SuperCam calibration targets on board the perseverance rover: Fabrication and quantitative characterization

Abstract

The Perseverance rover is exploring Jezero crater on Mars since February 2021. SuperCam instrument is part of the scientific payload, combining five different techniques in order to characterize the targets to sample: LIBS (Laser-Induced Breakdown Spectroscopy), Raman and Visible and Infrared (VISIR) spectroscopies, Sound Recording and a colored Imager. Thirty-six calibration targets have been developed for this instrument. Twenty-three of these calibration targets are dedicated to the LIBS technique, corresponding to rocks and/or minerals. Raman and VISIR spectroscopy have their own calibration targets but may also use the LIBS mineral targets as reference on Mars to test mineral detections. The choice and the fabrication of these calibration targets have been made in order to fulfill the science intents of the mission, as well as the technical and science intents of each of the SuperCam technique. These calibration targets have been spectrally characterized and they have shown to be chemically homogeneous at the SuperCam LIBS scale. Their elementary compositions are given, using two different quantitative methods. The composition of the calibration targets will be used as reference for future assessment of the quantitative capability of the SuperCam LIBS technique.