BepiColombo SCLK files
===========================================================================

     This ``aareadme.txt'' file describes the contents of the kernels/sclk
     directory of the BepiColombo SPICE data server.

     It was last modified on November 20th, 2018 by Marc Costa Sitja, ESAC/ESA.


Contact Information
--------------------------------------------------------

     If you have any questions regarding this directory or its
     contents, please contact the ESA SPICE Service at ESAC:

             Alfredo Escalante Lopez
             (+34) 91-8131-429
             spice@sciops.esa.int

      
References and required readings
--------------------------------------------------------

   1.   ``SCLK required Reading'', NAIF Document
   
   2.   ``TIME Required Reading'', NAIF Document
   
   3.   ``KERNEL Pool Required Reading'', NAIF Document

          
Brief Summary
--------------------------------------------------------

     This directory contains the SPICE Spacecraft Clock-Kernel files for the
     BepiColombo spacecraft on-board clock.   


File naming conventions
--------------------------------------------------------

     The naming scheme for BepiColombo SCLKs is:
 
          bc_SC_TYPE[_DESC]_YYYYMMDD.tsc

     where 

          SC        accronym of the spacecraft:
           
                           mpo: for the Mercury Planetary Orbiter (MPO) 
                               spacecraft;
                           mmo: for the Mercury Magnetospheric Orbiter (MPO)
                               spacecraft; 

          TYPE     SCLK data type contained within the file:

                   fict:   ``fictional'' data;
                  
                   stre:   SCLK created using a 'stretch' strategy, i.e. TCPs
                           are considered only the time they start to be
                           applicable, and then the correlation is made by
                           linking these points, i.e. not taking into
                           consideration the gradient and offsets provided
                           within the TCPs;
                          
                   step:   SLKC created using a 'step' strategy, i.e.
                           additional TCPs are created between real ones in
                           order to match the time correlation provided by a
                           TCP packet N at 60 seconds before TCP packet N+1,
                           so that continuity is forced.

          DESC     description of the applicability of the kernel. This 
                   field might be used for spacecraft clocks with fictional
                   data which are not used for science planning pruposes, 
                   i.e. real telemetry data from a test campaign (optional);

          YYYYMMDD start time of applicability, i.e. either release date for
                   fictional SCLKs or date of the last TCP used to generate
                   the SCLK in stretch/step mode.


Current SCLK Kernels Set
--------------------------------------------------------

   bc_mpo_step_YYYYMMDD.tsc

      SPICE SCLK file containing time correlation data for the MPO on-board
      clock. Created by the ESA SPICE Service.


   bc_mpo_fict_YYYYMMDD.tsc

      SPICE SCLK file assuming an absolutely constant clock rate for MPO. This
      file is used for working with planning data. Created by the ESA SPICE
      Service.


   bc_mpo_step_YYYYMMDD.tsc

      SPICE SCLK file containing time correlation data for the MMO on-board
      clock. Created by the JAXA.


   bc_mmo_fict_YYYYMMDD.tsc

      SPICE SCLK file assuming an absolutely constant clock rate for MMO. This
      file is used for working with planning data. Created by the ESA SPICE
      Service.


Other directory contents
--------------------------------------------------------

     aareadme.txt         This file.
     

Particulars
--------------------------------------------------------

     Please note that the following SCLK kernels:

        bc_mpo_step_20150124.tsc
        bc_mpo_step_20160816.tsc

     contain fictional data and have not been  generated with the step
     strategy either. They were tagged as 'step' SCLK in order to
     conduct different tests and should not be used in any case.


Kernel File Details
--------------------------------------------------------
 
     The most detailed description of the data in an SCLK file is provided
     in metadata included inside the descriptive text areas of the file.
     This information can be viewed using any text editor.


End of aareadme file.