Engineering topics
Zurek, R.
Publications and source records attributed to Zurek, R..
Overview of the Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter Mission
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Selection of the Final Four Landing Sites for the Mars Exploration Rovers
Engineering constraints developed for the Mars Exploration Rovers (MER), their translation into ~185 potential landing sites and their downselection to 6 high priority science sites have been described [1, 2]. These 6 sites (Meridiani-previously referred to as Hematite, Gusev, Isidis, Melas, Eos, and Athabasca) were evaluated in detail as to their science potential and safety, relative to specific engineering constraints, at the 3rd MER Landing Site Workshop held March 26-28, 2002 in Pasadena, CA. This abstract describes: (1) the evaluation of these 6 sites, (2) the removal and reprioritization of sites following this workshop, (3) the identification of a low-wind site in Elysium, (4) the final 4 sites being considered for landing the 2 MER and (5) their evaluation at the 4th MER Landing Site Workshop held January 8-10, 2003 in Pasadena, CA [3].
Dynamics of the Mars atmosphere: the post-viking perscpective
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Overview of the Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter mission
The Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter will deliver to Mars orbit a payload to conduct remote sensing science observations, characterize sites for future landers, and provide critical telecom/navigation relay capability for follow-on missions.
Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter mission
The Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter will deliver to Mars orbit a payload to conduct remote sensing science observations, characterize sites for future landers, and provide critical telecom/navigation relay capability for follow-on missions.
Cooperative Mission Concepts Using Biomorphic Explorers
Inspired by the immense variety of naturally curious explorers (insects, animals, and birds), their wellintegrated biological sensor-processor suites, efficiently packaged in compact but highly dexterous forms, and their complex, intriguing, cooperative behavior, this paper focuses on "Biomorphic Explorers", their defination/classification, their designs, and presents planetary exploration scenarios based on the designs. Judicious blend of bio-inspired concepts and recent advances in micro-air vehicles, microsensors, microinstruments, MEMS, and microprocessors clearly suggests that the time of small, dedicated, low cost explorers that capture some of the key features of biological systems has arrived. Just as even small insects like ants, termites, honey bees etc working cooperatively in colonies can achieve big tasks, the biomorphic explorers hold the potential for obtaining science in-accessible by current large singular exploration platforms.
Viking Era Morning and Afternoon Water Ice Clouds
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Modeling Viking Era Water Ice Clouds
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Modeling Viking Era Water Ice Clouds
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Polar Layered Terrains: Links Between the Martian Volatile and Dust Cycles
The nature, origin and evolution of the polar layered terrains are a major mystery of Martian climate.
Mars Climate Orbiter's Investigation of the Atmosphere and Polar Caps
The Mars Climate Orbiter (MCO) is now on its way to Mars. It carries an atmospheric sounder whose observations will provide a continuous, global data set on weather and climate for a full Martian year. This paper describes the observation strategy and anticipated results from the Pressure Modulator Infrared Radiometer (PMIRR). PMIRR will measure vertical profiles of atmospheric infrared radiance in the 7 to 50 micron wavelength region extending from the surface of Mars to 80-km altitude. The observations have a vertical resolution of 5 km, or one-half the atmospheric scale height. From these radiance profiles we will retrieve profiles of atmospheric temperature, pressure, and the amounts of dust, condensates and water vapor. In addition, PMIRR will measure the radiative balance of the polar regions of Mars in an effort to better understand the short-term climate variability of the planet. The information obtained with PMIRR on MCO will be complementary to data obtained by the Thermal Emission Spectrometer (TES) and Radio Science (RS) experiments on the Mars Global Surveyor. A major emphasis of our research will be the assimilation of PMIRR data into numerical models of the Martian atmosphere. Assimilation schemes, of which several are currently in development, will permit the extension of measurements to spatial and temporal scales and to phenomena (e.g. winds) not observed directly by PMIRR.
Co-Operative Mission Concepts Using Biomorphic Explorers
Inspired by the immense variety of naturally curious explorers (insects, animals, and birds), their well integrated biological sensor-processor suites that are efficiently packaged in compact but highly dexterous forms, and their complex, intriguing, cooperative behaviors, this study focuses on Biomorphic Explorers and presents cooperative biomorphic planetary exploration scenarios.
Co-Operative Mission Concepts Using Biomorphic Explorers
Explore the source record for details and available documents.
Simulation of the December 1998 Stratospheric Major Warming
An atypically early major stratospheric sudden warming in mid-Dec 1998 resulted in an abnormally warm and weak polar vortex through most of the 1998-99 winter.
Viking Era Water Ice Clouds
We have spatially and temporally determined and mapped the water ice clouds for 1.25 Martian years using the Viking Infrared Thermal Mapper (IRTM) data.
Localized Rapid Ozone Loss in the Northern Winter Stratosphere: An Analysis of UARS Observations
Observations of low-ozone air pockets forming during northern winter in the middle stratosphere out side the polar vortex provide an opportunity to test models of the photochemistry of ozone at several altitudes, as the trajectories of the associated air parcels are well-defined by Lagrangian transport codes over the periods of interest.