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 |