PDS: The Planetary Atmospheres Node
Atmospheric Structure Experiment (ASE)
During the Entry, Descent, and Landing (EDL) phase of the mission, atmospheric data were collected in order to determine the first profiles of atmospheric density, pressure, and temperature from a martian polar region.
To the right is shown the atmospheric temperature profile (as a function of altitude) and the +/- 1 σ uncertainties derived from the acceleration measurements obtained during the Phoenix Lander's Entry, Descent, and Landing on May 25, 2008.
Atmospheric Density and Pressure profiles were also derived from the EDL accelerometer measurements. In fact, Density is the primary derived quantity. Pressure is derived via vertical integration of the Density, and Temperature is then derived via application of the Ideal Gas Law to the derived Density and Pressure values.
All of these quantities: the derived density, derived pressure, and derived temperature profiles, as well as the 1-σ errors, are provided at 1-kilometer vertical resolution altitude intervals in the PHXCOMPACT.TAB ASCII file in the Raw Data collection.
To the right is shown the atmospheric temperature profile (as a function of altitude) and the +/- 1 σ uncertainties derived from the acceleration measurements obtained during the Phoenix Lander's Entry, Descent, and Landing on May 25, 2008.
Atmospheric Density and Pressure profiles were also derived from the EDL accelerometer measurements. In fact, Density is the primary derived quantity. Pressure is derived via vertical integration of the Density, and Temperature is then derived via application of the Ideal Gas Law to the derived Density and Pressure values.
All of these quantities: the derived density, derived pressure, and derived temperature profiles, as well as the 1-σ errors, are provided at 1-kilometer vertical resolution altitude intervals in the PHXCOMPACT.TAB ASCII file in the Raw Data collection.
Useful Mission Documents
(Also found in Documentation)
Software Interface Specification (SIS) - Description of the instrument and data structures
Calibration Document - Description of the calibration methods
As-Flown Index - List of intended observations in order of acquisition
Archive Bundle Contents
Documentation - Directory containing the documentation collection, including references to refereed journals using this instrument.
Raw Data - Directory containing the EDR data files for EDL.
Reduced Data - Directory containing the RDR data files for EDL.
Other Useful Products for Interpreting the Data
Other Potential Relevant Data - Data that may be relevant from missions other than PHX
SPICE - Archived PHX SPICE ancillary data providing observation geometry (positions, orientations, instrument pointing, time conversions, etc.) are available from the PDS NAIF Node.
