Ice Giant Systems: The Scientific Potential of Missions to the Uranus and Neptune Systems (ESA Voyage 2050 White Paper). (arXiv:1907.02963v1 [astro-ph.EP])
<a href="http://arxiv.org/find/astro-ph/1/au:+Fletcher_L/0/1/0/all/0/1">Leigh N. Fletcher</a>, <a href="http://arxiv.org/find/astro-ph/1/au:+Andre_N/0/1/0/all/0/1">Nicolas André</a>, <a href="http://arxiv.org/find/astro-ph/1/au:+Andrews_D/0/1/0/all/0/1">David Andrews</a>, <a href="http://arxiv.org/find/astro-ph/1/au:+Bannister_M/0/1/0/all/0/1">Michele Bannister</a>, <a href="http://arxiv.org/find/astro-ph/1/au:+Bunce_E/0/1/0/all/0/1">Emma Bunce</a>, <a href="http://arxiv.org/find/astro-ph/1/au:+Cavalie_T/0/1/0/all/0/1">Thibault Cavalié</a>, <a href="http://arxiv.org/find/astro-ph/1/au:+Charnoz_S/0/1/0/all/0/1">Sébastien Charnoz</a>, <a href="http://arxiv.org/find/astro-ph/1/au:+Ferri_F/0/1/0/all/0/1">Francesca Ferri</a>, <a href="http://arxiv.org/find/astro-ph/1/au:+Fortney_J/0/1/0/all/0/1">Jonathan Fortney</a>, <a href="http://arxiv.org/find/astro-ph/1/au:+Grassi_D/0/1/0/all/0/1">Davide Grassi</a>, <a href="http://arxiv.org/find/astro-ph/1/au:+Griton_L/0/1/0/all/0/1">Léa Griton</a>, <a href="http://arxiv.org/find/astro-ph/1/au:+Hartogh_P/0/1/0/all/0/1">Paul Hartogh</a>, <a href="http://arxiv.org/find/astro-ph/1/au:+Helled_R/0/1/0/all/0/1">Ravit Helled</a>, <a href="http://arxiv.org/find/astro-ph/1/au:+Hueso_R/0/1/0/all/0/1">Ricardo Hueso</a>, <a href="http://arxiv.org/find/astro-ph/1/au:+Jones_G/0/1/0/all/0/1">Geraint Jones</a>, <a href="http://arxiv.org/find/astro-ph/1/au:+Kaspi_Y/0/1/0/all/0/1">Yohai Kaspi</a>, <a href="http://arxiv.org/find/astro-ph/1/au:+Lamy_L/0/1/0/all/0/1">Laurent Lamy</a>, <a href="http://arxiv.org/find/astro-ph/1/au:+Masters_A/0/1/0/all/0/1">Adam Masters</a>, <a href="http://arxiv.org/find/astro-ph/1/au:+Melin_H/0/1/0/all/0/1">Henrik Melin</a>, <a href="http://arxiv.org/find/astro-ph/1/au:+Moses_J/0/1/0/all/0/1">Julianne Moses</a>, <a href="http://arxiv.org/find/astro-ph/1/au:+Mousis_O/0/1/0/all/0/1">Olivier Mousis</a>, <a href="http://arxiv.org/find/astro-ph/1/au:+Nettleman_N/0/1/0/all/0/1">Nadine Nettleman</a>, <a href="http://arxiv.org/find/astro-ph/1/au:+Plainaki_C/0/1/0/all/0/1">Christina Plainaki</a>, <a href="http://arxiv.org/find/astro-ph/1/au:+Roussos_E/0/1/0/all/0/1">Elias Roussos</a>, <a href="http://arxiv.org/find/astro-ph/1/au:+Schmidt_J/0/1/0/all/0/1">Jürgen Schmidt</a>, <a href="http://arxiv.org/find/astro-ph/1/au:+Simon_A/0/1/0/all/0/1">Amy Simon</a>, <a href="http://arxiv.org/find/astro-ph/1/au:+Tobie_G/0/1/0/all/0/1">Gabriel Tobie</a>, <a href="http://arxiv.org/find/astro-ph/1/au:+Tortora_P/0/1/0/all/0/1">Paolo Tortora</a>, <a href="http://arxiv.org/find/astro-ph/1/au:+Tosi_F/0/1/0/all/0/1">Federico Tosi</a>, <a href="http://arxiv.org/find/astro-ph/1/au:+Turrini_D/0/1/0/all/0/1">Diego Turrini</a>
Uranus and Neptune, and their diverse satellite and ring systems, represent
the least explored environments of our Solar System, and yet may provide the
archetype for the most common outcome of planetary formation throughout our
galaxy. Ice Giants are the last remaining class of planet in our system to have
a dedicated orbital mission. This white paper describes how such a mission
could explore their origins, ice-rich interiors, dynamic atmospheres, unique
magnetospheres, and myriad icy satellites, to address questions at the very
heart of modern planetary science. These two worlds are superb examples of how
planets with shared origins can exhibit remarkably different evolutionary
paths: Neptune as the archetype for Ice Giants, Uranus as the oddball.
Exploring Uranus’ natural satellites and Neptune’s captured moon Triton could
reveal how Ocean Worlds form and remain active, redefining the extent of the
habitable zone in our Solar System. For these reasons and more, we propose that
an Ice Giant System mission should become a strategic cornerstone spacecraft
for ESA in the Voyage 2050 programme.
Uranus and Neptune, and their diverse satellite and ring systems, represent
the least explored environments of our Solar System, and yet may provide the
archetype for the most common outcome of planetary formation throughout our
galaxy. Ice Giants are the last remaining class of planet in our system to have
a dedicated orbital mission. This white paper describes how such a mission
could explore their origins, ice-rich interiors, dynamic atmospheres, unique
magnetospheres, and myriad icy satellites, to address questions at the very
heart of modern planetary science. These two worlds are superb examples of how
planets with shared origins can exhibit remarkably different evolutionary
paths: Neptune as the archetype for Ice Giants, Uranus as the oddball.
Exploring Uranus’ natural satellites and Neptune’s captured moon Triton could
reveal how Ocean Worlds form and remain active, redefining the extent of the
habitable zone in our Solar System. For these reasons and more, we propose that
an Ice Giant System mission should become a strategic cornerstone spacecraft
for ESA in the Voyage 2050 programme.
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