Solar System Physics and Exploration

太阳系的能量和质量从太阳深处转移到太阳大气层，在那里，磁场活动将物质流发射到太空。当它流入太阳系时，它与行星的大气层和磁场相互作用，并改变行星表面的原始组成。阿伯里斯特威斯的太阳系物理学小组旨在回答这个相互关联的系统的每个阶段的突出问题，包括：-为什么太阳上会发生爆发和太阳风外流，以及这些爆发如何影响周围的太阳大气层; -太阳风的结构及其内部的瞬变如何在它们进入太空时演变;- 太阳风如何与行星大气和磁场相互作用，以及行星与行星之间的差异; -月球的组成是什么，这告诉我们关于地球-月球系统的形成;- 机器人如何最好地用于探索其他行星。为了理解这些相互关联的过程，我们需要对太阳、行星和它们之间的空间的环境进行最先进的测量。其中包括地球上的光学和无线电实验，以及来自调查太阳，月球和行星的空间探测器的数据。利用这些观测结果，我们可以建立解释这些联系所需的理论，以及它们如何影响我们的太阳邻居。例如，在金星，我们对日光层的遥感、现场测量和创新建模的协同作用加强了我们的理解。我们与其中许多探测器有正式联系，是印度Chandrayaan-1使命X射线仪器的首席研究员，也是STEREO、Venus Express和Mars Express等其他探测器仪器的共同研究员。除了利用现有的天文台和探测器外，我们还积极参与未来探索太阳系所需的技术进步。这包括创建利用下一代射电望远镜的软件，以及研究机器人技术，用于自主识别有趣的科学目标和未来行星漫游车的样本采集，这将大大提高它们的科学回报。为了支持阿伯里斯特威斯的机器人研究，我们建立了一个行星南极地形实验室，有一个模拟的火星表面和一个实验漫游者。这一机器人方案使我们参与了即将进行的ExoMars使命，在该使命中，我们是机器人检查镜的首席研究员，以及全景相机和漫游者操作控制中心的共同研究员，并将导致未来参与许多其他任务和地面附带项目。我们的观测工作与计算机模型有关，其中基于物理的模拟受到观测量的约束，以帮助推断基础科学。这包括太阳磁场的建模，以及太阳和行星周围等离子体的行为，以及它们之间的空间。这项工作得到了超级计算设施和3D可视化设备的支持，这些设备位于阿伯里斯特威斯的数学和物理研究所。我们的计划有助于与更广泛的社区和公众接触，我们产生的知识非常适用于非空间和商业开发。阿伯里斯特威斯的太阳系物理小组是不寻常的，因为我们的专业知识涵盖了连接太阳，地球和行星的连续互动链。这使我们处于一个理想的位置，以了解内太阳系的事件如何塑造我们生活的环境。

The solar system is powered by the transfer of energy and mass from deep within the Sun into the solar atmosphere, where magnetic activity ejects streams of material into space. As this flows into the solar system it interacts with planetary atmospheres and magnetic fields, and changes the surfaces of planets from their original make up. The Solar System Physics group at Aberystwyth aims to answer outstanding questions at each stage of this interlinked system, including: - why eruptions and solar wind outflow occur on the Sun, and how these eruptions affect the surrounding solar atmosphere; - how the structure of the solar wind, and transients within it, evolve as they travel out into space; - how this solar wind interacts with planetary atmospheres and magnetic fields, and how this differs from planet to planet; - what is the composition of the Moon, and what does this tells us about the formation of the Earth-Moon system; - how can robots best be used to explore other planets. In order to understand these linked processes, we need to make state of the art measurements of the environments of the Sun, the Planets and the Space in between. These include optical and radio experiments on Earth, and data from space probes that investigate the Sun, Moon and planets. Using these observations we can build the theories needed to explain these connections, and how they affect our solar neighbourhood. For example at Venus the synergy of our remote sensing of the heliosphere, in situ measurements and innovative modelling strengthens our understanding. We have formal links to many of these probes, and are lead investigator of the X-ray instrument on the Indian Chandrayaan-1 mission, as well as co-investigators of instruments on other probes such as STEREO, Venus Express, and Mars Express. In addition to exploiting current observatories and probes, we are strongly involved in producing the technological advances required for future exploration of our solar system. This includes creating the software to exploit the next generation of radio telescopes, and researching the robotic techniques for autonomous identification of interesting science targets and sample acquisition by future planetary rovers, which will dramatically improve their scientific return. To support the robotic research at Aberystwyth, we have built a Planetary Analogue Terrain Laboratory, with a simulated Martian surface and an experimental rover. This robotics programme has led to our involvement with the forthcoming ExoMars mission where we are lead investigator of the Robotic Inspection Mirror, and co-investigator of Panoramic Camera and the Rover Operation Control Centre, and will lead to future involvement in many other missions and terrestrial spin-offs. Our observational work is linked to computer models, where physics-based simulations are constrained by observed quantities to help deduce the underlying science. This includes the modelling of solar magnetic fields, and the behaviour of plasma around the Sun and planets, and the space in between. This work is backed up by supercomputing facilities and 3D visualisation equipment that is housed within the Institute of Mathematics and Physics at Aberystwyth. Our programme lends itself to engagement with the wider community and public, and knowledge that we generate is highly applicable to non-space and commercial exploitation. The Solar System Physics group at Aberystwyth is unusual as our expertise covers a continuous chain of interaction linking the Sun, Earth and Planets. This puts us in an ideal position to understand how events in the inner solar system shape the environment in which we live.