A Consolidated Grant Proposal for Solar and Planetary Science at the University of Leicester, 2019 - 2022
Lead Research Organisation:
University of Leicester
Department Name: Physics and Astronomy
Abstract
We propose a world-class programme of research that focuses on two main areas of study concerned with our solar system. The first involves study of the outer environments of the planets where the gas is in the plasma (ionized) state, such that it not only feels the gravitational pull of the planet, but also interacts strongly with its magnetic field. In the second area we seek to study the origin and development of solar system bodies, and the impact on the evolution of life, through detailed examination of the composition of samples from Mars, which will provide information on the way in which the surface of the planet has evolved, interactions with water, and interactions between surface and the atmosphere.
Previous work in the first area shows that the outer environments of the planets vary widely, determined by the interaction with the plasma wind 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 11-year 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 orbiting close in. We will use spacecraft data to study Mercury close to the Sun that has a magnetic field but almost no atmosphere (MESSENGER mission), Mars further away that has an atmosphere but no strong magnetic field to prevent its erosion by the solar wind (Mars Express and MAVEN), and Earth at intermediate distances having both an atmosphere and a magnetic field (using data from a number of missions (Iridium satellite constellation, van Allen probes, Arase) and ground based facilities (SuperDARN and SuperMAG). We will also study the strongly magnetized giant planets Jupiter and Saturn using data from the new 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 atmosphere or surface on the inside. Finally, using a combination of electron microscopy and synchrotron-based X-ray spectroscopy of meteorites and experiments on analogue-fluid reactions, we will provide the most detailed mineralogical analyses and formation models of martian meteorite carbonates and co-existing clays. From this, we will address the nature of martian hydrothermal crustal fluids, and test associated current models for the ancient atmosphere. Thirdly, key processes in the formation of the martian igneous crust, in particular the formation of the main melt types, will be constrained by modelling meteorite and lander data, enabling comparisons to differentiation on other planets.
Previous work in the first area shows that the outer environments of the planets vary widely, determined by the interaction with the plasma wind 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 11-year 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 orbiting close in. We will use spacecraft data to study Mercury close to the Sun that has a magnetic field but almost no atmosphere (MESSENGER mission), Mars further away that has an atmosphere but no strong magnetic field to prevent its erosion by the solar wind (Mars Express and MAVEN), and Earth at intermediate distances having both an atmosphere and a magnetic field (using data from a number of missions (Iridium satellite constellation, van Allen probes, Arase) and ground based facilities (SuperDARN and SuperMAG). We will also study the strongly magnetized giant planets Jupiter and Saturn using data from the new 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 atmosphere or surface on the inside. Finally, using a combination of electron microscopy and synchrotron-based X-ray spectroscopy of meteorites and experiments on analogue-fluid reactions, we will provide the most detailed mineralogical analyses and formation models of martian meteorite carbonates and co-existing clays. From this, we will address the nature of martian hydrothermal crustal fluids, and test associated current models for the ancient atmosphere. Thirdly, key processes in the formation of the martian igneous crust, in particular the formation of the main melt types, will be constrained by modelling meteorite and lander data, enabling comparisons to differentiation on other planets.
Planned Impact
Our Pathways to Impact Plan has three aims: (1) To create a space technology cluster in the East Midlands which can respond to shifts in the global space sector. (2) To ensure that current links with external research users in industry and the public sector are fostered and new links developed. This includes aligning our Masters level teaching with the needs of the space sector. (3) To build on our successful outreach programme. The applicants involved in this proposal have specialist skills and experience of direct use to external users. The proposed Solar System science provides a strong platform for public engagement, knowledge transfer, and working with industry. Building on our existing heritage of impact, the specialist skills and unique expertise of those involved in this grant proposal will be accessible and identifiable to public, commercial, and government users. The research within this proposal is aligned with the Enterprise Agenda for the University, and our academics are strongly supported to create maximum impact in local, national, and international communities by the Department of Physics and Astronomy, the newly-set-up Leicester Institute for Space and Earth Observation (LISEO), and the University. UoL is developing Space Park Leicester (SPL) to provide an excellent, collaborative new environment for industry, academia and the public. SPL is funded by UoL, Leicestershire Economic Partnership, and Midlands Engine and construction is planned to start in Jan. 2019 close to the National Space Centre (NSC). The applicants are taking leading roles in the planning and delivery of SPL, addressing new challenges for space science by working with industry to develop a facility to lower the cost of access to space by introducing greater automation in spacecraft production, and greatly reduce manufacturing and testing times.
Working with Industrial and Other Partners: Members of our group work productively with many industrial partners including international companies such as Airbus, Teledyne-e2v, and TAS-UK, Lockheed Martin, and smaller entities (SMEs), as well as space agencies, e.g. NASA, ESA, JAXA, and CSA. Our portfolio of collaborative projects with industry has grown in the planetary science domain, particularly in areas associated with sample return missions, planetary protection, Mars science and lunar science. In addition, we are actively working with industry to develop commercial spacecraft for LEO constellations. A new industrial collaboration with the European space nuclear power programme is a result of the confluence of the world class nuclear and space industries in the UK, in which the UoL is a key partner. Partnerships with the UK's National Nuclear Laboratory, and SMEs including European Thermodynamics are part of our impact plan.
Spin-Off Companies and Contracts: The 6 KE Fellowships from STFC and NERC won since 2009 will continue to act as catalysts for our impact, being responsible for one of our spin-off companies, Gamma Technologies. This company has recently increased its secured investment, and is engaged with an industry partner with clinical trials of a pre-commercial device underway. Additional developments for knowledge exchange in the next 3 years will include medical diagnostics and devices including cannula design, ventricular assist pumps, urine and pain monitoring.
Outreach: Our outreach strategy is closely linked to that of the NSC and its 300,000 annual visitors, tying in to major future events e.g. the Planets360 RAS200 event, launch of BepiColombo, James Webb Space Telescope, launch and landing of ExoMars. Group members are on the Board of Trustees and Operating Company, and advise on the regeneration of exhibits e.g. martian meteorites, Gas Giants. The National Space Academy is a University-NSC partnership using outstanding school teachers and UoL researchers to boost teacher effectiveness and enhance STEM uptake.
Working with Industrial and Other Partners: Members of our group work productively with many industrial partners including international companies such as Airbus, Teledyne-e2v, and TAS-UK, Lockheed Martin, and smaller entities (SMEs), as well as space agencies, e.g. NASA, ESA, JAXA, and CSA. Our portfolio of collaborative projects with industry has grown in the planetary science domain, particularly in areas associated with sample return missions, planetary protection, Mars science and lunar science. In addition, we are actively working with industry to develop commercial spacecraft for LEO constellations. A new industrial collaboration with the European space nuclear power programme is a result of the confluence of the world class nuclear and space industries in the UK, in which the UoL is a key partner. Partnerships with the UK's National Nuclear Laboratory, and SMEs including European Thermodynamics are part of our impact plan.
Spin-Off Companies and Contracts: The 6 KE Fellowships from STFC and NERC won since 2009 will continue to act as catalysts for our impact, being responsible for one of our spin-off companies, Gamma Technologies. This company has recently increased its secured investment, and is engaged with an industry partner with clinical trials of a pre-commercial device underway. Additional developments for knowledge exchange in the next 3 years will include medical diagnostics and devices including cannula design, ventricular assist pumps, urine and pain monitoring.
Outreach: Our outreach strategy is closely linked to that of the NSC and its 300,000 annual visitors, tying in to major future events e.g. the Planets360 RAS200 event, launch of BepiColombo, James Webb Space Telescope, launch and landing of ExoMars. Group members are on the Board of Trustees and Operating Company, and advise on the regeneration of exhibits e.g. martian meteorites, Gas Giants. The National Space Academy is a University-NSC partnership using outstanding school teachers and UoL researchers to boost teacher effectiveness and enhance STEM uptake.
Publications
Milan S
(2022)
Lobe Reconnection and Cusp-Aligned Auroral Arcs
in Journal of Geophysical Research: Space Physics
Sánchez-Cano B
(2022)
Mars' plasma system. Scientific potential of coordinated multipoint missions: "The next generation".
in Experimental astronomy
Thorpe M
(2022)
Mars Science Laboratory CheMin Data From the Glen Torridon Region and the Significance of Lake-Groundwater Interactions in Interpreting Mineralogy and Sedimentary History
in Journal of Geophysical Research: Planets
Carter J
(2022)
RAS Specialist Discussion Meeting report
in Astronomy & Geophysics
Palmerio E
(2022)
CMEs and SEPs During November-December 2020: A Challenge for Real-Time Space Weather Forecasting
in Space Weather
Piercy J
(2022)
Carbonate dissolution and replacement by odinite and saponite in the Lafayette nakhlite: Part of the CO2-CH4 cycle on Mars?
in Geochimica et Cosmochimica Acta
Bower G
(2022)
Occurrence Statistics of Horse Collar Aurora
in Journal of Geophysical Research: Space Physics
Wang Y
(2022)
Dependencies of GPS Scintillation Indices on the Ionospheric Plasma Drift and Rate of Change of TEC Around the Dawn Sector of the Polar Ionosphere
in Journal of Geophysical Research: Space Physics
Blagoveshchenskaya N
(2022)
Simultaneous Action of X- and O-Mode HF Pump Waves on the High-Latitude Upper (F-Region) Ionosphere at EISCAT
in Universe
Milan S
(2022)
Influence of Off-Sun-Earth Line Distance on the Accuracy of L1 Solar Wind Monitoring
in Journal of Geophysical Research: Space Physics
Stober G
(2022)
Meteor radar vertical wind observation biases and mathematical debiasing strategies including the 3DVAR+DIV algorithm
in Atmospheric Measurement Techniques
Sangha? H
(2022)
Statistical Analysis of Bifurcating Region 2 Field-Aligned Currents Using AMPERE
in Frontiers in Astronomy and Space Sciences
Chowdhury M
(2022)
Saturn's Weather-Driven Aurorae Modulate Oscillations in the Magnetic Field and Radio Emissions
in Geophysical Research Letters
Kamran A
(2022)
Auroral Field-Aligned Current Signatures in Jupiter's Magnetosphere: Juno Magnetic Field Observations and Physical Modeling
in Journal of Geophysical Research: Space Physics
Sánchez-Bayton M
(2022)
Morphometric and topographic data of small and medium size landforms in the Northern Circumpolar Region of Mars.
in Data in brief
Aizawa S
(2022)
LatHyS global hybrid simulation of the BepiColombo second Venus flyby
in Planetary and Space Science
Garnier P
(2022)
The Influence of Crustal Magnetic Fields on the Martian Bow Shock Location: A Statistical Analysis of MAVEN and Mars Express Observations
in Journal of Geophysical Research: Space Physics
Suttle M
(2022)
The Winchcombe meteorite-A regolith breccia from a rubble pile CM chondrite asteroid
in Meteoritics & Planetary Science
Collinson G
(2022)
The Endurance Rocket Mission Gauging Earth's Ambipolar Electric Potential
in Space Science Reviews
Alberti T
(2022)
Editorial: Interplanetary medium variability as observed in the new era of spacecraft missions
in Frontiers in Astronomy and Space Sciences
Bradley T
(2022)
Detection of Equatorial Plasma Velocity Modulations Associated With Planetary Period Oscillations in Saturn's Magnetosphere
in Journal of Geophysical Research: Space Physics
Fawdon P
(2022)
Rivers and Lakes in Western Arabia Terra: The Fluvial Catchment of the ExoMars 2022 Rover Landing Site
in Journal of Geophysical Research: Planets
Withers P
(2022)
Observations of High Densities at Low Altitudes in the Nightside Ionosphere of Mars by the MAVEN Radio Occultation Science Experiment (ROSE)
in Journal of Geophysical Research: Space Physics
Carter J
(2022)
Handbook of X-ray and Gamma-ray Astrophysics
Lester M
(2022)
The Impact of Energetic Particles on the Martian Ionosphere During a Full Solar Cycle of Radar Observations: Radar Blackouts
in Journal of Geophysical Research: Space Physics
Farrugia C
(2022)
Effects from dayside magnetosphere to distant tail unleashed by a bifurcated, non-reconnecting interplanetary current sheet
in Frontiers in Physics
Bedford C
(2022)
An Insight Into Ancient Aeolian Processes and Post-Noachian Aqueous Alteration in Gale Crater, Mars, Using ChemCam Geochemical Data From the Greenheugh Capping Unit
in Journal of Geophysical Research: Planets
Hunt G
(2022)
The Response of Saturn's Dawn Field-Aligned Currents to Magnetospheric and Ring Current Conditions During Cassini's Proximal Orbits: Evidence for a Region 2 Response at Saturn
in Journal of Geophysical Research: Space Physics
Telloni D
(2022)
Observation and Modeling of the Solar Wind Turbulence Evolution in the Sub-Mercury Inner Heliosphere
in The Astrophysical Journal Letters
Sánchez-Cano B
(2023)
Mars' ionosphere: The key for systematic exploration of the red planet
in Frontiers in Astronomy and Space Sciences
Milan S
(2023)
The Association of Cusp-Aligned Arcs With Plasma in the Magnetotail Implies a Closed Magnetosphere
in Journal of Geophysical Research: Space Physics
Dehant V
(2023)
Planetary Exploration Horizon 2061
Bowden DL
(2023)
Askival: An altered feldspathic cumulate sample in Gale crater.
in Meteoritics & planetary science
Milan S
(2023)
Solar Cycle and Solar Wind Dependence of the Occurrence of Large dB / dt Events at High Latitudes
in Journal of Geophysical Research: Space Physics
Bower G
(2023)
Formation and Motion of Horse Collar Aurora Events
in Journal of Geophysical Research: Space Physics
Noguchi T
(2023)
A dehydrated space-weathered skin cloaking the hydrated interior of Ryugu.
in Nature astronomy
Lee C
(2023)
Heliophysics and space weather science at ~1.5 AU: Knowledge gaps and need for space weather monitors at Mars
in Frontiers in Astronomy and Space Sciences
Blake J
(2023)
Saturn's seasonal variability from four decades of ground-based mid-infrared observations
in Icarus
| Description | Travel budget for BepiColombo "Guest Investigation" position |
| Amount | £20,000 (GBP) |
| Funding ID | T/V000209/1 |
| Organisation | Science and Technologies Facilities Council (STFC) |
| Sector | Public |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Start | 01/2020 |
| End | 12/2023 |
| Title | Effect of an interplanetary coronal mass ejection on Saturn's radio emission. Supplementary material |
| Description | This dataset supplements: Cecconi et al. (2022), Effect of an interplanetary coronal mass ejection on Saturn's radio emission. Frontiers in Astronomy and Space Sciences, 9(800279). https://doi.org/10.3389/fspas.2022.800279 |
| Type Of Material | Database/Collection of data |
| Year Produced | 2021 |
| Provided To Others? | Yes |
| URL | https://maser.lesia.obspm.fr/publications/doi/effect-of-an-interplanetary.html |
| Description | Super Dual Auroral Radar Network |
| Organisation | Johns Hopkins University |
| Department | Applied Physics Laboratory (APL) |
| Country | United States |
| Sector | Charity/Non Profit |
| PI Contribution | The continued operations of the two CUTLASS radars enabled the RSPP group to maintain its collaborations within the Super Dual Auroral radar Network. This network involves institutes from Australia, Canada, China, Finland, Italy, Japan, Sweden, South Africa, United Kingdom and United States of America. Note that there is insufficient time to go into detail for all of the releveant collaborations involved in this project. |
| Collaborator Contribution | Through contributions of radar data plus effort on software development. |
| Impact | Publications Funding to build new radars for groups in China and Japan Start of contract to build a new radar for group in Russia |
| Start Year | 2006 |
| Description | The Juno Magnetometer Team |
| Organisation | National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) |
| Department | Goddard Space Flight Center |
| Country | United States |
| Sector | Public |
| PI Contribution | We have contributed to the data analysis of the magnetometer data and data from other instruments on the Juno space mission to Jupiter. |
| Collaborator Contribution | Our partners were either directly responsible for the construction of the magnetometer or contribute in some other way to the operations of the magnetometer and other instruments on the Juno spacecraft. |
| Impact | The main outputs from this collaboration have been scientific publications reported elsewhere. This is not multi-disciplinary in the broadest sense but our work does draw togather a range of different data sets investing the magnetic field, plasma populations and atmospheric behaviour of Jupiter's space and atmosphere environment. |
| Start Year | 2016 |