Observations of the Stardust Sample Return Capsule Entry with a Slitless Echelle Spectrograph

摘要

Spectroscopic observations of the 2006 Stardust SampleReturnCapsule entry are presented, obtained bymeans ofna slitlessminiature echelle spectrograph onboardNASA’sDC-8 airborne laboratory. The data cover thewavelengthnrange from 336 to 880 nm, at 0.14–0.9 nm resolution, and were obtained during the time interval when radiativenheatingwasmost important.The data contain a broadband continuum, presumably fromthe hot heat-shield surface,nshock-layer air plasma emissions of N, O, and Nu0001n2 , and atomic hydrogen and CN molecular band emission from thenablating heat-shield material, a form of phenol-impregnated carbon ablator. Early in flight, there were also atomicnline emissions of Zn, K, Cau0001, and Na, presumably from a white Z-93P paint applied to the top of the phenol-nimpregnated carbon ablator. At each moment along the trajectory, the whole spectrum was recordednsimultaneously, but broken into smaller segments. Key issues addressed in the data reduction and calibration arendescribed. The interpretation of these data was given elsewhere.