Restricted Research - Award List, Note/Discussion Page
Fiscal Year: 2023
2408 The University of Texas at San Antonio (144296)
Principal Investigator: Speck, Angela
Total Amount of Contract, Award, or Gift (Annual before 2011): $ 121,169
Exceeds $250,000 (Is it flagged?): No
Start and End Dates: 10/1/22 - 9/30/25
Restricted Research: YES
Academic Discipline: none
Department, Center, School, or Institute: Cos Physics & Astronomy
Title of Contract, Award, or Gift: Laboratory and Observational Astronomical Investigations of Aluminum Oxide Analogs of Stardust - STScI 52541
Name of Granting or Contracting Agency/Entity:
Space Telescope Science Institute
CFDA: 0
Program Title: none
Note:
SAMs 1.1.1; The primary goals of this research proposal are to produce, characterize, and determine optical properties of stardust analogs composed of aluminum and oxygen and to apply said optical properties to understanding dust formation around low- and intermediate-mass evolved stars by constructing astrophysical models. In particular, we compare lab-measured spectral features to those seen in observational (mostly infrared) spectra. Afterwards, we will characterize the samples. Microscopy (e.g., using TEM and SEM) will reveal sample morphology (grain size and shape). X-ray diffraction will be used to determine the crystal structures of material present in the samples. Differential Scanning Calorimetry will provide thermodynamic information. We will obtain visible to mid-IR reflection and transmission spectra of the various alumina samples to determine their complex refractive indices. With alumina polymorph opacities and refractive indices, we will construct models to fit to observed astronomical data spanning a range of wavelengths, at least from the optical to the mid-infrared. We will also use the spectroscopic and thermodynamic lab data to explore how dust forms around AGB stars.
Discussion: No discussion notes