Variability of the plasma environment around Jupiter's icy moons
Lead Research Organisation:
Imperial College London
Department Name: Dept of Physics
Abstract
Why? The icy moons, Ganymede, Callisto, and Europa, are surrounded by a thin gas envelop which can be ionized. The composition of the induced plasma is a signature of the moon's surface composition and its density is linked to the neutral atmospheric source. The presence of this conductive layer plays a key role in the interaction of the moon with Jupiter's magnetosphere with moon's particularities (e.g., intrinsic magnetic field at Ganymede). This project is in support to ESA Jupiter Icy Moon Explorer (JUICE).
The PhD project will focus on modeling the plasma environment around Jupiter's icy moons and study its variability. Voyager, Galileo and Earth-based observations will be used for constraining the gas sources. Some goals to be addressed include:
- How does Ganymede's intrinsic magnetic field influence the plasma environment?
- How variable in time and in space is the moon's conductivity? - How different is the conductivity at each moon? How does it influence the detection of the subsurface ocean?
The PhD project will focus on modeling the plasma environment around Jupiter's icy moons and study its variability. Voyager, Galileo and Earth-based observations will be used for constraining the gas sources. Some goals to be addressed include:
- How does Ganymede's intrinsic magnetic field influence the plasma environment?
- How variable in time and in space is the moon's conductivity? - How different is the conductivity at each moon? How does it influence the detection of the subsurface ocean?
Publications
Carnielli G
(2019)
First 3D test particle model of Ganymede's ionosphere
in Icarus
Carnielli G
(2020)
Simulations of ion sputtering at Ganymede
in Icarus
Studentship Projects
| Project Reference | Relationship | Related To | Start | End | Student Name |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| ST/N504336/1 | 01/10/2015 | 31/03/2021 | |||
| 1708329 | Studentship | ST/N504336/1 | 01/10/2015 | 31/03/2019 | Gianluca CARNIELLI |
| Description | EPSC 2018 Bursary |
| Amount | € 450 (EUR) |
| Organisation | Europlanet |
| Sector | Charity/Non Profit |
| Country | France |
| Start | 09/2018 |
| End | 09/2018 |
| Description | Financial assistance to attend EGU 2018 conference |
| Amount | € 290 (EUR) |
| Organisation | European Geosciences Union |
| Sector | Charity/Non Profit |
| Country | Germany |
| Start | 04/2018 |
| End | 04/2018 |
| Description | Collaboration on the development of a test particle model |
| Organisation | Sorbonne University |
| Country | France |
| Sector | Academic/University |
| PI Contribution | I developed the ionospheric model. I am also looking at how the results of the ionospheric model can be used to improve the exospheric and hybrid models on which it relies, in order to improve the models self-consistently. |
| Collaborator Contribution | They helped in the development of the ionospheric model through discussions. We also discussed the results of the models together. |
| Impact | Oral presentations at: EPSC 2017, 1st IUGG symposium in Berlin (2017), 1st British Planetary Science Congress in Glasgow (2017). Poster presentations at: EGU 2017, EGU 2018. Paper submitted to Icarus (under revision) |
| Start Year | 2015 |
| Description | Outreach |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | Regional |
| Primary Audience | Public/other audiences |
| Results and Impact | The outreach event was part of the "Imperial Fringe Festival" on Space Science. Lots of people attended and were amazed by the work we do. Another even took place at the Science museum, in conjunction with the return of Tim Peake from the ISS. The focus theme for that even was Rosetta, and people enjoyed it a lot. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2015,2016 |