Sensors 2010, 10(10), 9211-9231; doi:10.3390/s101009211
Article

The Rover Environmental Monitoring Station Ground Temperature Sensor: A Pyrometer for Measuring Ground Temperature on Mars

Eduardo Sebastián 1,* email, Carlos Armiens 1 email, Javier Gómez-Elvira 1 email, María P. Zorzano 1 email, Jesus Martinez-Frias 1 email, Blanca Esteban 2 email and Miguel Ramos 2 email
1 Centro de Astrobiología (CSIC-INTA), Ctra. Ajalvir Km. 4, 28850 Torrejón de Ardoz, Madrid, Spain 2 Department of Physics, University of Alcalá, Ctra. N-II Km33. Alcalá de Henares, Spain
* Author to whom correspondence should be addressed.
Received: 27 August 2010; in revised form: 14 September 2010 / Accepted: 25 September 2010 / Published: 15 October 2010
(This article belongs to the Section Physical Sensors)
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Abstract: We describe the parameters that drive the design and modeling of the Rover Environmental Monitoring Station (REMS) Ground Temperature Sensor (GTS), an instrument aboard NASA’s Mars Science Laboratory, and report preliminary test results. REMS GTS is a lightweight, low-power, and low cost pyrometer for measuring the Martian surface kinematic temperature. The sensor’s main feature is its innovative design, based on a simple mechanical structure with no moving parts. It includes an in-flight calibration system that permits sensor recalibration when sensor sensitivity has been degraded by deposition of dust over the optics. This paper provides the first results of a GTS engineering model working in a Martian-like, extreme environment.
Keywords: IR ground temperature sensor; sensor thermal model; spacecraft instrumentation; in-flight calibration

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Cite This Article

MDPI and ACS Style

Sebastián, E.; Armiens, C.; Gómez-Elvira, J.; Zorzano, M.P.; Martinez-Frias, J.; Esteban, B.; Ramos, M. The Rover Environmental Monitoring Station Ground Temperature Sensor: A Pyrometer for Measuring Ground Temperature on Mars. Sensors 2010, 10, 9211-9231.

AMA Style

Sebastián E, Armiens C, Gómez-Elvira J, Zorzano MP, Martinez-Frias J, Esteban B, Ramos M. The Rover Environmental Monitoring Station Ground Temperature Sensor: A Pyrometer for Measuring Ground Temperature on Mars. Sensors. 2010; 10(10):9211-9231.

Chicago/Turabian Style

Sebastián, Eduardo; Armiens, Carlos; Gómez-Elvira, Javier; Zorzano, María P.; Martinez-Frias, Jesus; Esteban, Blanca; Ramos, Miguel. 2010. "The Rover Environmental Monitoring Station Ground Temperature Sensor: A Pyrometer for Measuring Ground Temperature on Mars." Sensors 10, no. 10: 9211-9231.

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