Initiatiefvoorstel kennisnetwerk planeten

1. (Tentative) Title initiative :
Netherlands Planetary Science Network on Observables of Planetary Habitability

2. Theme (cf. call text for detailed specification):
technology development and/or use of – data from – space instruments for planetary research

3. Initial/tentative description of the proposed research:
Planetary habitability is commonly defined as the potential of a planet or a moon to allow for life to emerge and thrive. What makes a planet or moon habitable, and how habitability can be observed, are two fundamental questions driving current research efforts in planetary sciences. These questions are also the main drivers for significant ESA investments in solar system exploration missions and studies of planets beyond. Several key properties have been identified that may determine planetary habitability, including a protective magnetic field; protective atmosphere; icy or rocky crust; temperate surface conditions; liquid water; and the availability of life’s building blocks. These properties are driven by processes spanning the spatial domains from the core to the surface and the enveloping atmosphere, and key drivers of planetary habitability thus expected to operate on a wide range of spatial and temporal scales. Studying the complex feedbacks between these different processes requires multidisciplinary expertise from many different subfields in planetary science – expertise that is available in the Netherlands, but that is currently not combined in a national network.

Therefore, to be able to address the question what drives planetary habitability, we propose to bring together an Expertise Network that approaches planetary habitability from three fundamental pillars in the planetary science fields: (i.) planetary interior processes; (ii.) planetary surface processes and morphology; (iii.) planetary surface composition and biomarkers.

Understanding these processes, the interdependences and mutual interactions will help us to better define planetary habitability, which will contribute to maximising the scientific return of future missions. The planned development of a clearly defined set of key observables that would enable in situ or remote detection of planetary habitability is aimed at further strengthening the position of the Dutch planetary science community with a view to active contributions to instruments for future solar system exploration missions.


4. Main applicant:
Names NPP core team:
Prof. dr. Wim van Westrenen
Prof. dr. ir. Inge Loes ten Kate
Dr. Sebastiaan de Vet (chair NPP, point of contact)
Institute: TU Delft, Fac. Aerospace Engineering, Astrodynamics & Space Missions
Telephone: +31 (0)15 278 4625
E-mail: s.j.devet@tudelft.nl

5. Members of the network:

Organization

Name, title

Included/

intended/

considered

Field of expertise

VU Amsterdam

Prof. dr. Wim van Westrenen, co-PI

Included

Planetary evolution and the cycles of life-essential elements

Utrecht University

Prof. dr. ir. Inge Loes ten Kate, co-PI

Included

Planetary geoscience and astrobiology

TU Delft, Aerospace Engineering

Dr. Sebastiaan de Vet,

co-PI, chair NPP

Included

Planetary geomorphology & planetary analogues

Members of network

 

 

 

TU Delft, Aerospace Engineering

Dr. ir. Bart Root

Included

Gravity field modelling

TU Delft, Aerospace Engineering

Prof. dr. Bert Vermeersen

Included

Planetary Exploration

TU Delft, Aerospace Engineering

Dr. Daphne Stam

Included

Planetary atmospheres

TU Delft, Aerospace Engineering

Dr. Sandra Potin

Included

Surface spectroscopy

TU Delft, Aerospace Engineering

Vivian Adhiambo, MSc

Included

Astronomy, Astrophysics and Planetary science

TU Delft, Aerospace Engineering

Dr. ir. Wouter van der Wal

Included

Planetary interiors

TU Delft, Aerospace Engineering

Dr. ir. Dominic Dirkx

Included

Solar System Dynamics/Planetary Geodesy

TU Delft, Aerospace Engineering

Marie Fayolle, MSc

Intended

Solar System Dynamics/Planetary Geodesy

TU Delft, Aerospace Engineering

Dr. Stephanie Cazaux

Included

Icy moons

TU Delft, Civil Engineering & Geosciences

Dr. Oscar Kamps

Included

Material characterization infrared spectroscopy

Utrecht University

Dr. Tjalling de Haas

Included

Planetary Geomorphology

Utrecht University

Prof. dr. Maarten Kleinhans

Included

Earth and planetary (bio)geomorphology

Utrecht University

Lonneke Roelofs, Msc

Included

Planetary Geomorphology

Utrecht University

Dr. Cedric Thieulot

Intended

Mantle dynamics & theoretical geophysics

Utrecht University

Prof. dr. Arwen Deuss

Intended

Structure and composition of Earth's deep interior

Utrecht University

Dr. Laura Cobden

Intended

Deep Earth structure and dynamics

Utrecht University

Dr. Ivan Pires de Vasconcelos

Intended

wave & diffusion phenomena, inverse problems and imaging science

VU Amsterdam

Dr. Yanhao Lin

Included

Mineralogy and geochemistry of interiors of Moon and Earth; experimental mineral physics and geochemistry

VU Amsterdam

Prof. dr. Gareth Davies

Included

planetary accretion-differentiation and origin of life

VU Amsterdam

Dr. Mónica Sánchez-Román

Included

Geomicrobiology

VU Amsterdam

Jitse Alsemgeest, MSc

Included

Comparative planetology

VU Amsterdam

Jiejun Jing, MSc

Included

Planetary interiors

VU Amsterdam

Dr. Pieter Vroon

Intended

Isotope geochemistry

University of Twente, ITC

Dr. Frank van Ruitenbeek

Included

Geological / hyperspectral remote sensing

University of Twente, ITC

Wim Bakker, MSc

Included

remote sensing, hyperspectral data, image processing

Wageningen University & Research

Dr. ir. Wieger Wamelink

Included

growing crops in space, exobiology

University of Amsterdam

Dr. Annemieke Petrignani

Included

(Laboratory) Astrochemistry

Joint Institute for VLBI ERIC

Dr. Giuseppe Cimo

Included

Radio astronomy and VLBI applied to Space Science

Leiden University

Elina Kleisioti, MSc

Included

Moon interiors

Groningen University

Dr. Tim Lichtenberg

Considered

Planetary Science, Planet Formation

LDE universities

Peter Batenburg, MSc

Included

Various space topics

European Space Agency - ESTEC

Dr. Lisanne Braat

Included

Deltas on Mars

European Space Agency - ESTEC

Dr. Rickbir Bahia

Included

Martian Geomorphology

European Space Agency - ESTEC

Dr. Colin Wilson

Included

Mars, Venus, Titan

European Space Agency - ESTEC

Dr. Eleni Bohacek

Included

Martian Geomorphology

HE Space Operations B.V. for European Space Agency - ESTEC

Dr. Csilla Orgel

Intended

Planetary geology and geomorphology, landing site assessment

Industry partners

 

 

 

LioniX International BV

Henk Leeuwis, MSc

Included

Life Detection instruments

Cosine

TBD

Considered

Hyperspectral imaging systems

ISISpace

TBD

Considered

Small satellites