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In Situ Probe Science at SaturnA fundamental goal of solar system exploration is to understand the origin of the solar sys-tem, the initial stages, conditions, and processes by which the solar system formed, how the formation pro-cess was initiated, and the nature of the interstellar seed material from which the solar system was born. Key to understanding solar system formation and subsequent dynamical and chemical evolution is the origin and evolution of the giant planets and their atmospheres. Several theories have been put forward to explain the process of solar system formation, and the origin and evolution of the giant planets and their atmospheres. Each theory offers quantifiable predictions of the abundances of noble gases He, Ne, Ar, Kr, and Xe, and abundances of key isotopic ratios 4He3He, DH, 15N14N, 18O16O, and 13C12C. Detection of certain dis-equilibrium species, diagnostic of deeper internal pro-cesses and dynamics of the atmosphere, would also help discriminate between competing theories. Measurements of the critical abundance profiles of these key constituents into the deeper well-mixed at-mosphere must be complemented by measurements of the profiles of atmospheric structure and dynamics at high vertical resolution and also require in situ explora-tion. The atmospheres of the giant planets can also serve as laboratories to better understand the atmospheric chem-istries, dynamics, processes, and climates on all planets including Earth, and offer a context and provide a ground truth for exoplanets and exoplanetary systems. Additionally, Giant planets have long been thought to play a critical role in the development of potentially habitable planetary systems. In the context of giant planet science provided by the Galileo, Juno, and Cassini missions to Jupiter and Sat-urn, a small, relatively shallow Saturn probe capable of measuring abundances and isotopic ratios of key at-mospheric constituents, and atmospheric structure in-cluding pressures, temperatures, dynamics, and cloud locations and properties not accessible by remote sens-ing can serve to test competing theories of solar system and giant planet origin, chemical, and dynamical evolution.
Document ID
20140012658
Acquisition Source
Goddard Space Flight Center
Document Type
Conference Paper
Authors
Atkinson, D.H. (Idaho Univ. Moscow, ID, United States)
Lunine, J.I. (Cornell Univ. Ithaca, NY, United States)
Simon-Miller, A. A. (NASA Goddard Space Flight Center Greenbelt, MD, United States)
Atreya, S. K. (Michigan Univ. Ann Arbor, MI, United States)
Brinckerhoff, W. (NASA Goddard Space Flight Center Greenbelt, MD, United States)
Colaprete, A. (NASA Ames Research Center Moffett Field, CA, United States)
Coustenis, A. (Observatoire de Paris-Meudon France)
Fletcher, L. N. (Oxford Univ. Oxford, United Kingdom)
Guillot, T. (Observatoire de la Cote d'Azur Nice, France)
Lebreton, J.-P. (Observatoire de Paris-Meudon France)
Mahaffy, P. (NASA Goddard Space Flight Center Greenbelt, MD, United States)
Mousis, O. (Franche-Comte Univ. Besancon, France)
Orton, G. S. (Jet Propulsion Lab., California Inst. of Tech. Pasadena, CA, United States)
Reh, K. (Jet Propulsion Lab., California Inst. of Tech. Pasadena, CA, United States)
Spilker, L. J. (Jet Propulsion Lab., California Inst. of Tech. Pasadena, CA, United States)
Spilker, T. R. (SSSE)
Webster, C. (Jet Propulsion Lab., California Inst. of Tech. Pasadena, CA, United States)
Date Acquired
September 26, 2014
Publication Date
June 16, 2014
Subject Category
Lunar And Planetary Science And Exploration
Report/Patent Number
GSFC-E-DAA-TN15235
Meeting Information
Meeting: International Planetary Probe Workshop
Location: Pasadena, California
Country: United States
Start Date: June 16, 2014
End Date: June 20, 2014
Sponsors: Universities Space Research Association
Distribution Limits
Public
Copyright
Public Use Permitted.
Keywords
Interstellar
Solar System
Saturn

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