CAREER: Fundamental Measurements of Mineral Optical Properties and Theoretical Treatment of Light Scattering at Infrared Wavelengths

该项目的研究目标是(1)确定33种对行星天文研究有重要意义的矿物和玻璃的中红外MIR(~5-100微米)光学常数(实数和虚数折射率；n和k)，重点是单斜和三斜矿物，以及(2)开发和测试最先进的电动力学模型，最终可以使用所得到的光学常数来定量确定遥感物体的矿物学。该模型通过精确求解每个波/粒子界面上的麦克斯韦方程来确定球团的散射特性。这项工作的更广泛影响包括几个教育部分。PI将指导一名博士后、研究生和多名本科生。由国际学生联合会开发的研究生课程和教师研讨会材料将通过位于卡尔顿学院的NSF资助的科学教育资源中心(SERC)网站向更广泛的教育界提供。由国际和平协会计划的教师讲习班将加强整个长岛和纽约州的高中生对地球科学的教育。长岛有多个少数族裔学区，因此研讨会很有可能对长岛的少数族裔产生广泛影响。研究活动很重要，因为大多数太阳系天体的表面由粗颗粒和细颗粒组成，这很难定量建模。理解这种材料的性质是理解这些物体的组成的首要问题。在这些研究目标的工作取得进展的同时，国际地球科学研究所还将扩大石溪大学的地球科学研究生课程，并开发材料来培训K-12教师遥感、矿物学和行星科学。这项提议的课程目标是(1)开发和实施一门关于光谱学在行星科学中的应用的本科生/研究生高级课程，(2)开发介绍性讲义材料和实验室练习，展示如何利用航天器任务数据来了解行星表面，以及3)为中学地球科学教师开发和实施为期一天的继续教育讲习班，重点是矿物学、光谱学和行星科学的互动作用，利用前面所述的讲座和实验材料。

The research objectives of this project are to (1) determine the mid-IR MIR (~5-100 µm) optical constants (real and imaginary indices of refraction; n and k) of 33 minerals and glasses of importance to planetary astronomical research, with a focus on monoclinic and triclinic minerals, and (2) to develop and test a state-of-the-art electrodynamic model that ultimately can use the derived optical constants to quantitatively determine the mineralogy of remotely-sensed objects. This model determines the scattering properties of clusters of spheres by exactly solving Maxwell's equations at each wave/particle interface. The broader impacts of this work include several educational components. The PI will mentor a postdoc, graduate student, and multiple undergraduates. The graduate course and teacher workshop materials developed by the PI will be made available to the broader educational community through the NSF-funded Science Education Resource Center (SERC) site at Carleton College. The teacher workshop planned by the PI will enhance the education of high school Earth Science students throughout Long Island and New York State. Long Island has multiple 'majority minority' school districts, so there is a strong likelihood of the workshop having a broad impact on minorities on Long Island.The research activities are important since most solar system objects have surfaces consisting of mixtures of coarse and fine particulates, which are difficult to quantitatively model. Understanding the nature of this material is a first order problem in understanding the compositions of these bodies. While work is progressing on these research objectives, the PI will also expand the graduate geosciences curriculum at Stony Brook University and develop materials to train K-12 teachers in remote sensing, mineralogy, and planetary science. The curricular objectives of this proposal are (1) development and implementation of an advanced undergraduate/graduate course in Applications of Spectroscopy to Planetary Science, (2) development of introductory lecture materials and laboratory exercises that demonstrate the use of spacecraft mission data to learn about planetary surfaces, and 3) development and implementation of a 1-day, continuing education workshop for high school earth science teachers focusing on the interactive roles of mineralogy, spectroscopy, and planetary science, utilizing the lecture and lab materials previously described.