Studies on Planetary Formation and Evolution at Bristol

布里斯托尔的行星形成和演化研究

• 批准号: ST/R000980/1
• 负责人: Timothy Elliott
• 金额: $ 105.9万
• 依托单位: University of Bristol
• 依托单位国家: 英国
• 项目类别: Research Grant
• 财政年份: 2018
• 资助国家: 英国
• 起止时间: 2018 至 无数据
• 项目状态: 已结题
• 来源: https://gtr.ukri.org/projects?ref=ST%2FR000980%2F1
• 关键词: Studies; Planetary; Formation; Evolution; Bristol

The proposed work follows the development of planetary bodies from formation of their raw materials to the functioning of their atmospheres. Our attention starts with the earliest solar system, when the only fine grained material was present around the sun. We will both look at the distribution of a key radioactive nuclide in this nebula and the separation of gas from solid at the beginnings of planet formation. This will tell us about the compositions of planets likely to form and whether or not they will melt extensively. A major event in the history of a growing planet is the sinking of metal to its centre, forming a core. This is well understood on Earth, but not for smaller planetary bodies. We will use a novel, isotopic measure of the size of cores in one of the largest asteroids (Vesta), the Moon and Mars. This new approach is made possible by our ability to make precision isotopic measurements and couple them with melting experiments in the lab. The idea behind this approach is that we have few samples of these planetary bodies and the techniques used on Earth do not work well for such samples, which have experienced unknown perturbation en route to the surface. We have strong reason to believe this does not occur for Ni isotopes and so they record a robust signal of core formation in small bodies.Although the formation of some small planetary bodies, like Vesta, is thought to be well understood, the origin of our closest companion, the Moon has long proven problematic. What appeared successful models of its dynamics fail to account for its marked chemical similarity with the Earth. To address this a new suite of models have been proposed, which represent a radical departure in the style of formation. However, it is still not know how the Moon actually forms from the vapour cloud formed in such collisions. This is the focus of our fourth project which will further see if the new models can also explain the identical isotopic compositions of Earth and Moon.The interior of the Earth is difficult to probe, but the dynamics of the Moon's interior is yet harder. Seismic techniques are used on Earth and there are some seismic records of the Moon. These noisey data are difficult to process, but advances in processing terrestrial data make it time to re-examine the information carried in the lunar archive. In particular, the project will look for anisotropy- caused by the preferential alignment of objects. This has proven very successful on Earth and may reveal a more detailed picture of motions within the lunar interior and whether or not this relates to obvious features on the surface.Finally our planetary exploration focuses on the active atmosphere of Saturn's satellite Titan. Using spectroscopic observations from spacecraft and new, high-resolution, ground-based data, the project will examine the distribution of oxygen bearing molecules in Titan's atmosphere and use this information to test models of the processes that produce and move these species. This will provide a window into understanding the active atmosphere of a distant planetary body.

拟议的工作遵循行星体从原材料形成到大气层运作的发展过程。我们的注意力始于最早的太阳系，当时太阳周围存在唯一的细粒物质。我们将研究该星云中关键放射性核素的分布以及行星形成之初气体与固体的分离。这将告诉我们可能形成的行星的成分以及它们是否会广泛融化。成长中的行星历史上的一个重大事件是金属沉入其中心，形成核心。这在地球上是众所周知的，但对于较小的行星体则不然。我们将使用一种新颖的同位素测量方法来测量最大的小行星（灶神星）、月球和火星的核心尺寸。我们能够进行精确的同位素测量并将其与实验室的熔化实验相结合，从而使这种新方法成为可能。这种方法背后的想法是，我们对这些行星体的样本很少，而地球上使用的技术对于这些样本来说效果不佳，因为这些样本在前往地表的途中经历了未知的扰动。我们有充分的理由相信镍同位素不会发生这种情况，因此它们记录了小天体中核心形成的强烈信号。尽管人们认为一些小型行星体（如灶神星）的形成已被很好地理解，但我们最近的伴星月球的起源长期以来被证明是有问题的。看似成功的动力学模型未能解释其与地球显着的化学相似性。为了解决这个问题，人们提出了一套新的模型，它代表了阵型风格的彻底转变。然而，人们仍然不知道月球实际上是如何由此类碰撞中形成的蒸气云形成的。这是我们第四个项目的重点，该项目将进一步看看新模型是否也能解释地球和月球相同的同位素组成。地球内部很难探测，但月球内部的动力学更难。地球上使用了地震技术，月球上也有一些地震记录。这些噪声数据很难处理，但处理地面数据的进步使得我们有时间重新检查月球档案中携带的信息。特别是，该项目将寻找由对象的优先对齐引起的各向异性。事实证明，这在地球上非常成功，并且可能会揭示月球内部运动的更详细图片，以及这是否与表面的明显特征有关。最后，我们的行星探索集中在土星卫星泰坦的活跃大气层上。利用航天器的光谱观测和新的高分辨率地面数据，该项目将检查泰坦大气中含氧分子的分布，并利用这些信息来测试产生和移动这些物种的过程模型。这将为了解遥远行星体的活跃大气层提供一个窗口。

项目成果

Interferometric Imaging of Titan's HC 3 N, H 13 CCCN, and HCCC 15 N

Titan 的 HC 3 N、H 13 CCCN 和 HCCC 15 N 的干涉成像

• DOI: 10.3847/2041-8213/aac38d
• 发表时间: 2018
• 期刊: The Astrophysical Journal
• 作者: Cordiner M

Latitudinal Variations in Methane Abundance, Aerosol Opacity and Aerosol Scattering Efficiency in Neptune's Atmosphere Determined From VLT/MUSE

由 VLT/MUSE 确定的海王星大气中甲烷丰度、气溶胶不透明度和气溶胶散射效率的纬度变化

• DOI: 10.1029/2023je007980
• 发表时间: 2023
• 期刊: Planets
• 作者: Irwin P

Latitudinal variation of methane mole fraction above clouds in Neptune's atmosphere from VLT/MUSE-NFM: Limb-darkening reanalysis

来自 VLT/MUSE-NFM 的海王星大气云层上方甲烷摩尔分数的纬度变化：临边变暗再分析

• DOI: 10.1016/j.icarus.2020.114277
• 发表时间: 2021
• 期刊: Icarus
• 影响因子: 3.2
• 作者: Irwin P

ALMA Spectral Imaging of Titan Contemporaneous with Cassini's Grand Finale

与卡西尼号大结局同期的土卫六的 ALMA 光谱成像

• DOI: 10.3847/1538-3881/ab2d20
• 发表时间: 2019
• 期刊: The Astronomical Journal
• 作者: Cordiner M

Spectral determination of the colour and vertical structure of dark spots in Neptune's atmosphere

海王星大气中黑斑颜色和垂直结构的光谱测定

• DOI: 10.1038/s41550-023-02047-0
• 发表时间: 2023
• 期刊: Nature Astronomy
• 影响因子: 14.1
• 作者: Irwin P