title: The Rover Environmental Monitoring Station Ground Temperature Sensor: a pyrometer for measuring ground temperature on Mars.
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.
authors.affiliation: Centro de Astrobiología (CSIC-INTA), Ctra. Ajalvir Km. 4, 28850 Torrejón de Ardoz, Madrid, Spain. sebastianme@inta.es
authors.forename: Eduardo
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Sebastián
authors.forename: Carlos
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Armiens
authors.forename: Javier
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Gómez-Elvira
authors.forename: María P
authors.initials: MP
authors.lastname: Zorzano
authors.forename: Jesus
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Martinez-Frias
authors.forename: Blanca
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Esteban
authors.forename: Miguel
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Ramos
mesh_terms: D004784:Environmental Monitoring / Q000295:instrumentation* / Q000379:methods*; D005118:Extraterrestrial Environment; D018535:Mars; D013026:Space Flight; D013696:Temperature; D014481:United States; D018557:United States National Aeronautics and Space Administration