arXiv subjects

Sébastien Le Maistre

Publications and source records attributed to Sébastien Le Maistre.

7 recordsLinked to original sources

arXiv2026

GUEST: Gravitational Universe Exploration with Satellite Tracking. A passive satellite laser-ranging mission for the dark gravitational Universe

GUEST is a space mission concept whose central objective is the detection of gravitational waves (GWs) in the microhertz band -- a physics-rich frequency window that no other present or planned detector can reach at a significant level. The concept is simple: two dense, passive spheres, covered with cube-corner retroreflectors, deployed in {highly eccentric} Earth orbits ($e \gtrsim 0.7$, period $P \gtrsim 33$ h), tracked continuously by the global network of satellite laser-ranging stations over a minimum observation time of 10 years, with an expected total duration of 30 years. The orbits themselves act as resonant detectors of the oscillating gravitational perturbations, with the microhertz sensitivity emerging from the selected orbital parameters. From the same data stream, GUEST delivers a programme of fundamental and applied science that cuts across particle physics, gravitational-wave astronomy, cosmology, astrophysics, and geodesy: the first coherent search for GWs from supermassive black-hole binaries in the $μ$Hz band, the exploration of primordial GW backgrounds in the unexplored energy-scale gap between pulsar-timing arrays and LISA, a dedicated probe of ultra-light dark matter in a parameter region untouched by any other experiment, a new way to search for ultra-light bosons, order-of-magnitude-improved tests of new gravitational interactions at astronomical ranges, and a step change in the absolute determination of $GM_\oplus$ that underpins the Global Geodetic Observing System and future navigation and Earth-observation missions. This white paper presents the motivation, scientific reach, and mission concept of GUEST.

astro-ph.CO↗

arXiv2024

Librations and obliquity of the largest moons of Uranus

Following the discovery of several ocean worlds in the solar system, and the selection of Uranus as the highest priority objective by the Planetary Science and Astrobiology Decadal Survey 2023-2032, the five largest moons of Uranus (Miranda, Ariel, Umbriel, Titania and Oberon) have been receiving renewed attention as they may also harbor a subsurface ocean. We assess how rotation measurements could help confirm the internal differentiation of the bodies and detect internal oceans if any. Because of the time-varying gravitational torque of Uranus on the flattened shape of its synchronous satellites, the latter librate with respect to their mean rotation and precess with a non zero obliquity. For a range of interior models with a rocky core surrounded by a hydrosphere, either solid or divided into an outer ice shell with a liquid ocean underneath, we compute their diurnal libration amplitude and obliquity.

astro-ph.EP↗

arXiv2024

The Hera Radio Science Experiment at Didymos

Hera represents the European Space Agency's inaugural planetary defense space mission and plays a pivotal role in the Asteroid Impact and Deflection Assessment international collaboration with NASA DART mission that performed the first asteroid deflection experiment using the kinetic impactor techniques. With the primary objective of conducting a detailed post-impact survey of the Didymos binary asteroid following the DART impact on its small moon called Dimorphos, Hera aims to comprehensively assess and characterize the feasibility of the kinetic impactor technique in asteroid deflection while conducting an in-depth investigation of the asteroid binary, including its physical and compositional properties as well as the effect of the impact on the surface and shape of Dimorphos. In this work, we describe the Hera radio science experiment, which will allow us to precisely estimate critical parameters, including the mass, which is required to determine the momentum enhancement resulting from the DART impact, mass distribution, rotational states, relative orbits, and dynamics of the asteroids Didymos and Dimorphos. Through a multi-arc covariance analysis, we present the achievable accuracy for these parameters, which consider the full expected asteroid phase and are based on ground radiometric, Hera optical images, and Hera to CubeSats InterSatellite Link radiometric measurements. The expected formal uncertainties for Didymos and Dimorphos GM are better than 0.01% and 0.1%, respectively, while their J2 formal uncertainties are better than 0.1% and 10%, respectively. [...]

astro-ph.EP↗

arXiv2023

Small bodies global gravity inversion via the level-set method

We propose an approach to infer large-scale heterogeneities within a small celestial body from measurements of its gravitational potential, provided for instance by spacecraft radio-tracking. The non-uniqueness of the gravity inversion is here mitigated by limiting the solutions to piecewise-constant density distributions, thus composed of multiple regions of uniform density (mass anomalies) dispersed in a background medium. The boundary of each anomaly is defined implicitly as the 0-level surface of a scalar field (called the level-set function), so that by modifying this field the shape and location of the anomaly are varied. The gravitational potential associated with a density distribution is here computed via a line-integral polyhedron method, yielding the coefficients of its spherical harmonics expansion. The density distribution is then adjusted via an iterative least-squares approach with Tikhonov regularization, estimating at every iteration corrections to the level-set function, the density contrast of each anomaly, and the background density, in order to minimize the residuals between the predicted gravity coefficients and those measured. Given the non-convexity of the problem and the lack of prior knowledge assumed (save for the shape of the body), the estimation process is repeated for several random initial distributions, and the resulting solutions are clustered based on global properties independent of the input measurements. This provides families of candidate interior models in agreement with the data, and the spread of the local density values across each family is used to assess the uncertainties associated with the estimated distributions.

astro-ph.EP↗

arXiv2023

Mars orientation and rotation angles

The rotation and orientation of Mars is commonly described using two different sets of angles, namely the Euler angles wrt the Mars orbit plane and the right ascension, declination, and prime meridian location angles wrt the Earth equator at J2000 (as adopted by the IAU). We propose a formulation for both these sets of angles, which consists of the sum of a second degree polynomial and of periodic and Poisson series. Such a formulation is shown here to enable accurate (and physically sound) transformation from one set of angles to the other. The transformation formulas are provided and discussed in this paper. In particular, we point that the quadratic and Poisson terms are key ingredients to reach a transformation precision of 0.1 mas, even 30 years away from the reference epoch of the rotation model (e.g. J2000). Such a precision is required to accurately determine the smaller and smaller geophysical signals observed in the high-accuracy data acquired from the surface of Mars. In addition, we present good practices to build an accurate Martian rotation model over a long time span (30 years around J2000) or over a shorter one (e.g. lifetime of a space mission). We recommend to consider the J2000 mean orbit of Mars as the reference plane for Euler angles. An accurate rotation model should make use of up-to-date models for the rigid and liquid nutations, relativistic corrections in rotation, and polar motion induced by the external torque. Our transformation model and recommendations can be used to define the future IAU solution for the rotation and orientation of Mars using right ascension, declination, and prime meridian location. In particular, thanks to its quadratic terms, our transformation model does not introduce arbitrary and non-physical terms of very long period and large amplitudes, thus providing unbiased values of the rates and epoch values of the angles.

astro-ph.EP↗

arXiv2022

Relativistic contributions to Mars rotation

Context: The orientation and rotation of Mars, which can be described by a set of Euler angles, is estimated from radioscience data and is then used to infer Mars internal properties. The data are analyzed using a modeling expressed within the Barycentric Celestial Reference System (BCRS). Aims: We provide new and more accurate (to the $0.1$ mas level) estimations of the relativistic corrections to be included in the BCRS model of the orientation and rotation of Mars to avoid a misinterpretation of the data. Methods: There are two types of relativistic contributions in Mars rotation and orientation: (i) those that directly impact the Euler angles and (ii) those resulting from the time transformation between a local Mars reference frame and BCRS. The former correspond essentially to the geodetic effect. We compute them assuming that Mars evolves on a Keplerian orbit. As for the latter, we compute the effect of the time transformation and compare the rotation angle corrections obtained using realistic orbits as described by ephemerides. Results: The relativistic correction in longitude comes mainly from the geodetic effect and results in the geodetic precession (6.754mas/yr) and the geodetic annual nutation (0.565 mas amplitude). For the rotation angle, the correction is dominated by the effect of the time transformation. The main annual, semi-annual, and ter-annual terms have amplitudes of 166.954 mas, 7.783 mas, and 0.544mas, respectively. The amplitude of the annual term differs by about 9 mas from the estimate usually considered by the community. We identify new terms at the Mars-Jupiter and Mars-Saturn synodic periods (0.567 mas and 0.102 mas amplitude) that are relevant considering the current level of uncertainty of the measurements, as well as a contribution to the rotation rate (7.3088 mas/day). There is no significant correction that applies to the obliquity.

astro-ph.EP↗

arXiv2019

LaRa after RISE: Expected improvement in the Mars rotation and interior models

Two years after InSight's arrival at Mars, the ExoMars 2020 mission will land on the opposite side of the red planet. Similarly to InSight, which carries the RISE (Rotation and Interior Structure Experiment) radio-science experiment, the ExoMars mission will have on board the Lander Radio-science (LaRa) experiment. The X-band transponders on RISE and LaRa, allowing for direct radio-link between the landers and stations on Earth, are dedicated to the investigation of Mars' deep interior through the precise measurement of the planet's rotation and orientation. The benefit of having LaRa after RISE for the determination of the Mars orientation and rotation parameters is demonstrated and the resulting improved constraints on the interior structure of Mars and, in particular, on its core are quantified via numerical simulations. In particular, we show that the amplitudes of the semi-annual prograde ($p_2)$ and the ter-annual retrograde ($r_3$) nutations will be determined with a precision of 6 and 4 milliarcseconds respectively by combining 700 days of RISE data with 700 days of LaRa data, about 35$\%$ more precise than what is expected from RISE alone. The impact of such an improvement on the determination of the core size of Mars is discussed and shown to be significant.

astro-ph.EP↗