Motion Trajectories for Wide-area Surveying with a Rover-based Distributed Spectrometer

A mobile ground survey application that employs remote sensing as a primary means of area coverage is highlighted. It is distinguished from mobile robotic area coverage problems that employ contact or proximity-based sensing. The focus is on a specific concept for performing mobile surveys in search of biogenic gases on planetary surfaces using a distributed spectrometer -- a rover-based instrument designed for wide measurement coverage of promising search areas. Navigation algorithms for executing circular and spiral survey trajectories are presented for widearea distributed spectroscopy and evaluated based on area covered and distance traveled.