Kavli Affiliate: Paul D. Asimow
| First 5 Authors: K. Marshall Seaton, K. Marshall Seaton, , ,
| Summary:
The Europa Clipper mission will arrive at the Jovian system in 2030 and
analyze ice grains sourced from the icy material on its surface using impact
mass spectrometry, which will provide key constraints on Europa’s chemical
composition and habitability. However, deriving quantitative compositional
information from spaceborne impact mass spectra of ice grains has historically
proven difficult due to the confounding effects of composition and impact
velocity, coupled with difficulties in accelerating ice grains to spacecraft
velocities under analogous sampling conditions. Using a novel hypervelocity ice
grain acceleration and impact mass spectrometry method, we quantify the degree
to which the mass spectra of NaCl-rich ice grains are influenced by chemical
composition and impact velocity variations within the flyby velocity ranges
planned for the Europa Clipper mission. These results suggest that
high-fidelity studies quantifying composition and velocity-related effects in
impact mass spectra may be necessary to accurately interpret data collected at
Europa and other ocean worlds in the future.
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