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What does a rover collect after a laser hits a rock?
A brief spark can turn a distant target into a source of light.
Sources for this view
ChemCam uses laser-induced breakdown spectroscopy: a pulse ablates a small amount of material and creates a luminous plasma. A telescope collects its light for spectrometers that separate wavelength-dependent signals.
Explore the model (optional)
EXPLORE THE MODEL
Can you separate a sodium doublet?
σ = FWHM / [2√(2 ln 2)]
Read sampled numerical values
| Air wavelength (nm) | Synthetic Na I doublet |
|---|---|
| 586.5 | 1.623e-83 |
| 587 | 7.625e-51 |
| 587.6 | 2.882e-26 |
| 588.1 | 8.764e-10 |
| 588.7 | 0.215 |
| 589.3 | 0.507 |
| 589.8 | 0.83 |
| 590.4 | 6.557e-8 |
| 590.9 | 4.168e-23 |
| 591.5 | 2.132e-46 |
| 592 | 8.775e-78 |
Broadening spreads the same modeled line area across more wavelengths. The peak can become lower while the integrated area stays fixed. Resolving this reference pair would support a line comparison, not determine a mineral, abundance or biological origin.
What this model can establish
Na I reference air wavelengths 588.9950 and 589.5924 nm. Equal-area Gaussian lines are authored. This is not a ChemCam observation; heights do not measure abundance or establish a mineral or life.
Sources for this view
Optional: check your understanding
MAKE THE CONNECTION
Which signal does the LIBS spectrometer analyze?