From Atoms to Planets
Lead Research Organisation:
The Open University
Department Name: PSSRI (Planetary & Space Sciences RI)
Abstract
Our proposal, 'from atoms to planets', is a study of how the Solar System formed, how it has changed over billions of years, and how different processes eventually led to evolution of a planet capable of sustaining life. Approximately 4,600 million years ago, the Sun emerged from a collapsing molecular cloud. Through a series of complex processes (including accretion of dust, gas and ice in different relative quantities, depending on distance from the Sun, followed by coagulation, agglomeration, melting, separation into layers and solidification), the disk that circled the Sun gradually became the planets and their satellites, plus asteroids and comets. As the planets formed, they experienced alteration by melting ice and by heating, and then the effects of bombardment, collision, break-up, and re-formation. On one planet, Earth, water condensed and formed oceans, and life emerged. It is difficult to look back through all these processes to the original material from which the Solar System formed. We cannot study rocks from the Earth's surface, because they have been changed by geological and biological processing and are no longer representative of material that aggregated from the solar nebula. The timeline of events taking place during the early Solar System can only be determined by study of meteorites and dust collected in space and from comets. Our research programme is an integrated study of the physics, chemistry and biology of extraterrestrial materials. We investigate these materials in different ways: (1) by analysing meteorites, pieces of the Moon and Mars, and interplanetary and cometary dust in the laboratory, or (2) by making measurements using instruments on spacecraft of the surfaces of Solar System bodies such as the Moon and Mars, Titan (Saturn's giant moon), comets and asteroids. To complement the analytical and exploration aspects of our work, we perform laboratory simulations of the formation processes, and also develop computer models of how processes might have occurred. As well as using instruments to make measurements (either in the laboratory or on spacecraft), we also design and build equipment ourselves. We have been successful in launching instruments to Mars, to Titan and to a comet. Now we are designing equipment to send to the Moon and to Europa (Jupiter's icy satellite), in order to learn about the composition and structure of these very different bodies. We specialise in analysis of small amounts of material, often only a few grains that might only be a few microns in size. We use electron microscopes to take images of samples, and to learn their elemental composition, and what minerals are present. We also use different types of mass spectrometer to determine the isotopic and molecular composition of the material. We can get an amazing amount of information from the tiniest of grains / from which we can learn how our star and its planets formed. We know that there are many stars in the Galaxy orbited by planets, however, we still know only one place where life exists, and that is here on Earth. But our planet is not made from any particularly unusual materials, the star we orbit is quite ordinary, and for life forms such as ourselves, the relative proportions in our bodies of elements such as carbon, nitrogen and oxygen (for instance) are similar to those in stars (implying that we are, chemically speaking, not particularly unusual). As astronomers use ever-more sophisticated telescopes in attempts to uncover the details of the planetary systems that are closest to us, the microscopes we use on Earth to analyse relevant physically available materials are probing ever deeper into the details of our own planetary system. Eventually, we hope that by studying extraterrestrial materials, we will be able to understand how life began on Earth, and whether it has evolved elsewhere in the Solar System.
Organisations
Publications
Johnson D.
(2007)
Implications of sulfide distributions in the main group pallasites
in METEORITICS & PLANETARY SCIENCE
Johnson D.
(2006)
Textural evidence for melt processes on the pallasite parent body
in METEORITICS & PLANETARY SCIENCE
Janots E.
(2009)
JIDDAT AL HARASIS 422: THE FIRST UREILITIC IMPACT MELT BRECCIA
in METEORITICS & PLANETARY SCIENCE
JANOTS E
(2011)
Jiddat al Harasis 422: A ureilite with an extremely high degree of shock melting
in Meteoritics & Planetary Science
Ivanova Marina A.
(2008)
The Isheyevo meteorite:: Mineralogy, petrology, bulk chemistry, oxygen, nitrogen, carbon isotopic compositions, and 40Ar-39Ar ages
in METEORITICS & PLANETARY SCIENCE
Ivanova M. A.
(2008)
Nwa 4757: Metamorphosed carbonaceous CM chondrite
in METEORITICS & PLANETARY SCIENCE
Ivanova M. A.
(2007)
Isheyevo: Nitrogen and carbon isotopic compositions of the magnetic and non-magnetic fractions
in METEORITICS & PLANETARY SCIENCE
IVANOVA M
(2010)
Dhofar 225 and Dhofar 735: Relationship to CM2 chondrites and metamorphosed carbonaceous chondrites, Belgica-7904 and Yamato-86720
in Meteoritics & Planetary Science
Hillier J
(2009)
The production of platinum-coated silicate nanoparticle aggregates for use in hypervelocity impact experiments
in Planetary and Space Science
Herrera A
(2008)
Bacterial Colonization and Weathering of Terrestrial Obsidian in Iceland
in Geomicrobiology Journal
Herrera A
(2009)
A cryptoendolithic community in volcanic glass.
in Astrobiology
Hathi B
(2008)
In situ thermal conductivity measurements of Titan's lower atmosphere
in Icarus
Hathi B
(2009)
Huygens HASI servo accelerometer: A review and lessons learned
in Planetary and Space Science
Harrison S
(2010)
Mapping Medusae Fossae Formation materials in the southern highlands of Mars
in Icarus
Hallis L. J.
(2009)
OXYGEN ISOTOPIC COMPOSITION OF MARE-BASALTS: MAGMA OCEAN DIFFERENTIATION AND SOURCE HETEROGENEITY
in METEORITICS & PLANETARY SCIENCE
Hallis L
(2010)
The oxygen isotope composition, petrology and geochemistry of mare basalts: Evidence for large-scale compositional variation in the lunar mantle
in Geochimica et Cosmochimica Acta
Haack H.
(2009)
MARIBO-A NEW CM2 FALL IN DENMARK
in METEORITICS & PLANETARY SCIENCE
Guthery B
(2010)
Qualitative drug analysis of hair extracts by comprehensive two-dimensional gas chromatography/time-of-flight mass spectrometry.
in Journal of chromatography. A
Guthery B
(2009)
The detection of various opiates and benzodiazepines by comprehensive two-dimensional gas chromatography/time-of-flight mass spectrometry.
in Rapid communications in mass spectrometry : RCM
Gronstal Aaron
(2009)
Laboratory experiments on the weathering of iron meteorites and carbonaceous chondrites by iron-oxidizing bacteria
in METEORITICS & PLANETARY SCIENCE
Gronstal A. L.
(2009)
Influence of impacts on the deep subsurface biosphere
in GEOCHIMICA ET COSMOCHIMICA ACTA
Greenwood R. C.
(2010)
IS THE EOS FAMILY DERIVED FROM THE BREAKUP OF A STRATIFIED CV-CK PARENT BODY?
in METEORITICS & PLANETARY SCIENCE
Greenwood R. C.
(2008)
Hot and cold weathering: Determining the oxygen isotope composition of achondrites
in METEORITICS & PLANETARY SCIENCE
Greenwood R. C.
(2009)
OXYGEN ISOTOPE VARIATION IN THE HEDS: HOW HOMOGENEOUS IS VESTA
in METEORITICS & PLANETARY SCIENCE
Greenwood R. C.
(2008)
Oxygen isotope variation within the primitive achondrites
in METEORITICS & PLANETARY SCIENCE
Greenwood R
(2010)
The relationship between CK and CV chondrites
in Geochimica et Cosmochimica Acta
Grady Monica M.
(2007)
Robert Hutchison 1938-2007 - Obituary
in ASTRONOMY & GEOPHYSICS
Grady Monica M.
(2009)
Astronomy by microscope
in ASTRONOMY & GEOPHYSICS
Grady Monica M.
(2010)
ENSTATITE METEORITES-SAMPLES OF THE INNER PROTOPLANETARY DISK?
in METEORITICS & PLANETARY SCIENCE
Grady M. M.
(2007)
Continuing investigation of the Nakhlite magma pile
in METEORITICS & PLANETARY SCIENCE
Gohn GS
(2008)
Deep drilling into the Chesapeake Bay impact structure.
in Science (New York, N.Y.)
Gibson E. K.
(2007)
Identification and analysis of in situ carbon-bearing phases in Nakhla
in METEORITICS & PLANETARY SCIENCE
Gibson E. K.
(2010)
NATURE OF CARBON IN MARTIAN METEORITES
in METEORITICS & PLANETARY SCIENCE
Gibson E
(2010)
Lunar Beagle and Lunar Astrobiology
in Earth, Moon, and Planets
Franchi I
(2008)
Oxygen Isotopes in Asteroidal Materials
in Reviews in Mineralogy and Geochemistry
Finster K
(2009)
Description of Tessaracoccus profundi sp.nov., a deep-subsurface actinobacterium isolated from a Chesapeake impact crater drill core (940 m depth)
in Antonie van Leeuwenhoek
Filiberto J
(2013)
Alteration mineralogy of Home Plate and Columbia Hills-Formation conditions in context to impact, volcanism, and fluvial activity
in Meteoritics & Planetary Science
Fernandes C. D.
(2006)
UV/VIS spectroscopy of Stardust
in METEORITICS & PLANETARY SCIENCE
Fernandes C. D.
(2007)
UV/Vis spectroscopy of meteorites and asteroids
in METEORITICS & PLANETARY SCIENCE
Dominik M
(2011)
The detection of extra-terrestrial life and the consequences for science and society.
in Philosophical transactions. Series A, Mathematical, physical, and engineering sciences
De La Torre R
(2010)
Survival of lichens and bacteria exposed to outer space conditions - Results of the Lithopanspermia experiments
in Icarus
Davidson J.
(2009)
RBT 04133: A NEW, UNUSUAL CARBONACEOUS CHONDRITE
in METEORITICS & PLANETARY SCIENCE
Davidson J
(2014)
Petrography, stable isotope compositions, microRaman spectroscopy, and presolar components of Roberts Massif 04133: A reduced CV3 carbonaceous chondrite.
in Meteoritics & planetary science
Coustenis A
(2008)
TandEM: Titan and Enceladus mission
in Experimental Astronomy
Colombatti G
(2008)
Reconstruction of the trajectory of the Huygens probe using the Huygens Atmospheric Structure Instrument (HASI)
in Planetary and Space Science
Colangeli L
(2009)
MEDUSA: The ExoMars experiment for in-situ monitoring of dust and water vapour
in Planetary and Space Science
Cockell CS
(2009)
Darwin--a mission to detect and search for life on extrasolar planets.
in Astrobiology
Cockell CS
(2010)
The microbe-mineral environment and gypsum neogenesis in a weathered polar evaporite.
in Geobiology
Description | This was a large Rolling Grant with many outcomes. |
Exploitation Route | Much of the research was published. |
Sectors | Aerospace, Defence and Marine,Chemicals,Education,Other |
Description | Many papers have been published. |
First Year Of Impact | 2008 |
Description | Many schemes |
Amount | £1 (GBP) |
Organisation | Science and Technologies Facilities Council (STFC) |
Sector | Public |
Country | United Kingdom |
Start |
Description | Outreach activities |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | International |
Primary Audience | Public/other audiences |
Results and Impact | Talks to societies/schools, and various media activities etc. The exercise satisfies a basic human desire to communicate. Professional scientists are concerned about the measures needed to ensure an adequate intake of students into the subject. Scientists also relish the opportunity to tell lay audiences how they use tax-payers' money. |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2006,2007,2008,2009,2010 |