Solar and Planetary Research at Queen Mary 2017-2020

我们建议进行以下研究项目。i)我们将使用超级计算机模拟来研究太阳风的演变——太阳风是不断从太阳流入我们太阳系的带电粒子流。特别是，我们将研究为什么太阳风在星际空间流动时会产生湍流，以及这种湍流是如何加热太阳风的。ii)我们将使用超级计算机模拟来检查位于太阳表面之上的低密度但温度非常高的区域——太阳日冕。特别是，我们想了解磁力线如何改变其拓扑结构，并通过称为重连的过程向周围的等离子体释放能量。iii)我们将分析目前正在绕土星运行的卡西尼号宇宙飞船拍摄的图像，以研究土星的卫星是如何与土星环系统相互作用和干扰的。我们对F环特别感兴趣，它位于环系统的外缘附近，经常受到普罗米修斯和潘多拉两颗卫星的干扰。我们对a环也很感兴趣，它似乎形成了能够在整个系统中迁移的长期存在的团块或小卫星。最后，利用土星卫星的精确图像，我们将跟踪它们的运动，并测量潮汐能量在土星内部耗散的速率。我们将试图更多地了解火星的形成。据信，我们太阳系的四颗内行星是由构成行星的较小天体之间的碰撞形成的，我们将使用计算机模拟来检验这一过程。我们将研究碰撞是否可以解释为什么火星的地壳在南半球比北半球厚，我们将研究火星卫星的形成。

We propose to undertake the following research projects.i) We will use supercomputer simulations to examine the evolution of the solar wind - thestream of charged particles that is constantly flowing from the Sun into our solar system.In particular, we will examine why this wind develops turbulence as it flows through interplanetaryspace, and how this turbulence heats the solar wind.ii) We will use supercomputer simulations to examine the low density but very high temperaturegas that lies above the Sun's surface - the solar corona. In particular, we want to understand howmagnetic field lines change their topology and release energy into the surrounding plasma by the process known as reconnection.iii) We will analyse images from the Cassini spacecraft that is currently orbiting Saturn, to examine how Saturn's moons interact with and disturb Saturn's system of rings. We are particularly interested in the F ring which lies near the outer edge of the ring system, and is regularly disturbed by two satellites, Prometheus and Pandora. We are also interestedin the A-ring, which appears to form long-lived clumps or moon-lets that are able to migratethrough the system. Finally, using accurate images of the Saturnian satellites, we will track theirmotion and measure the rate at which tidal energy is dissipated within Saturn.iv) We will attempt to understand more about the formation of the planet Mars. It is believedthat the four inner planets of our solar system formed from collisions between smaller bodiesthat built the planets, and we will use computer simulations to examine this process. We willexamine whether a collision can explain why Mars has a crust that is thicker in the southern hemisphere than in the north, and we will examine the formation of the satellites of Mars.