Planetary Astronomy-Understanding the Origin of the Solar System

TL;DR

This paper discusses the Canadian planetary science community's research areas, current collaborations, and strategic recommendations to enhance scientific impact through data sharing, participation in international missions, and infrastructure development.

Contribution

It proposes specific initiatives like hosting a data center, supporting spectroscopy and small body measurements, and increasing Canadian involvement in space missions.

Findings

Canadian planetary scientists are active in meteoritics, asteroid studies, and space weather.

Recommendations include joining LSST and hosting a data center at CADC.

Support for small body characterization and space mission participation is emphasized.

Abstract

There is a vibrant and effective planetary science community in Canada. We do research in the areas of meteoritics, asteroid and trans-Neptunian object orbits and compositions, and space weather, and are involved in space probe missions to study planetary surfaces and interiors. For Canadian planetary scientists to deliver the highest scientific impact possible, we have several recommendations. Our top recommendation is to join LSST and gain access to the full data releases by hosting a data centre, which could be done by adding to the CADC, which is already highly involved in hosting planetary data and supporting computational modelling for orbital studies. We also support MSE, which can provide spectroscopy and thus compositional information for thousands of small bodies. We support a Canadian-led microsatellite, POEP, which will provide small body sizes by measuring occultations. We support the idea of piggybacking space weather instruments on other astronomical space probes to provide data for the space weather community. Many Canadian planetary scientists are involved in space probe missions, but through haphazard and temporary arrangements like co-appointments at US institutions, so we would like the community to support Canadian researchers to participate in these large, international missions.