British Antarctic Survey Consolidated Grant

Within the magnetic fields of planets that extend into space, energetic charged particles are trapped creating regions that are hazardous to spacecraft and humans. The way these radiation belts grow and decline is a major focus of scientific endeavour in space science. Understanding the fundamental principles of how these dangerous regions in space behave is vital for predicting the level of hazard they pose to spacecraft.

In the last three years a new and very rapid mechanism for transporting electrons towards the planet has been discovered at Saturn. This is a significant change from the decades old theory that has been assumed to underlie the motion of electrons towards or away from the planet. The goal of this project is to test the effects of this new mechanism on the behaviour of Saturn's radiation belt in conjunction with what we have also discovered in the past few years about the effects of waves on energetic electrons at Saturn.

The results will show us how the unique conditions in Saturn's space environment combine local acceleration and loss processes with this new mode of transporting electrons towards the planet. This will also help to determine whether resonant wave acceleration and loss of electrons is a universal process that is more widely applicable to the Sun and other astrophysical objects such as the increasing number of planets discovered outside our Solar System.

This project will aid with setting new research goals for future spacecraft missions to the planets and investigations of planets beyond our Solar system, provide research training for young scientists, develop computer models that will be of use to the space industry in planning future missions to the outer planets, and leave a legacy of understanding that will last long after the completion of the project.