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Optical Properties of Astronomical Silicates with Infrared Techniques (OPASI-T)Astronomical dust is observed in a variety of astrophysical environments and plays an important role in radiative processes and chemical evolution in the galaxy. Depending upon the environment, dust can be either carbon-rich or oxygen-rich (silicate grains). Both astronomical observations and ground-based data show that the optical properties of silicates can change dramatically with the crystallinity of the material, and recent laboratory research provides evidence that the optical properties of silicate dust vary as a function of temperature as well. Therefore, correct interpretation of a vast array of astronomical data relies on the understanding of the properties of silicate dust as functions of wavelength, temperature, and crystallinity. The OPASI-T (Optical Properties of Astronomical Silicates with Infrared Techniques) project addresses the need for high quality optical characterization of metal-enriched silicate condensates using a variety of techniques. A combination of both new and established experiments are used to measure the extinction, reflection, and emission properties of amorphous silicates across the infrared (near infrared to millimeter wavelengths), providing a comprehensive data set characterizing the optical parameters of dust samples. We present room temperature measurements and the experimental apparatus to be used to investigate and characterize additional metal-silicate materials.
Document ID
20100031076
Acquisition Source
Goddard Space Flight Center
Document Type
Conference Paper
Authors
Rinehart, Stephen
(NASA Goddard Space Flight Center Greenbelt, MD, United States)
Date Acquired
August 25, 2013
Publication Date
January 1, 2010
Subject Category
Astronomy
Meeting Information
Meeting: Herschel and the Formation of Stars and Planetary Systems
Location: Gothenburg
Country: Sweden
Start Date: September 6, 2010
End Date: September 9, 2010
Distribution Limits
Public
Copyright
Work of the US Gov. Public Use Permitted.

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