Author

Yarden Bosch

Date of Graduation

Summer 2015

Degree

Master of Science in Materials Science

Department

Physics, Astronomy, and Materials Science

Committee Chair

David Cornelison

Abstract

This work details the design, assembly, and testing of a high temperature electron beam evaporator for equilibrated vapor phase evaporation of rock oxides for the purpose of astrophysical characterization of extrasolar planetary atmospheres. Infrared spectroscopy of high temperature SiO2 atmosphere created through the electron beam evaporation technique and trapped by argon ice matrix isolation was performed to generate a reference spectrum against which absorption lines in stellar spectra taken during planetary transits can be compared. Studies demonstrate that water inclusions in milky quartz (SiO2) can be used to create H2O/SiO2 equilibrated atmospheres within a Knudsen cell. Modeling of exoplanet spectra can be used to determine spectral photometry results as seen by astronomers for comparison with reference spectra collected.

Keywords

exoplanet, hot super-earth, FTIR, electron beam evaporation, modeling

Subject Categories

Materials Science and Engineering

Copyright

© Yarden Bosch

Open Access

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