500

Altitude (km)

N2

CH4

CO

Ar (?)

Main OtherVolatiles

HydrocarbonsC

2H

2, C

2H

4

C2H

6, C

4H

2

NitrilesHCN, C

2N

2

Ions

N+, CO+, C2H

5+

Haze

Solid N2, CH

4, CO

LightPhotochemical

Products

H, H2, N

after Summers et al 1997

Young et al 2006


New Horizons at Pluto:Atmospheres

• Composition (N2, Ar, CO, CH4; H, H2, HCN, CxHy)– Solar occultations, 465-1181 Å, 3.5 Å spectral resoluton, Sun subtending 8 km (Alice) for N2, CH4, CxHy, HCN, others

– Airglow observations on approach, and nightglow on departure (Alice) for Ar, CO, H, Ne, others

– Stellar occultations planned, not yet identified

• Pressure, temperature, temperature gradient– N2 line-of-sight number density in the upper atmsphere from solar and stellar occultation (Alice)

– N2 line-of-sight number density in the lower atmsphere from uplink radio occultation, dual DSN sites (REX)

• Hazes and clouds– Near-surface opacity 1800-1881 Å from solar and stellar occultation (Alice)

– Low-phase imaging (MVIC, LORRI)

– High-phase imaging at < 0.4 km/pixel (MVIC), sensitive to 10% of Triton's haze from surface to 80 km

• Escape rate– Modelling from temperatures and pressures near 2.5 Pluto radii (Alice).

– Scale height of the Lyman- airglow for H-only escape flux (Alice)

– Also SWAP and PEPSSI (next slides).

• Ionosphere– Electron density from radio occultation (REX)

• Search for atmosphere around Charon– Search to nbar levels with solar occultation (Alice)

– Supporting radio occultaion (REX)


New Horizons at Pluto:Particles and Plasmas

• Atmospheric escape rate• Solar wind interaction• Energetic particle environments• Dust enviromment

McComas et al 2007


New Horizons at Pluto:Particles and Plasmas

• Atmospheric escape rate– Energetic particle flux and composition depends on escape rate (PEPSSI, SWAP)– Distance of interface with solar wind, which is proportional to escape rate (SWAP, PEPSSI)

• Solar wind interaction– Bow shock, wake effects from direction, spead, and temperature of solar wind (SWAP, PEPSSI)

• Energetic particle environments– Enegetic pick-up ions likely 1 million km (900 Pluto radii) upsteam of Pluto. PEPSSI and SWAP will measure direction, energy, and mass of energetic particles.

• Dust enviromment– Interplanetary dust environmet, with the first dust measurements beyond 18 AU (SDC)– Immediate dust environment downstream of the Pluto system (SDC)


New Horizons at Pluto:Origin and Evolution

• Orbits• Radii, mass, density• Additional rings or satellites• Magnetic field?

Canup 2005

10,000 km

PARTIALLY HYDRATED ROCK

WATER ICE I

BASELINE PLUTO

1180 km, 1.85 g cm3

DIFFERENTIATED

ROCK FRACTION=0.65

WATER ICE I +HYDRATED ROCK

ICE II +HYDRATED ROCK

BASELINE CHARON

625 km, 1.75 g cm3

UNDIFFERENTIATED

ROCK FRACTION=0.55

McKinnon et al 1997


New Horizons at Pluto:Origin and Evolution

• Orbits– 150 days of resolved images of Pluto, Charon, Nix and Hydra at 15° solar phase angle (LORRI)

• Radii, mass, density– Masses from orbits of Pluto and satellites around barycenter (LORRI)– Masses from the deflection of New Horizons using Doppler measurements (REX) – Radii and shapes from single 1024x1024 frames Pluto and Charon at 3 km/pixel (LORRI)– Additional shape measurements from the combination of all imaging data (LORRI, MVIC, LEISA)– Additional constraints on the radii from occultation chord lengths (Alice, REX)

• Additional rings or satellites– Imaging of the entire stability zone at low phase angle (LORRI, MVIC)– High-phase observations (MVIC)

• Magnetic field?– Not directly addressed by New Horizons. A strong magnetic field may affect the solar wind interaciton (SWAP, PEPSSI).


Number of accessible KBOs

KBO Diam., km at 41 AU For 200 m/s delta-V

Limiting R Mag p=0.04 p=0.12 Total Cold classical

(easier to find)

24.0 > 160 > 92 0.14 (13%) 0.1 (10%)

25.0 > 101 > 58 0.7 (50%) 0.35 (30%)

26.0 > 64 > 37 1.8 (83%) 1.1 (67%)

27.0 > 40 > 23 4 (98%) 2.5 (92%)

Based on KBO population statistics from Bernstein et al. (2004).See Spencer et al. 2003, Earth Moon and Planets 92, 483-491.


Radial Distribution of Accessible KBOs

Strong peak at 42 AU, due to

Intrinsic peak there

Narrow cone at smaller distances

Faintness of more distant KBOs

Encounter likely 2018 or 2019

for 115 m/s delta-V


Search Area, Now and in 2011

20112011

20042004

50% of KBOs50% of KBOs85% of KBOs85% of KBOsEncounter

Locations (2015 Pluto flyby)

• In the Milky Way at both epochs• Search area shrinks with time as it converges on the spacecraft trajectory

– Defined by KBO velocity dispersion, not available delta-V


New Horizons: Exploring the Third Zone

For more information (including technical papers), see

http://pluto.jhuapl.edu

The New Horizons mission to Pluto and the Kuiper Belt

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