Calibration of MAJIS (Moons and Jupiter Imaging Spectrometer): V. Validation with mineral samples and reference materials.

MAJIS (Moons and Jupiter Imaging Spectrometer) is the imaging spectrometer onboard ESA's JUICE (JUpiter and ICy Moons Explorer) spacecraft that operates in the visible and near/mid-infrared between 0.5 and 5.54 µm. Before the launch of JUICE in April 2023, MAJIS underwent a comprehensive on-ground calibration campaign in between August and September 2021 in the IAS (Institut d'Astrophysique Spatiale, Université Paris-Saclay) calibration facilities. Among all the operations, calibration sequences using a set of natural mineral samples and synthetic reference materials were acquired in order to characterize MAJIS performances under conditions assumed to be close to certain future observation configurations. Here, we analyze these calibration measurements using comparison with laboratory reference spectra to quantify MAJIS spectral and spatial performances while observing these solid surfaces. We first assess the MAJIS absolute spectral calibration of the visible and near-infrared channel covering half of the wavelength range. We then quantify spectral performances in terms of global spectral slopes, band detection, band shape, and depth retrievals, over most of the spectral range using six mineral samples. We conclude that for most configurations, the MAJIS instrument demonstrates excellent spectral performances compliant with the requirements. MAJIS can, however, be affected by stray light contributions, notably for wavelengths lower than about 1.2 µm, and some performances of the instrument may then be significantly impacted depending on viewing conditions. In particular, we have identified cases of spectral contrast reduction up to 40%, absolute spectral shifts up to 2-3 nm, and spectral smile variability by +/1 nm. Finally, we used the MAJIS internal scanning mirror to test its ability to construct hyperspectral images of a few samples: we present the first band depth maps derived with MAJIS while observing a serpentine/carbonate sample, as well as an evaluation of MAJIS spatial point spread function. Overall, the analysis of MAJIS behavior while observing samples confirms most MAJIS expected performance requirements, while revealing subtle spectral perturbations that may be related to stray light and viewing conditions. These differences will be further investigated in-flight during the cruise, with a solar reflected target such as the Moon, as well as Jupiter before the JUICE orbital insertion.

A new concept of acousto-optic tunable filter-based near-infrared hyperspectral imager for planetary surface exploration.

In the past two decades, near-infrared (NIR) hyperspectral imaging instruments have revolutionized our conception of planetary surfaces in terms of evolution, geology, mineralogy, and alteration processes. The cornerstone of this remote analysis technique is the synergy between imagery, giving the geomorphological context of the observations, and NIR spectroscopy whose spectral range is sensitive to the main absorption features of most of the minerals present on planetary surfaces. The development of a generation of space instrument based on Acousto-Optic Tunable Filters (AOTFs) increases the capacity of these spectrometers to be set up in a variety of space probes. The ExoCam concept, developed at Institut d'Astrophysique Spatiale and profiting from the lab's previous experience (MicrOmega onboard Phobos-Grunt, Hayabusa 2 and ExoMars), thus, proposes for the first time to do hyperspectral imagery through a wide aperture AOTF (15 × 15 mm2) in the 0.95-3.6 µm spectral range. The characterization of this instrumental concept, led on a representative breadboard built for this purpose, showed that the acousto-optic diffraction preserves the image quality up to the diffraction/resolution limit over the whole field of view. The spectral resolution (from 2 to 25 nm over the spectral range) and accuracy of the instrument are also consistent with the identification of planetary surface minerals. This paper describes the ExoCam concept and objectives, the setup of an optical breadboard representative of a space instrument based on this concept, and the results of performance characterizations realized on the breadboard.

Pre-launch radiometric calibration of the infrared spectrometer onboard SuperCam for the Mars2020 rover.

Near-infrared spectroscopy has become a well-known remote sensing technique for the surface characterization of planetary objects. Among them, Mars was observed in the past by three imaging spectrometers from orbit. The Infrared Spectrometer/SuperCam instrument performs near-infrared spectroscopy from the martian surface for the first time, with a 1.15 mrad field of view, in the 1.3 µm-2.6 µm range, enabling the identification of a variety of mafic and altered minerals. Before integration aboard the rover, the spectrometer underwent a calibration campaign. Here, we report the radiometric and linearity responses of the instrument, including the optical and thermal setups used to perform them over its nominal range of operations, in terms of instrument detector temperatures and spectral range. These responses were constrained by accuracy requirements (20% in absolute radiometry, 1% in relative). The derived instrument transfer function fits within these requirements (<15% in absolute and <0.8% in relative) and shall be used to calculate the expected instrumental signal-to-noise ratio for typical observation scenarios of mineral mixtures expected to be found in the Jezero crater, and ultimately to retrieve the spectral properties of the regions of interest observed by the rover.

Sample collection from asteroid (162173) Ryugu by Hayabusa2: Implications for surface evolution.

The near-Earth asteroid (162173) Ryugu is thought to be a primitive carbonaceous object that contains hydrated minerals and organic molecules. We report sample collection from Ryugu's surface by the Hayabusa2 spacecraft on 21 February 2019. Touchdown images and global observations of surface colors are used to investigate the stratigraphy of the surface around the sample location and across Ryugu. Latitudinal color variations suggest the reddening of exposed surface material by solar heating and/or space weathering. Immediately after touchdown, Hayabusa2's thrusters disturbed dark, fine grains that originate from the redder materials. The stratigraphic relationship between identified craters and the redder material indicates that surface reddening occurred over a short period of time. We suggest that Ryugu previously experienced an orbital excursion near the Sun.

The surface composition of asteroid 162173 Ryugu from Hayabusa2 near-infrared spectroscopy.

The near-Earth asteroid 162173 Ryugu, the target of the Hayabusa2 sample-return mission, is thought to be a primitive carbonaceous object. We report reflectance spectra of Ryugu's surface acquired with the Near-Infrared Spectrometer (NIRS3) on Hayabusa2, to provide direct measurements of the surface composition and geological context for the returned samples. A weak, narrow absorption feature centered at 2.72 micrometers was detected across the entire observed surface, indicating that hydroxyl (OH)-bearing minerals are ubiquitous there. The intensity of the OH feature and low albedo are similar to thermally and/or shock-metamorphosed carbonaceous chondrite meteorites. There are few variations in the OH-band position, which is consistent with Ryugu being a compositionally homogeneous rubble-pile object generated from impact fragments of an undifferentiated aqueously altered parent body.

COMETARY SCIENCE. 67P/Churyumov-Gerasimenko surface properties as derived from CIVA panoramic images.

The structure and composition of cometary constituents, down to their microscopic scale, are critical witnesses of the processes and ingredients that drove the formation and evolution of planetary bodies toward their present diversity. On board Rosetta's lander Philae, the Comet Infrared and Visible Analyser (CIVA) experiment took a series of images to characterize the surface materials surrounding the lander on comet 67P/Churyumov-Gerasimenko. Images were collected twice: just after touchdown, and after Philae finally came to rest, where it acquired a full panorama. These images reveal a fractured surface with complex structure and a variety of grain scales and albedos, possibly constituting pristine cometary material.

Evaluation of the quality of coding of job episodes collected by self questionnaires among French retired men for use in a job-exposure matrix.

BACKGROUND: and AIMS: The ESPACES study was intended to identify retirees who may have been, according to their job descriptions, exposed to asbestos during their working lives. As part of this study, we analysed the quality of the occupation and activity sector coding as well as its effect on the subjects' exposure status. METHODS: The occupation and activity sector for a sample of 450 retired men were coded twice (with the second coder blinded to the first result), according to the international codes for industries (ISIC-1975) and occupations (ISCO-1968). For each series, linking the information about a job episode (dates, ISIC code, ISCO code) with the matrix allowed attribution of a probability of asbestos exposure to each episode and each subject. The asbestos exposure in the two series was compared by the kappa reproducibility coefficient. RESULTS: The analysis concerned 425 questionnaires. There was at least one difference in the code for either activity sector (ISIC) or occupation (ISCO) in half the episodes (50.2%). The exposure status estimated by the job-exposure matrix did not change between the series for 84.7% of the subjects. The kappa coefficient was 0.64 for all questionnaires, 0.70 when the questionnaire was coded twice by the same coder, and 0.62 when coded by two different coders. CONCLUSIONS: Despite intra- and inter-differences between coders, the coding of job episodes for the ESPACES study appears satisfactory and hence indicates that the assessment of the subjects' asbestos exposure was assessed without major distortions. This study underlines the usefulness of employing coders specifically trained for this technique.