Scientific rationale and concepts for in situ probe exploration of Uranus and Neptune

O. Mousis (1) , D. Atkinson (2) , M. Amato , S. Aslam (3) , S. Atreya (4) , M. Blanc , B. Brugger (1) , S. Calcutt (5) , T. Cavalié , S. Charnoz (6) , A. Coustenis (7) , M. Deleuil (8) , M. Dobrijevic (9) , T. Encrenaz (7) , F. Ferri (10) , L. Fletcher , T. Guillot (11) , P. Hartogh (12) , M. Hofstadter (13) , R. Hueso (14)

1 UTINAM - Univers, Transport, Interfaces, Nanostructures, Atmosphère et environnement, Molécules (UMR 6213)
2 Center for medical imaging
3 EGC - Environnement et Grandes Cultures
4 AOSS - Department of Atmospheric, Oceanic, and Space Sciences [Ann Arbor]
5 University of Oxford
6 AIM (UMR7158 / UMR_E_9005 / UM_112) - Astrophysique Interprétation Modélisation
7 LESIA - Laboratoire d'études spatiales et d'instrumentation en astrophysique
8 LAM - Laboratoire d'Astrophysique de Marseille
9 ASP 2017
10 IRFU - Institut de Recherches sur les lois Fondamentales de l'Univers
11 LAGRANGE - Joseph Louis LAGRANGE
12 MPS - Max-Planck-Institut für Sonnensystemforschung = Max Planck Institute for Solar System Research
13 JPL - Jet Propulsion Laboratory
14 Escuela Tecnica Superior de Ingenieria Bilbao

Uranus and Neptune, referred to as ice giants, are fundamentally different from the better-known gas giants (Jupiter and Saturn). Exploration of an ice giant system is a high-priority science objective, as these systems (including the magnetosphere, satellites, rings, atmosphere, and interior) challenge our understanding of planetary formation and evolution. The importance of the ice giants is reflected in NASA's 2011 Decadal Survey, comments from ESA's SSC in response to L2/L3 mission proposals and results of the 2017 NASA/ESA Ice Giants study. A crucial part of exploration of the ice giants is in situ sampling of the atmosphere via an atmospheric probe. A probe would bring insights in two broad themes: the formation history of our Solar System and the processes at play in planetary atmospheres. Here we summarize the science driver for in situ measurements at these two planets and discuss possible mission concepts that would be consistent with the constraints of ESA M-class missions.

Domaines: Planétologie et astrophysique de la terre [astro-ph.EP]

O. Mousis, D. Atkinson, M. Amato, S. Aslam, S. Atreya, et al.. Scientific rationale and concepts for in situ probe exploration of Uranus and Neptune. European Planetary Science Congress 2017, held 17-22 September, 2017 in Riga Latvia, id. EPSC2017-299, Sep 2017, Riga, Latvia. ⟨hal-01622214⟩