Missions

As part of the JAXA (Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency) Martian Moons eXploration (MMX) mission, first sample return mission of the Phobos satellite, plans to explore the Mars system. LIRA (Paris Observatory, PSL) is the prime contractor for the MIRS instrument .The MIRS (MMX InfraRed Spectrometer) instrument, developed under the responsibility of LESIA (now LIRA), is an imaging spectrometer that will characterize the composition of the Martian system and help select candidate sites for sampling.
The main objective of the mission is to decipher the origin of the Martian moons, which will provide important information on the formation of planets and on the conditions for the appearance of water on terrestrial planets.
The engineering model (EM) has been installed in the new lab MIRS at LIRA (Paris Observatory -Meudon).
The mission of the agent is to support MIRS activities: calibrations in laboratory with EM MIRS model, tests and measures with meteorites, develop necessary pipeline for MIRS spectral data interpretation and analysis.
For more information on MIRS/MMX:
https://lira.observatoiredeparis.psl.eu/-Spectro-imageur-MIRS-pour-la-mission-MMX-de-la-JAXA-

Activités

Model on physical properties of Phobos and Deimos
Spectroscopic measurements in MIRS-LIRA laboratory
Development of modules for the MIRS pipeline for data processing and analysis
Analysis and interpretation of mission data on small bodies

Compétences

- Expertise in spectroscopy and hyperspectral data
- Data processing
- Knowledge on scientific programming
- Work in team

Contexte de travail

MMX is a mission of JAXA, and MIRS instrument involve researchers from Japan, France and Italy. Even if the activity will be essential at LIRA (Paris Observatory in Meudon), it needs collaborations and trips to Japan.
The post-doc will work under the supervision of Antonella Barucci in LIRA's Planetology Department.