Mars and Titan's atmosphere and interior
Lead Research Organisation:
University of Bristol
Department Name: Earth Sciences
Abstract
Mars and Titan (Saturn's largest moon) are the two most Earth-like bodies in the solar system. Both planets have been suggested as possible locations for biological activity, either in the past, present, or future. What type of organisms might exist and whether they do exist is the topic of intense scientific debate and research. If life is found on another planet, it would have far reaching effects on the way we view our place in the universe and be one of the greatest scientific discoveries of all time. To understand the type of life that could occur on these bodies, and how we might look for it, requires in-depth knowledge of the environment of each planet. This is what I plan to focus my research on - in collaboration with major world-wide institutes such as NASA and ESA. Mars has a thin CO2 atmosphere and many surface features in common with Earth - e.g. river valleys (now dry) and sedimentary rocks. Recent evidence shows Mars was much more hospitable in the past with warmer temperatures and a thicker atmosphere, similar to Earth's early atmosphere. New results from NASA's Mars Exploration Rovers show evidence for prolonged existence of liquid water on the surface. Key to understanding this early environment is Mars' internal structure as this determined much about the surface of young Mars, including protection of the atmosphere from solar radiation, volcanoes which may have supplied much of the atmospheric gases, and interior convection/heat-flow which influenced surface geology. Knowledge of Mars' interior is currently very limited - we do not even know how big Mars' core is and whether it is liquid or solid. The best way to probe the interior is with seismology, as we do on Earth. The ExoMars mission includes a seismometer, which will use Marsquakes to probe the interior. I will calibrate and test the seismometer to ensure that the data can be interpreted properly, while simultaneously developing seismic models of Mars' interior using techniques modified from those developed for global seismology of Earth. Also key to understanding Mars' past environment is understanding the present atmosphere and climate change. It is not known if Mars' current climate is stable - water vapour migrates away from the poles each Martian summer and it is not known if it returns. One exciting possibility is that Mars is changing from one climate state to another. This question can only be answered with a combination of spacecraft and telescope observations. NASA's Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter (MRO) spacecraft is the latest and most advanced to enter orbit around Mars. I will use data from MRO to determine water and dust distribution in Mars' atmosphere and determine what effect these have on climate. Titan is an example of an Earth-like planet in the cold outer solar system. Titan has a thick atmosphere and has clouds and rain just like on Earth, but made of methane instead of water. The recent Cassini mission has shown many fascinating surface features including, methane lakes, valleys, volcanoes, and sand dunes made of tiny ice crystals. Titan's atmosphere is a breeding ground for organic molecules like benzene. Some very complicated molecules are expected to exist at the North pole, where they are protected from destruction by sun light by Titan's shadow. Cassini performed multiple flybys over the pole during 2006-2007, giving us our first ever view of this exciting region. Many of the organic molecules present in the measured infra-red spectra are yet to be identified. The global distribution of organic molecules can be used to probe Titan's atmospheric motions like the polar vortex and planet-wide circulation cells. Titan's spring equinox is in 2009 when models predict extensive and rapid changes in the atmosphere - especially at the winter pole. This pole is never visible from Earth and Cassini provides a unique opportunity to observe the polar vortex break-up, which will not be possible again for at least 30years.
Organisations
- University of Bristol (Fellow, Lead Research Organisation)
- UNIVERSITY OF OXFORD (Collaboration)
- SRON Netherlands Institute for Space Research (Collaboration)
- National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) (Collaboration)
- Johns Hopkins University (Collaboration)
- Birkbeck, University of London (Collaboration)
- Victoria University of Wellington (Collaboration)
- Observatory of Paris (Collaboration)
- IMPERIAL COLLEGE LONDON (Collaboration)
Publications
Vinatier S
(2010)
Analysis of Cassini/CIRS limb spectra of Titan acquired during the nominal mission
in Icarus
Uhlemann AC
(2014)
Molecular tracing of the emergence, diversification, and transmission of S. aureus sequence type 8 in a New York community.
in Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America
Tsuji D
(2016)
Europa's small impactor flux and seismic detection predictions
in Icarus
Toledo D
(2018)
Uranus's northern polar cap in 2014.
in Geophysical research letters
Toledo D
(2019)
Constraints on Uranus's haze structure, formation and transport
in Icarus
Tobie G
(2014)
Science goals and mission concept for the future exploration of Titan and Enceladus
in Planetary and Space Science
Tice D
(2013)
Uranus' cloud particle properties and latitudinal methane variation from IRTF SpeX observations
in Icarus
Thelen A
(2018)
Spatial variations in Titan's atmospheric temperature: ALMA and Cassini comparisons from 2012 to 2015
in Icarus
Thelen A
(2019)
Abundance measurements of Titan's stratospheric HCN, HC3N, C3H4, and CH3CN from ALMA observations
in Icarus
Description | Titan radiative cooling in polar vortex, Titan atmosphere reversal Mars impact seismicity Uranus CO abundance Jupiter HCl abundance Future missions |
Exploitation Route | Future mission development Titan, Mars, and outer planet research |
Sectors | Aerospace Defence and Marine Education Environment |
URL | http://www.bristol.ac.uk/earthsciences/people/nick-a-teanby/index.html |
Description | Titan's atmosphere, Mars interior, mission development |
First Year Of Impact | 2008 |
Sector | Aerospace, Defence and Marine,Education,Environment |
Impact Types | Societal |
Description | (EROS) - ExploRing the surface slopes Of aSteroids |
Amount | € 224,933 (EUR) |
Funding ID | 837894 |
Organisation | European Commission |
Sector | Public |
Country | European Union (EU) |
Start | 01/2020 |
End | 12/2021 |
Description | Aurora |
Amount | £233,000 (GBP) |
Funding ID | ST/N001044/1 |
Organisation | UK Space Agency |
Sector | Public |
Country | United Kingdom |
Start | 11/2015 |
End | 07/2018 |
Description | Aurora |
Amount | £391,000 (GBP) |
Funding ID | ST/R002096/1 |
Organisation | UK Space Agency |
Sector | Public |
Country | United Kingdom |
Start | 03/2018 |
End | 03/2021 |
Description | Aurora |
Amount | £59,000 (GBP) |
Funding ID | ST/R001367/1 |
Organisation | UK Space Agency |
Sector | Public |
Country | United Kingdom |
Start | 06/2017 |
End | 06/2020 |
Description | Leverhulme Trust |
Amount | £70,000 (GBP) |
Organisation | The Leverhulme Trust |
Sector | Charity/Non Profit |
Country | United Kingdom |
Start | 02/2011 |
End | 01/2014 |
Title | Titan atmospheric temperature and composition database from Cassini |
Description | Titan atmospheric temperature and composition database from Cassini |
Type Of Material | Database/Collection of data |
Year Produced | 2019 |
Provided To Others? | Yes |
Impact | Use by other researchers and modellers |
URL | https://agupubs.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/abs/10.1029/2018GL081401 |
Description | ALMA |
Organisation | National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) |
Department | Goddard Space Flight Center |
Country | United States |
Sector | Public |
PI Contribution | Radiative transfer analysis of new ALMA data |
Collaborator Contribution | Data reduction of new ALMA data |
Impact | Publication of HNC and HCN abundance on Titan |
Start Year | 2014 |
Description | Cassini |
Organisation | National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) |
Department | Goddard Space Flight Center |
Country | United States |
Sector | Public |
PI Contribution | Data analysis and interpretation |
Collaborator Contribution | Data analysis and interpretation |
Impact | publications (see pubs section) |
Description | Cassini |
Organisation | National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) |
Department | Jet Propulsion Laboratory |
Country | United States |
Sector | Public |
PI Contribution | Data analysis and interpretation |
Collaborator Contribution | Data analysis and interpretation |
Impact | publications (see pubs section) |
Description | Cassini |
Organisation | Observatory of Paris |
Country | France |
Sector | Academic/University |
PI Contribution | Data analysis and interpretation |
Collaborator Contribution | Data analysis and interpretation |
Impact | publications (see pubs section) |
Description | Cassini |
Organisation | SRON Netherlands Institute for Space Research |
Country | Netherlands |
Sector | Academic/University |
PI Contribution | Data analysis and interpretation |
Collaborator Contribution | Data analysis and interpretation |
Impact | publications (see pubs section) |
Description | Cassini |
Organisation | University of Oxford |
Department | Department of Physics |
Country | United Kingdom |
Sector | Academic/University |
PI Contribution | Data analysis and interpretation |
Collaborator Contribution | Data analysis and interpretation |
Impact | publications (see pubs section) |
Description | GSFC |
Organisation | National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) |
Department | Goddard Space Flight Center |
Country | United States |
Sector | Public |
PI Contribution | Analysis and interpretation of spacecraft data |
Collaborator Contribution | Analysis and interpretation of spacecraft data |
Impact | over 25 research papers published since 2006 |
Start Year | 2006 |
Description | GSFC |
Organisation | National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) |
Department | Goddard Space Flight Center |
Country | United States |
Sector | Public |
PI Contribution | Analysis and interpretation of spacecraft data |
Collaborator Contribution | Publications and access to data |
Impact | Contributions to 25 scientific papers since 2006 |
Start Year | 2006 |
Description | InSight |
Organisation | Birkbeck, University of London |
Department | Department of Earth and Planetary Sciences |
Country | United Kingdom |
Sector | Academic/University |
PI Contribution | seismic lab experiments and theoretical seismic modelling |
Collaborator Contribution | Hardware development |
Impact | Development of InSight micro seismometer |
Start Year | 2008 |
Description | InSight |
Organisation | Imperial College London |
Department | Department of Electrical and Electronic Engineering |
Country | United Kingdom |
Sector | Academic/University |
PI Contribution | seismic lab experiments and theoretical seismic modelling |
Collaborator Contribution | Hardware development |
Impact | Development of InSight micro seismometer |
Start Year | 2008 |
Description | InSight |
Organisation | University of Oxford |
Department | Department of Physics |
Country | United Kingdom |
Sector | Academic/University |
PI Contribution | seismic lab experiments and theoretical seismic modelling |
Collaborator Contribution | Hardware development |
Impact | Development of InSight micro seismometer |
Start Year | 2008 |
Description | JPL |
Organisation | National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) |
Department | Jet Propulsion Laboratory |
Country | United States |
Sector | Public |
PI Contribution | Analysis and interpretation of spacecraft data |
Collaborator Contribution | Analysis and interpretation of spacecraft data for publication |
Impact | Publication of over 10 scientific papers |
Start Year | 2006 |
Description | JPL |
Organisation | National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) |
Department | Jet Propulsion Laboratory |
Country | United States |
Sector | Public |
PI Contribution | Analysis and interpretation of spacecraft data |
Collaborator Contribution | Analysis and interpretation of spacecraft data |
Impact | Over 1o research papers published since 2006 |
Start Year | 2006 |
Description | Johns Hopkins University |
Organisation | Johns Hopkins University |
Country | United States |
Sector | Academic/University |
PI Contribution | Scientific collaboration (Titan) including hosting a visiting PhD student. |
Collaborator Contribution | Scientific collaboration / funds for visiting student |
Impact | Telescope time application for ALMA |
Start Year | 2010 |
Description | Netherlands |
Organisation | SRON Netherlands Institute for Space Research |
Country | Netherlands |
Sector | Academic/University |
PI Contribution | Joint publications and research |
Collaborator Contribution | Joint publications and research |
Impact | Five joint publications |
Start Year | 2009 |
Description | New Zealand |
Organisation | Victoria University of Wellington |
Department | School of Geography, Environment and Earth Sciences |
Country | New Zealand |
Sector | Academic/University |
PI Contribution | Development of new research methods |
Collaborator Contribution | Joint publication of new research methodology |
Impact | Publication in JGR and development of new seismic methods for data analysis |
Start Year | 2010 |
Description | Oxford |
Organisation | University of Oxford |
Department | Atmospheric, Oceanic and Planetary Physics |
Country | United Kingdom |
Sector | Academic/University |
PI Contribution | Analysis and interpretation of spacecraft data |
Collaborator Contribution | Analysis and interpretation of spacecraft data |
Impact | More than 10 joint papers published since 2010 |
Start Year | 2010 |
Description | Paris |
Organisation | Observatory of Paris |
Department | Laboratory for Space Science and Astrophysical Instrumentation |
Country | France |
Sector | Charity/Non Profit |
PI Contribution | Analysis and interpretation of spacecraft data |
Collaborator Contribution | Analysis and interpretation of spacecraft data |
Impact | Published over 15 papers on planetary atmospheres |
Start Year | 2006 |
Description | Paris |
Organisation | Observatory of Paris |
Department | Laboratory for Space Science and Astrophysical Instrumentation |
Country | France |
Sector | Charity/Non Profit |
PI Contribution | Analysis and interpretation of spacecraft data |
Collaborator Contribution | Analysis and interpretation of spacecraft data |
Impact | Publication of over 15 research papers since 2006 |
Start Year | 2006 |
Title | Intersection between spacecraft viewing vectors and digital elevation models |
Description | Intersection between spacecraft viewing vectors and digital elevation models |
Type Of Technology | Software |
Year Produced | 2009 |
Open Source License? | Yes |
Impact | Use in a missions. eg Cassini, MRO, LRO |
URL | https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cageo.2007.11.007 |
Description | Association for Science Education demonstration session |
Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | National |
Primary Audience | Schools |
Results and Impact | Demonstration session (Anna Horleston) |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2019 |
URL | https://aseannualconference2019.sched.com/anna.horleston |
Description | BBC Radio Bristol Interview (InSight Landing) |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A press release, press conference or response to a media enquiry/interview |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | Regional |
Primary Audience | Public/other audiences |
Results and Impact | Interview on BBC local radio about the mission (Nick Teanby) |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2018 |
Description | BCFM radio interview |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A press release, press conference or response to a media enquiry/interview |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | Local |
Primary Audience | Public/other audiences |
Results and Impact | Radio interview on "love and science hour" (Anna Horleston) |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2018 |
Description | BUMPS talk |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | International |
Primary Audience | Industry/Business |
Results and Impact | Presentation to industrial consortium exploring novel and cutting edge seismic technologies |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2017 |
Description | Bristol Community Radio |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A press release, press conference or response to a media enquiry/interview |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Type Of Presentation | Keynote/Invited Speaker |
Geographic Reach | Local |
Primary Audience | Public/other audiences |
Results and Impact | Short live radio interview about space exploration Radio broadcast |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2013 |
Description | Cosmic Shed podcast |
Form Of Engagement Activity | Engagement focused website, blog or social media channel |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | International |
Primary Audience | Media (as a channel to the public) |
Results and Impact | Guest on Mars podcast (Bob Myhill) |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2018 |
URL | https://thecosmicshed.podbean.com/e/door-14-the-cosmic-shed-advent-calendar/ |
Description | EGU Mission Blog for InSight |
Form Of Engagement Activity | Engagement focused website, blog or social media channel |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | International |
Primary Audience | Media (as a channel to the public) |
Results and Impact | Article on InSight mission |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2018 |
URL | https://blogs.egu.eu/geolog/2018/11/23/nasas-insight-mission-detecting-earthquakes-on-the-surface-of... |
Description | InSight Landing press release |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A press release, press conference or response to a media enquiry/interview |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | International |
Primary Audience | Media (as a channel to the public) |
Results and Impact | Coordinated press release fro landing of NASA InSight mission. Coordinated between STFC, University of Bristol, University of Oxford, and Imperial college. (Anna Horleston, Nick Teanby) |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2018 |
URL | https://www.gov.uk/government/news/marsquakes-mission-successfully-lands-on-red-planet |
Description | Interview for the podcast Curious About |
Form Of Engagement Activity | Engagement focused website, blog or social media channel |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | International |
Primary Audience | Media (as a channel to the public) |
Results and Impact | Interview for the podcast Curious About. Careers and science focus. (Melody Sylvestre) |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2018 |
URL | https://cap.podbean.com/e/physics-1534576936/ |
Description | Keynote Speaker at PGRiP conference (Cardiff) |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | National |
Primary Audience | Postgraduate students |
Results and Impact | Invited talk (Anna Horleston) |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2018 |
URL | https://bga2018.co.uk/programme/ |
Description | Keynote speaker at National Space Academy Careers Day |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | National |
Primary Audience | Schools |
Results and Impact | Invited Keynote talk on space careers |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2018 |
Description | National Instruments Case Study |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A magazine, newsletter or online publication |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | International |
Primary Audience | Industry/Business |
Results and Impact | Case study about use of compact USB dataloggers in extreme environments |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2015 |
Description | New Scientist Impacts |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A magazine, newsletter or online publication |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | National |
Primary Audience | Media (as a channel to the public) |
Results and Impact | Contribution to article about a recent paper on Mars meteorite impacts |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2015 |
Description | Organization and hosting of the festival "De La Plage aux Étoiles" in Collioure (France) |
Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | National |
Primary Audience | Public/other audiences |
Results and Impact | Organization and hosting of the festival "De La Plage aux Étoiles" in Collioure (France). It is an astrophysics outreach festival with exhibitions, conferences and sky observations with telescopes. (Melody Sylvestre) |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2018 |
URL | https://www.astrocollioure.fr/spip/ |
Description | Outreach conference about Cassini for the amateur astronomy club Janus in Gennevilliers (France) |
Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | International |
Primary Audience | Public/other audiences |
Results and Impact | Outreach conference about Cassini for the amateur astronomy club Janus in Gennevilliers (France) (Melody Sylvestre) |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2019 |
Description | Outreach conference about Cassini for the amateur astronomy club Janus in Gennevilliers (France) |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | National |
Primary Audience | Public/other audiences |
Results and Impact | Outreach conference about Cassini for the amateur astronomy club Janus in Gennevilliers (France) (Melody Sylvestre) |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2018 |
Description | Outreach talks to Schools (2018) |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | Regional |
Primary Audience | Schools |
Results and Impact | Talks about the InSight mission to multiple schools over the year. Including: -Monmouth School for Girls -Manor Prep Abingdon -Cathedral School, Llandaff Junior School -Elmlea Junior School Bristol (Anna Horleston) |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2018 |
Description | Popular Science Talk |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Type Of Presentation | Keynote/Invited Speaker |
Geographic Reach | Local |
Primary Audience | Public/other audiences |
Results and Impact | 90min presentation at a local pub to undergraduate science society none |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2012 |
Description | Press release on Titan research |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A press release, press conference or response to a media enquiry/interview |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | International |
Primary Audience | Public/other audiences |
Results and Impact | press release |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2019 |
URL | https://blogs.agu.org/geospace/2019/04/11/extended-winter-polar-vortices-chill-saturns-strangely-fam... |
Description | Talk at public InSight landing event |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | Regional |
Primary Audience | Public/other audiences |
Results and Impact | Invited talk at landing event |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2018 |
URL | https://www2.physics.ox.ac.uk/news/2018/12/20/mars-insight-landing |
Description | Titan Vortex |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A press release, press conference or response to a media enquiry/interview |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | International |
Primary Audience | Media (as a channel to the public) |
Results and Impact | Press release, media interviews, and associated publicity surrounding Nature Comms article on Titan's winter polar vortex |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2017 |
URL | https://www.stfc.ac.uk/news/titans-unique-chemistry-causes-strange-atmospheric-behaviour/ |
Description | Titan press release |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A press release, press conference or response to a media enquiry/interview |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Type Of Presentation | Paper Presentation |
Geographic Reach | International |
Primary Audience | Media (as a channel to the public) |
Results and Impact | Helped work up a press release on Titan seasonal changes published in Nature Further media interest and enquiries about the research |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2012 |
Description | You tube interview about InSight landing |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A press release, press conference or response to a media enquiry/interview |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | International |
Primary Audience | Media (as a channel to the public) |
Results and Impact | Interviewed on Youtube channel (Anna Horleston) |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2018 |
URL | https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xbPycHs8xS0&t=20s |