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.

我们提出了一个世界级的研究方案，重点关注与我们的太阳系有关的两个主要研究领域。第一个涉及研究行星的外部环境，在那里气体处于等离子体(电离)状态，这样它不仅能感受到行星的引力，而且还能与其磁场发生强烈的相互作用。在第二个区域，我们试图通过详细检查来自彗星、小行星和火星的样品的组成，来研究太阳系天体的起源和发展，以及对生命演化的影响。这些样品是由航天器返回地球进行研究或在行星探测任务中进行现场检查的。第一个区域以前的工作表明，行星的外部环境变化很大，这取决于与从外部持续吹来的等离子风的相互作用，以及与行星及其卫星在内部的相互作用。太阳风容易爆发，导致地球上的磁暴和明亮的极光，而且在11年的太阳周期中，随着距离太阳的距离而发生强烈的变化。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，以及是否有活动的卫星在附近运行。我们将利用航天器的数据来研究靠近太阳但几乎没有大气的水星(信使号任务)，更远的有大气但没有强磁场以防止被太阳风侵蚀的火星(火星快车和MAVEN)，以及中等距离有大气和磁场的地球(使用来自若干飞行任务的数据，包括极光图像和极地卫星以及Iridium卫星星座)。我们还将研究强磁化的巨行星木星、土星和天王星，使用新的朱诺任务在木星和卡西尼在土星的数据，结合使用哈勃太空望远镜在紫外线波长和红外波长使用大型地面望远镜对极光的观测。极光是由在外部环境和上层电离大气之间流动的大规模电流引起的，这些大气在这些区域之间传播力。总体重点将放在外部太阳风、行星周围的磁场(如果有的话)和内部的行星大气或表面的复杂物理过程上。在一个相关项目中，我们还提议开发一台可供飞行使用的紧凑型低质量紫外线成像仪，该成像仪可用于研究地球和其他地方的极光，并可用于更广泛的应用。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同步加速器X射线光谱学的独特组合对微米尺度的行星材料样本进行微观分析方面开发的专门知识的基础上。由于从太阳系天体，如S级小行星Itokawa(Hayabusa任务)和81P/Wild2彗星(星尘任务)返回的少量材料，这种技术是必不可少的，这两项研究都是我们方案的一部分。对这些颗粒的分析提供了与已知的原始陨石类型进行直接比较的机会，并揭示了塑造太阳系早期阶段的过程。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在火星撞击层样本中限制热和水-岩石相互作用的历史。在一个相关领域，我们还提议开发一种能够探测有机化合物和矿物的天体生物学仪器。主要目标是建造一种微型分析仪器，该仪器可配置用于现场分析和远程分析，并将适合纳入未来的行星探索任务，如美国航天局和欧空局计划的任务。

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.

Constraining the Temporal Variability of Neutral Winds in Saturn's Low-Latitude Ionosphere Using Magnetic Field Measurements

使用磁场测量限制土星低纬度电离层中性风的时间变化

• DOI: 10.1029/2020je006578
• 发表时间: 2021
• 期刊: Planets
• 作者: Agiwal O