Collaborative Research: Laboratory and Observational Investigations of Aluminum Oxide Analogs of Stardust

合作研究：星尘氧化铝类似物的实验室和观测研究

• 批准号: 2109340
• 负责人: Benjamin Sargent
• 金额: $ 6.82万
• 依托单位: Johns Hopkins University
• 依托单位国家: 美国
• 项目类别: Standard Grant
• 财政年份: 2021
• 资助国家: 美国
• 起止时间: 2021-09-01 至 2024-08-31
• 项目状态: 已结题
• 来源: https://www.nsf.gov/awardsearch/showAward?AWD_ID=2109340&HistoricalAwards=false
• 关键词: Collaborative; Research; Laboratory; Observational; Investigations

We, and the world around us, are made of stardust. The goal of this project is to learn more about the nature of that stardust. Some dying stars produce dust made of aluminum and oxygen, which the investigators will study through both astronomical observations and laboratory work. In the lab, the team will make new aluminum oxide dust types to understand how they interact with light. The investigators’ lab measurements will be a guide to understanding how dust forms in space. The astronomical observations trace how the material condenses in molecular clouds to form stars, planets, and, eventually, life. Astronomy is a gateway science, one of the first that excites children. As part of this project, the investigators will also promote science across the K-12 curriculum and will benefit many children in the diverse city of San Antonio. Most San Atonio school districts are majority Hispanic. The team will target students from under-represented groups, by providing cutting edge research via a well-tested spectroscopy demo. They will create a classroom demonstration that relates light and colors to the science curriculum, which will align with Texas' science standards (Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills; TEKS).The team will (1) produce, characterize, and determine optical properties of stardust analogs composed of aluminum and oxygen; and (2) apply these optical properties to understanding dust formation around low- and intermediate-mass evolved stars. In particular, the investigators will compare lab-measured spectral features to those seen in observational (mostly infrared) spectra. New dust analogs will be prepared using four synthesis methods: smoke production, heating of hydrated aluminous solid, laser ablation, and a hot filament reactor. These samples will be characterized structurally and chemically by electron microscopy, and spectroscopically in the visible to mid-infrared, in order to determine their complex dielectric functions. Many of the astronomical observations are already complete, including mid-infrared spectra of nearby stars from the NSF-supported Gemini Telescopes. They will also use the data to refine theoretical models for how dust forms around these stars.This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.

我们和我们周围的世界都是由星尘制成的。该项目的目的是更多地了解该星尘的性质。一些垂死的星星产生由铝和氧气制成的灰尘，研究人员将通过天文学观察和实验室工作进行研究。在实验室中，团队将制作新的氧化铝粉尘类型，以了解它们与光的相互作用。研究人员的实验室测量将是了解尘埃在太空中的形成方式的指南。天文观察结果追踪了分子云中的材料如何形成恒星，行星以及最终生命。天文学是一门门户科学，是第一个令人兴奋的孩子的科学之一。作为该项目的一部分，研究人员还将促进整个K-12课程的科学，并使多样性城市圣安东尼奥的许多儿童受益。大多数圣塔托尼奥学区是大多数西班牙裔。该团队将通过经过良好测试的光谱演示提供尖端研究，以来自代表性不足的群体的学生为目标。他们将创建一个教室演示，将光和色彩与科学课程相关联，该课程将与得克萨斯州的科学标准（德克萨斯州的基本知识和技能； Teks）保持一致。团队将（1）（1）制作，表征和确定由铝和氧气组成的星尘类似物的光学特性； （2）将这些光学特性应用于低质量和中间质量进化的恒星周围的尘埃形成。特别是，研究人员将将实验室测量的光谱特征与观测（主要是红外线）光谱中看到的光谱特征进行比较。将使用四种合成方法制备新的尘埃类似物：烟雾产生，水合铝固体加热，激光消融和热丝丝反应器。这些样品将通过电子显微镜在结构和化学上进行表征，并在可见至中红外的光谱中表征，以确定其复杂的词典函数。许多天文观测已经完成，包括来自NSF支持的双子座望远镜的附近恒星的中红外光谱。他们还将使用数据来完善理论模型，以了解这些星星周围的灰尘如何形成。该奖项反映了NSF的法定任务，并使用基金会的知识分子优点和更广泛的影响审查标准，被视为通过评估来获得珍贵的支持。