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Mass spectrometry and planetary exploration: A brief review and future projection
Author(s) -
Arevalo Ricardo,
Ni Ziqin,
Danell Ryan M.
Publication year - 2020
Publication title -
journal of mass spectrometry
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.475
H-Index - 121
eISSN - 1096-9888
pISSN - 1076-5174
DOI - 10.1002/jms.4388
Subject(s) - mass spectrometry , payload (computing) , chemistry , astrobiology , scope (computer science) , aerospace engineering , interplanetary spaceflight , software deployment , systems engineering , computer science , physics , solar wind , engineering , chromatography , computer network , quantum mechanics , network packet , magnetic field , programming language , operating system
The influence of mass spectrometry is far‐reaching! In this issue of the Journal of Mass Spectrometry, Authors Arevalo, Ni and Danell describe the rich history and promising future applications of the mass spectrometer in the investigation of planetary bodies. Mass analyzers sent into space and deployed to planetary bodies are inherently different from the instruments used in a conventional laboratory setting. Payload instruments must be small and especially rugged, so that they survive the launch, cruise, and deployment phases of the mission. They must also provide a specific set of analytical objectives, including sensitive and quantitative measurements of chemical composition, and isotopic, elemental, and molecular abundances of both volatile and nonvolatile components. These systems must operate autonomously and provide unbiased information on planetary materials. In this month's Special Feature the authors discuss instrument types, their operational requirements, and highlight the expanding scope of mass spectrometry in interplanetary studies.