[X] My Assistant

[djellison]

http://www.unmannedspaceflight.com/doug_im..._422_viking.jpg (281kb)

I think Voyager is just off frame to the right of this unfortunately

Doug

[Guest_Edward Schmitz_*]

About the hot pixels...

I've looked carefully at old and new images. When a pixel goes bad, it stays bad. It has been getting worse with time. Seems to be accelerating. It has been causing me concern regarding the long term outlook for the mission. The pattern is different on the left versus right eye and between rovers. It is most likely random damage due to the high radiation environment.

[Deimos]

About the hot pixels...

I've looked carefully at old and new images.  When a pixel goes bad, it stays bad.  It has been getting worse with time.  Seems to be accelerating.  It has been causing me concern regarding the long term outlook for the mission.  The pattern is different on the left versus right eye and between rovers.  It is most likely random damage due to the high radiation environment.

There's certainly some damage. But I think Doug is exactly right. It's just hot compared to the rovers' previous experience. The pattern is worst in the blue with the long exposures, so it sure looks like extra dark current. That can be calibrated, even if it is worse than at landing--they take occasional dark current images with L8 and R8. For the most part, the images will get better again when autumn sets in late this year.

CCDs have been through longer and more radiation exposure and continued to work quite nicely--see Cassini & Huygens, or even HST.