Skip to main content
Go to the home page of the European Commission (opens in new window)
English English
CORDIS - EU research results
CORDIS

Investigating Internal Magnetic Field Sources on the Moon and Mars

Project description

Understanding how Earth’s dynamo works

For billions of years, Earth’s global magnetic field is due to a dynamo within the mostly molten iron in the planet’s interior. How does Earth’s dynamo mechanism work? The answer to this question requires an understanding of how a planetary dynamo operates. The EU-funded SIGMA project will study the crustal magnetic fields of other planetary bodies (Mercury, the Moon and Mars) where different dynamos might have operated. For instance, Mars has large remnant magnetism from an ancient dynamo, and scientists believe the Moon once had a magnetic field based on evidence from magnetised lunar rocks. SIGMA will use a novel methodology of surveys and the generation of advanced models. The findings will be valuable for the field of planetary exploration.

Objective

The Earth possesses an internal magnetic field produced by convection movements occurring in the outer liquid metallic core of the planet, called dynamo. In order to understand how the Earth dynamo mechanisms work, it is required to understand how a planetary dynamo operates as a whole, from its birth to its demise. For this purpose, our inner Solar System provides a natural laboratory.
Today, amongst all our companion telluric planets, only Mercury possesses a core magnetic field. Venus has no observable internal magnetic field, which is enigmatic. Crustal magnetic fields are observed at the surface of Mars and the Moon, which is indicative that these bodies likely had a dynamo in their history, but is no longer active. More importantly, these crustal fields hold fundamental information about the ancient core field, such as its morphology, intensity and temporal variation.
By studying the crustal magnetic fields of other planetary bodies, such as Mercury, the Moon or Mars, where different dynamos might have operated, the dynamo processes themselves can be better understood. The SIGMA project targets to unveil crucial unanswered questions of the Earth global magnetic field evolution through an investigation of different planetary crustal anomalies using a novel methodology of surveys (developed by the host) and the generation of advanced models (expertise of the fellow candidate). The results will have an innovative impact in the imminent planetary exploration, where the candidate would be positioned as a senior and independent researcher with a profile comprising theoretical and experimental pioneering techniques.

Fields of science (EuroSciVoc)

CORDIS classifies projects with EuroSciVoc, a multilingual taxonomy of fields of science, through a semi-automatic process based on NLP techniques. See: https://op.europa.eu/en/web/eu-vocabularies/euroscivoc.

You need to log in or register to use this function

Keywords

Project’s keywords as indicated by the project coordinator. Not to be confused with the EuroSciVoc taxonomy (Fields of science)

Programme(s)

Multi-annual funding programmes that define the EU’s priorities for research and innovation.

Topic(s)

Calls for proposals are divided into topics. A topic defines a specific subject or area for which applicants can submit proposals. The description of a topic comprises its specific scope and the expected impact of the funded project.

Funding Scheme

Funding scheme (or “Type of Action”) inside a programme with common features. It specifies: the scope of what is funded; the reimbursement rate; specific evaluation criteria to qualify for funding; and the use of simplified forms of costs like lump sums.

MSCA-IF - Marie Skłodowska-Curie Individual Fellowships (IF)

See all projects funded under this funding scheme

Call for proposal

Procedure for inviting applicants to submit project proposals, with the aim of receiving EU funding.

(opens in new window) H2020-MSCA-IF-2019

See all projects funded under this call

Coordinator

INSTITUTO NACIONAL DE TECNICA AEROESPACIAL ESTEBAN TERRADAS
Net EU contribution

Net EU financial contribution. The sum of money that the participant receives, deducted by the EU contribution to its linked third party. It considers the distribution of the EU financial contribution between direct beneficiaries of the project and other types of participants, like third-party participants.

€ 160 932,48
Address
CR TORREJON AJALVIR KM 4 2
28850 TORREJON DE ARDOZ MADRID
Spain

See on map

Region
Comunidad de Madrid Comunidad de Madrid Madrid
Activity type
Research Organisations
Links
Total cost

The total costs incurred by this organisation to participate in the project, including direct and indirect costs. This amount is a subset of the overall project budget.

€ 160 932,48
My booklet 0 0