The MERTIS Mercury spectrometer
The MERTIS Mercury spectrometer
MERTIS (Mercury Radiometer and Thermal Infrared Spectrometer) is an imaging spectrometer for the European Space Agency's (ESA) BepiColombo Mercury orbiter. MERTIS is combined with a radiometer, a device used to measure the irradiance from the Sun. The instrument measures just 18 x 18 x 13 centimetres, with a mass of 3.1 kilograms and very low power consumption. The MERTIS sensors are unique: the imaging channel uses an uncooled microbolometer to measure infrared radiation – the first to be space-qualified in Europe. MERTIS will study the mineralogical composition of Mercury’s surface and the rock-forming minerals. At the same time, the integrated micro-radiometer will measure temperature and thermal conductivity. Researchers hope the data will provide insights into the formation and development of the innermost planet Mercury.
