February 26, 2020
Spacecrafts are advancing deeper and deeper into our solar system. They deliver breathtaking images from space as well as increasingly more comprehensive data. In order to make better use of it, the European research network "Europlanet" promotes the connection and exchange between planetary researchers. It streamlines access to current research results, laboratory facilities, and data within the European Research Area. Part of this international network is a group of young researchers working with Angelo Pio Rossi, Professor of Earth and Planetary Research at Jacobs University.
Mapping the surfaces of Mars, Mercury, and the Moon is one of the specialties of the scientists at Jacobs University, which they contribute to the network. Geological maps reflect the observations and evaluations of processes on or below the surface of planetary bodies and their history. They are thus a direct aid in their exploration.
In addition, the scientists prepare and visualize large amounts of data. They create virtual observatories, which allow better data access, contributing to an improved understanding of processes in our solar system. Besides Prof. Rossi, Dr. Carlos Brandt, Erica Luzzi and Giacomo Nodjoumi from the Planetary Science research group at Jacobs University are involved. The project at Jacobs University is supported by the EU with 250,000 euros and will run for four years. Altogether, the EU funds the program with 10 million euros.
Europlanet 2024, the “European Planetology network” currently includes research institutions- and societies from 21 European nations. The network has a long tradition. The EU funded it for the first time in 2005. With more than 200 research groups, Europe has one of the largest international communities of planetary scientists. In Germany, besides Jacobs University, the German Aerospace Center, the University of Passau and the Westphalian Wilhelms University of Münster are involved in Europlanet 2024.
Questions answers:
Dr. Angelo Pio Rossi | Professor of Earth and Planetary Science
an.rossi [at] jacobs-university.de | Phone: +49 421 200-3153