The Europa Imaging System (EIS) is a

visible spectrum The visible spectrum is the portion of the electromagnetic spectrum that is visual perception, visible to the human eye. Electromagnetic radiation in this range of wavelengths is called ''visible light'' or simply light. A typical human eye wil ...

wide and narrow angle camera on board the planned '' Europa Clipper'' mission that will map most of

Europa Europa may refer to: Places * Europe * Europa (Roman province), a province within the Diocese of Thrace * Europa (Seville Metro), Seville, Spain; a station on the Seville Metro * Europa City, Paris, France; a planned development * Europa Cliff ...

at resolution, and will provide images of selected surface areas at up to 0.5 m resolution. EIS will provide comprehensive data sets, including cartographic and three-dimensional geologic maps, regional and high-resolution digital

topography Topography is the study of the forms and features of land surfaces. The topography of an area may refer to the land forms and features themselves, or a description or depiction in maps. Topography is a field of geoscience and planetary sci ...

geographic information system A geographic information system (GIS) is a type of database containing Geographic data and information, geographic data (that is, descriptions of phenomena for which location is relevant), combined with Geographic information system software, sof ...

data products, color and photometric data products, a

geodetic control network A geodetic control network (also geodetic network, reference network, control point network, or control network) is a network, often of triangles, which are measured precisely by techniques of terrestrial surveying or by satellite geodesy. A ...

tied to

radar altimetry A radar altimeter (RA), also called a radio altimeter (RALT), electronic altimeter, reflection altimeter, or low-range radio altimeter (LRRA), measures altitude above the terrain presently beneath an aircraft or spacecraft by timing how long it t ...

, and a database of plume-search observations.

Overview

EIS combines a narrow-angle camera (NAC) and a wide-angle camera (WAC) designed to address the reconnaissance goals. Both cameras operate on the

(390 to 700 nm) and make use of

push broom scanner A push broom scanner, also known as an along-track scanner, is a device for obtaining images with spectroscopic sensors. The scanners are regularly used for passive remote sensing from space, and in spectral analysis on production lines, for exampl ...

s for obtaining images with spectroscopic sensors. The Principal investigator is

Elizabeth Turtle Elizabeth "Zibi" Turtle is a planetary scientist at the Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory. Education Turtle earned her B.S. in physics from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology in 1989. She earned her Ph.D. in planetary ...

Objectives

The objectives of the EIS instrument are: The Europa Imaging System (EIS): High-Resolution, 3-D Insight into Europa's Geology, Ice Shell, and Potential for Current Activity
Turtle, E. P.; McEwen, A. S.; Collins, G. C.; Fletcher, L. N.; Hansen, C. J.; Hayes, A.; Hurford, T., Jr.; Kirk, R. L.; Barr, A.; Nimmo, F.; Patterson, G.; Quick, L. C.; Soderblom, J. M.; Thomas, N. ''American Geophysical Union'', Fall Meeting 2014, abstract #P13E-03. December 2014. *Characterize the ice shell by determining its thickness and correlating surface features with subsurface structures detected by ice penetrating radar. *Constrain formation processes of surface features and the potential for current activity by characterizing endogenic structures, surface units, global cross-cutting relationships, and relationships to Europa's subsurface structure, and by searching for evidence of recent activity, including potential plumes. *Characterize scientifically compelling landing sites and hazards by determining the nature of the surface at scales relevant to a potential

Europa Lander The Europa Lander is a proposed astrobiology mission concept by NASA to send a Lander (spacecraft), lander to Europa (moon), Europa, an icy moon of Jupiter. If funded and developed as a large strategic science mission, it would be launched ...

General specifications

;Narrow angle camera (NAC) The NAC provides very high-resolution, stereo reconnaissance, generating 2 km wide swaths at 0.5 m pixel scale from 50 km altitude. NAC observations also include: near-global (>95%) mapping of Europa at ≤50 m pixel scale; regional and high-resolution stereo imaging at <1 m/pixel, and high phase angle observations for plume searches.The Europa Imaging System (EIS): High-Resolution Imaging and Topography to Investigate Europa's Geology, Ice Shell, and Potential for Current Activity
(PDF). Turtle, E. P.; McEwen, A. S.; Collins, G. C.; Fletcher, L.; Hansen, C. J.; Hayes, A. G.; Hurford, T. A.; Kirk, R. L.; Barr Mlinar, A. C.; Nimmo, F.; Patterson, G. W.; Quick, L. C.; Soderblom, J. M.; Thomas, N.; Ernst, C. M. ''47th Lunar and Planetary Science Conference'', held March 21-25, 2016 at The Woodlands, Texas. LPI Contribution No. 1903, p.1626. The NAC will also perform high-phase-angle observations to search for potential plumes, even when the spacecraft is distant from Europa. ;Wide angle camera (WAC) The WAC will acquire stereo reconnaissance, generating digital topographic models with 32 m spatial scale and 4 m vertical precision from 50 km altitude.

References

{{Satellite and spacecraft instruments Space imagers Europa (moon) Europa Clipper