Dan Naylor

PhD student

Research Overview

Soft X-rays are generated within planetary magnetosheaths due to the interaction between neutrals and highly charged solar wind ions. Imaging of these soft X-rays is an emerging technology that aims to build a dynamic and global diagnostic view of the magnetosheath region and explore the solar wind driving of planetary magnetospheres. Soft X-ray imaging technology has recently been deployed as the SXI instrument on the ESA/CAS SMILE mission in May 2026. I am modelling the magnetosheath of Uranus, a highly complex system in which the neutrals sourced from the icy moons may generate interesting X-ray signatures. I aim to investigate soft X-ray emission from the region and to test the viability of X-ray imaging techniques on the planned flagship mission to the Uranian system.