View source for Engineering:MicrOmega-IR

{{Infobox spacecraft instrument
| Name = MicrOmega-IR
| Image =
| Caption =

| Operator = [[Organization:European Space Agency|European Space Agency]]
| Manufacturer = ''Institut d'Astrophysique Spatiale'', of the CNRS
| Type = [[Physics:Hyperspectral imaging|Infrared hyperspectral microscope]]
| Function = Subsurface composition
| Mission_Duration = ≥ 7 months<ref name="Astro2017">{{cite journal |title=Habitability on Early Mars and the Search for Biosignatures with the ExoMars Rover |journal=Astrobiology |first=Jorge L. |last=Vago |display-authors=0 |volume=17 |issue=6–7 |pages=471–510 |date=July 2017 |doi=10.1089/ast.2016.1533 |pmid=31067287 |bibcode=2017AsBio..17..471V|pmc=5685153 }}</ref> 
| Began = <!--date operations began (single instruments only)-->
| Ceased = <!--date operations ceased (single instruments only)-->
| Webpage = [https://exploration.esa.int/web/mars/-/45103-rover-instruments ExoMars Rover Instrument Suite]

| Mass = ≈2 kg
| Dimensions =
| Power_consumption = 
| Resolution = 
| Spectral_Band =
| Data_Rate =

| Spacecraft = [[Engineering:Rosalind Franklin (rover)|''Rosalind Franklin'' rover]]
| SC_Operator = [[Organization:European Space Agency|European Space Agency]]
| Launch = NET 2028
| Rocket = 
| Launch_Site =
| COSPAR = <!--COSPAR ID of host spacecraft-->
}}
[[File:Papakolea Beach sand high mag 052915.jpg|thumb|Grains of Earth olivine, one of the minerals MicroOmega is designed to detect]]
'''MicrOmega-IR''' is an [[Physics:Hyperspectral imaging|infrared hyperspectral microscope]] that is part of the science payload on board the European [[Engineering:Rosalind Franklin (rover)|''Rosalind Franklin'' rover]],<ref>{{cite web |last=Howell |first=Elizabeth |url=https://www.space.com/34664-exomars-facts.html |title=ExoMars: Searching for Life on Mars |work=Space.com |date=July 24, 2018 |access-date=March 13, 2020}}</ref> tasked to search for [[Astronomy:Biosignature|biosignature]]s on Mars. The rover is planned to be launched not earlier than 2028. MicrOmega-IR will analyse ''[[Biology:In situ|in situ]]'' the powder material derived from crushed samples collected by the [[Engineering:Rosalind Franklin (rover)#Core drill|rover's core drill]].<ref name="Vago">{{cite journal |url=http://esamultimedia.esa.int/multimedia/publications/ESA-Bulletin-155/offline/download.pdf |title=ExoMars: ESA's Next Step in Mars Exploration |journal=Bulletin |publisher=European Space Agency |first1=Jorge |last1=Vago |first2=Olivier |last2=Witasse |first3=Pietro |last3=Baglioni |first4=Albert |last4=Haldemann |first5=Giacinto |last5=Gianfiglio |first6=Thierry |last6=Blancquaert |first7=Don |last7=McCoy |first8=Rolf |last8=de Groot |display-authors=5 |issue=155 |pages=12–23 |date=August 2013}}</ref><ref>{{cite journal |title=Infrared Spectrometer for ExoMars: A Mast-Mounted Instrument for the Rover |journal=Astrobiology |first=Oleg I. |last=Korablev |display-authors=0 |volume=17 |issue=6–7 |pages=542–564 |date=July 2017 |doi=10.1089/ast.2016.1543 |pmid=28731817 |bibcode=2017AsBio..17..542K|url=http://pure.aber.ac.uk/ws/files/19196048/ISEM_resubmitted_10.02.17.pdf }}</ref>

==Development==

The ''MicrOmega'' [[Biology:Mnemonic|mnemonic]] is derived from its French name ''Micro observatoire pour la mineralogie, l'eau, les glaces et l'activité'';<ref name="Astro2017"/> IR stands for [[Physics:Infrared|infrared]].  It was developed by France's ''Institut d'Astrophysique Spatiale'' at the CNRS. France has also flown MicrOmega on other missions such as the 2011 [[Astronomy:Fobos-Grunt|Fobos-Grunt]] and the ''[[Astronomy:Hayabusa2|Hayabusa2]]'' MASCOT mobile lander currently exploring [[Astronomy:162173 Ryugu|asteroid Ryugu]].<ref>[https://mascot.cnes.fr/en/MASCOT/GP_micromega.htm MicroMega Instrument for MASCOT]. [[Organization:CNES|CNES]], France. August 26, 2016. Accessed: 21 July 2018.</ref> France is also developing a variant called MacrOmega Near-IR Spectrometer for the [[Astronomy:Martian Moons Exploration|Martian Moons Exploration]] (MMX) lander, a Japanese [[Astronomy:Sample-return mission|sample-return mission]] to Mars' moon [[Astronomy:Phobos (moon)|Phobos]].<ref>[http://www.isas.jaxa.jp/en/topics/files/MMX170412_EN.pdf#page=19 Martian Moons eXploration (MMX) Mission Overview]. (PDF). [[Organization:JAXA|JAXA]]. 10 April 2017.</ref>

The Principal Investigator of the MicrOmega-IR for the ''Rosalind Franklin'' rover is Jean-Pierre Bibring, a French astronomer and planetary scientist at the ''Institut d'Astrophysique Spatiale''. Co-PIs are astrobiologists Frances Westall and Nicolas Thomas.<ref>[http://exploration.esa.int/mars/45103-rover-instruments/ The ExoMars Rover Instrument Suite - MicrOmega]. [[Organization:European Space Agency|European Space Agency]]. Published: 25 August 2017.</ref>

MicrOmega was developed by a consortium including:<ref>{{Cite book|last1=Vaitua|first1=Leroi|last2=Bibring|first2=Jean-Pierre|last3=Berthé|first3=Michel|date=2017-11-21|chapter=MicrOmega IR: a new infrared hyperspectral imaging microscope or in situ analysis|volume=10566|pages=50|doi=10.1117/12.2308234|title=International Conference on Space Optics — ICSO 2008|isbn=9781510616219|s2cid=73677729}}</ref>
*IAS (Orsay, France)
*LESIA (Meudon, France)
* CBM (Orléans, France)
*[[Organization:University of Bern|University Of Bern]] (Bern, Switzerland)
* [[Organization:Russian Space Research Institute|Russian Space Research Institute]] (IKI) (Moscow, Russia)

==Overview==

{| class="wikitable floatright"
! MicrOmega-IR !! Parameter/units <ref name='Bibring 2017'/>
|-
| Type || [[Physics:Hyperspectral imaging|Infrared hyperspectral microscope]]
|-
| Manufacturer || ''Institut d'Astrophysique Spatiale'',<br/>of the CNRS
|-
| Spectral range || 0.9–4 μm <ref name=SciDir/>
|-
| Spectral sampling || 20/cm from 0.95 μm to 3.65 μm  
|-
| Imaging resolution || 20  μm<sup>2</sup>/pixel
|-
| [[Physics:Field of view|Field of view]] ||  5 × 5  mm<sup>2</sup>
|-
| Mass || ≈ {{convert|2|kg}}
|}
MicrOmega-IR is a visible and [[Physics:Hyperspectral imaging|infrared hyperspectral microscope]] that is designed to characterize the texture and composition of crushed samples presented to the instrument.<ref name='Bibring 2017'>[https://www.liebertpub.com/doi/abs/10.1089/ast.2016.1642 The MicrOmega Investigation Onboard ExoMars]. Jean-Pierre Bibring, Vincent Hamm, Cédric Pilorget, Jorge L. Vago, and the MicrOmega Team. ''Astrobiology'', Vol. 17, No. 6-7. 1 July 2017. {{doi|10.1089/ast.2016.1642}}.</ref>  Its objective is to study mineral grain assemblages in detail to try to unravel their geological origin, structure and composition, including potential [[Chemistry:Organic compound|organics]].<ref name='Bibring 2017'/> These data will be vital for interpreting past and present geological processes and environments on Mars. Because MicrOmega-IR is an imaging instrument, it can also be used to identify grains that are particularly interesting, and assign them as targets for [[Engineering:Rosalind Franklin (rover)#Pasteur instrument suite|Raman]] and MOMA observations.<ref name='Bibring 2017'/>

It is composed of 2 microscopes: MicrOmega/VIS has a spatial sampling of approximately 4 μm, working in 4 colors in the visible range. The other one is the MicrOmega/NIR hyperspectral microscope working in the spectral range 0.95 μm - 3.65 μm with a spatial sampling of 20 μm per pixel.<ref name=SciDir>{{cite journal|doi=10.1016/j.pss.2008.12.014|title=Micromega/IR: Design and status of a near-infrared spectral microscope for in situ analysis of Mars samples|journal=Planetary and Space Science|volume=57|issue=8–9|pages=1068–1075|year=2009|last1=Leroi|first1=Vaitua|last2=Bibring|first2=Jean-Pierre|last3=Berthe|first3=Michel|bibcode=2009P&SS...57.1068L}}</ref> Its main supporting components include:<ref name='Prototype 2010'>[http://exploration.esa.int/mars/47868-micromega-instrument-prototype/ MicrOmega Instrument Prototype]. [[Organization:European Space Agency|European Space Agency]]. 12 October 2015.</ref>
*A [[Physics:Monochromator|monochromator]] based on an [[Physics:Acousto-optic modulator|Acousto-optic modulator]] illumination system.
*Infrared magnification optics.
*Infrared focal plane.
*The thermal control system.
*The sample container.

The IR instrument uses a [[Physics:Mercury cadmium telluride|HgCdTe]] (Mercury-Cadmium-Telluride) matrix detector, the [[Company:Sofradir|Sofradir]] Mars SW 320 x 256 pixels.<ref>{{Cite book|last1=Vaitua|first1=Leroi|last2=Bibring|first2=Jean-Pierre|last3=Berthé|first3=Michel|date=2017-11-21|chapter=MicrOmega IR: a new infrared hyperspectral imaging microscope or in situ analysis|volume=10566|pages=50|doi=10.1117/12.2308234|title=International Conference on Space Optics — ICSO 2008|isbn=9781510616219|s2cid=73677729}}</ref>

Examples of materials for identification, if present:<ref>{{Cite journal|last1=Leroi|first1=Vaitua|last2=Bibring|first2=Jean-Pierre|last3=Berthe|first3=Michel|date=July 2009|title=Micromega/IR: Design and status of a near-infrared spectral microscope for in situ analysis of Mars samples|journal=Planetary and Space Science|language=en|volume=57|issue=8–9|pages=1068–1075|doi=10.1016/j.pss.2008.12.014|issn=0032-0633|bibcode=2009P&SS...57.1068L}}</ref>
*[[Chemistry:Pyroxene|pyroxene]]
*[[Chemistry:Olivine|olivine]]
*[[Chemistry:Iron(III) oxide|ferric oxides]]
*hydrated phyllosilicates
*[[Chemistry:Sulfate|sulfate]]s
*[[Astronomy:Carbonates on Mars|carbonates]]
*ices
*organics (organic as in [[Chemistry:Organic chemistry|organic chemistry]])

==See also==

* [[Astronomy:Astrobiology|Astrobiology]]
* [[Astronomy:Life on Mars|Life on Mars]]
*[[Engineering:Mars Multispectral Imager for Subsurface Studies|Mars Multispectral Imager for Subsurface Studies]] (Another ExoMars drill-related instrument)

==References==
{{reflist}}

{{Exomars}}
{{Satellite and spacecraft instruments}}
{{Astrobiology}}
{{European Space Agency}}

[[Category:Astrobiology]]
[[Category:Space science experiments]]

{{Sourceattribution|MicrOmega-IR|1}}