ANNOUNCING A NEW COURSE FOR SPRING, 2003

OCE 592/OCG 594: Exploring Europa's Ocean: Science and Technology

DRAFT DESCRIPTION

Jupiter's ice-covered satellite Europa is a likely target for outer solar system exploration in the next decade. Its interactions with Jupiter and its sister satellites subject Europa to tremendous tidal stresses. Tidal energy is speculated to sustain a liquid ocean at some depth beneath Europa's icy surface. Europa is widely considered to be one of the few bodies in our solar system where life may exist separate from Earth.

This course will begin by introducing students to what has been observed of Europa and what has been inferred from those observations. Particular emphasis will be placed on questioning inferences, identifying critical foci for future studies, and proposing analytical approaches/missions to address those foci. Engineering design constraints will be discussed for a number of data collection systems, including remote sensing, surface sampling, and subsurface penetrating systems. Specific system concepts will include autonomous underwater vehicles, ice penetrating robots, and micro-machines. Communication and networking scenarios using subsurface acoustic modems and radio will be covered.

The course will meet once a week. Sessions will include introductory lectures, class discussions, and student presentations. Students will be required to attend each session, read articles relevant to each seminar, and actively participate in student team activities and course discussions. Students will be responsible for and graded on creativity and problem solving in a team environment. (3 credits). Instructors: Steven D'Hondt (GSO) and James Miller (OCE). Schedule: Wed 4:15-6:15 pm. Watkins 14.
For further information, please contact Steven D'Hondt (874-6808; dhondt@gso.uri.edu) or James Miller (874-6540; miller@oce.uri.edu).

SYLLABUS

Background Lectures

The solar system: planets, moons. Celestial Mechanics.

The Nature of Europa
Surface Europa
Temperature, pressure, radiation.
Remote observations of Europa's surface morphology
http://abcnews.go.com/sections/science/DailyNews/europa0302.html
Remote observations and inferences of Europa's surface composition
Subsurface Europa
Models of Europan ice thickness.
Models of Europan core, mantle, etc.

Europa: guest lecture by James Head (Director of Brown University's Planetary Science Group, past Europa mission participant).

Ice Physics: guest lecture by David Farmer

Models of Europan energy sources? (sunlight, chemical compounds, radioactivity, tides…)

The nature of life.
Prokaryotes and eukaryotes. Viruses.
Chemical composition of living systems
Metabolic processes: sources of carbon and energy, electron acceptors and donors, photosynthesis and chemosynthesis, anabolic and catabolic pathways

Team brainstorming. Break class into 3-4 teams. Topics: What questions to address? How to address them?

Engineering Design Presentations

NASA Program Management Process Description (NPG7120.5B)
(see http://appl.nasa.gov/resources/nasa_policies.html)
Project Management Paradigm
Risk Analysis Paradigm

Sensor Discussion
How do we collect data from the depths of Europa?
Seismic measurements
Chemical measurements

Power Discussion
How do we get power instruments? How do we power any penetrator? What risk factors are inherent in different power plant designs? See NPG7120.5B for discussion on power plant risk.

Communications Discussion
How do we get that data back to Earth?

Stationary, mobile, and orbiting instrument platforms
Particular focus on autonomous underwater vehicle and ice penetrator design constraints

Team Solution Presentations

Preliminary Design Review (Week 7)

Critical Design Review (Week 11)

Final Design Presentations (Week 15)