학술논문

Dynamic Albedo of Neutrons (DAN) Experiment Onboard NASA's Mars Science Laboratory.
Document Type
Article
Source
Space Science Reviews. Sep2012, Vol. 170 Issue 1-4, p559-582. 24p. 3 Color Photographs, 1 Diagram, 2 Charts, 7 Graphs.
Subject
*NEUTRONS
*ASTRONAUTICAL laboratories
*WATER analysis
*THERMAL analysis
*SPACE exploration
*MARS (Planet)
Language
ISSN
0038-6308
Abstract
The description of Dynamic Albedo of Neutrons (DAN) experiment is presented, as a part of the NASA's Mars Science Laboratory mission onboard the mars rover Curiosity. The instrument DAN includes Pulsing Neutron Generator (PNG) producing pulses of 14.1 MeV neutrons for irradiation of subsurface material below the rover, and Detectors and Electronics (DE) unit, which operates the instrument itself and measures the die-away time profiles of epithermal and thermal neutrons following each neutron pulse. It is shown that the DAN investigation will measure a content of hydrogen along the path of the MSL rover, and it will also provide information about a depth distribution of hydrogen at 10-20 regions selected for the detailed studies and sampling analysis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]