The exploration of the solar system has always been one of the most fascinating visions and continues to pose great challenges to mankind. The celestial bodies of the solar system can be studied with the help of modern astronomical methods using ground- and space-based telescopes, but can also be reached by space probes and explored on site.
A wide variety of space missions are currently being prepared and planned. The technologies required for this are complex and depend heavily on the goals of the missions. Therefore, these technologies must always be further developed or newly invented, and a deeper understanding of the physics of the solar system is a fundamental prerequisite for this.
This module is the basis for studying solar system physics. The students learn there how to formulate the empirical and theoretical foundations of modern solar and heliospheric physics as well as the formation and development of the solar system and can formulate them. They can apply these fundamentals to astro-, heliophysical and planetological problems.
2 lectures/exercises: “Formation and Evolution of the Solar System” and “The Sun and Heliosphere”.
The lecture is about small bodies located at (Transneptunian Objects, TNOs) or originating from (comets) beyond the orbit of Neptune.
After that course the students can give an overview of the populations of TNOs and comets in the solar system and over past space missions to such objects. They can explain measurement methods relevant to cometary sciences and apply them to simple data sets, and are able to describe physical models currently used in this field.
Offered in uneven years.
The module gives an overview of plasma physics of planetary magnetospheres.
The students understand the empirical and theoretical fundaments of plasma physics of planetary magnetospheres and are able to formulate them. After the course they can apply these fundamentals to problems in planetary magnetospheres and can independently select a suitable combination of methods for a given problem.
The lecture deals with asteroids in our solar system. The students recognise the different classes of asteroids and meteorites and can describe the role of asteroids and meteorites in the wider context of the solar system. They can understand and can describe the most relevant measurement methods used in asteroid research and explain basic physical processing acting on asteroids.
Offered in even years.
The students understand the historical development of space technology since the 1960s and can correlate the benchmarks of their technical development with the steps of increasing knowledge about the planets, moons and small bodies of the solar system. After attending the lecture, they can compare any envisioned future mission scenario with historical missions that have already been successfully performed.
| Disciplines | Physics |
|---|---|
| Semester | summer semester |
| Level of study | Master |
| ECTS Credits | 30 |
| Faculty | Faculty of Electrical Engineering, Information Technology, Physics |
| Institute | Institute for Geophysics and Extraterrestrial Physics |
For further information on the module package, please contact: