Phoenix: MECA

MECA is the Microscopy, Electrochemistry and Conductivity Analyzer instrument suite on the Mars Phoenix Lander. MECA includes the four components listed below. MECA data sets are produced by the Multimission Image Processing Laboratory (MIPL) and by the MECA Science Team at the Jet Propulsion Laboratory, Pasadena, California.

MECA Components

• Atomic Force Microscope (AFM)
• Optical Microscope (OM)
• Thermal and Electrical Conductivity Probe (TECP)
• Wet Chemistry Laboratory (WCL)

Data from the AFM, TECP and WCL comprise the MECA Non-Imaging data sets, which are archived here at the PDS Geosciences Node. The OM data sets are archived at the PDS Imaging Node.

MECA Data Sets

July 6, 2010. All MECA TECP RDR products have been revised to correct an error in the computation of relative permittivity. For more information, see errata.txt.

October 28, 2009. The remaining MECA AFM RDR products have been released, all except for sols 90, 109, and 111 which are still in production by the Science Team.

April 29, 2009. Release 3. The MECA Non-Imaging EDR archive now includes raw data for all components from sols 1 through 150. The MECA Non-Imaging RDR archive includes derived data products for the TECP and WCL components through Sol 150, and AFM products for Sol 4. The remaining AFM products are still being generated and are expected to be released by June 1, 2009. The MECA OM archive at the Imaging Node now includes EDRs and RDRs through sol 150.

Also, Release 3 includes all three MECA calibration reports.

Geosciences Node Tools

Phoenix Analyst's Notebook - allows searching for MECA data in the context of mission planning and mission events.

Related Information

• Read the MECA Software Interface Specification (SIS) documents for information about the structure and content of MECA products.
  

  • MECA Non-Imaging EDR SIS (PDF)

  • MECA Non-Imaging RDR SIS (PDF)

  • MECA OM EDRs and RDRs are described in the Phoenix Camera SIS (PDF)

  • MECA Archive Volume SIS (PDF)

• Three MECA calibration reports document the calibration results for each MECA component.

  • MECA Microscopy Calibration Report (AFM and OM)

  • MECA TECP Calibration Report

  • MECA WCL Calibration Report