![[LEFT] Diagram of a pixel component from a microbolometer array showing the absorbing surface, electrically conducting bridge connecting the absorber to the readout electronics, and the mirrored surface below the absorber. [RIGHT] A digital render of the Enceladus Thermal Mapper instrument. The arrow shows the location of the filter assembly. -- [astro-ph.IM]](https://i0.wp.com/astrobiology.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/10/Tailoring.png?fit=1200%2C568&ssl=1)
[astro-ph.IM]. We present the results of an initial study into the feasibility and design of the Enceladus Thermal Mapper (ETM) instrument, designed to provide detailed temperature data for Enceladus, an icy moon of Saturn identified by the Cassini Mission as a prime candidate for astrobiological study due to its subsurface ocean and active cryovolcanism.
Building on heritage from previous missions including TechDemoSat-1, Mars Climate Sounder, and Lunar Trailblazer, ETM aims to measure temperature variations across Enceladus’ surface, including at the poles during the extreme cold of winter, when they can reach as low as 45 K. Where Cassini provided limited high-resolution flyby data of Enceladus due to its Saturn-centric orbit, ETM, in orbit around the icy moon will offer continuous high-resolution thermal mapping with a 384 x 288-pixel sensor, capable of 80 m/pixel resolution from 150 km altitude.
This will improve constraints on the Enceladus’ global conductive heat loss, and better characterise and contextualise its active South Polar Terrain. To optimise the instrument’s filters for thermal emission measurements, a digital model of the filter assembly was developed.
This lightweight, low-power instrument is capable of significantly advancing the understanding of Enceladus’ geological behaviour and evaluating its potential habitability by providing comprehensive temperature data essential for interpreting its evolution.
The filter assembly from the LTM. Note that the ETM will likely have just 4 to 6 vertically aligned filters, rather than the horizontally aligned 15 filters shown here. — [astro-ph.IM]
D. G. Lyster, C. J. A. Howett, N. E. Bowles, K. Nowicki, R. Evans, T. J. Warren
Subjects: Instrumentation and Methods for Astrophysics (astro-ph.IM); Earth and Planetary Astrophysics (astro-ph.EP)
Cite as: arXiv:2610.40456 [astro-ph.IM] (or arXiv:2610.40456v1 [astro-ph.IM] for this version)
https://doi.org/10.48550/arXiv.2610.40456
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Related DOI:
https://doi.org/10.52202/078357-0104
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Submission history
From: Duncan Lyster
[v1] Thu, 29 Oct 2026 17:01:35 UTC (2,523 KB)
https://arxiv.org/abs/2610.40456
Astrobiology, Astrogeology,
