Infrared Studies of Astrophysical Dust

尘埃颗粒在星际空间中大量产生， 特别是恒星质量损失的副产品。 例如：nova 爆炸，沃尔夫-拉叶星，以及几乎所有的红巨星。 随着时间的推移，尘埃颗粒与 星际介质，它们经历结构的变化， 成为彗星和流星体的一部分。 主要研究者（PI）建议继续开展 目前NSF资助的天文红外观测计划， 物理尘埃颗粒 他们将确定化学物质 矿物的组成、矿物性质和粒度分布 在已知的三种环境中的颗粒： 恒星系统、星际介质和太阳系。 谷物特性的差异预计会产生 关于可冷凝水的生产和加工的信息 银河系中的元素由于恒星的演化。 结果可能 有助于解释为什么超新星冲击和星际加热 年轻的恒星不会破坏星际尘埃，因为理论上 预言。

Dust grains are produced abundantly in interstellar space, in particular as a byproduct of mass loss by stars. Examples are nova explosions, Wolf-Rayet stars, and virtually all red giant stars. In the course of time, dust grains intermingle with the interstellar medium, they undergo changes in structure, and they become incorporated in such objects as comets and meteoroids. The Principal Investigators (PIs) propose to continue with their current NSF-funded program of infrared observations of astro- physical dust grains. They will determine the chemical compositions, mineral properties, and size distributions of the grains in the three environments in which they are know to occur: stellar systems, interstellar medium, and solar system. Differences in the grains' properties are expected to yield information about the production and processing of condensable elements in the Galaxy due to stellar evolution. The results may help explain why supernova shocks and heating of the interstellar medium by young stars do not destroy interstellar dust, as theory predicts.