A Consolidated Grant Proposal for Solar System Research at the University of Leicester (2016-2019)

莱斯特大学太阳系研究综合资助提案（2016-2019）

• 批准号: ST/N000749/1
• 负责人: Mark Lester
• 金额: $ 292.09万
• 依托单位: University of Leicester
• 依托单位国家: 英国
• 项目类别: Research Grant
• 财政年份: 2016
• 资助国家: 英国
• 起止时间: 2016 至 无数据
• 项目状态: 已结题
• 来源: https://gtr.ukri.org/projects?ref=ST%2FN000749%2F1
• 关键词: Consolidated; Grant; Proposal; Solar; System

We propose a world-class programme of research that focuses on two main areas of study concerned with our solar system. The first involves study of the outer environments of the planets where the gas is in the plasma (ionized) state, such that it not only feels the gravitational pull of the planet, but also interacts strongly with its magnetic field. In the second area we seek to study the origin and development of solar system bodies, and the impact on the evolution of life, through detailed examination of the composition of samples from comets, asteroids, and Mars, that are returned by spacecraft for study at Earth, or examined in situ during planetary exploration missions.Previous work in the first area shows that the outer environments of the planets vary widely, determined by the interaction with the plasma wind that blows continuously from the Sun on the outside, and the interaction with the planet and its moons on the inside. The solar wind is prone to outbursts that can lead to magnetic storms and bright auroras at Earth, as well as varying strongly over the 11-year solar cycle, and with distance from the Sun. Its interaction with the planets then depends on whether the planet is magnetised, has an atmosphere, and has active moons orbiting close in. We will use spacecraft data to study Mercury close to the Sun that has a magnetic field but almost no atmosphere (MESSENGER mission), Mars further away that has an atmosphere but no strong magnetic field to prevent its erosion by the solar wind (Mars Express and MAVEN), and Earth at intermediate distances having both an atmosphere and a magnetic field (using data from a number of missions including the auroral-imaging IMAGE and Polar satellites, and the Iridium satellite constellation). We will also study the strongly magnetized giant planets Jupiter, Saturn, and Uranus, using data from the new Juno mission at Jupiter and Cassini at Saturn, combined with observations of the auroras at ultraviolet wavelengths using the Hubble Space Telescope and at infrared wavelengths using large ground-based telescopes. Auroras are caused by large-scale electric currents flowing between the outer environments and the upper ionized atmospheres, which communicate force between these regions. Overall emphasis will be on the complex physical processes that couple the solar wind on the outside, the magnetic field surrounding the planet (if any), and the planetary atmosphere or surface on the inside. In a related project we also propose to develop a flight-ready compact low mass ultraviolet imager that can be used to study the auroras at Earth and elsewhere, as well as for wider applications.Research on the origins and evolution of solar system bodies builds on the expertise we have developed in the microanalysis of micron-sized samples of planetary materials, through a unique combination of electron microscopy and synchrotron-based X-ray spectroscopy. Such techniques are essential due to the small amounts of material returned from solar system bodies such as S-class asteroid Itokawa (Hayabusa mission) and Comet 81P/Wild2 (Stardust mission), studies of both forming part of our programme. Analysis of such grains offers the chance to provide a direct comparison to known primitive meteorite types and to reveal the processes that shaped the earliest stages of the solar system. We will also use these techniques to study a recently discovered Martian meteorite which will allow us to constrain the thermal and water-rock interaction history in a sample of Martian impact regolith for the first time. In a related area we also propose to develop an astrobiology instrument that will be able to detect organic compounds and minerals. The primary aim will be to build a miniaturized analytical instrument that can be configured for both in-situ and remote analysis and will be suitable for inclusion in future planetary exploration missions such as those planned by NASA and ESA.

我们提出了一项世界级的研究计划，重点关注与太阳系有关的两个主要研究领域。第一个涉及对行星外部环境的研究，其中气体处于等离子体（电离）状态，这样它不仅感受到行星的引力，而且还与其磁场发生强烈相互作用。在第二个领域，我们寻求通过详细检查彗星、小行星和火星样本的成分来研究太阳系天体的起源和发展，以及对生命进化的影响，这些样本由航天器带回进行研究地球，或在行星探索任务中进行原位检查。第一个区域的先前工作表明，行星的外部环境变化很大，这是由与从外部太阳不断吹来的等离子风的相互作用以及与行星的相互作用决定的。该行星及其卫星里面。太阳风很容易爆发，可能导致地球上的磁暴和明亮的极光，并且在 11 年的太阳周期中以及与太阳的距离不同时会发生剧烈变化。它与行星的相互作用取决于行星是否被磁化、是否有大气层以及是否有活跃的卫星在附近运行。我们将使用航天器数据来研究靠近太阳的水星，它有磁场但几乎没有大气层（MESSENGER 任务） ），距离较远的火星有大气层，但没有强磁场来防止太阳风的侵蚀（火星快车和 MAVEN），距离中等的地球有大气层和磁场（使用来自多个任务的数据）包括极光成像 IMAGE 和极地卫星，以及铱卫星星座）。我们还将利用木星新朱诺号任务和土星卡西尼号的数据，结合使用哈勃太空望远镜在紫外波长和使用大望远镜在红外波长观测极光，来研究强磁化巨行星木星、土星和天王星。地面望远镜。极光是由外部环境和高层电离大气之间流动的大规模电流引起的，这些电流在这些区域之间传递力。总体重点将放在耦合外部太阳风、行星周围磁场（如果有）以及内部行星大气或表面的复杂物理过程上。在一个相关项目中，我们还建议开发一种飞行就绪的紧凑型低质量紫外线成像仪，可用于研究地球和其他地方的极光，以及更广泛的应用。对太阳系天体起源和演化的研究建立在我们通过电子显微镜和基于同步加速器的 X 射线光谱的独特组合，在微米级行星材料样品的微量分析方面积累了专业知识。由于从 S 级小行星糸川（隼鸟任务）和彗星 81P/Wild2（星尘任务）等太阳系天体返回的少量物质，此类技术至关重要，对这两者的研究构成了我们计划的一部分。对此类颗粒的分析提供了与已知原始陨石类型直接比较的机会，并揭示了塑造太阳系最早阶段的过程。我们还将使用这些技术来研究最近发现的火星陨石，这将使我们能够首次限制火星撞击风化层样本中的热和水-岩石相互作用历史。在相关领域，我们还建议开发一种能够检测有机化合物和矿物质的天体生物学仪器。主要目标是建造一种小型分析仪器，可配置用于现场和远程分析，并适合纳入未来的行星探索任务，例如美国宇航局和欧洲航天局计划的行星探索任务。

项目成果

Are Saturn's Interchange Injections Organized by Rotational Longitude?

土星的交汇注入是按自转经度组织的吗？

• DOI: 10.1029/2018ja026196
• 发表时间: 2019
• 期刊: Space Physics
• 作者: Azari A

The Structure of Planetary Period Oscillations in Saturn's Equatorial Magnetosphere: Results From the Cassini Mission

土星赤道磁层中行星周期振荡的结构：卡西尼号任务的结果

• DOI: 10.1029/2019ja026804
• 发表时间: 2019
• 期刊: Space Physics
• 作者: Andrews D

Modeling the Temporal Variability in Saturn's Magnetotail Current Sheet From the Cassini F-ring Orbits

从卡西尼 F 环轨道模拟土星磁尾电流片的时间变化

• DOI: 10.1029/2019ja027371
• 发表时间: 2020
• 期刊: Space Physics
• 作者: Agiwal O

Infrared Characterization of Jupiter's Equatorial Disturbance Cycle

• DOI: 10.1029/2018gl080382
• 发表时间: 2018-10-28
• 期刊: GEOPHYSICAL RESEARCH LETTERS
• 影响因子: 5.2
• 作者: Antunano, Arrate;Fletcher, Leigh N.;Blake, James S. D.
• 通讯作者: Blake, James S. D.

Jupiter's Atmospheric Variability from Long-Term Ground-based Observations at 5 microns

5 微米长期地基观测得出的木星大气变化

• DOI: 10.48550/arxiv.1906.11088
• 发表时间: 2019
• 作者: Antuñano A