Building Habitable Worlds

The solar system formed from the collapse of a molecular cloud of gas and dust ~4.6 billion years ago. But how did that gas and dust coalesce into the Sun and eight planets that we see today? What processes and events led to the formation of habitable planets like the Earth? And how do the conditions at the birth of our solar system compare to what we see in other solar systems? I will answer these questions by studying meteorites and returned extra-terrestrial samples, rocky time capsules that can be used to probe the earliest stages of solar system formation and the evolution of planets.

Some meteorites come from asteroids that have remained dormant throughout their history and preserve the very dust that was once swirling around the newly forming Sun. I will investigate the minerals found within the most pristine meteorites using cutting-edge analytical techniques. I will observe the relationship between minerals and organic matter, examine the first stages of accretion, and explore how these minerals relate to dust seen in interstellar space and protoplanetary disks around young stars.

In the last decade new computer models and the discovery of exoplanets have shown that solar systems are dramatically shaped by giant planet migration. The inward and outward movement of Jupiter and Saturn caused turbulence and widespread mixing of materials from the inner and outer regions of the solar system. By identifying evidence of this transport and mixing in the meteorite record, I will understand the dynamic history of the solar system, and learn about the diversity of materials in the protoplanetary disk and the precursors to the Earth.

Water may have been delivered to habitable planets by asteroids. Two space missions, JAXA's Hayabusa2 and NASA's OSIRIS-REx, aim to collect samples from the surfaces of the water-rich asteroids Ryugu and Bennu, respectively. I will study the mineralogy and composition of hydrated meteorites and samples returned from asteroids in order to understand the aqueous and thermal history of primitive water-rich bodies, and constrain the nature and distribution of volatiles and organics in the early solar system.

Academic beneficiaries of this proposal will be the researchers studying the formation of solar systems and the evolution of planets. This proposal will provide new insights and breakthroughs in our understanding of how solar systems and habitable planets come together, which will stimulate new research and innovation in the field. It will support the UK's position as a world-leading nation in the analysis and curation of returned extra-terrestrial materials. This proposal is also highly inter-disciplinary and will impact researchers in the wider planetary science, remote sensing and astronomy communities. Furthermore, it will maintain the health of other research disciplines, for example by developing analytical techniques, protocols and facilities with applications in other research fields such as material sciences, life sciences and medicine.

High-tech industries will have an active interest in the outcomes of this proposal. Scientific breakthroughs can only be achieved using advanced instrumentation developed through collaborations between researchers and technological specialists. Strong working relationships with high-tech companies are required to produce analytical tools with unique capabilities for answering questions regarding the formation of solar systems. This proposal will lead to the creation of a highly skilled workforce that can drive future economies and improve the UK's standing in the international community. Successful delivery of this proposal will sustain economic growth by demonstrating the capabilities of new technology and generating brand awareness for companies, leading to significant financial gains that can be re-invested in the workforce and used to develop new ground-breaking methods. This proposal is directly relevant to current and future extra-terrestrial sample return missions, which are income generators for industries such as manufacturing, IT and telecommunications. In Year 4 of this proposal I will host a workshop that brings together major stakeholders in the space industry in order to provide an opportunity for these partners to network and explore how the UK's research and innovation infrastructure could be exploited to lead the next generation of sample return missions.

Space exploration and asteroid mining will be major future economic drivers. This proposal will enhance our understanding of the nature and diversity of asteroids and establish a research group working at the forefront of planetary science. It will therefore benefit policy-makers by producing internationally recognised expertise and advocacy in asteroid science and boosting the UK's global status in this field.

Wider society exhibits a keen interest in planetary science research and the important role it can play in our lives. This proposal will engage schoolchildren beginning to develop an understanding of scientific enquiry, and older students studying advanced scientific disciplines at universities and colleges. A key aim of the proposal is to set-up a Schools Meteor Camera Network to engage school students and teachers by giving them a hands-on role in cutting-edge meteor and meteorite research efforts, helping to inspire a new generation of scientists and skilled workers. It will feed into and directly benefit the outreach programme of the Natural History Museum, but also be applicable to other institutions such as the Science Museum or the National Space Centre. The proposal aims to highlight the impact of UK planetary science through exhibitions and outreach events, talks at schools and societies, media coverage, and by attending science festivals. In particular, the proposal will exploit the excitement around space missions by participating in the Royal Society Summer Science Exhibition. This proposal will study material from the national meteorite collection, increasing its scientific and cultural value and highlighting its international significance.