Research Initiation Award: Laboratory Investigation of Heterogeneous Chemistry of Exoplanetary Atmospheres

通过研究启动奖的历史黑人学院和大学本科课程(HBCU-UP)为历史黑人学院和大学的初级和职业生涯中期教师提供支持，这些教师正在建立新的研究项目或重新定向和重建现有的研究项目。预计该奖项有助于进一步提高教师的研究能力和有效性，并改善所在机构的研究和教学。行星和系外行星大气的观测和建模方面的进展为空间研究创造了新的机会，以确定人类未来可能的栖息地。模拟系外行星大气环境的模拟实验室实验可能揭示催化表面在大气雾霾和耐火材料形成中的复杂作用。这些实验与数学模型和望远镜观测相结合，可以帮助寻找适合居住的“完美”大气。对少数族裔学生的研究、培训和教育将有助于增加美国科学和工程劳动力中代表性不足的人口群体，同时增强佛罗里达农业和机械大学的研究能力。行星外大气的复杂化学模型经常被用来推断相关的反应和化学成分。然而，这些模型缺乏基本数据，如反应速度和产品的特性，这往往导致无法描述观察结果。因此，模拟大气环境的实验室实验是填补模拟和观测之间差距的关键。首席研究人员建议利用一个实验室，致力于了解行星外大气中的基本物理和化学过程，并调查化学反应。在控制气压、辐射和温度的情况下，模拟行星际环境，研究固体颗粒或液滴表面的非均相大气反应。原位拉曼光谱和非原位表面成像技术有助于表征反应产物。通过计算方法对这些反应的分子机理有了进一步的了解。这些实验和计算可以提供模拟这种大气所需的基本数据，并可能揭示催化表面在气体到颗粒的转化以及雾霾和耐火材料的形成中的复杂作用。该奖项反映了NSF的法定使命，并通过使用基金会的智力优势和更广泛的影响审查标准进行评估，被认为值得支持。

The Historically Black Colleges and Universities Undergraduate Program (HBCU-UP) through Research Initiation Awards provide support for junior and mid-career faculty at Historically Black Colleges and Universities who are building new research programs or redirecting and rebuilding existing research programs. It is expected that the award helps to further the faculty member's research capability and effectiveness and improve research and teaching at the home institution. Advancements in observations and modeling of planetary and exoplanetary atmospheres have created new opportunities in space research to identify potential future habitats for humanity. Simulated laboratory experiments mimicking the atmospheric environments of exoplanets may reveal the complex roles of catalytic surfaces in the formation of atmospheric haze and refractory materials. These experiments, in combination with mathematical models and telescopic observations, can help in the search of the “perfect” atmosphere for habitability. Research, training, and education of minority students will aid in the increase of the under-represented population group in the U.S. science and engineering work force while enhancing the research capabilities of Florida Agricultural and Mechanical University. Sophisticated chemical modeling of exoplanetary atmospheres is often utilized to infer the associated reactions and chemical compositions. However, these models suffer from lack of fundamental data, such as the rate of reactions and identity of products which often leads to a failure to describe the observations. Hence, laboratory experiments simulating atmospheric environments are the key to plug the gap between modeling and observations. The principal investigator is proposing to utilize a laboratory, dedicated to the understanding of fundamental physical and chemical processes in exoplanetary atmospheres and, to investigate chemical reactions. Heterogeneous atmospheric reactions on the surfaces of solid particles or liquid droplets will be investigated at a controlled gas pressure, radiation and temperature, simulating the exoplanetary environments. In situ Raman spectroscopy and ex situ surface imaging techniques help characterize the reaction products. Further insights into the molecular mechanisms of these reactions are gained from computational methods. These experiments and computations can provide fundamental data required to model such atmospheres, and may reveal the complex roles of catalytic surfaces in the conversion of gas-to-particle and formation of haze and refractory materials.This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.