About the department

Applications will be considered from students with, or expecting to gain, a first degree in either a
geology/chemistry/geochemistry or similar discipline (“G”),
physics/mathematics or similar discipline (“P”)
or mathmatics or similar discipline (“M”)
at first or upper second class level.

3 STFC quota studentships (projects 1-4, 6-14),
1 STFC earmarked studentship for project 5
2 CASE industry studentships (projects 15a-c)
also
1 STFC quota studentship in the Department of Earth & Environmental Sciences (projects 16-17)
also
1STFC quota studentship in the Department of Physics and Astronomy (project 18)

If you want to learn more about specific project areas then you can contact the key personnel listed for each project.

New projects may be offered in future, so bookmark this page.





1) Cosmochemistry of comets

Lead supervisors: Dr Ian Franchi, Professor Ian Wright

Some of the earliest building blocks and most pristine material available in the Solar System are locked up in comets (small bodies of ice and rock). Comets are therefore particularly useful for investigating the physical and chemical characteristics of the early solar nebula from which planetary bodies (including Earth) originally formed. In 2014 the Rosetta Mission is due to orbit and land on a comet to make in-situ analyses. In preparation for this rendezvous, it is important that we understand what types of materials the spacecraft is likely to encounter.

In this project we are offering a detailed mineralogical analytical investigation of various types of micro- and nano- particles from collected from space using electron microprobes, chemical and isotopic techniques. The focus will be on interplanetary dust particles that represent small samples of comets and asteroids that have entered the Earths atmosphere. Other materials available for investigation and comparison include Stardust samples (cometary particles returned to Earth in 2006), cosmic spherules and micrometeorites.

This project aims to:

(1) Characterise the mineralogy and mineral chemistry of interplanetary dust grains and cometary dust; (2) Simulate, using our hypervelocity impact facilities and cometary analogue materials, the impact alteration processes that cometary materials might have experienced; (3) Compare cometary analogue materials with the returned micrometeorites and cometary dust; (4) Model the alteration history of cometary nuclei.

Techniques involved (for which training will be given) include analytical electron microscopy and microprobe; NanoSIMS ion probe; gas-source mass spectrometry.
 
Suitable for “G” graduates: geologist with geochemistry experience


2) Laboratory investigations relevant to the Rosetta space mission

Lead supervisor: Dr Ian Wright

In 2014 the Rosetta spacecraft will attempt to place a lander on the surface of a comet, with a view to making a whole raft of different in situ scientific measurements. Between now and then there are a number of activities taking place in preparation for this. Some involve (engineering/technical) aspects of the actual spaceflight hardware itself, whilst others are directed towards laboratory (scientific) investigations of cometary analog materials, as a precursor to the cometary encounter itself. It is in this latter category that we would wish to offer a PhD studentship. The project will involve the use of sophisticated laboratory instrumentation to make gas-release and isotopic measurements of appropriate samples. Results from these investigations will be used to guide the Open University’s Rosetta Team in their planning for on-comet operations. The studentship, which effectively offers the chance to become a member of this team, will appeal to someone who wants to spend time in the laboratory working in areas that could, at best, be described as the unknown. If all goes to plan there will be no opportunities for fieldwork!

Suitable for "P" or “G” graduates with strong laboratory skills.


3) The nature of cometary grains

Lead supervisors: Dr Ian Franchi, Professor Ian Wright

Comets are a rich source of dust grains formed at he very birth of the solar system, or even earlier – preserved in ice since the formation of the solar system.

This project is aimed at understanding the morphology of interplanetary dust particles (cometary grains collected in the stratosphere) and how this is controlled by mineralogy and particle history. These results will directly feed into the interpretation of the analysis of grains from comet Churyumov-Gerasimenko by experiments on the Rosetta mission.

Suitable for ‘P’ or ‘G’ students


4) Aqueous Alteration on Mars: acid, basic or neutral?

Lead supervisors: Professor Monica Grady, Dr Ian Parkinson and Professor Ian Wright
 
Background: Mars is recognised as having had environments in the past that were water-rich and potentially supportive of life. Understanding how long these environments persisted and their physical and chemical conditions is essential for understanding the aqueous evolution of early Mars. We have, on Earth, a suite of martian meteorites that contain minerals that were formed by alteration on Mars’ surface. The purpose of this research project is to characterise the weathering materials, and examine the inter-relationship between different generations of secondary minerals. Separation of specific phases will then be taken for age-dating. Characterisation of martian weathering materials, including their ages, will strengthen links between meteorite data and results from satellite imagery. We will use this information to produce a set of potential landing sites for the ExoMars mission.

This project will focus on mineral assemblages produced by weathering on Mars and aims to:

(1) identify, through high resolution SEM imaging, the type and distribution of sulphur-bearing minerals in martian meteorites; (2) characterise the relationship of the sulphur-bearing minerals with phyllosilicates and other secondary alteration products; (3) prepare samples (mineral separates by hand-picking; FIB-SEM for NanoSIMS) for age-dating; (4) Age-dating of samples by TIMS, ICP-MS and NanoSIMS. Results from the project will be combined to map martian meteorite data to satellite data, and will be used for a preliminary assessment of potential landing sites for the ExoMars mission.
 
Techniques involved (for which training will be given) include analytical electron microscopy and microprobe; NanoSIMS ion probe; thermal ionisation mass spectrometry.

Suitable for “G” graduates: geologist with geochemistry experience


5) Instrument development for the NASA/ESA ExoMars Orbiter mission

Lead supervisor: Dr Manish Patel

This project provides the opportunity to play a key role in the development of a spaceflight instrument for the joint NASA/ESA ExoMars Trace Gas Orbiter mission, scheduled for launch in 2016.

The project is intended to:

• Develop instrument design for flight on the ExoMars mission.
• Perform laboratory testing of instrumentation prior to launch.
• Prepare for data analysis through modelling of the martian atmosphere.

This mission is aimed at furthering our understanding of the martian environment in the context of the search for life, by measuring trace gases such as methane in the martian atmosphere from orbit. The project relates to the UVIS instrument, which is an optical spectrometer to measure solar radiation travelling through the martian atmosphere at UV and visible wavelengths, in order to detect and map the presence of ozone, dust and ice clouds in the atmosphere of Mars in unprecedented detail.

The project will involve scope for a wide range of potential research, from hands-on testing and development of the current instrument design, to preparation for the return of data from the mission through theoretical modelling of the atmosphere of Mars. The work undertaken here will form part of the international NASA and ESA effort currently being undertaken for the ExoMars Trace Gas Orbiter mission, and will be key to the success of the UVIS instrument.

Suitable for "P" graduates, particularly those with an interest in being directly involved in a space mission.


6) Simulating Meteorite Impact Processes on Mars

Lead supervisors: Dr Manish Patel, Dr Matt Balme

• Use hypervelocity projectile impact (hypervelocity “gun”) experiments to simulate     martian impacts
• Investigate the effects of target composition and particle size on impact crater morphology
• Simulate the effects of impacts of meteorites into ice-rich targets and how such craters evolve over time.
• Compare laboratory impact experiments with high resolution images and terrain models of Mars

Hypervelocity (> 1 km/s) meteorite impacts have played, and continue to play, a major role in shaping the surface of Mars and other planets. Size–frequency statistics of craters formed by impact are the main method by which planetary surfaces can be “dated” – older surfaces accumulating craters at a known rate and hence recording when the surface was emplaced.

The latest very high resolution (30cm/pixel) images of Mars’ surface reveal new impact craters that formed in only the last decade and a half. Many of these craters are only a few tens of metres in diameter. These images have also revealed the presence of ice in some of the new craters, suggesting the presence of water-ice just below the surface. Other images suggest that small impact craters can have significantly non-circular shapes based on the properties of the material into which the meteorite impacted. Further work is required to understand the effects of varying surface/sub-surface materials and ice content on the cratering process, and how small craters in ice-rich material evolve in the martian environment.

The student will use the hypervelocity “gun” facility at the Open University to fire projectiles into a variety of targets. The facility is unique in that a range of incidence angles, target compositions and planetary environments can be simulated. In this project a low temperature, low pressure environmental chamber will be used. A range of experiments will be tackled including impacts into ice-rich targets, impact into targets including buried or surface “boulders”, impact onto intersections between two target types, and impacts into sedimentary targets of different particle sizes. Hydrocode modelling will be used in parallel with the experiments to constrain scaling relations.

Project aims:

1. Further understand the processes involved during martian hypervelocity impact events.
2. Investigate how surface properties affect final crater size and shape.
3. Study the subsequent alteration of impact craters based on regolith parameters and ice content.
4. Compare the experiment results with recent very high resolution images of recent craters on Mars.

Suitable for "P" graduates - i.e. with a strong physics or other physical science background and who has an interest in planetary sciences. Laboratory experience would be advantageous, but is not essential.


7) Searching for methane on Mars: Environmental Simulation in support of the ExoMars Orbiter mission

Lead supervisor: Dr Manish Patel

This work will involve the simulation of environmental conditions as found on Mars, in order to understand the potential mechanisms for the occurrence of methane in the atmosphere of Mars.

• Prepare Mars analogue regoliths for exposure to martian conditions in customised planetary simulation chambers.
• Analyse the evolution of methane gas as a function of environmental conditions and regolith properties.
• Link this data to existing spacecraft observations of trace gases in the martian atmosphere, and provide input to the ExoMars Trace Gas Orbiter instruments scheduled for launch in 2016.

Recent discoveries of methane in the atmosphere of Mars have sparked many debates over potential sources of this trace gas, which may provide an indicator of biological activity (past or present) on Mars. A dedicated mission called the ExoMars Trace Gas Orbiter has been planned by NASA and ESA to investigate this (and other) gases in the martian atmosphere, in order to understand the processes which are occurring and ultimately aid in the search for life beyond our own planet.

This project offers the opportunity to conduct laboratory research using unique Mars simulation chambers at the Open University, in order to help answer the question of how methane is released into the martian atmosphere, and what/where the potential sources of this biologically relevant gas may be. The student will also have the opportunity to be part of the NOMAD science team preparing for the ExoMars mission in 2016, and the results from this work will feed directly into instrument activities in this exciting upcoming Mars mission.

Suitable for "P" graduates, particularly those with an interest in being involved in space missions.


8) Asteroid photometry

Lead supervisors: Dr Simon Green, Professor John Zarnecki

The SuperWASP extra-solar planet survey project has provided the opportunity to obtain photometry of thousands of bright asteroids from which rotational light curves and phase curves are being derived. The student will investigate one or more of:

• bulk density and structure constraints from spin period and light curve amplitude,
• testing the relationship between phase curves and albedo/spectral type to enable better constraints on the size distribution
• the potential for detection of binary asteroids.

In addition the student will assist with a long-term ESO programme of optical and thermal IR photometry of fast–rotating Near Earth Asteroids which are candidates for detection of the YORP effect.

Suitable for ‘P’ graduates.


9) Measuring planetary heat flow - Performance of subsurface heat flow probes

Lead supervisors: Dr Axel Hagermann, Dr Simon Green

Planetary heat flow is one of the key boundary conditions allowing us to constrain planetary origin and evolution. The project is a theoretical investigation into the accuracy and resolving power of thermal measurements, aimed at assessing the benefits and disadvantages of different types of thermal sensors, predicting expected accuracy and quantifying trade-offs of various methods of thermal measurement, thereby laying the groundwork for the next generation of heat flow experiments. Some experimental work may be included to determine measurement strategies and sensor performance for thermal sensors for the next generation of planetary penetrators.
 
Suitable for ‘P’ or ‘M’ graduates.


10) Precursors of planet formation: survivors from the protoplanetary disk

Lead supervisors: Professor Monica Grady, Dr Ian Franchi, Dr Ian Parkinson

Chondrites are amongst the most primitive of Solar System materials, having aggregated within a few million years of the initial formation of a protoplanetary disk. The most abundant component within chondrites is that of chondrules: mm to sub-mm rounded droplets of silicate grains. The exact mechanism of chondrule formation is unclear, but is assumed to involve flash melting of pre-existing material, followed by rapid cooling; they are not believed to be direct condensates from the nebula. Textures within chondrules suggest there have been several episodes of chondrule formation, with heating and melting of grains.

Although it might seem an unusual comparison, chondrules can be regarded as miniature magma chambers, in which grains crystallise, and then, when subject to a new pulse of heat, become re-sorbed into the magma, subsequently re-crystallising. Such a system can back-react with the magma, or with any gas phases present (e.g., volatiles expelled during heating), depending on whether the system is open or closed. In some chondrules, however, there are relict grains, generally of olivine. These are objects that seem to have escaped later episodes of heating and melting and so might be more representative of the precursor materials from which chondrules formed. There have also been suggestions (although not widely accepted) that relict grains might be primitive nebular condensates, i.e., products of direct gas to solid condensation.

A problem of investigating chondrule genesis is that very few meteorites are truly ‘primitive’, i.e., have not experienced subsequent thermal or aqueous processing on their asteroidal parent. One of the few meteorites that has been identified as being little altered is Acfer 094. Equilibration of Fe and Mg in olivine is dependent on both time and temperature; by modelling Fe/Mg ratios across relict grains, it should be possible to constrain the length of time and/or the temperature at which chondrules have been heated.

This project aims to:

(1) Investigate the mineralogy, mineral chemistry and isotopic composition of chondrules in a number of the most primitive meteorites; (2) Determine the abundance and distribution of relict grains within chondrules in these meteorites; (3) Measure Fe/Mg composition at high spatial resolution and model diffusion rates of the ions through the silicate lattices; (4) Compare theoretical predictions for the composition of nebula materials with results from relict grains, to determine whether the grains may indeed be nebular condensates; (5) Investigate volatile distribution between relict grains, chondrule rims and mesostasis to determine whether chondrule re-heating was an open or closed system processes.

Techniques involved (for which training will be given) include analytical electron microscopy and microprobe; NanoSIMS ion probe; LA-ICP-MS

Suitable for “G” graduates: geologist with geochemistry experience


11) The Original Volatile Components of the Inner Solar System

Lead supervisors: Professor Monica Grady, Dr Ian Franchi

The origin of the atmospheres (and ocean) of the terrestrial planets remains controversial, with current models favoring a late input of volatiles following the principle accretion phase, although the most likely source, comets, have distinct isotopic signatures. Others suggest that the oceans and atmospheres are residues from the original accretion phase.

This project will explore the isotopic and elemental abundance signatures of the halogens and other volatile elements, present in abundance in some primitive meteorites to understand their origin and the form of their host phases. The halogen geochemistry of the early solar system remains poorly understood but offers an important opportunity to explore the abundance of volatile elements in the inner solar system, the processes affecting them, and an opportunity to track volatile elements through the planet formation process.

The work will include detailed mineralogical, chemical and isotopic investigation of enstatite chondrites using analytical electron microscopes, laser Raman microscope, isotope mass spectrometers and NanoSIMS.

Suitable for ‘G’ graduates


12) Oxygen Isotopic Signatures of the Planetary Building Blocks

Lead supervisors: Dr Ian Franchi, Professor Monica Grady

The isotopic signature of oxygen is perhaps the most important parameter in understanding the early solar system. However, the origin of the isotopic variation, particularly the huge range in 17O excesses remains unclear, as does the signature and distribution of oxygen isotopic signatures in the earliest formed components – refractory inclusions and the abundant chondrules and mineral fragments that are the building blocks of the planets.

A number of studies in recent years have questioned the formation of the earliest solids in a “nebula” setting, and proposed chondrules forming during the disruption of evolved bodies that melted and differentiated in the first 1-2 Myrs of the formation of the solar system.

This project will determine the oxygen isotopic signatures of mineral fragments that may be the result of such planetary disruptions in a range of primitive meteorites. The work will include detailed petrographic and isotopic investigation using analytical electron microscopes and the OU NanoSIMS to test the nebula versus planetary origin of so-called early solar system materials.

Suitable for ‘G’ graduates


13) Investigating the chemistry of the interstellar medium

Lead supervisors: Ian Franchi, Sasha Verchovsky, Ian Wright

Primitive meteorites contain grains formed around stars long before the birth of the solar system. New grain isolation techniques now allow the study of mantles formed on these grains as they travelled through the interstellar medium – recording the environments and processes they encountered. This project will use an array of high-resolution analytical techniques (e.g. SEM, TEM, NanoSIMS, and synchrotron micro-analytical tools) to identify the mineralogy and organic material present in the rims and how they relate to different types of pre-solar grains.

Suitable for ‘P’ or ‘G’ graduates


14) Quantifying habitability

Lead supervisors: Dr Axel Hagermann & Professor Charles Cockell

In this project, an approach will be made to theoretically quantify the effect of the full spectrum of electromagnetic radiation on life, from thermal to short wavelength radiation. We will look at functional representations of radiation and its effects in various conditions, from the stellar energy source to representative biota. The project consists mainly of modelling work, with a few biological experiments. It will be applied to understanding planetary conditions for life.

Suitable for ‘P’ graduates


15) Semiconductor Physics and Space Instrumentation

Lead supervisor: Andrew Holland

*** CASE Studentships funded by STFC and e2v technologies ***

The Co-operative Awards in Science and Engineering (CASE) studentships are designed to give students experience outside a purely academic environment. They are based in the e2v centre for electronic imaging (CEI) within PSSRI and benefit from joint supervision by staff from the OU and e2v technologies (www.e2v.com), providing guidance from experienced academics and engineers with industrial relevance. Projects on offer for 2011 are:

a. Radiation damage studies for Gaia and Euclid

To develop laboratory testing of new large area charge coupled devices (CCDs)being used on ESA’s Gaia spacecraft, and those proposed for the Euclid spacecraft, and to explore the impact of space radiation damage on the scientific performance of the instruments. In the case of Gaia, during the studentship, to correlate the laboratory measurements with real data from in-orbit operation of the spacecraft.

b. X-ray Spectroscopy for Chandrayaan-2 and HXMT

The swept charge device (SCD) is going to be used on India’s lunar orbiter Chandrayaan-2 and also on China’s HXMT Astronomy mission. This studentship will be involved with detector evaluation and calibration for these missions, and will particularly investigate the impact of space radiation damage on the degradation of the instrument.

c. X-ray detector developments for Astronomy and other applications

The candidate will perform further investigation into the use of CCDs for direct detection of X-rays, and will particularly explore the emerging field of the use of new CMOS imaging detectors for direct X-ray photon detection. This technology has uses in both future astronomy space missions, plus instruments for planetary science and solar physics. The technology is also of interest to terrestrial applications such as synchrotron research and medical imaging.
 
Suitable for ‘P’ graduates


16) Water on the Moon

Supervisors: Dr Mahesh Anand, Dr Ian Franchi & Professor Sara Russell (The Natural History Museum, London)

Highlights

• Rare opportunity to work with Apollo lunar samples
• Training and application of state-of-the-art analytical instruments and techniques
• Constrain the abundance, nature and source of lunar water

For further details click here.

Suitable for ‘G’ graduates


17) Anomalous enstatite achondrite meteorites - analogues for Mercury's crust

Supervisors: Dr David Rothery, Dr Mahesh Anand, Professor Monica Grady (The Open University), Dr Gretchen Benedix (The Natural History Museum, London)

Highlights

• Study anomalous achondrite meteorites as possible analogues for the crust of the Sun's innermost planet
• Feed ideas for Mercury's crustal composition and evolution to spacecraft instrument teams
• Petrographic and isotopic studies of a rare but important type of meteorite
• Possibly identify the first known meteorite from Mercury

For further details click here.

Suitable for ‘G’ graduates


18) Atmospheric modelling and data assimilation in preparation for the NASA/ESA ExoMars 2016 Trace Gas Orbiter mission

STFC funded PhD Studentship based in Department of Physics and Astronomy, Centre for Earth, Planetary, Space and Astronomical Research, The Open University

Supervisors: Dr Stephen Lewis (Dept of Physics and Astronomy), Dr Manish Patel

This PhD project provides the opportunity to play a key role in the development of modelling and data analysis techniques in support of a spaceflight instrument, ExoMars Climate Sounder (EMCS) to be flown on the joint NASA/ESA ExoMars Trace Gas Orbiter mission, scheduled for launch in 2016.


The project is intended to:

• Develop an existing martian global atmosphere model in close collaboration with a team at The Open University, Oxford University and Laboratoire de Météorologie Dynamique, Paris. The project will focus on the representation of volatile transport, sources and sinks within the model. The project will involve some travel and a co-supervisor in Atmospheric, Oceanic and Planetary Physics at Oxford University.
• Conduct model experiments to support instrument and observing strategy design, working with the EMCS team led by the NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory, USA
• Prepare for the analysis of martian data by assimilation into the global atmospheric model, making use of existing data from the Mars Climate Sounder instrument on the ongoing NASA Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter mission to test the analysis technique and to produce new scientific results in their own right.

The ExoMars Trace Gas Orbiter mission is aimed at furthering our understanding of the martian environment in the context of the search for life, by measuring trace gases, such as methane, in the martian atmosphere from orbit. The EMCS instrument will map daily, global, pole-to-pole profiles of temperature, dust, H₂O and CO₂ ices, and H₂O, vapour, using infrared limb-sounding techniques. Combining the thermal, aerosol and volatile data from EMCS with a model will allow a consistent analysis of the martian climate and the atmospheric transport of trace species, measured by other instruments, can be quantified.

Suitable for graduates with a Physics, Meteorology, Applied Mathematics (or related) undergraduate degree, particularly those with an interest in being directly involved in a space mission.

For further details please contact Dr Stephen Lewis at s.r.lewis@open.ac.uk, or to apply please email the Department's Postgraduate Tutor,
physics-pgtutor@open.ac.uk or for more information about Science at the OU see http://www.open.ac.uk/science/.



19) The chemical signatures of life on Mars: A chemical and isotopic investigation of martian geological processes and the potential role of life.

Supervisors: Dr Victoria Pearson, Dr Manish Patel, Professor Charles Cockell and Professor Monica Grady

This project involves a chemical and isotopic investigation of martian geological processes, the production of secondary minerals and the potential role of life.

1. Investigate the changing subsurface chemistry associated with the generation of alteration minerals on Mars through simulation experiments (chemical and physical processing) using martian analogues.

2. Investigate the role of microbial communities on this geochemical environment.

3. Investigate the behaviour of organic biomarkers within this changing environment.

4. Undertake mineralogical, geochemical and isotope studies of analogue samples

5. Identify potential chemical and isotopic signatures that may distinguish the role of biology from geology.

6. Compare the results of these experiments with the chemical signatures evidenced from martian meteorites.

The martian surface contains abundant secondary minerals such as phyllosilicates, sulfates, carbonates and salts, as evidenced by mineralogical studies of martian meteorites and orbiting spacecraft. The presence of these minerals indicates that there has once been a pervading fluid capable of changing the local chemical environment. In terrestrial systems, these environments are ideal habitats for microbial communities that may impart their own influence on the resulting geochemistry. Work is underway to determine the role of microbial life on the alteration of martian analogues in a simulated martian environment, and this PhD will compliment that work. This project will focus on the geochemical analysis of samples subjected to martian conditions, with and without the intervention of microbial communities. It will also focus on determining possible organic accumulation sites in analogues, which will be extraploated to martian meteorites for targeted organic analysis. This project is best suited to a geology or chemistry undergraduate.

Suitable for ‘G’ graduates



20) A systematic look at cometary activity

Supervisors: Dr Axel Hagermann and Dr Simon Green

The Open University has a considerable involvement in ESA's Rosetta mission. in preparation for the arrival at comet 67P/Churyumov-Gerasimenko, we are offering a PhD project investigating the near-surface processes of a cometary nuclei. In addition to our PI role for the Ptolemy instrument to determine isotopic composition of the cometary ices, we are co-investigators for the MUPUS experiment to determine the physical and thermal properties of the surface materials. In this project, we aim to investigate the physical properties and behaviour of different dust-ice mixtures in our cometary simulation chamber to inform the analysis of the experiments on board the Rosetta lander, Philae.

Suitable for ‘P’ graduates