CAREER: A multi-faceted investigation of the astromineralogy and evolution of dust around low- and intermediate mass evolved stars

职业：低质量和中等质量演化恒星周围的天体矿物学和尘埃演化的多方面研究[j]: Angela K speck博士。斑点将研究的确切性质低收入和中等质量恒星周围的尘埃颗粒(LIMS),因为(1)这就是尘埃产生之前被驱逐到星际介质(ISM)和参与其他天体物理过程,从而了解其初始状态将允许一个更准确的预测和影响其命运的ISM和超越,(2)这些LIMS周围的环境是相对良性的,从而简化了化学,这有助于理解游戏过程。Speck博士将使用一系列技术，包括光谱学、成像和建模，结合新的实验室数据，并考虑到理论模型和陨石研究，以提供LIMS周围尘埃形成性质的知识。这项研究还将评估尘埃形成如何随着恒星演化而变化。通过这种方式，可以确定化学和密度对尘埃形成的影响，从而允许测试和改进现有的尘埃形成和演化模型，这些模型可以应用于许多天体物理环境。研究星周尘埃的一个主要问题是，它包含了许多明显不同的物理科学方面（物理学、天文学、地质学和化学）。为了提供这些知识的背景和框架，斯派克博士将在宇宙化学中引入一门高级/研究生天体物理学课程，这门课程也将向其他系的学生开放。Speck博士的研究是专门为各个层次的学生（本科生、硕士和博士）设计的，因此分为模块块。通过这种方式，所进行的研究也允许在这些不同层次上培训学生。斯佩克博士将继续努力招收和指导女研究生以及来自其他代表性不足群体的学生。该奖项由美国国家科学基金会天文科学部资助

CAREER: A multi-faceted investigation of the astromineralogy and evolution of dust around low- and intermediate mass evolved starsAbstractAST-0642991PI: Angela K SpeckDr. Speck will study the precise nature of dust grains around low- and intermediate-mass stars (LIMS) because (1) this is where the dust originates before being expelled into the interstellar medium (ISM) and participating in many other astrophysical processes, and thus knowing its initial states will allow for a more accurate prediction of its fate in and effect on the ISM and beyond and (2) the environment around most of these LIMS is relatively benign and thus has simplified chemistry, which facilitates the understanding of the processes in play. Dr. Speck will use a range of techniques including spectroscopy, imaging and modeling, incorporating new laboratory data and taking into account theoretical models and meteoritic studies to provide knowledge of the nature of dust forming around LIMS. This study will also assess how dust formation changes with stellar evolution. In this way, the effect of chemistry and density on dust formation can be determined, allowing testing and refinement of existing models for dust formation and evolution and which can be applied to many astrophysical environments.One of the major problems in investigating circumstellar dust is that it incorporates so many apparently disparate aspects of the physical sciences (physics, astronomy, geology, and chemistry). In order to provide a background and framework for such knowledge, Dr. Speck will introduce an upper level/graduate astrophysics course in cosmochemistry that will be open to students from other departments as well. Dr. Speck's research is specifically designed to involve students at all levels (undergraduate, masters and doctoral) and therefore breaks down into modular chunks. In this way the research undertaken also allows for training of students at these various levels. Dr. Speck will continue her effort to recruit and mentor female graduate students as well as students from other underrepresented groups.This award is funded by the NSF Division of Astronomical Sciences