A Consolidated Grant Proposal for Solar and Planetary Science at the University of Leicester, 2022 - 2025

莱斯特大学太阳和行星科学综合资助提案，2022 - 2025

基本信息

批准号：
ST/W00089X/1
负责人：
Timothy Yeoman
金额：
$ 287.03万
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：
2022
资助国家：
英国
起止时间：
2022 至无数据
项目状态：
未结题

来源：
https://gtr.ukri.org/projects?ref=ST%2FW00089X%2F1
关键词：
Consolidated Grant Proposal Solar Planetary

项目摘要

We propose a world-class programme of research that focuses on 3 main areas of study concerned with our solar system. The first involves study of the outer environments of the planets where the gas is ionised, such that it not only feels the gravitational pull of the planet, but also interacts strongly with its magnetic and electric fields. In the second area we seek to study the origin and evolution of solar system bodies, through examination of materials from asteroid, chondrite and lunar samples, and through laboratory-based exploration of X-ray fluorescence from Mercury analogues. The third area will employ spectroscopy from the James Webb Space Telescope (JWST) and ground observatories to explore the planetary stratospheres and tropospheres at the ice giants Uranus and Neptune.Previous work in the first area shows that the outer environments of the planets vary widely, determined by the interaction with the plasma 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 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. We will use MESSENGER data to study Mercury close to the Sun, a planet that has a magnetic field but almost no atmosphere; use the constellation of spacecraft at Mars, more distant from the Sun, which has an atmosphere but no strong magnetic field to prevent its erosion by the solar wind; and combine multi-spacecraft and ground instrumentation at Earth, at intermediate distances having both an atmosphere and a magnetic field. We will also study the strongly magnetized giant planets Jupiter and Saturn using data from the 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 atmospheres or surface on the inside.In the second area, laboratory studies, we will analyse material returned from C-class asteroid Ryugu by the Hayabusa2 mission. We will make complementary analyses on Apollo lunar regolith grains and recent, unique carbonaceous chondrite falls to build a new understanding of space weathering and C-class asteroid parent body processes. This project builds on the leading expertise we have in the microanalysis of planetary materials, through electron microscopy at ePSIC and UoL, and synchrotron-based X-ray spectroscopy. Laboratory work focused on Mercury will centre on the MIXS Ground Reference Facility, a purpose-built system to allow detailed analysis of X-ray fluorescence, induced using an X-ray or electron source, for bespoke surface analogues. This laboratory facility will uniquely allow us to expand our science programme using the MIXS data from the BepiColombo mission, both in relation to the dayside surface composition goals at global and local scales on Mercury, and in terms of the nightside magnetosphere-surface interaction which produces a significant X-ray fluorescence associated with electron bombardment.The final theme leverages Leicester's leadership of the guaranteed-time giant planets programme on the JWST, exploiting MIRI spectroscopic maps of the Ice Giants Uranus and Neptune, combined with a ground-based observation programme, to understand how stratospheric circulation, photochemistry, and tropospheric meteorology shape the atmospheres of sub-giant-sized worlds.

我们提出了一个世界一流的研究计划，该计划重点介绍了与我们的太阳系有关的三个主要研究领域。第一个涉及研究气体离子的行星外部环境，因此它不仅感觉到行星的引力拉力，而且与磁场和电场相互作用。在第二个领域，我们试图通过检查小行星，软骨和月球样品的材料以及通过基于实验室的汞类似物的X射线荧光来研究太阳系体的起源和演变。 The third area will employ spectroscopy from the James Webb Space Telescope (JWST) and ground observatories to explore the planetary stratospheres and tropospheres at the ice giants Uranus and Neptune.Previous work in the first area shows that the outer environments of the planets vary widely, determined by the interaction with the plasma that blows continuously from the Sun on the outside, and the interaction with the planet and its卫星在里面。太阳风容易发生爆发，可以导致地球上磁性风暴和明亮的极光，并且在太阳周期内以及距离太阳的距离都有很强的变化。然后，它与行星的相互作用取决于行星是否被磁性化，具有气氛并具有活跃的月亮。我们将使用Messenger数据来研究靠近太阳的汞，这是一个具有磁场但几乎没有气氛的行星。使用火星上的航天器星座，它离太阳更遥远，该星座具有大气，但没有强大的磁场来防止其太阳风侵蚀；并在地球上结合多机架和地面仪器，在具有大气和磁场的中间距离处。我们还将使用Jupiter的Juno Mission和土星的Cassini的数据来研究强烈磁化的巨型行星木星和土星，并使用哈勃太空望远镜在紫外线波长上观察到Auroras在紫外线波长和使用大型地面望远镜下进行红外空间。极光是由外部环境和上部离子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达力。总体上将重点放在复杂的物理过程上，这些过程将太阳风在外部，地球周围的磁场（如果有）以及内部的行星气氛或表面表面融合。在第二个区域，我们将分析Hayabusa2 Mission从C级小行星Ryugu返回的材料。我们将对Apollo Lunar Regolith Grains和最近独特的碳质软管瀑布进行互补分析，以建立对太空风化和C级小行星母体身体过程的新理解。该项目建立在我们通过Epsic和UOL的电子显微镜以及基于同步加速器基于同步加速器的X射线光谱方面的电子显微镜的微分析中拥有的领先专业知识。集中于汞的实验室工作将集中在混合地面参考设施上，这是一种专门构建的系统，允许对X射线荧光进行详细分析，该系统使用X射线或电子源诱导，用于定制表面类似物。该实验室设施将独特地使我们能够使用Bepicolombo任务中的组合数据扩展我们的科学计划，这既与全球和本地汞的日期表面成分目标有关，又与夜间磁层表面相互作用而言，与X射线荧光产生了与最终的电子轰击有关的X射线荧光。冰巨头天王星和海王星的图谱图与地面观察计划相结合，以了解平流层循环，光化学和对流层气象学如何塑造亚巨人大小世界的大气。