CAREER: Atmospheric Electricity on Earth and Mars

地球大气层中自然发生的闪电在很短的时间内释放出巨大的能量。闪电最常发生在雷雨期间，因为静电在云层中积累。闪电也被发现出现在火星上，据信是由沙尘暴造成的。尽管由于大气压力较低，这种闪电不像地球上那么常见，但由于金属物体的作用就像避雷针一样，这种闪电可能会对火星上的仪器构成危险。机器人探险者在地球表面的增多增加了这种放电的可能性，增加了仪器的风险，也增加了人类进行探索的可能性。这项职业研究概述了一项为期五年的努力，研究地球和火星典型大气条件下的电场放电的物理学和可观测性。研究人员建议进行一项全面的研究，将理论和实验相结合，以在6到1013毫巴的压力范围内在空气中产生放电，以检查从热的圆柱形或球形电极开始的放电与在雷公石和沙粒摩擦充电中观察到的带电之间的差异。主要目标是加深我们对不同环境中的放电物理的理解。特别是，这项研究试图解决行星电学中的下列悬而未决的问题：(1)几何因素能否充分解释理论和观测的闪电启动阈值之间的差异？(2)建模是否有助于评估以瞬时发光事件或假定的火星闪电的形式发生的大气崩溃的性质(发光、流光、先导)？(3)摩擦充电是否会导致此类非常规放电的启动？该研究计划旨在：·建立一个新的、广义的电子雪崩模型的公式，该模型起始于热的圆柱形或球形电极，·创建地外放电及其电荷和偶极矩估计的3-D分形模型，·对火星大规模尘埃事件中的带电进行定量测量，·通过Tap Talks上的天文学向学术界传播学术研究，以及·利用乐高头脑风暴创建夏令营，通过创新和吸引人的方法向中学生介绍编程和空间科学。该项目的成功将通过确定非常规闪电造成的最可测量的变化，直接影响未来探测外星大气电力的仪器的设计。它还将有助于评估引发地表物体排放的风险，特别是在火星探测的框架内。它将通过为期5天的夏令营、公开讲座和非正式场所的讲座，加强学术研究与当地社区之间的关系。通过这些任务，研究人员将接触到所有年龄和水平的受众，并寻求激励下一代科学家和工程师。该奖项反映了NSF的法定使命，并通过使用基金会的智力优势和更广泛的影响审查标准进行评估，被认为值得支持。

Naturally occurring lightning in the Earth atmosphere releases tremendous amount of energy in a very short time. Lightnings most commonly occur during thunderstorms as electrostatic charges accumulate in clouds. Lightnings have also been found to occur on Mars, believed to be created by dust storms. Though not as common as on Earth because of low atmosphere pressure, such lightnings can be a hazard to instruments on Mars with metal objects acting like a lightning rod. The multiplication of robotic explorers at the surface of the planet has increased the chances of such electric discharges, increasing risks for instruments and an ever-more likely human-exploration.This CAREER research outlines a five-year effort to study the physics and observability of electrical discharges in atmospheric conditions representative of Earth and Mars. The investigators suggest a comprehensive study combining theory and experiments centered on discharges produced in air at pressures ranging from 6 to 1013 mbar, to examine the differences between discharges started from a hot, cylindrical or spherical electrode, and the electrification observed in the tribocharging of regoliths and sand grains. The principal objective is to further our understanding of the physics of electrical discharge in diverse environments. In particular, this research seeks to resolve the following outstanding issues in planetary electricity: (1) Can geometric factors adequately explain the difference between theoretical and observed lightning initiation thresholds? (2) Can modeling help assess the nature (glow, streamer, leader) of atmospheric breakdown occurring in the form of Transient Luminous Events or putative Martian lightning? (3) Can tribocharging lead to the initiation of such non-conventional discharges?The research plan aims to: • produce the formulation of a new, generalized model of electron avalanche initiated from a hot cylindrical or spherical electrode,• create a 3-D fractal models of extraterrestrial discharges and estimates of their electric charges and dipole moments,• make quantitative measurements of the electrification in a scaled Martian dust event,• disseminate of academic research outside academia through Astronomy on Tap talks, and• create a summer camp using LEGO Mindstorms to introduce middle-schoolers to programing and space science through an innovative and engaging approach.The success of this project will directly impact the design of future instruments for the detection of extraterrestrial atmospheric electricity by identifying the most measurable changes due to non-conventional lightning. It will also help to assess the risk of initiating discharges from surface objects in particular in the framework of Martian exploration. It will strengthen the relationship between academic research and the local community, through the 5-day summer camp, public lectures, and talks at informal venues. Through these tasks, the investigator will reach audiences of all ages and levels and seek to inspire the next generation of scientists and engineers.This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.