Life, Energy, Dynamics and Dark Matter - Exploring X-rays from the Outer Planets

生命、能量、动力学和暗物质 - 探索来自外行星的 X 射线

• 批准号: ST/W003449/1
• 负责人: William Dunn
• 金额: $ 73.04万
• 依托单位: University College London
• 依托单位国家: 英国
• 项目类别: Fellowship
• 财政年份: 2022
• 资助国家: 英国
• 起止时间: 2022 至 无数据
• 项目状态: 未结题
• 来源: https://gtr.ukri.org/projects?ref=ST%2FW003449%2F1
• 关键词: Life; Energy; Dynamics; Dark; Matter

The outer solar system is truly a place of wonders: spectacular auroral displays, so energetic that they could power Human civilization; moons with global sub-surface water oceans - potentially perfect environments for life; magnetic bubbles ('magnetospheres') that are the largest coherent structures in the solar system; intense radiation belts filled with particles so energetic that they travel at close to the speed of light; iconic glistening rings extending 20 times the diameter of Earth into space to encircle their gaseous hosts. How the cosmos creates these marvels and what processes govern them is at the heart of solar system science and this research.Historically, NASA and ESA's flagship X-ray observatories, Chandra and XMM-Newton, have been widely used to study the unimaginably energetic or large (black holes, neutron stars or the gas that flows between galaxies). However, X-ray observatories also provide invaluable and under-utilised insights into planetary bodies. My research aims to ensure that we fully utilise the diverse range of X-ray capabilities to study the outer planets.X-rays fluorescence is a process that produces 'fingerprint' signatures of atomic elements. Consequently, it is excellent for determining what atomic elements something is composed of. On Earth, X-ray fluorescence is used for everything from determining whether a piece of art is fake, to identifying lead in paint, chlorine in food and metals in cosmetics. Through the ERF, I will study X-ray fluorescence from Jupiter's moons Io, Europa, Ganymede and Callisto. This will identify which elements are most common on their icy surfaces, distinguishing between different salts in Europa's ocean to identify what conditions are available there for potential life.Europa orbits Jupiter within Jupiter's magnetosphere. This vast magnetic cavity around the planet forms through the combination of Jupiter's rapid-rotation, strong magnetic field, and the constant injections of plasma (ionised particles) from the volcanoes on Jupiter's moon, Io. Plasma makes up 99% of the observed Universe. Understanding what processes govern the behaviours of plasmas is therefore critical to understanding the matter we observe across the cosmos. I will use X-ray observations in tandem with measurements by spacecraft in orbit at the planets to study these fundamental plasma processes in several ways: 1. exploring Jupiter's dancing auroral displays to probe the flows of particles and the processes that control them2. analysing X-ray images of the intense radiation belts to determine how they change over time and what processes trigger these changes3. calculating the X-ray emissions along the boundary between the magnetospheres of Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus and Neptune and the solar wind, laying foundations to take videos of this boundary, to study the global relationship between each planet and its surrounding space envrionment (the solar wind).The study of exoplanets has shown that Ice Giants are amongst the most common type of planet in the Universe. However, our local Ice Giants, Uranus and Neptune, are very poorly understood. The rapid flybys of the Voyager spacecraft in the 1980s are the only visit we have ever made to either planet. Without any near-term plans to visit these planets, we have to study them through telescopes at Earth. I will seek to acquire new X-ray observing time for Uranus. This will enable us to explore many of the exciting hints suggested by previous observations, testing for the presence of: sparkling X-ray aurorae, the X-ray glow of the rings and potential fluorescence from the atmosphere.Through these diverse projects, the research programme will usher in a revolution in the uses of X-ray observations for the outer solar system, founding new research fields and leveraging the X-ray waveband to provide unique insights into the mysterious and wonderous worlds in the outer regions of our solar system.

外太阳系确实是一个充满奇迹的地方：壮观的极光展示，能量如此之大，可以为人类文明提供动力；拥有全球地下海洋的卫星——可能是完美的生命环境；磁泡（“磁层”）是太阳系中最大的相干结构；强烈的辐射带充满了高能粒子，其传播速度接近光速；标志性的闪闪发光的环延伸到地球直径 20 倍的太空中，包围着它们的气态宿主。宇宙如何创造这些奇迹以及什么过程控制它们是太阳系科学和这项研究的核心。历史上，NASA 和 ESA 的旗舰 X 射线天文台钱德拉和 XMM-牛顿被广泛用于研究难以想象的高能或巨大物体（黑洞、中子星或在星系之间流动的气体）。然而，X 射线天文台也提供了关于行星体的宝贵且未被充分利用的见解。我的研究旨在确保我们充分利用各种 X 射线功能来研究外行星。X 射线荧光是产生原子元素“指纹”特征的过程。因此，它非常适合确定某物由哪些原子元素组成。在地球上，X 射线荧光用途广泛，从确定一件艺术品是否是赝品，到识别油漆中的铅、食品中的氯和化妆品中的金属。通过 ERF，我将研究木星卫星木卫一、木卫二、木卫三和木卫四的 X 射线荧光。这将确定哪些元素在其冰冷的表面上最常见，区分木卫二海洋中的不同盐，以确定那里适合潜在生命的条件。木卫二在木星磁层内绕木星运行。木星周围巨大的磁腔是由木星的快速旋转、强磁场以及木星卫星木卫一上火山不断注入的等离子体（电离粒子）共同形成的。等离子体构成了观测到的宇宙的 99%。因此，了解哪些过程控制等离子体的行为对于了解我们在宇宙中观察到的物质至关重要。我将使用 X 射线观测与行星轨道上的航天器的测量相结合，以多种方式研究这些基本等离子体过程： 1. 探索木星舞动的极光显示，以探测粒子流以及控制它们的过程 2。分析强辐射带的 X 射线图像，以确定它们如何随时间变化以及哪些过程触发这些变化3。计算沿木星、土星、天王星和海王星磁层与太阳风之间边界的X射线发射，为拍摄该边界的视频、研究每颗行星与其周围空间环境（太阳风）之间的全球关系奠定基础。对系外行星的研究表明，冰巨星是宇宙中最常见的行星类型之一。然而，我们对当地的冰巨星天王星和海王星知之甚少。航海者号宇宙飞船在 20 世纪 80 年代的快速飞越是我们对这两个行星的唯一访问。近期没有访问这些行星的计划，我们必须通过地球上的望远镜研究它们。我将寻求获得新的天王星 X 射线观测时间。这将使我们能够探索先前观测所暗示的许多令人兴奋的线索，测试是否存在：闪闪发光的 X 射线极光、光环的 X 射线辉光以及来自大气层的潜在荧光。通过这些不同的项目，该研究计划将迎来外太阳系 X 射线观测应用的一场革命，建立新的研究领域，并利用 X 射线波段为太阳系外层提供独特的见解。 太阳系外围神秘而奇妙的世界。

项目成果

A Survey of Magnetic Field Line Curvature in Jovian Dawn Magnetodisc

• DOI: 10.1029/2023gl106971
• 期刊: Geophysical Research Letters
• 影响因子: 5.2
• 作者: W. D. Gu;Z. Yao;Y. Wei;T. Qin;B. Zhang;Y. Xu;W. Dunn;P. Delamere;Y. N. Chen

Exploring Fundamental Particle Acceleration and Loss Processes in Heliophysics through an Orbiting X-ray Instrument in the Jovian System

通过木星系统中的轨道 X 射线仪器探索太阳物理学中的基本粒子加速和损失过程

• DOI: 10.3847/25c2cfeb.e6522cc4
• 发表时间: 2023
• 期刊: Bulletin of the AAS
• 作者: Dunn W

Comparing Jupiter's equatorial X-ray emissions with solar X-ray flux over 19 years of the Chandra mission

钱德拉任务 19 年来木星赤道 X 射线发射与太阳 X 射线通量的比较

• DOI: 10.1002/essoar.10512649.2
• 发表时间: 2022
• 作者: McEntee S

Variation of the Jovian Magnetopause Under Constant Solar Wind Conditions: Significance of Magnetodisc Dynamics

恒定太阳风条件下木星磁层顶的变化：磁盘动力学的意义

• DOI: 10.1029/2023gl104046
• 发表时间: 2023
• 期刊: Geophysical Research Letters
• 影响因子: 5.2
• 作者: Feng E

Handbook of X-ray and Gamma-ray Astrophysics

X射线和伽马射线天体物理学手册

• DOI: 10.1007/978-981-16-4544-0_11-1
• 发表时间: 2022
• 作者: Atkins C