MARS-IRMA: in-situ infrared microscope analysis of Martian soil and rock samples. Original Research Article

IRMA (the acronym stands for InfraRed Microscope Analysis) is a hyperspectral imaging spectrometer which is capable, in its present design, to achieve a spatial resolution of 38 μm in the 0.8–5 μm infrared spectral range. IRMA has the goal to first ever quantitatively characterize the mineralogy and the microphysical structure of the materials of the Martian soils and rocks down to the depth available to a lander sampling mechanism. The experiment has been selected by the Italian Space Agency (ASI), in the framework of the Italian participation to the NASAʹs Mars Surveyor Programme, to be part of the Italian Package for Scientific Experiments (IPSE). IPSE was to fly on-board the ill-fated MARS2003 MARS SAMPLE RETURN Mission, postponed during the early months of 2000 to a later date (possibly 2007). IRMA present state of development is compatible with a flight readiness in 2007.IPSE is a small laboratory devoted to the analysis of in situ collected samples of rock and soil of Martian material. Details on IPSE are given in a paper in this same journal issue. IRMA will provide detailed information on: • texture, habit and microphysical properties of the grains and particulates of the Martian soil as well as the petrography of Martian rocks, with a spatial resolution of the order of the tens of micron. • Mineralogical composition and relative mineral abundances of the rocks and soils, with a relative accuracy of the order of 1%. A Signal to Noise Ratio of at least 100 shall be required to achieve this goal IRMA measurements shall provide essential contributions to the understanding of outstanding scientific issues such as the history of water and other volatiles, e.g., CO2, the role of physical and chemical weathering in the past and present day Mars and hence the assessment of the environmental conditions present on the martian surface throughout its history.