P051-06
Advanced Multispectral Infrared Microimager (AMIM) for Ocean Worlds Exploration

Friday, 11 December 2020: 16:20
Virtual
Jorge I Núñez1, Rachel L Klima1, Scott L Murchie1, Heidi E. Warriner1, John Boldt1, John S. Lehtonen2, Jacob M. Greenberg1, Kyle L. Anderson3, Trevor W. Palmer3 and Elizabeth L. McFarland1, (1)Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory, Laurel, MD, United States, (2)Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory, Laurel, MA, United States, (3)Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory, Space Exploration Sector, Laurel, MD, United States
Recorded Presentation
Abstract:
Microscopic imaging has long been an essential tool in the robotic exploration of planetary surfaces. Spatially correlated microscale texture and composition are essential for properly identifying rocks and soils in situ and interpreting their geologic histories. Future Ocean World missions will need microscopic imaging capabilities for characterizing textural and structural properties of collected material, and searching for cells and other biosignatures.

In support of determining the habitability and search for potential biosignatures on Europa and other Ocean Worlds such as Enceladus and Titan, we have developed the Advanced Multispectral Infrared Microimager (AMIM). AMIM combines microscopic imaging with visible-infrared microspectroscopy to enable the non-destructive first-reconnaissance of collected samples in situ. AMIM generates a visible-infrared spectrum at each pixel to provide spatially-correlated composition of minerals and ices within microtexture at the microscale. AMIM can also detect the presence of organics via UV fluorescence and absorptions in the infrared as well as operate in low light environments.

We have developed an AMIM prototype that features compact illumination system composed of low-power multispectral LED arrays (> 25 wavelengths with FWHM ≤ 50 nm), an adjustable focus mechanism that provides in-focus images (spatial resolution ≤ 6 µm/pixel) with z-stacking, and a visible-infrared camera capable of imaging from the visible to the infrared (VIS-IR, 0.4 to 2.6 µm; Expandable to 3.6 µm). Within this wavelength range, AMIM provides imaging/ spectroscopic measurements to detect hydrated minerals, salts, and other biominerals, characterize the crystallinity and grain size of ice, and search for potential organic biosignatures.

AMIM’s DPU merges multiple frames of each wavelength to remediate radiation, co-registers images from different bands, and uses onboard processing to reduce image cubes to a few “summary products” that measure key absorptions and are downlinked to provide a context for samples analyzed with other onboard instruments.

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