NSSDCA ID: 2003-032A-02
Mission Name: OpportunityThe Microscopic Imager (MI) on the Mars Exploration Rover is designed to take highly magnified close-ups of martian rocks and soils. The instrument consists of a microscope and a CCD camera mounted on the rover arm, or instrument deployment device, which can position the imager against its target. The field of view is 1024 x 1024 pixels and there is a single broad-band filter with a spectral bandpass of 400-680 nm. The optics use a fixed focus design at f/15 that gives plus/minus 3 mm depth-of-field. The focal length is 20 mm and the working distance is 63 mm from the front of the lens barrel to the object plane. Resolution is 30 micrometers/pixel and the field of view is 31 x 31 mm. The CCD array is 1024 x 1024 pixels.
Ambient sunlight will be used to illuminate target surfaces. Movement of the MI between successive images will enable stereoscopic viewing and production of mosaics that are well focused across the entire frame. The MI will be used to analyze the size and shape of grains in sedimentary rocks to help determine if liquid water was present in the past.
Questions and comments about this experiment can be directed to: Dr. David R. Williams
Name | Role | Original Affiliation | |
---|---|---|---|
Prof. Raymond E. Arvidson | Deputy Principal Investigator | Washington University | arvidson@wunder.wustl.edu |
Dr. Ken Herkenhoff | Lead Investigator | US Geological Survey | kherkenhoff@usgs.gov |
Dr. Steven W. Squyres | Principal Investigator | Cornell University | sws6@cornell.edu |