There you go,Jar, can the Tardis beat these instruments?
Huygens Atmospheric Structure Instrument (HASI)
This instrument contains a suite of sensors that will measure the physical and electrical properties of Titan's atmosphere. Accelerometers will measure forces in all three axes as the probe descends through the atmosphere. With the aerodynamic properties of the probe already known, it will be possible to determine the density of Titan's atmosphere and to detect wind gusts. In the event of a landing on a liquid surface, the probe motion due to waves will also be measurable. Temperature and pressure sensors will also measure the thermal properties of the atmosphere. The Permittivity and Electromagnetic Wave Analyzer component will measure the electron and ion (i.e., positively charged particle) conductivities of the atmosphere and search for electromagnetic wave activity. On the surface of Titan, the conductivity and permittivity (i.e., the ratio of electric flux density produced to the strength of the electric field producing the flux) of the surface material will be measured.
For more information, visit the science team's Web site.
Doppler Wind Experiment (DWE)
This experiment will use an ultra-stable oscillator to improve communication with the probe by giving it a very stable carrier frequency. The probe drift caused by winds in Titan's atmosphere will induce a measurable Doppler shift in the carrier signal. The swinging motion of the probe beneath its parachute due to atmospheric properties may also be detected.
For more information, visit the science team's Web site.
Descent Imager/Spectral Radiometer (DISR)
This instrument will make a range of imaging and spectral observations using several sensors and fields of view. By measuring the upward and downward flow of radiation, the radiation balance (or imbalance) of the thick Titan atmosphere will be measured. Solar sensors will measure the light intensity around the Sun due to scattering by aerosols in the atmosphere. This will permit the calculation of the size and number density of the suspended particles. Two imagers (one visible, one infrared) will observe the surface during the latter stages of the descent and, as the probe slowly spins, build up a mosaic of pictures around the landing site. There will also be a side-view visible imager to get a horizontal view of the horizon and the underside of the cloud deck. For spectral measurements of the surface, a lamp that will switch on shortly before landing will augment the weak sunlight.
Gas Chromatograph Mass Spectrometer (GCMS)
This instrument will be a versatile gas chemical analyzer designed to identify and measure chemicals in Titan's atmosphere. It will be equipped with samplers that will be filled at high altitude for analysis. The mass spectrometer will build a model of the molecular masses of each gas, and a more powerful separation of molecular and isotopic species will be accomplished by the gas chromatograph. During descent, the GCMS will also analyze pyrolysis products (i.e., samples altered by heating) passed to it from the Aerosol Collector Pyrolyser. Finally, the GCMS will measure the composition of Titan's surface in the event of a safe landing. This investigation will be made possible by heating the GCMS instrument just prior to impact in order to vaporize the surface material upon contact.
Aerosol Collector and Pyrolyser (ACP)
This experiment will draw in aerosol particles from the atmosphere through filters, then heat the trapped samples in ovens (the process of pyrolysis) to vaporize volatiles and decompose the complex organic materials. The products will then be flushed along a pipe to the GCMS instrument for analysis. Two filters will be provided to collect samples at different altitudes.
For more information, visit the science team's Web site.
Surface-Science Package (SSP)
The SSP contains a number of sensors designed to determine the physical properties of Titan's surface at the point of impact, whether the surface is solid or liquid. An acoustic sounder, activated during the last 100 meters of the descent, will continuously determine the distance to the surface, measuring the rate of descent and the surface roughness (e.g., due to waves). If the surface is liquid, the sounder will measure the speed of sound in the "ocean" and possibly also the subsurface structure (depth). During descent, measurements of the speed of sound will give information on atmospheric composition and temperature, and an accelerometer will accurately record the deceleration profile at impact, indicating the hardness and structure of the surface. A tilt sensor will measure any pendulum motion during the descent and will indicate the probe attitude after landing and show any motion due to waves. If the surface is, indeed, liquid, other sensors will measure its density, temperature and light reflecting properties, thermal conductivity, heat capacity, and electrical permittivity.
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