Measurement of the surface composition of the mars moon Phobos: The alpha-X experiment on the Phobos mission

https://doi.org/10.1016/0273-1177(90)90325-TGet rights and content

Abstract

The Alpha-X experiments onboard the Phobos Long-term Autonomous Landing Spacecraft (LAS) were launched towards Mars together with the USSR Phobos S/C on 7th and 12th July 1988. The experiments are designed to study the composition of the surface of the Mars moon Phobos. The instruments make use of three methods for determining the chemical composition: by measuring (1) the energy spectrum of alpha particle back-scattered from the soil, (2) the energy spectrum of protons generated by nuclear reactions, and (3) the characteristic x-ray spectrum induced by radioactive sources. The LAS are scheduled to land on Phobos at the end of April and in May 1989.

References (2)

  • Patterson

    J. Geophys. Res.

    (1969)
  • D. Hovestadt

Cited by (1)

View full text