Multiwavelength dielectrometer (MWD) sensor for planetary subsurface exploration

Manohar Deshpande; Michael Van Steenberg; Lawrence Hilliard

doi:10.1117/12.693499

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8 December 2006 Multiwavelength dielectrometer (MWD) sensor for planetary subsurface exploration

Manohar Deshpande, Michael Van Steenberg, Lawrence Hilliard

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Proceedings Volume 6410, Microwave Remote Sensing of the Atmosphere and Environment V; 641018 (2006) https://doi.org/10.1117/12.693499
Event: SPIE Asia-Pacific Remote Sensing, 2006, Goa, India

Abstract

A light weight, low power instrument called Multi Wavelength Dielectrometer (MWD) to measure subsurface properties of planetary surfaces is described. The MWD instrument consists of essential electronics and metallic plates acting as electrodes attached to the body of space crafts. An electric signal applied to one of the electrodes acting as a cathode sets up electric field pattern (in the soil medium) between the cathode and other electrodes acting as anodes. The electrodes are swept through multiple wavelengths (1Hz-MHz) and the electric current drawn by the electrodes or mutual capacitances between electrodes is measured at each frequency. The measured capacitances whose values depend upon electrode spacing, dielectric constant of the subsurface soil, and the frequency are then used to estimate electrical properties of the soil.

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Manohar Deshpande, Michael Van Steenberg, and Lawrence Hilliard "Multiwavelength dielectrometer (MWD) sensor for planetary subsurface exploration", Proc. SPIE 6410, Microwave Remote Sensing of the Atmosphere and Environment V, 641018 (8 December 2006); https://doi.org/10.1117/12.693499

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