Investigating Atmospheric Volatiles on Planets in our Solar System and Beyond

研究太阳系及其他行星上的大气挥发物

• 批准号: RGPIN-2019-06334
• 负责人: Moores, John
• 金额: $ 2.62万
• 依托单位: York University
• 依托单位国家: 加拿大
• 项目类别: Discovery Grants Program - Individual
• 财政年份: 2022
• 资助国家: 加拿大
• 起止时间: 2022-01-01 至 2023-12-31
• 项目状态: 已结题
• 来源: https://www.nserc-crsng.gc.ca/ase-oro/Details-Detailles_eng.asp?id=751032
• 关键词: Investigating; Atmospheric; Volatiles; Planets; our

In the 65 years since the launch of the first interplanetary spacecraft, locations that were once little more than points of light in the sky have become known worlds through the efforts of over 100 robotic explorers. What we have seen through their eyes has challenged our scientific preconceptions at every turn. Pluto exemplifies this transformation; previously thought to be a cold, dead place, Pluto was instead revealed in 2015 to have an active geology with glacial flows, extrusive volcanism and even fog banks. Examples of these surprises are important to remember when considering planets beyond our solar system. These extra-solar planets will, for decades to come, remain no more than variations in the brightness of points of light in the sky. Yet we are able to discern important details about their environments and atmospheres by studying these variations. We can make this data meaningful only through our knowledge of the planets within our own solar system, using them as a sort of Rosetta Stone. Simultaneously, by describing the range of planetary systems that can exist, exoplanetary astronomy challenges our models of the solar system, providing fresh insights that we can test through new missions that deepen our understanding of our own family of planets. Together, these two processes help us to push past empirical explanations to obtain a fundamental understanding of planetary processes. My work focuses on the exploration of our solar system, (1) developing the tools required for exploration and also (2) in interpreting and modeling the data returned from planetary missions and (3) the application of these results to planetary bodies in other stellar systems. Thus, it is the objective of my research to develop Systems in the engineering sense of equipment, tools and techniques while also striving to develop an understanding the science of Systems of planets. Advancing these goals will involve, broadly: (1) Developing low-cost, low mass instrumentation and platforms for planetary space missions. Space missions are very highly constrained endeavors. As such, my research into instrumentation focuses on opportunities to add significant capability and science value at slight incremental cost in resources. (2) Exploring the atmospheres of other planets and their interactions with planetary surfaces. As data continues to flow back to earth from interplanetary spacecraft, my laboratory is well positioned to contribute to the understanding of planetary systems. As a participating scientist on the Mars Science Laboratory Mission (popularly known as the Curiosity Rover) and a collaborator on the Mars InSight mission, my students and I are able to run our experiments on Mars while taking opportunistic advantage of data returned from other spacecraft to make contributions enabled by our unique multi-disciplinary approach. (3) Applying those contributions to exoplanets through our participation in the Technologies for Exo-Planetary Science CREATE.

自第一艘星际飞船发射以来的65年里，通过100多个机器人探险家的努力，曾经只不过是天空中的光点的地点已经成为已知的世界。我们通过他们的眼睛所看到的每一次都挑战了我们的科学偏见。冥王星证实了这一转变;以前被认为是一个寒冷，死亡的地方，冥王星在2015年被发现有一个活跃的地质，有冰川流动，喷出的火山活动，甚至是雾堤。 在考虑太阳系以外的行星时，这些令人惊讶的例子是很重要的。这些太阳系外的行星在未来几十年里，只不过是天空中光点亮度的变化。然而，我们能够通过研究这些变化来辨别有关其环境和大气的重要细节。只有通过我们对太阳系内行星的了解，我们才能让这些数据变得有意义，把它们当作罗塞塔石碑。同时，通过描述可能存在的行星系统的范围，系外行星天文学挑战了我们的太阳系模型，提供了新的见解，我们可以通过新的任务来测试，加深我们对我们自己的行星家族的理解。这两个过程一起帮助我们推动过去的经验解释，以获得行星过程的基本理解。我的工作重点是探索我们的太阳系，（1）开发探索所需的工具，（2）解释和建模从行星任务返回的数据，（3）将这些结果应用于其他恒星系统中的行星体。因此，我的研究目标是在设备，工具和技术的工程意义上开发系统，同时努力发展对行星系统科学的理解。推进这些目标将广泛涉及：（1）开发低成本，低质量的仪器和平台的行星空间任务。太空任务是非常受限制的努力。因此，我对仪器的研究重点是以资源的微小增量成本增加显著的能力和科学价值的机会。(2)探索其他行星的大气层及其与行星表面的相互作用。随着数据不断从行星际飞船传回地球，我的实验室处于有利地位，可以为了解行星系统做出贡献。作为参与火星科学实验室使命（俗称Currency Rover）的科学家和火星洞察使命的合作者，我和我的学生能够在火星上运行我们的实验，同时利用从其他航天器返回的数据，通过我们独特的多学科方法做出贡献。(3)通过我们参与行星外科学技术创造，将这些贡献应用于系外行星。