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Prof G Branduadi-Raymont
Applications accepted all year round
About the Project
Department of Space and Climate Physics, Mullard Space Science Laboratory, University College London, UK
Supervisor: Prof. Graziella Branduadi-Raymont ([Email Address Removed])
Over the last decade the Chandra and XMM-Newton observatories have revealed the beauty and multiplicity of X-ray emissions from the planets in our solar system. This research field encompasses planetary physics, solar science and the response of solar system objects under the effects of the Sun’s activity.
Jupiter's polar regions show bright soft X-ray aurorae, with a line-rich spectrum arising from the charge exchange interactions of atmospheric neutrals with local and/or solar wind high charge-state heavy ions, accelerated in the planet’s powerful magnetic environment. At energies above ~3 keV the X-ray spectrum of the Jovian aurora becomes featureless, pointing to an origin from electron bremsstrahlung. Jupiter’s atmosphere also scatters solar X-rays, so that at low latitudes the planet's disk displays an X-ray spectrum that closely resembles that of solar flares.
Saturn has not revealed X-ray aurorae (yet), but its disk X-ray brightness, like Jupiter’s, strictly correlates with the Sun's X-ray output, pointing again to scattering of solar X-rays. Remarkably, we see X-rays from Saturn's rings as well, generally from bright spots localised on their East ansa.
Mars and Venus lack a strong magnetic field, yet they both show X-ray emissions from their disks and exospheres: here solar X-ray scattering and charge exchange (by solar wind ions with the exosphere neutrals) are thought to be at work, respectively; the two spectral components have been clearly separated at high spectral and spatial resolution.
Finally, the Earth's X-ray aurorae, like those in visible light, show a high degree of variability in intensity and morphology, both at soft and hard X-ray energies. And solar wind charge exchange in the Earth’s exosphere has been directly revealed by XMM-Newton along lines of sight crossing the terrestrial magnetosphere.
In summary, we have come to realise that planetary X-ray emissions are powerful probes of the conditions of the solar wind and of the planetary response to solar activity, and that their study provides novel insights about the close relationships between planets and their parent star.
The PhD project is envisaged to be based on the investigation of Jupiter, through the analysis of Chandra and XMM-Newton data.
UCL was one of the first universities in the world to become involved in making scientific observations in space. Since MSSL was established in 1966, we have participated in more than 35 satellite missions and over 200 rocket experiments. Our groups of research scientists and development engineers work together to ensure that the instruments we produce are as relevant and competitive as possible. The subsequent scientific interpretation of data benefits from the fundamental understanding of the instruments gained from in depth knowledge of their development and testing.
Further details on our PhD programme and other available projects can be found at:
http://www.ucl.ac.uk/mssl/research-degrees and http://www.ucl.ac.uk/astro/phd
Supervisor: Prof. Graziella Branduadi-Raymont ([Email Address Removed])
Over the last decade the Chandra and XMM-Newton observatories have revealed the beauty and multiplicity of X-ray emissions from the planets in our solar system. This research field encompasses planetary physics, solar science and the response of solar system objects under the effects of the Sun’s activity.
Jupiter's polar regions show bright soft X-ray aurorae, with a line-rich spectrum arising from the charge exchange interactions of atmospheric neutrals with local and/or solar wind high charge-state heavy ions, accelerated in the planet’s powerful magnetic environment. At energies above ~3 keV the X-ray spectrum of the Jovian aurora becomes featureless, pointing to an origin from electron bremsstrahlung. Jupiter’s atmosphere also scatters solar X-rays, so that at low latitudes the planet's disk displays an X-ray spectrum that closely resembles that of solar flares.
Saturn has not revealed X-ray aurorae (yet), but its disk X-ray brightness, like Jupiter’s, strictly correlates with the Sun's X-ray output, pointing again to scattering of solar X-rays. Remarkably, we see X-rays from Saturn's rings as well, generally from bright spots localised on their East ansa.
Mars and Venus lack a strong magnetic field, yet they both show X-ray emissions from their disks and exospheres: here solar X-ray scattering and charge exchange (by solar wind ions with the exosphere neutrals) are thought to be at work, respectively; the two spectral components have been clearly separated at high spectral and spatial resolution.
Finally, the Earth's X-ray aurorae, like those in visible light, show a high degree of variability in intensity and morphology, both at soft and hard X-ray energies. And solar wind charge exchange in the Earth’s exosphere has been directly revealed by XMM-Newton along lines of sight crossing the terrestrial magnetosphere.
In summary, we have come to realise that planetary X-ray emissions are powerful probes of the conditions of the solar wind and of the planetary response to solar activity, and that their study provides novel insights about the close relationships between planets and their parent star.
The PhD project is envisaged to be based on the investigation of Jupiter, through the analysis of Chandra and XMM-Newton data.
UCL was one of the first universities in the world to become involved in making scientific observations in space. Since MSSL was established in 1966, we have participated in more than 35 satellite missions and over 200 rocket experiments. Our groups of research scientists and development engineers work together to ensure that the instruments we produce are as relevant and competitive as possible. The subsequent scientific interpretation of data benefits from the fundamental understanding of the instruments gained from in depth knowledge of their development and testing.
Further details on our PhD programme and other available projects can be found at:
http://www.ucl.ac.uk/mssl/research-degrees and http://www.ucl.ac.uk/astro/phd
Funding Notes
Applications accepted all year round, but interviews begin in mid February.
Funding: Competition funding: This research project is one of a number of projects at this institution. It is in competition for funding with one or more of these projects. Usually the project that receives the best applicant will be awarded the funding. The funding is available to citizens of a number of European countries (including the UK). In most cases this will include all EU nationals. However full funding may not be available to all applicants and you should read the full department and project details for further information.
Funding: Competition funding: This research project is one of a number of projects at this institution. It is in competition for funding with one or more of these projects. Usually the project that receives the best applicant will be awarded the funding. The funding is available to citizens of a number of European countries (including the UK). In most cases this will include all EU nationals. However full funding may not be available to all applicants and you should read the full department and project details for further information.
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