RUI: Infrared Spectroscopy of the Martian Atmosphere

有鉴于此，IONA学院的Robert Novak博士打算继续对火星大气中的臭氧和水进行季节性研究，以确定火星大气中D/H的季节变化和纬度变化，确定大气中一氧化碳的碳和氧同位素比率。这些研究将为模拟火星大气的理论家和未来的太空任务提供有用的科学信息。第一项调查是目前美国国家科学基金会拨款(AST-0205397)的继续，它将绘制整个火星一年的大气臭氧和水的地图。目标是为火星上的四季各制作两张地图。北方初春的日期应该特别有趣，因为据信臭氧水平在一年中的那个时候迅速增加。第二项调查是测定重氢的比例，初步工作表明，从北到南，从一个季节到下一个季节，这个比例都有很大的变化。初步调查将扩展为全面研究。同样，初步调查表明，可以清楚地检测到一氧化碳的同位素形式(13C16O、12C17O和12C18O)。这些调查将使用地面望远镜(如NASA的IRTF)上的高分辨率红外光谱仪(如CSHELL)进行。大气建模人员已经并将使用臭氧数值来更好地了解火星大气的动态。D/H测量将更好地洞察火星大气的历史，并将有助于计划即将到来的火星着陆器任务。碳和氧的同位素比率应该可以解决关于这些同位素分馏系数的理论和当前观测结果之间的差异。这些信息的传播将通过会议报告、出版物以及与索取这些信息的人直接沟通的方式进行。本科生将参与该项目的所有方面，包括在望远镜上(或从望远镜远程)积累数据，减少和分析所采集的数据，以及在科学会议上展示结果。诺瓦克博士是一名物理学教授；他将把这个项目的方方面面应用到他教授的课程中，特别是在文科和商科专业的课程中。他将继续接触当地社区，主持望远镜之夜，为当地学校班级和当地团体(如童子军和业余天文学家)讲课，并为当地学校教师举办行星天文学研讨会。该奖项是通过NSF的本科生机构研究(RUI)项目颁发的。***

AST 0505765NovakWith this award, Dr. Robert Novak of Iona College intends too Continue seasonal investigations of Mars atmospheric ozone and watero Determine the seasonal and latitudinal variation of D/H in the Martian atmosphereo Determine isotopic ratios for carbon and oxygen in atmospheric carbon monoxideThese investigations will provide useful scientific information for theoreticians who are modeling Mars' atmosphere and for a future space mission. The first investigation is a continuation of a current NSF grant (AST-0205397) that will map atmospheric ozone and water throughout an entire Martian year. The goal is to produce two maps for each of the four seasons on Mars. The early northern spring date should be especially interesting since the ozone level is believed to be rapidly increasing during that time of the year. The second investigation, a determination of the deuterium to hydrogen ratio, is based on preliminary work that indicates that this ratio changes considerably from north to south and from one season to the next. The preliminary investigations will expand into a full study. Likewise, preliminary investigations have shown that isotopic forms of carbon monoxide (13C16O, 12C17O, and 12C18O) can be clearly detected. These investigations will be conducted using a high resolution infrared spectrometer (such as CSHELL) on a ground based telescope (such as NASA's IRTF). The ozone values have been and would be used by atmospheric modelers to obtain a better understanding of the dynamics of the Martian atmosphere. The D/H measurements will give better insights into the history of the Mars atmosphere and will help plan an upcoming mission for a Mars Lander. The isotopic ratio for C and O should solve differences between theory and current observations concerning fractionation factors of these isotopes. The dissemination ofthis information will be through conference presentations, publications, and direct communication with those requesting this information. Undergraduate students will participate in all aspects of the project, including, accumulation of data at (or remotely from) a telescope, reduction and analysis of the data taken, and presentation of the results at scientific conferences. Dr. Novak, is a professor of physics; he will apply aspects of this project to the courses he teaches, especially in courses for Liberal Arts and Business majors. He will continue to reach out to the local community by hosting telescope nights, giving talks to local school classes and to local groups such as scout troops and amateur astronomers, and running workshops for local school teachers in planetary astronomy. This award is made through the Research in Undergraduate Institutions (RUI) program at NSF. ***