A Consolidated Grant Proposal for Solar and Planetary Science at the University of Leicester, 2022 - 2025
Lead Research Organisation:
University of Leicester
Department Name: Physics and Astronomy
Abstract
We propose a world-class programme of research that focuses on 3 main areas of study concerned with our solar system. The first involves study of the outer environments of the planets where the gas is ionised, such that it not only feels the gravitational pull of the planet, but also interacts strongly with its magnetic and electric fields. In the second area we seek to study the origin and evolution of solar system bodies, through examination of materials from asteroid, chondrite and lunar samples, and through laboratory-based exploration of X-ray fluorescence from Mercury analogues. The third area will employ spectroscopy from the James Webb Space Telescope (JWST) and ground observatories to explore the planetary stratospheres and tropospheres at the ice giants Uranus and Neptune.
Previous work in the first area shows that the outer environments of the planets vary widely, determined by the interaction with the plasma that blows continuously from the Sun on the outside, and the interaction with the planet and its moons on the inside. The solar wind is prone to outbursts that can lead to magnetic storms and bright auroras at Earth, as well as varying strongly over the solar cycle, and with distance from the Sun. Its interaction with the planets then depends on whether the planet is magnetised, has an atmosphere, and has active moons. We will use MESSENGER data to study Mercury close to the Sun, a planet that has a magnetic field but almost no atmosphere; use the constellation of spacecraft at Mars, more distant from the Sun, which has an atmosphere but no strong magnetic field to prevent its erosion by the solar wind; and combine multi-spacecraft and ground instrumentation at Earth, at intermediate distances having both an atmosphere and a magnetic field. We will also study the strongly magnetized giant planets Jupiter and Saturn using data from the Juno mission at Jupiter and Cassini at Saturn, combined with observations of the auroras at ultraviolet wavelengths using the Hubble Space Telescope and at infrared wavelengths using large ground-based telescopes. Auroras are caused by large-scale electric currents flowing between the outer environments and the upper ionized atmospheres, which communicate force between these regions. Overall emphasis will be on the complex physical processes that couple the solar wind on the outside, the magnetic field surrounding the planet (if any), and the planetary atmospheres or surface on the inside.
In the second area, laboratory studies, we will analyse material returned from C-class asteroid Ryugu by the Hayabusa2 mission. We will make complementary analyses on Apollo lunar regolith grains and recent, unique carbonaceous chondrite falls to build a new understanding of space weathering and C-class asteroid parent body processes. This project builds on the leading expertise we have in the microanalysis of planetary materials, through electron microscopy at ePSIC and UoL, and synchrotron-based X-ray spectroscopy. Laboratory work focused on Mercury will centre on the MIXS Ground Reference Facility, a purpose-built system to allow detailed analysis of X-ray fluorescence, induced using an X-ray or electron source, for bespoke surface analogues. This laboratory facility will uniquely allow us to expand our science programme using the MIXS data from the BepiColombo mission, both in relation to the dayside surface composition goals at global and local scales on Mercury, and in terms of the nightside magnetosphere-surface interaction which produces a significant X-ray fluorescence associated with electron bombardment.
The final theme leverages Leicester's leadership of the guaranteed-time giant planets programme on the JWST, exploiting MIRI spectroscopic maps of the Ice Giants Uranus and Neptune, combined with a ground-based observation programme, to understand how stratospheric circulation, photochemistry, and tropospheric meteorology shape the atmospheres of sub-giant-sized worlds.
Previous work in the first area shows that the outer environments of the planets vary widely, determined by the interaction with the plasma that blows continuously from the Sun on the outside, and the interaction with the planet and its moons on the inside. The solar wind is prone to outbursts that can lead to magnetic storms and bright auroras at Earth, as well as varying strongly over the solar cycle, and with distance from the Sun. Its interaction with the planets then depends on whether the planet is magnetised, has an atmosphere, and has active moons. We will use MESSENGER data to study Mercury close to the Sun, a planet that has a magnetic field but almost no atmosphere; use the constellation of spacecraft at Mars, more distant from the Sun, which has an atmosphere but no strong magnetic field to prevent its erosion by the solar wind; and combine multi-spacecraft and ground instrumentation at Earth, at intermediate distances having both an atmosphere and a magnetic field. We will also study the strongly magnetized giant planets Jupiter and Saturn using data from the Juno mission at Jupiter and Cassini at Saturn, combined with observations of the auroras at ultraviolet wavelengths using the Hubble Space Telescope and at infrared wavelengths using large ground-based telescopes. Auroras are caused by large-scale electric currents flowing between the outer environments and the upper ionized atmospheres, which communicate force between these regions. Overall emphasis will be on the complex physical processes that couple the solar wind on the outside, the magnetic field surrounding the planet (if any), and the planetary atmospheres or surface on the inside.
In the second area, laboratory studies, we will analyse material returned from C-class asteroid Ryugu by the Hayabusa2 mission. We will make complementary analyses on Apollo lunar regolith grains and recent, unique carbonaceous chondrite falls to build a new understanding of space weathering and C-class asteroid parent body processes. This project builds on the leading expertise we have in the microanalysis of planetary materials, through electron microscopy at ePSIC and UoL, and synchrotron-based X-ray spectroscopy. Laboratory work focused on Mercury will centre on the MIXS Ground Reference Facility, a purpose-built system to allow detailed analysis of X-ray fluorescence, induced using an X-ray or electron source, for bespoke surface analogues. This laboratory facility will uniquely allow us to expand our science programme using the MIXS data from the BepiColombo mission, both in relation to the dayside surface composition goals at global and local scales on Mercury, and in terms of the nightside magnetosphere-surface interaction which produces a significant X-ray fluorescence associated with electron bombardment.
The final theme leverages Leicester's leadership of the guaranteed-time giant planets programme on the JWST, exploiting MIRI spectroscopic maps of the Ice Giants Uranus and Neptune, combined with a ground-based observation programme, to understand how stratospheric circulation, photochemistry, and tropospheric meteorology shape the atmospheres of sub-giant-sized worlds.
Publications
Rojas Mata S
(2025)
Spacecraft Discharge Time Constants Determined From Electron-Flux Suppression During Sounding-Radar Operation at Mars
in Journal of Geophysical Research: Space Physics
Irwin P
(2025)
Clouds and Ammonia in the Atmospheres of Jupiter and Saturn Determined From a Band-Depth Analysis of VLT/MUSE Observations
in Journal of Geophysical Research: Planets
Wharton S
(2025)
Modeling the Magnetospheric 3D X-Ray Emission From SWCX Using a Cusp-Magnetosheath Emissivity Model
in Journal of Geophysical Research: Space Physics
Mooney M
(2025)
Cluster Observations of Plasma in the High Latitude Magnetotail Associated With Cusp-Aligned Arcs
in Journal of Geophysical Research: Space Physics
Donnelly P
(2025)
Global climate modelling of Saturn's atmosphere, Part V: Large-scale vortices
in Icarus
Law D
(2025)
The James Webb Space Telescope Absolute Flux Calibration. III. Mid-infrared Instrument Medium Resolution Integral Field Unit Spectrometer
in The Astronomical Journal
Harada Y
(2025)
Short-wave fadeout on mars: Radio absorption in the dayside martian ionosphere enhanced by solar flares
in Icarus
Wright A
(2025)
Poloidal Field Line Resonances Driven by a Fast Wave
in Geophysical Research Letters
Nitti S
(2024)
Can XMM-Newton Be Used to Track Compositional Changes in the Solar Wind?
in Journal of Geophysical Research: Space Physics
Milan S
(2024)
Occurrence and Causes of Large dB / dt Events and AL Bays in the Pre-Midnight and Dawn Sectors
in Journal of Geophysical Research: Space Physics
Gerekos C
(2024)
Observation of solar radio burst events from Mars orbit with the Shallow Radar instrument
in Astronomy & Astrophysics
Mooney M
(2024)
Plasma Observations in the Distant Magnetotail During Intervals of Northward IMF
in Journal of Geophysical Research: Space Physics
Milcareck G
(2024)
Radiative-convective models of the atmospheres of Uranus and Neptune: Heating sources and seasonal effects
in Astronomy & Astrophysics
Cordiner M
(2024)
Atacama Large Aperture Submillimeter Telescope (AtLAST) Science: Planetary and Cometary Atmospheres
in Open Research Europe
Grassi D
(2024)
Jupiter's Hotspots as observed by JIRAM-Juno: limb darkening in thermal infrared
in Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society
Campbell B
(2024)
SHARAD Mapping of Mars Dayside Ionosphere Patterns: Relationship to Regional Geology and the Magnetic Field
in Geophysical Research Letters
Ma M
(2024)
Interplanetary Rotation of 2021 December 4 Coronal Mass Ejection on Its Journey to Mars
in The Astrophysical Journal
Tripathi K
(2024)
Do Solar Energetic Particle (SEP) Events Influence the Formation of the V 0 Layer in the Venusian Ionosphere?
in Geophysical Research Letters
RodrĂguez-Ovalle P
(2024)
Temperature and Composition Disturbances in the Southern Auroral Region of Jupiter Revealed by JWST/MIRI
in Journal of Geophysical Research: Planets
Rimbot T
(2024)
Galactic cosmic rays at 0.7 A.U. with Venus Express housekeeping data
in Planetary and Space Science
Peter K
(2024)
The Ionosphere of Mars After 20 Years of Mars Express Contributions
in Space Science Reviews
Lao C
(2024)
On the Association of Substorm Identification Methods
in Journal of Geophysical Research: Space Physics
Strauss R
(2024)
Jovian Electrons in the Inner Heliosphere: Opportunities for Multi-spacecraft Observations and Modeling
in The Astrophysical Journal
Provan G
(2024)
Juno Observations of Large-Scale Azimuthal Fields in Jupiter's Nightside Magnetosphere and Related Radial Currents
in Journal of Geophysical Research: Space Physics
Bockelée-Morvan D
(2024)
A patchy CO 2 exosphere on Ganymede revealed by the James Webb Space Telescope
in Astronomy & Astrophysics
Edberg N
(2024)
Extent of the Magnetotail of Venus From the Solar Orbiter, Parker Solar Probe and BepiColombo Flybys
in Journal of Geophysical Research: Space Physics
A. Carter J
(2024)
Ground-based and additional science support for SMILE
in Earth and Planetary Physics
Palmerio E
(2024)
On the Mesoscale Structure of Coronal Mass Ejections at Mercury's Orbit: BepiColombo and Parker Solar Probe Observations
in The Astrophysical Journal
Poulet F
(2024)
Moons and Jupiter Imaging Spectrometer (MAJIS) on Jupiter Icy Moons Explorer (JUICE)
in Space Science Reviews
Palmerio E
(2024)
Improved modelling of SEP event onset within the WSA-Enlil-SEPMOD framework
in Journal of Space Weather and Space Climate
Sarkar E
(2024)
Effective mass function of radio meteoroids as a modulating factor in determining atmospheric scale height
in Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society
Parrott J
(2024)
First Results of Mars Express-ExoMars Trace Gas Orbiter Mutual Radio Occultation
in Radio Science
Holmstrom M
(2024)
Future opportunities in solar system plasma science through ESA's exploration programme
in npj Microgravity
Melin H
(2024)
Ionospheric irregularities at Jupiter observed by JWST
in Nature Astronomy
Mooney M
(2024)
Evaluating Auroral Forecasts Against Satellite Observations Under Different Levels of Geomagnetic Activity
in Journal of Geophysical Research: Space Physics
Hodnett R
(2024)
Modeling and Observations of the Effects of the Alfvén Velocity Profile on the Ionospheric Alfvén Resonator
in Journal of Geophysical Research: Space Physics
Dawkins E
(2024)
Seasonal and Local Time Variation in the Observed Peak of the Meteor Altitude Distributions by Meteor Radars
in Journal of Geophysical Research: Atmospheres
Zhong Z
(2024)
Prediction for Arrival Time and Parameters of Corotation Interaction Regions using Earth-Mars Correlated Events from Tianwen-1, MAVEN, and Wind Observations
in The Astrophysical Journal
RodrĂguez-Ovalle P
(2024)
Stratospheric aerosols and C 6 H 6 in Jupiter's south polar region from JWST/MIRI observations
in Astronomy & Astrophysics
Hedman M
(2024)
Water-Ice Dominated Spectra of Saturn's Rings and Small Moons From JWST
in Journal of Geophysical Research: Planets
Regan C
(2024)
Effects of the 2007 Martian Global Dust Storm on Boundary Positions in the Induced Magnetosphere
in The Planetary Science Journal
Moges S
(2024)
Statistics of Traveling Ionospheric Disturbances at High Latitudes Using a Rapid-Run Ionosonde
in Journal of Geophysical Research: Space Physics
Irwin P
(2024)
Modelling the seasonal cycle of Uranus's colour and magnitude, and comparison with Neptune
in Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society
Harada Y
(2024)
Discrete aurora and the nightside ionosphere of Mars: an EMM-MEX conjunction of FUV imaging, ionospheric radar sounding, and suprathermal electron measurements
in Earth, Planets and Space
Walach M
(2024)
SMILE Winter Campaign
in RAS Techniques and Instruments
Chian A
(2024)
Terrestrial and Martian space weather: A complex systems approach
in Journal of Atmospheric and Solar-Terrestrial Physics
| Title | JWST NIRCam data (unprojected) |
| Description | Unprojected NIRCam images of Jupiter's northern H3+ auroral emission. These observations were obtained as part of JWST program 4566 on 25 December 2023, using the long wavelength channel of NIRCam with the CLEAR pupil aperture stop and F335M filter. The data are presented in units of radiance in µW m-2 sr-1, and have been reduced as described in Nichols et al. (2024). The data are stored in the first extension of each FITS file, in arrays of shape (n_integrations, nx, ny), where n_integrations is the number of integrations stored in this file. The observation almanac information is stored in the header. |
| Type Of Material | Database/Collection of data |
| Year Produced | 2024 |
| Provided To Others? | Yes |
| URL | https://figshare.le.ac.uk/articles/dataset/JWST_NIRCam_data_unprojected_/26893192/1 |
| Title | JWST NIRCam data (unprojected) |
| Description | Unprojected NIRCam images of Jupiter's northern H3+ auroral emission. These observations were obtained as part of JWST program 4566 on 25 December 2023, using the long wavelength channel of NIRCam with the CLEAR pupil aperture stop and F335M filter. The data are presented in units of radiance in µW m-2 sr-1, and have been reduced as described in Nichols et al. (2024). The data are stored in the first extension of each FITS file, in arrays of shape (n_integrations, nx, ny), where n_integrations is the number of integrations stored in this file. The observation almanac information is stored in the header. |
| Type Of Material | Database/Collection of data |
| Year Produced | 2024 |
| Provided To Others? | Yes |
| URL | https://figshare.le.ac.uk/articles/dataset/JWST_NIRCam_data_unprojected_/26893192 |