RUI: High Resolution Infrared Spectroscopy and Characterization of Comets

AST 0098411 Magee-SauerDR.罗文大学的Karen Magee-Sauer将测量和比较几颗彗星中乙炔、氰化氢和氨的丰度。天然冰的组成是彗星科学中的一个基本问题。它们的特征对于确定太阳系形成期间发生的过程至关重要。该项目的重点是利用迅速扩大的地面红外光谱领域，通过对几个关键挥发性物质的定量测量来确定彗星的组成。长缝红外光谱提供的高光谱和空间分辨率使得能够检测每个物种的多种发射特征，并产生关于其产品的信息。在有利的条件下，空间分布可以区分从原子核释放的物质和在彗发中产生的物质。这将有助于回答彗星中新生冰的组成这一基本问题，并有助于约束太阳系形成的模型。该项目由美国国家科学基金会本科生研究所(RUI)项目资助。

AST 0098411Magee-SauerDr. Karen Magee-Sauer, at Rowan University, will measure and compare abundances of acetylene, hydrogen cyanide, and ammonia in several comets. The composition of native ices is a fundamental question in cometary science. Their characterization is central to identifying the processes that occurred during formation of the Solar System. The focus of this project is to utilize the rapidly expanding field of ground-based infrared spectroscopy to determine cometary composition through quantitative measurements of several key volatile species. The high spectral and spatial resolution afforded by long-slit infrared spectroscopy enable the detection of multiple emission features of each species, and yield information on their productions. Under favorable conditions, the spatial profiles can separately identify material released form the nucleus from that produced in the coma. This will help answer the basic question of the composition of natal ices in comets, and help constrain models of Solar System formation. This project is funded under the Research at Undergraduate Institutions (RUI) program at NSF.***