In order to apply for any of the following theses or internships, the candidate must have no more than 3 exams left.
This thesis proposal focuses on the analysis of radio occultation opportunities for the ESA JUICE (JUpiter ICy moons Explorer) mission. During its journey through the Jovian system, JUICE will perform radio science experiments in which the spacecraft’s radio signal passes through the atmosphere of Jupiter, as well as through the ionospheres of the Galilean moons. These occultations provide a unique opportunity to probe the vertical structure, composition, and dynamics of these environments.
The main objective of the thesis is to characterize the geometric conditions of the planned radio occultation experiments. The student will compute and analyze the geometry of each occultation event, determining the regions of the atmosphere or ionosphere that will be sampled in terms of latitude, longitude, solar zenith angle (with particular attention to distinguishing between dawn and dusk occultations), as well as to estimating the range of altitudes probed by the radio signal.
The analysis will include the computation of the total number of occultation opportunities for each target body (Jupiter, Io, Europa, Ganymede, and Callisto) and the corresponding observational conditions. The results will be presented along with the trajectory of JUICE during the occultations relative to the planetary and satellite bodies. This work will provide a comprehensive overview of the spatial and temporal coverage of the JUICE radio occultation experiments, supporting the optimization and scientific interpretation of future observations.
Topic: Radio Occultations
Tutor: Andrea Caruso
Uploaded: 14/10/2025
The ESA Gaia mission is best known for its unprecedented stellar catalog, but it has also provided precise observations of thousands of Solar System objects (SSOs). These measurements, released in Gaia Data Release 3, include highly accurate astrometry (right ascension and declination) that are critical for refining the orbital parameters of asteroids and characterizing the overall population of small bodies. By combining Gaia’s data with dynamical models, researchers can evaluate the quality of orbital predictions and gain deeper insight into Solar System dynamics.
Activities:
Conduct a short literature review on the Gaia Focused Product Release and the methods for processing Solar System observations.
Learn how to access Gaia astrometry using API tools and query relevant SSO datasets.
Compute the expected astrometric positions of selected targets using the SPICE toolkit.
Perform a direct comparison between Gaia-reported measurements and computed positions.
Analyze the distribution of residuals and discuss implications for orbital accuracy and Gaia’s contribution to small body characterization.
This project combines data analysis, programming, and orbital dynamics, providing practical experience with one of the most advanced astrometric datasets available.
Topic: Orbital Dynamics / Data Analysis
Tutor: Riccardo Lasagni Manghi
Uploaded: 17/09/2025