Project 22:
The student will do laboratory work to measure sublimation of volatile outer solar system ices such as N2, CO, CH4, and CO2. Ices like these are observed by telescopes like JWST on the surfaces of icy outer solar system satellites and on Kuiper belt objects. This project aims to understand how quickly the different ices are lost to space and how the compositions change over time.
This project will involve a mix of tasks. It will start with laboratory work to collect data. Next will come analysis of the data to derive material properties for the ices as a function of temperature. And last, comparison will be made to telescope observations of outer solar system objects. A rough estimate would be 10 hours per week (on average over 2 semesters).
Results will be presented at the annual Spacegrant symposium. There is also a possibility of presenting results at the spring 2025 LPSC meeting. The student would also have the opportunity to contribute to one or more scientific papers.