Remote Raman spectroscopy as a prospective tool for planetary surfaces

This paper summarizes the content of four Technical Notes that were established within a study contracted by the European Space Agency concerning the possibility of applying Raman spectroscopy in the field of remote imaging. An overview of the scientific demands and Raman spectroscopy from the user’s point of view is provided together with a few key aspects in the field of planetary research. Laboratory Raman experiments were used for establishing a basis for the subsequent extrapolation to remote Raman spectroscopy. A detailed numerical simulator was used to derive numbers concerning link budgets and overall remote Raman spectroscopy instrument performance for a number of different scenarios. A summary of subsystem technologies and criticalities is also presented together with the necessary R&D efforts. Copyright  2004 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.