The Berlin Emissivity Database (BED): a spectral library in support of planetary missions

Abstract

<p>In the last decade several IR spectrometers flew on spacecrafts around terrestrial planets (e.g. PFS on MEX and VEX, TES on MGS). In the future years a new generation of IR spectrometers will continue the exploration of the planets in our solar system.</p><p> The MERcury Thermal infrared Imaging Spectrometer (MERTIS) is a TIR Spectrometer combined with a radiometer instrument covering the range from 7 to 14 μm at a high spectral resolution of up to 90 nm. MERTIS will globally map the planet with a spatial resolution of 500 m and S/N ratio of at least 100. MERTIS will map 5-10% of the surface with a spatial resolution higher than 500 m. A twin of the MERTIS instrument (SERTIS) will flow on the proposed LEO German mission to the Moon.</p><p> For the interpretation of the remote sensing measured data an emissivity spectral library of planetary analogue materials is needed. The Berlin Emissivity Database (BED) presented here is focused on relatively fine-grained size separates, providing a realistic basis for interpretation of thermal emission spectra of planetary regoliths, and is therefore complimentary to existing thermal emission libraries.</p>