The History of Comets and Our Planetary System as Inferred from D/H ratio, Spin Temperature, and Native Volatile Composition

从 D/H 比、自转温度和天然挥发性成分推断彗星和我们行星系统的历史

• 批准号: 0807939
• 负责人: Boncho Bonev
• 金额: $ 20.36万
• 依托单位: Catholic University of America
• 依托单位国家: 美国
• 项目类别: Standard Grant
• 财政年份: 2008
• 资助国家: 美国
• 起止时间: 2008-09-01 至 2012-08-31
• 项目状态: 已结题
• 来源: https://www.nsf.gov/awardsearch/showAward?AWD_ID=0807939&HistoricalAwards=false
• 关键词: History; Comets; Our; Planetary; System

AST-0807939BonevComets are remnants from the early solar system, and are believed to be the most primitive objects around, representative of the material from which the solar system formed. Studying comets therefore provides a vital link to understanding the origin and evolution of our planetary system. This project will use high-resolution infrared spectroscopy to investigate: (1) the deuterium-to-hydrogen (D/H) ratio in water and methane, its variability within the comet population, and how it compares with D/H ratio measurements elsewhere in the solar system, (2) how the spin temperatures of water and methane vary among the comet population, and (3) the possible classification of comets by their organic volatile composition. The near-infrared contains multiple lines of each species and thus permits the simultaneous search for a number of parent molecules. This research addresses the pressing question of how the degree of deuteration, the spin temperature, and the relative chemical abundances in cometary volatiles, relate to each other and to formation and evolution models for the early solar system. By understanding the diversity of the native volatile abundances, it also addresses observationally the hypothesis of the 'cometary origin' of the terrestrial biosphere.The research is integrated with secondary school and undergraduate education, including educating teachers and fostering research projects for secondary school students. This will involve both the primary research area and related fundamental fields (physics, chemistry, and biology), and in both metropolitan areas (Washington, DC for PI Dr Boncho Bonev, and Saint Louis, MO for CoPI Dr Erika Gibb). Undergraduate student participants will take part in professional astronomical observing runs and in local and national conferences.

AST-0807939Bonev彗星是早期太阳系的残余物，被认为是周围最原始的物体，代表了太阳系形成的物质。 因此，研究彗星为了解我们行星系统的起源和演化提供了重要的联系。 该项目将使用高分辨率红外光谱来研究：(1) 水和甲烷中的氘氢 (D/H) 比率、其在彗星群中的变异性，以及它与其他地方的 D/H 比率测量结果的比较在太阳系中，（2）彗星群中水和甲烷的自旋温度如何变化，以及（3）根据彗星的有机挥发物成分对彗星进行可能的分类。 近红外包含每个物种的多条线，因此允许同时搜索许多母体分子。 这项研究解决了一个紧迫的问题，即氘化程度、自旋温度和彗星挥发物中的相对化学丰度如何相互关联，以及如何与早期太阳系的形成和演化模型相关。 通过了解本地挥发性丰度的多样性，它还通过观察解决了陆地生物圈“彗星起源”的假设。该研究与中学和本科教育相结合，包括教育教师和培养中学生的研究项目。 这将涉及主要研究领域和相关基础领域（物理、化学和生物学），以及两个大都市地区（PI 博士 Boncho Bonev 位于华盛顿特区，CoPI 博士 Erika Gibb 位于密苏里州圣路易斯）。 本科生参与者将参加专业的天文观测活动以及地方和国家会议。