Investigating Constraints on Induction in Cryospheres with a Lander for Electromagnetic Sounding (ICICLES)

使用电磁探测着陆器 (ICICLES) 研究冰冻圈感应的约束

• 批准号: ST/Y510014/1
• 负责人: FIONA SIMPSON
• 金额: $ 64.22万
• 依托单位: Imperial College London
• 依托单位国家: 英国
• 项目类别: Research Grant
• 财政年份: 2024
• 资助国家: 英国
• 起止时间: 2024 至 无数据
• 项目状态: 未结题
• 来源: https://gtr.ukri.org/projects?ref=ST%2FY510014%2F1
• 关键词: Investigating; Constraints; Induction; Cryospheres; Lander

We propose to develop a remotely operated magnetotelluric (MT) lander with autonomous capability to collect electric and magnetic field data on the surface of icy moons, which are of particular interest in planetary science, because their ocean worlds may support life. MT data from icy moons would provide robust constraints on the laterally variable thicknesses and internal structures of their cryospheres and the salinities, temperatures and circulation of their internal oceans that are indeterminable from orbital magnetometer data alone.Imperial's space laboratory team has extensive experience of developing magnetometers for spacecraft observations of magnetic fields. The challenge will be to develop telluric amplifiers connected to electrodes capable of being deployed autonomously to measure electric fields on the highly resistive surfaces of icy moons. Based on computer models, we will be aiming to develop a system that samples at 128 Hz and detects magnetic fluctuations >1 nT and electric signals >1 µV/m.MT is a well-established geophysical method that has provided insight into Earth's crustal and mantle electrical conductivity structure below continents and the seafloor, but modifications to available technology will be required to address the high ice-electrode contact resistance expected on the surface of icy moons, autonomous deployment style and operating temperature range. A particular question to address will be how to deploy the electrodes autonomously at sufficient spatial separations to ensure that natural electric field (measured by dividing the potential differences between paired electrodes by their distance apart) fluctuations are detectable above the sources of electrode and telluric amplifier noise. Possible solutions are to deploy electrodes ballistically or on booms. Therefore, measurements on ice that we will carry out on Svalbard with different designs of electrodes, telluric lengths, deployment styles and mechanisms will be central to the success of our research and development program. Data will be transmitted by GPS, which is standard on modern MT systems.We assess the current technology readiness level of our proposed system to lie between TRL1 and TRL2. We will test our MT lander both in the laboratory and on Svalbard, advancing our technology to a rating of TRL5 by the end of the project. We anticipate applying for follow-on funding a few months prior to the end of the project to enable us to develop our MT prototype to the next stage, which should include testing in an extraterrestrial environment (e.g., on the Moon).

我们建议开发一种远程操作的大地电磁（MT）着陆器，具有自动收集冰卫星表面电场和磁场数据的能力，这对行星科学特别感兴趣，因为它们的海洋世界可能支持来自冰卫星的大地电磁数据。卫星将对其冰冻圈的横向变化厚度和内部结构以及内部海洋的盐度、温度和环流提供强有力的限制，而这些是无法通过轨道磁力计数据确定的帝国理工学院的太空实验室团队在开发用于航天器磁场观测的磁力计方面拥有丰富的经验，挑战将是开发连接到能够自主部署的电极的大地放大器，以测量冰冷卫星的高电阻表面上的电场。计算机模型，我们的目标是开发一个以 128 Hz 采样并检测 >1 nT 磁波动和 >1 µV/m 电信号的系统。MT 是一种成熟的地球物理方法这提供了对大陆和海底以下地球地壳和地幔电导率结构的深入了解，但需要对现有技术进行修改，以解决冰冷卫星表面预期的高冰电极接触电阻、自主部署方式和工作温度范围需要解决的一个具体问题是如何在空间间隔上足够自主地部署电极，以确保在电极源上方可检测到自然电场（通过将成对电极之间的电位差除以它们之间的距离来测量）波动可能的解决方案是在斯瓦尔巴特群岛上采用不同的电极设计、大地长度、部署方式和机制在冰上部署电极，这对于我们的研究和研究的成功至关重要。数据将通过 GPS 传输，这是现代 MT 系统的标准。我们评估我们提议的系统的当前技术准备水平介于 TRL1 和 TRL2 之间。我们将在这两个平台上测试我们的 MT 着陆器。我们预计在项目结束前几个月申请后续资金，以便我们能够开发下一个 MT 原型。阶段，其中应包括在外星环境（例如月球）中进行测试。