PDS_VERSION_ID = PDS3 RECORD_TYPE = STREAM STANDARD_DATA_PRODUCT_ID = HEA DATA_SET_ID = "MEX-M-MRS-1/2/3-PRM-0666-V1.0" PRODUCT_ID = "M00SUE0L1A_HEA_053440240_00.TXT" PRODUCT_CREATION_TIME = 2009-04-29T16:45:30.000 PRODUCER_ID = "SUE" INSTRUMENT_HOST_ID = "MEX" OBJECT = TEXT PUBLICATION_DATE = 2005-12-23 NOTE = "DSN MEX Data Collection" END_OBJECT = TEXT END Miscellaneous ============= This is the first report since HEA5356A.TXT. Tanja Zegers advises that ESA is planning to conduct the 22 January 2006 bistatic radar experiment as a specular pointing test. In this experiment the spacecraft will be near apocenter (slant range to the target 11170 km) so the geometry changes very slowly and there should be little risk of -X axis insolation on the spacecraft. The ground track moves southeast to northwest through (43N, 90E), where the incidence angle is almost exactly 60 deg. This is "northern plains," and the ground track parallels the north-south dichotomy through northwestern Utopia Planitia. Open Loop Data ============== Data Collection --------------- We have completed quick-look processing on the following MEX RSR open loop 25 kHz bistatic radar data at Stanford: DOY DSS RSR BAND RSR CH KSPS BT REC RECS RSR MAX START STOP ID RS LEN FILE NAME SNR --- --- -------- -------- ---- --- -- ---- -- ----- ----- ------------ ----- 344 14 02:40:01 04:05:00 -/XR 4 3 25 16 25260 20397 5344024A.RSR 4.4 344 14 06:00:00 06:38:00 -/XR 4 3 25 16 25260 9121 5344060A.RSR 14.0 344 14 06:38:00 07:08:00 -/XR 4 3 25 16 25260 7201 5344063A.RSR 29.8 344 14 07:08:00 08:35:00 -/XR 4 3 25 16 25260 20881 5344070A.RSR 76.2 344 14 02:40:01 04:05:00 -/SR 3 3 25 16 25260 20397 5344024B.RSR 4.3 344 14 06:00:00 06:38:00 -/SR 3 3 25 16 25260 9121 5344060B.RSR 49.2 344 14 06:38:00 07:08:00 -/SR 3 3 25 16 25260 7201 5344063B.RSR 25.3 344 14 07:08:00 08:35:00 -/SR 3 3 25 16 25260 20881 5344070B.RSR 54.8 344 14 02:40:01 04:05:00 -/XL 6 3 25 16 25260 20397 5344024C.RSR 3.8 344 14 06:00:00 06:38:00 -/XL 6 3 25 16 25260 9121 5344060C.RSR 4.3 344 14 06:38:00 07:08:00 -/XL 6 3 25 16 25260 7201 5344063C.RSR 29.0 344 14 07:08:00 08:35:00 -/XL 6 3 25 16 25260 20881 5344070C.RSR 52.7 344 14 02:40:01 04:05:00 -/SL 5 3 25 16 25260 20397 5344024D.RSR 3.5 344 14 06:00:00 06:38:00 -/SL 5 3 25 16 25260 9121 5344060D.RSR 27.9 344 14 06:38:00 07:08:00 -/SL 5 3 25 16 25260 7201 5344063D.RSR 19.8 344 14 07:08:00 08:35:00 -/SL 5 3 25 16 25260 20881 5344070D.RSR 28.1 With the exception of a switching problem on the X-LCP channel, these data look very good. The switching problem is the reappearance of an error in the scripted procedure which was fixed before the experiment on 2005/292. We have requested assistance from the NOPE in correcting the template that is used for preparing the briefing messages to DSS 14. From our quick-look processing, these are the strongest MEX BSR echoes we have ever seen. The integrated echo power is 12 dB larger than the total noise in the 25 kHz X-RCP passband; previously the strongest echoes were in the range of 5-6 dB when compared to the total noise, and "good" experiments have had 1 dB signal-to-noise when measured this way. Since the spacecraft was near pericenter, this also means that our surface resolution will be much improved (easily by a factor of 6-8). There will be some complications, however; in addition to the switching problem noted above (which makes the calibration more difficult), the echo is moving very quickly in frequency, and there were interfering signals from another spacecraft (presumably MGS) which need to be avoided in the analysis. These data were collected over the Residual South Polar Ice Cap with target coordinates very close to those used during MEX BSR experiments on days 238 and 249. 100 kHz data will be reported later; they have not yet been transferred from DSS 14 to JPL.