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- Arridge, Christopher S., et al.
(författare)
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Uranus Pathfinder : exploring the origins and evolution of Ice Giant planets
- 2012
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Ingår i: Experimental astronomy. - : Springer Science and Business Media LLC. - 0922-6435 .- 1572-9508. ; 33:2-3, s. 753-791
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- The "Ice Giants" Uranus and Neptune are a different class of planet compared to Jupiter and Saturn. Studying these objects is important for furthering our understanding of the formation and evolution of the planets, and unravelling the fundamental physical and chemical processes in the Solar System. The importance of filling these gaps in our knowledge of the Solar System is particularly acute when trying to apply our understanding to the numerous planetary systems that have been discovered around other stars. The Uranus Pathfinder (UP) mission thus represents the quintessential aspects of the objectives of the European planetary community as expressed in ESA's Cosmic Vision 2015-2025. UP was proposed to the European Space Agency's M3 call for medium-class missions in 2010 and proposed to be the first orbiter of an Ice Giant planet. As the most accessible Ice Giant within the M-class mission envelope Uranus was identified as the mission target. Although not selected for this call the UP mission concept provides a baseline framework for the exploration of Uranus with existing low-cost platforms and underlines the need to develop power sources suitable for the outer Solar System. The UP science case is based around exploring the origins, evolution, and processes at work in Ice Giant planetary systems. Three broad themes were identified: (1) Uranus as an Ice Giant, (2) An Ice Giant planetary system, and (3) An asymmetric magnetosphere. Due to the long interplanetary transfer from Earth to Uranus a significant cruise-phase science theme was also developed. The UP mission concept calls for the use of a Mars Express/Rosetta-type platform to launch on a Soyuz-Fregat in 2021 and entering into an eccentric polar orbit around Uranus in the 2036-2037 timeframe. The science payload has a strong heritage in Europe and beyond and requires no significant technology developments.
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| 2. |
- Liuzzo, Lucas, et al.
(författare)
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Variability in the Energetic Electron Bombardment of Ganymede
- 2020
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Ingår i: Journal of Geophysical Research - Space Physics. - : American Geophysical Union (AGU). - 2169-9380 .- 2169-9402. ; 125:9
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- This study examines the bombardment of energetic magnetospheric electrons onto Ganymede as a function of Jovian magnetic latitude. We use the output from a three-dimensional, hybrid model to constrain features of the electromagnetic environment during the G1, G8, and G28 Galileo encounters when Ganymede was located far above, within, or far below Jupiter's magnetospheric current sheet, respectively. To quantify electron fluxes, we use a test-particle model and trace relativistic electrons at discrete energies between 4.5 keV =E = 100MeV while exposed to these fields. For each location with respect to Jupiter's current sheet, electrons of all energies bombard Ganymede's poles with average number and energy fluxes of 1 center dot 108 cm-2 s-1 and 3 . 109 keV cm-2 s-1, respectively. However, bombardment is locally inhomogeneous: poleward of the open-closed field line boundary, fluxes are enhanced in the trailing hemisphere but reduced in the leading hemisphere. When embedded within the Jovian current sheet, closed field lines of Ganymede's minimagnetosphere shield electrons below 40MeV from accessing the equator. Above these energies, equatorial fluxes are longitudinally inhomogeneous between the sub-Jovian and anti-Jovian hemispheres, but the averaged number flux (4 . 103 cm-2 s-1) is comparable to the flux deposited here by each of the dominant energetic ion species near Ganymede. When located outside of the Jovian current sheet, electrons below 100 keV enter Ganymede's minimagnetosphere via the downstream reconnection region and bombard the leading apex, while electrons of all energies are shielded from the trailing apex. Averaged over a full synodic rotation period of Jupiter, the energetic electron flux pattern agrees well with brightness features observed across Ganymede's polar and equatorial surface.
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