RUI: High Resolution Infrared Spectroscopy and Characterization of Comets

AST 0098411Magee-SauerDr.罗文大学的卡伦·马吉-绍尔将测量和比较几颗彗星中乙炔、氰化氢和氨的丰度。 天然冰的组成是彗星科学中的一个基本问题。 它们的特征是确定太阳系形成过程的核心。 该项目的重点是利用迅速扩大的地面红外光谱学领域，通过对几种关键的挥发性物质进行定量测量，确定彗星的组成。 长缝红外光谱提供的高光谱和空间分辨率使检测每个物种的多种发射特征成为可能，并产生有关其生产的信息。 在有利的条件下，空间分布可以分别识别从彗发中产生的物质和从原子核释放的物质。 这将有助于回答彗星中纳塔尔冰的组成这一基本问题，并有助于限制太阳系形成的模型。 该项目由NSF的本科院校研究（RUI）计划资助。

AST 0098411Magee-SauerDr. Karen Magee-Sauer, at Rowan University, will measure and compare abundances of acetylene, hydrogen cyanide, and ammonia in several comets. The composition of native ices is a fundamental question in cometary science. Their characterization is central to identifying the processes that occurred during formation of the Solar System. The focus of this project is to utilize the rapidly expanding field of ground-based infrared spectroscopy to determine cometary composition through quantitative measurements of several key volatile species. The high spectral and spatial resolution afforded by long-slit infrared spectroscopy enable the detection of multiple emission features of each species, and yield information on their productions. Under favorable conditions, the spatial profiles can separately identify material released form the nucleus from that produced in the coma. This will help answer the basic question of the composition of natal ices in comets, and help constrain models of Solar System formation. This project is funded under the Research at Undergraduate Institutions (RUI) program at NSF.***