Mice Geometry Finder Examples

A collection of MATLAB scripts that demonstrate how to use the JPL/MICE geometry finder software subsystem.

This submission includes several MATLAB scripts that demonstrate how to solve classic space geometry problems using the JPL MICE geometry finder (GF) software subsystem. MICE is a MATLAB implementation of the SPICE software library created by JPL.

From the excellent JPL SPICE documentation;

“The SPICE Geometry Finder (GF) subsystem finds time windows over which user-specified geometric conditions are met.”

“Most geometry computations performed with SPICE involve calculating quantities of interest - such as distances, vectors, angles, or orientations - for specified times. The GF subsystem solves the inverse problem: it finds times when specified geometric conditions are met.”

The geometry finder subsystem works with a small set of geometric quantities.

• Angular separation of targets as seen by a specified observer
• Coordinates of position vectors
• Coordinates of sub-observer points
• Coordinates of surface intercept points
• Instrument FOV (field of view) visibility states (appearance of a specified target within an instrument FOV)
• Illumination angles
• Observer-target distance
• Observer-target range rate
• Occultation states
• Phase angle between observer and target centers with respect to an illumination source

A PDF summary of the features of the geometry finder subsystem can be found at

https://naif.jpl.nasa.gov/pub/naif/toolkit_docs/Tutorials/pdf/individual_docs/29_geometry_finder.pdf

Geometry finder html tutorials are available from the JPL NAIF server located at

http://naif.jpl.nasa.gov/naif/tutorials.html

The geometry finder event_finding_m.txtfile located at

https://naif.jpl.nasa.gov/pub/naif/toolkit_docs/Lessons/

This file includes several MATLAB examples.

Ephemeris and other required data files, platform dependent versions of the MICE mex file and many useful MATLAB functions are available at naif.jpl.nasa.gov/naif/toolkit_MATLAB.html.