Raman Spectroscopy

Abstract

Stand-off Raman spectroscopy is emerging as a critical new tool for planetary exploration. Mounted on a rover, a stand-off Raman system can be used to rapidly identify areas of interest for subsequent, synergistic investigations with other stand-off or close-up (arm-mounted) instruments; survey broad areas and perform reconnaissance tasks from a fixed location; and increase the efficiency of mission operations where targets of interest are in areas that are too hard to access for a rover. Not surprisingly, NASA’s next Mars mission will fly a stand-off Raman system as part of the SuperCam instrument package. This chapter reviews two stand-off Raman systems that paved the way for the development of new technologies and instrument architectures for robotic stand-off planetary exploration using Raman spectroscopy, including the SuperCam instrument suite.