Watch: Feb.24: Prof. Olivier Mousis: Key Atmospheric Signatures for Identifying the Source Reservoirs of Volatiles in the Giant Planets
Speaker: Olivier Mousis
(Aix-Marseille University)
Feb.24, 2022
3 pm GMT+8
Recently, the microwave radiometer aboard the Juno spacecraft provided a measurement of the water abundance in the equatorial region of Jupiter, from 0 to 4 degrees of north latitude, and in the 0.7-30 bar pressure domain. The water abundance in this region of Jupiter was found to range between 1 and 5 times the protosolar abundance of oxygen, a value substantially higher than the previous Galileo probe determination. Here, we aim to combine this up-to-date oxygen determination with the other known measurements of elemental abundances in Jupiter, to derive the mechanisms that could explain the supersolar metallicity of its envelope. We find that the supersolar metallicity of Jupiter’s envelope can be both explained by the agglomeration of solids condensed in the giant planet’s feeding zone and by the accretion of supersolar gas during its growth. In the latter case, the supersolar vapors present in the giant planet’s feeding zone would result from their release during the drift of volatile-rich pebbles through the various icelines. These two scenarios are also investigated in the framework of our knowledge of the present-day compositions of Saturn, Uranus, and Neptune. We will finally discuss the key observational tests that will allow disentangling between the two scenarios.
About Prof. Olivier Mousis
Prof. Olivier Mousis' research focusses on the investigation of the formation conditions of planetary systems, with a special emphasis on our solar system. His goal is to establish a link between the present chemical/physical properties of planetary bodies and those associated with the many processes leading to their formation and primo-evolution in protoplanetary disks via the use data obtained from spacecrafts, ground-based facilities and laboratory experiments. He is also involved in the concept and preparation of robotic missions dedicated to the exploration of the outer solar system. He has been leading a long-term effort to define future space missions that will deliver atmospheric entry probes to the four giants, with a special emphasis first on Saturn (he has been the pI of the HERA mission proposal submitted to ESA in response to the M4 and M5 calls) and more recently on the Ice Giants Uranus and Neptune. Olivier Mousis is currently principal investigator of an international consortium aiming at submitting a proposal of Enceladus multiple flyby mission to the 2022 ESA M-class call (Moonraker mission). He is the Director of the Origins institute at Aix-Marseille University.
Prof. Mousis has authored/co-authored over 230 research papers, and delivered 500+ oral and written contributions to international conferences.
