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Next-Generation of Interior models of (Exo)planets:Studying the interior structure of giant planets and its effect on their evolution, atmospheres and observations

Descrizione del progetto

Compiere passi in avanti nella comprensione degli esopianeti

Dalla scoperta del primo esopianeta in orbita attorno a una stella simile al Sole, avvenuta nel 1995, ne sono stati trovati altri migliaia. Lo studio degli esopianeti è un campo in rapida evoluzione e un’area di ricerca attiva. Il progetto N-GINE, finanziato dal Consiglio europeo della ricerca, intende compiere progressi nella comprensione dei pianeti giganti all’interno e all’esterno del Sistema solare, nonché delle loro origini. Il progetto si propone di integrare le nuove conoscenze acquisite dai recenti dati raccolti dalle missioni Cassini e Juno negli studi sugli esopianeti. Queste missioni hanno rivelato che gli interni di Giove e Saturno sono più complessi di quanto si credesse. N-GINE intende colmare il divario di conoscenze sviluppando nuovi modelli per l’interno e l’atmosfera di Giove, Saturno, Urano, Nettuno e degli esopianeti giganti.

Obiettivo

The prevalence of metals in exoplanet atmospheres is considered an important tracer of the formation of gas giants. However, the current theoretical framework is founded on the critical assumption that such planets are composed of a core surrounded by a homogeneous and well-mixed envelope. Recent data from Cassini and Juno show differently, resulting in a paradigm shift in the interiors of Jupiter and Saturn. Jupiter's envelope is now shown to be non-homogeneous, leading to new pathways for studying the interactions between giant planet interiors with their atmospheric constituents. This new knowledge desperately needs to be incorporated in exoplanet studies. This is the aim of N-GINE.
We are in a unique time for this study. We have extraordinary data to study the giants in the solar system, and the JWST will provide exceptional data on exoplanets’ atmospheres. Now is the time to gather the stunning amount of exoplanet data and the detailed insights supplied by our solar system and get integrated knowledge coming from all giant planets.
I have unique expertise in these fields to fill this gap and lead a team of 3 PhD students and 2 postdocs to work at the frontier of exoplanets and solar system science. We will provide the community with the first open-source retrieval tool for exoplanet interiors based on my state-of-the-art models for Jupiter, use JWST to compile the first database on refractory species in exoplanet atmospheres (indicating the solids accreted during formation), study atmosphere-interior interactions with self-consistent atmospheric radiative transfer and interior models, and go beyond the state-of-the-art with new interior models for Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus and Neptune with non-homogenous interiors and using Neural Networks. The impact of the new interior models developed in N-GINE will also affect atmospheric chemical and retrieval calculations, revolutionizing the way of interpreting observations in exoplanets and learning about their origins.

Istituzione ospitante

STICHTING NEDERLANDSE WETENSCHAPPELIJK ONDERZOEK INSTITUTEN
Contribution nette de l'UE
€ 950 508,00
Indirizzo
WINTHONTLAAN 2
3526 KV Utrecht
Paesi Bassi

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Regione
West-Nederland Utrecht Utrecht
Tipo di attività
Research Organisations
Collegamenti
Costo totale
€ 950 508,00

Beneficiari (2)