UK leadership in extraterrestrial sample return

该项目的目的是帮助联合王国在分析即将从小行星、月球和火星返回的样本方面建立临界质量和领导地位。这些样本将具有高度的科学重要性，因为它们将有可能使我们回答问题的能力发生重大变化，包括STFC科学挑战B中的问题：“恒星和行星系统如何发展，它们如何支持生命的存在？”"我们项目的主要目标是进行一项概念验证研究，以测试原子探针断层摄影术这一新兴技术的能力，从而对行星材料的组成和结构提供独特的见解。原子探针断层扫描可能会改变我们从少量返回的样品中获得科学的能力，因为它具有独特的能力，能够识别原子并在亚微米尺寸的颗粒中以三维方式定位它们。对原始样本的破坏是最小的，这是非常重要的，因为很少有材料可供研究人员研究。在我们的泵启动工作中，我们将分析碳质球粒陨石的样品，这些陨石是小行星Bennu和Ryugu的良好类似物，其样品将很快由美国宇航局和日本航天局返回地球。这项工作的成果将包括测量复杂小行星材料的化学性质、同位素比率和纳米结构的新能力。这些结果将支持与英国和国际研究人员的网络建设活动，从而有助于在这个非常令人兴奋的行星探索时期建立英国领导地位的关键质量和动力。

The aim of this project is to help build critical mass and leadership for the UK in the analysis of samples that are soon to be returned from asteroids, the Moon and Mars. These samples will be highly scientifically important because they will have the potential to deliver a step change in our ability to answer questions including those within STFC science challenge B: 'How do stars and planetary systems develop and how do they support the existence of life?'.The principal objective of our project is to undertake a proof of concept study to test the ability of the emerging technique of atom probe tomography to provide unique insights into the composition and structure of planetary materials. Atom probe tomography can potentially transform our ability to obtain science from tiny amounts of returned samples because it is uniquely capable of identifying atoms and locating them in three-dimensions in a sub-micrometre size particle. Damage to the original sample is minimal, which is exceptionally important given that very little material will be available for researchers to study. In our pump priming work we will analyse samples of carbonaceous chondrite meteorites, which are good analogues for the asteroids Bennu and Ryugu, samples of which will soon to be returned to Earth by NASA and the Japanese space agency. The outcomes of this work will include new capability for the measurement of chemistry, isotopic ratios and nanostructure in complex asteroidal materials. These results will underpin network building activities with researchers in the UK and internationally, thus helping to build critical mass and momentum behind leadership of the UK during this very exciting period of planetary exploration.