Planetary Science Group, Department of Earth and Planetary Sciences, Birkbeck, University of London: Consolidated Grant Proposal

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This application for a Consolidated Grant is to support planetary science research at Birkbeck, University of London. The Department of Earth and Planetary Sciences at Birkbeck hosts a relatively small, but very active, planetary science research group, specialising principally in lunar science and exploration, meteoritics, and astrobiology. Over the last five years our group has led (i.e. has first-authorship of) 25 peer reviewed papers in the international planetary science literature, has made significant contributions (i.e. co-authorship of) 19 additional peer reviewed publications, and contributed over 75 additional publications (including over 55 extended abstracts presented at major international conferences). The present application is intended to advance our work in these areas by providing support for one post-doctoral research assistant and two Ph.D. studentships in the areas of astrobiology early solar system studies, and lunar sample analysis. All three areas fit into national and international priorities for planetary science, and in recent years our group has demonstrated international leadership in all three areas.The specific projects to be supported by the present grant application are:(1) "Searching for Past or Present Life on Mars Guided by Earth-Based Analogues: Maximising the Astrobiological Potential of Planetary Rovers". This project is designed to assist in the search for past or present life on Mars using rover-borne multi-spectral imaging systems to allow the correct identification and interpretation of astrobiologically relevant minerals on the planet's surface (e.g. minerals that formed in the presence of water). This information will be used to inform operating procedures for ESA's ExoMars mission, and other similar missions which may be planned in the future. (2) "Mixing Material in the Early Solar System - a Meteoritic Study". The Solar System formed from solar nebula about 4.6 Ga ago. Meteorites generally represent material left over from this earliest phase of solar system history, and give us insight into processes that occurred during the formation of planetary bodies. This study will investigate mixing of material within parts of the solar nebula via the detailed study of fragments of different meteorite types embedded within meteorite breccias, i.e. material accreted by impact to the surface of an unrelated asteroid. These fragments ("lithic clasts") are pieces of a wide variety of meteorite types, including some that are different from any known meteorite type. A study of such material will greatly extend our knowledge of the varieties of planetesimals that existed in the early stages of planetary accretion. (3) "Constraining the Source Localities of Lunar Meteorites by Combining Spacecraft Remote Sensing Data with Laboratory Sample Analysis". This project will combine lunar geochemical remote sensing data with laboratory-determined compositions of lunar meteorites to constrain the launch localities of the latter. This will enable the ages, petrography, minor- and trace-element compositions, and isotope geochemistry (all of which can be determined by laboratory analyses of the meteorites, but none of which cannot be determined by remote sensing alone) to be used to interpret the geological history of the individual launch localities on the Moon. The only other means of obtaining comparable information would be to target dedicated sample return missions to these localities, so exploring the extent to which lunar meteorites may yield comparable information on shorter timescales and at less expense is desirable before committing to such missions. All these projects fall within the high priority 'Science Challenges' identified by STFC, specifically 'Science Challenge B': How do stars and planetary systems develop and is life unique to our planet? A major subsidiary objective of our programme is the training of young scientists in these key areas of planetary science.