Space and planetary physics

We propose to carry out a broad series of research projects which will answer important questions about our solar system and the planets within it. We will also study the links between the Sun and interplanetary space through the solar wind, as well as how they affect space around the Earth. Space is filled with small amounts of hot charged particles, called a plasma, along with a magnetic field, so much of the work we do is fundamental plasma physics applied to space.

In our work we will study some fundamental processes that occur in plasmas, including the release of magnetic energy by reconnection and the acceleration of particles at shock waves. We will look at how the solar wind is created by the Sun and how it evolves towards the Earth, as well as how different monitoring locations can be used to predict conditions at Earth. We will pursue our quantitative assessment of the plasma processes and complexity at comet 67P/Churyumov-Gerasimenko, linking our models with data from the Rosetta spacecraft flying alongside. We will use data from the Cassini spacecraft as it travels closer to Saturn than ever before to learn about the giant planet's internal magnetic field. We will study the magnetic field of the smallest planet in the solar system, Mercury, as well as considering how energy is transferred from the solar wind to the giant planets and how this is different from the Earth.

These are important topics to study not just because they provide new insight into fundamental physical processes which we do not fully understand, but also because of their effects on our lives, on other areas of science and of what they tell us about our Universe. Our work on plasma physics is related to both laboratory work on the Earth as well as many astrophysical objects such as stars and the space between the galaxies. Our work on giant planets and moons helps us to better characterise the processes that occur on and around exoplanets.

In all this work we will use theoretical models and computer simulations as well as measurements from spacecraft in deep space or in orbit around planets. In many of these cases, the measurements are made by instruments that we have built here at Imperial College. Most of these measure the magnetic field in space. The magnetic field is important in all plasmas, and space is filled with plasma - but it is also important in telling us about the interiors of planets and moons. Measuring the magnetic fields in space is very difficult because they are so small, so our science is greatly helped by working closely with the engineers who design, build and run the instruments.

As part of this proposal, we will also develop the next generation of miniature magnetic field instruments, which we hope to fly on future, small missions around the Earth or other planets. This development is important so that we can take advantage of new technologies that have become available to make the smallest, lightest, lowest power and most accurate instruments possible. In this way, we lay the groundwork for the science of the future.

In addition to academics, other beneficiaries of the proposed work include:

Policy makers: Space weather, the effect on technological systems of solar activity, has been recognised by the UK Government as a significant risk to national infrastructure resilience. Some of our proposed work (project P1.4) directly addresses the basic scientific rationale of sending a spacecraft to the L5 libration point, a possible location for a future early warning mission. In this way, basic research will ultimately inform the policy decision as to whether to support the future funding of such a mission. Our research into the underpinning processes which control space weather (projects P1.1, 1.2, 1.3, 2.3, 2.4) will in the longer term have the potential to improve forecasting accuracy by providing data that can be integrated into e.g. physics-based magnetospheric models. We actively collaborate with the UK Met Office, who are responsible in the UK for real-time space weather forecasting, as a route to apply our research outputs to this field.

Enhancing the nation's quality of life: Space is a universally engaging subject. Our work encompasses some of the most exciting areas in this most exciting of scientific endeavours: rendezvous with a comet; jets of water and organics from a moon of Saturn; the Sun's dynamic atmosphere; the giant outer planets. We actively engage with Imperial's communications team to work with the media, from press releases, print and broadcast interviews and social media to public engagement in schools, clubs, societies and large meetings in order to maximise the public impact of our work.

Enhancing the nation's wealth: our interactions with industry via our hardware programme have resulted in a licensing arrangement with a UK company and several sales of magnetometers. This license has now expired and as part of our ongoing proposed work (project P3.1) we are seeking new commercial partners within the UK: in this way, our blue skies research results in commercial benefit for UK companies. In addition, the researchers we train move on into jobs where the technical, scientific and analytic skills they have learned are applied to a wide range of fields.