Europa Imaging System

<h2 id="overview">Overview</h2>

<p>EIS combines a narrow-angle camera (NAC) and a wide-angle camera (WAC) designed to address the reconnaissance goals. Both cameras operate on the <a href="/facts/Visible_spectrum/frPBh8o5">visible spectrum</a> (390 to 700 nm) and make use of <a href="/facts/Push_broom_scanner/jgGG9C8w">push broom scanners</a> for obtaining images with <a href="/facts/Stereoscopic/jfHumNV8">stereoscopic</a> sensors.
</p><p>The Principal investigator is <a href="/facts/Elizabeth_Turtle/ryCFy0U7">Elizabeth Turtle</a>.
</p>
<h2 id="objectives">Objectives</h2>
<p>The objectives of the EIS instrument are: <a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:2" href="#fn:2"><sup>2</sup></a> 
</p>
<ul><li>Characterize the ice shell by determining its thickness and correlating surface features with subsurface structures detected by ice penetrating radar.</li>
<li>Constrain formation processes of surface features and the potential for current activity by characterizing endogenic structures, surface units, global cross-cutting relationships, and relationships to Europa's subsurface structure, and by searching for evidence of recent activity, including potential plumes.</li>
<li>Characterize scientifically compelling landing sites and hazards by determining the nature of the surface at scales relevant to a potential <a href="/facts/Europa_Lander_(NASA)/NLqNDJj5">Europa Lander</a>.</li></ul>
<h2 id="general-specifications">General specifications</h2>

Narrow angle camera (NAC)
<p>The NAC provides very high-resolution, stereo reconnaissance, generating 2 km wide swaths at 0.5 m pixel scale from 50 km altitude. NAC observations also include: near-global (>95%) mapping of Europa at ≤50 m pixel scale; regional and high-resolution stereo imaging at <1 m/pixel, and high phase angle observations for plume searches.<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:3" href="#fn:3"><sup>3</sup></a><a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:4" href="#fn:4"><sup>4</sup></a> The NAC will also perform high-phase-angle observations to search for potential plumes, even
when the spacecraft is distant from Europa.<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:5" href="#fn:5"><sup>5</sup></a> 
</p>
Wide angle camera (WAC)
<p>The WAC will acquire stereo reconnaissance, generating digital topographic models with 32 m spatial scale and 4 m vertical precision from 50 km altitude.<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:6" href="#fn:6"><sup>6</sup></a><a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:7" href="#fn:7"><sup>7</sup></a>
</p>

<h2 id="references">References</h2>

<ol>
<li id="fn:1"><p>The Europa Imaging System (EIS): High-Resolution, 3-D Insight into Europa's Geology, Ice Shell, and Potential for Current Activity. Turtle, E. P.; McEwen, A. S.; Collins, G. C.; Fletcher, L. N.; Hansen, C. J.; Hayes, A.; Hurford, T., Jr.; Kirk, R. L.; Barr, A.; Nimmo, F.; Patterson, G.; Quick, L. C.; Soderblom, J. M.; Thomas, N. American Geophysical Union, Fall Meeting 2014, abstract #P13E-03. December 2014. <a href="http://adsabs.harvard.edu/abs/2014AGUFM.P13E..03T" target="_blank">http://adsabs.harvard.edu/abs/2014AGUFM.P13E..03T</a> <a href="#fnref:1" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li>
<li id="fn:2"><p>The Europa Imaging System (EIS): High-Resolution, 3-D Insight into Europa's Geology, Ice Shell, and Potential for Current Activity. Turtle, E. P.; McEwen, A. S.; Collins, G. C.; Fletcher, L. N.; Hansen, C. J.; Hayes, A.; Hurford, T., Jr.; Kirk, R. L.; Barr, A.; Nimmo, F.; Patterson, G.; Quick, L. C.; Soderblom, J. M.; Thomas, N. American Geophysical Union, Fall Meeting 2014, abstract #P13E-03. December 2014. <a href="http://adsabs.harvard.edu/abs/2014AGUFM.P13E..03T" target="_blank">http://adsabs.harvard.edu/abs/2014AGUFM.P13E..03T</a> <a href="#fnref:2" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li>
<li id="fn:3"><p>The Europa Imaging System (EIS): High-Resolution, 3-D Insight into Europa's Geology, Ice Shell, and Potential for Current Activity. Turtle, E. P.; McEwen, A. S.; Collins, G. C.; Fletcher, L. N.; Hansen, C. J.; Hayes, A.; Hurford, T., Jr.; Kirk, R. L.; Barr, A.; Nimmo, F.; Patterson, G.; Quick, L. C.; Soderblom, J. M.; Thomas, N. American Geophysical Union, Fall Meeting 2014, abstract #P13E-03. December 2014. <a href="http://adsabs.harvard.edu/abs/2014AGUFM.P13E..03T" target="_blank">http://adsabs.harvard.edu/abs/2014AGUFM.P13E..03T</a> <a href="#fnref:3" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li>
<li id="fn:4"><p>The Europa Imaging System (EIS): High-Resolution Imaging and Topography to Investigate Europa's Geology, Ice Shell, and Potential for Current Activity (PDF). Turtle, E. P.; McEwen, A. S.; Collins, G. C.; Fletcher, L.; Hansen, C. J.; Hayes, A. G.; Hurford, T. A.; Kirk, R. L.; Barr Mlinar, A. C.; Nimmo, F.; Patterson, G. W.; Quick, L. C.; Soderblom, J. M.; Thomas, N.; Ernst, C. M. 47th Lunar and Planetary Science Conference, held March 21-25, 2016 at The Woodlands, Texas. LPI Contribution No. 1903, p.1626. <a href="https://www.hou.usra.edu/meetings/lpsc2016/pdf/1626.pdf" target="_blank">https://www.hou.usra.edu/meetings/lpsc2016/pdf/1626.pdf</a> <a href="#fnref:4" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li>
<li id="fn:5"><p>The Europa Imaging System (EIS): High-Resolution Imaging and Topography to Investigate Europa's Geology, Ice Shell, and Potential for Current Activity (PDF). Turtle, E. P.; McEwen, A. S.; Collins, G. C.; Fletcher, L.; Hansen, C. J.; Hayes, A. G.; Hurford, T. A.; Kirk, R. L.; Barr Mlinar, A. C.; Nimmo, F.; Patterson, G. W.; Quick, L. C.; Soderblom, J. M.; Thomas, N.; Ernst, C. M. 47th Lunar and Planetary Science Conference, held March 21-25, 2016 at The Woodlands, Texas. LPI Contribution No. 1903, p.1626. <a href="https://www.hou.usra.edu/meetings/lpsc2016/pdf/1626.pdf" target="_blank">https://www.hou.usra.edu/meetings/lpsc2016/pdf/1626.pdf</a> <a href="#fnref:5" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li>
<li id="fn:6"><p>The Europa Imaging System (EIS): High-Resolution, 3-D Insight into Europa's Geology, Ice Shell, and Potential for Current Activity. Turtle, E. P.; McEwen, A. S.; Collins, G. C.; Fletcher, L. N.; Hansen, C. J.; Hayes, A.; Hurford, T., Jr.; Kirk, R. L.; Barr, A.; Nimmo, F.; Patterson, G.; Quick, L. C.; Soderblom, J. M.; Thomas, N. American Geophysical Union, Fall Meeting 2014, abstract #P13E-03. December 2014. <a href="http://adsabs.harvard.edu/abs/2014AGUFM.P13E..03T" target="_blank">http://adsabs.harvard.edu/abs/2014AGUFM.P13E..03T</a> <a href="#fnref:6" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li>
<li id="fn:7"><p>The Europa Imaging System (EIS): High-Resolution Imaging and Topography to Investigate Europa's Geology, Ice Shell, and Potential for Current Activity (PDF). Turtle, E. P.; McEwen, A. S.; Collins, G. C.; Fletcher, L.; Hansen, C. J.; Hayes, A. G.; Hurford, T. A.; Kirk, R. L.; Barr Mlinar, A. C.; Nimmo, F.; Patterson, G. W.; Quick, L. C.; Soderblom, J. M.; Thomas, N.; Ernst, C. M. 47th Lunar and Planetary Science Conference, held March 21-25, 2016 at The Woodlands, Texas. LPI Contribution No. 1903, p.1626. <a href="https://www.hou.usra.edu/meetings/lpsc2016/pdf/1626.pdf" target="_blank">https://www.hou.usra.edu/meetings/lpsc2016/pdf/1626.pdf</a> <a href="#fnref:7" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li>
</ol>

Europa Imaging System open-in-new

Europa Imaging System