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Full-Text Articles in Physical Sciences and Mathematics
Certainty Is Wild And Weaving: Analyzing The Clouds Of Venus, Grace Sanger-Johnson
Certainty Is Wild And Weaving: Analyzing The Clouds Of Venus, Grace Sanger-Johnson
Senior Projects Spring 2023
Supposed detection of phosphine as a biosigature in the clouds of Venus has resulted in a flurry of interest in studying the potential habitability of Venus and other Venus-like exoplanets. However, there are still many unanswered questions about the planet's atmosphere. In this senior project, use spectroscopy to better understand the molecular composition and atmospheric dynamics of Venus. To do this, I analyzed partly-processed spectra from a previously unstudied infrared wavelength obtained at NASA’s Infrared Telescope Facility in July 2021. I developed multiple systems of analysis to extract information from the partly processed data and understand the consequences of this …
Investigating The Thermodynamics And Seismic Profile Of The Europan Hydrosphere Through Pure-Water Modeling And Saltwater Experiments, Samantha Rosenfeld
Investigating The Thermodynamics And Seismic Profile Of The Europan Hydrosphere Through Pure-Water Modeling And Saltwater Experiments, Samantha Rosenfeld
Honors Theses
We explore the properties of the hydrosphere on Europa involving both a modeling technique and experimental methods. We perform a computational analysis of the thermodynamic properties for an ideal, pure-water Europan ice shell using a Python programming framework called SeaFreeze. We create four models assuming surface temperatures of either 50 K or 140 K and ice shell thicknesses of either 3 km or 30 km. We observe mostly linear trends for the density and seismic wave velocities with respect to depth and find that surface temperature has the greatest effect on the models. Simultaneously, we experimentally investigate the phase diagram …
Surface Modification Of Icy Satellites: Space Weathering Of The Large Moons Of Uranus And Alluvial Fan Formation On Saturn’S Moon Titan, Richard John Cartwright
Surface Modification Of Icy Satellites: Space Weathering Of The Large Moons Of Uranus And Alluvial Fan Formation On Saturn’S Moon Titan, Richard John Cartwright
Doctoral Dissertations
The surfaces of icy satellites are continually modified by space weathering and geologic processes. This dissertation explores the processes changing the surface compositions of the large moons of Uranus and mechanisms for development of possible alluvial fans on the Saturnian moon, Titan. On the Uranian satellites, I hypothesize that the origin and distribution of carbon dioxide ice results from charged particle bombardment, and that spectrally red material originated on retrograde irregular satellites. On Titan, I hypothesize that landforms identified as alluvial fans at low and mid latitudes were formed by sheetfloods, whereas possible alluvial fans at high latitudes were formed …
Investigating Mineral Stability Under Venus Conditions: A Focus On The Venus Radar Anomalies, Erika Kohler
Investigating Mineral Stability Under Venus Conditions: A Focus On The Venus Radar Anomalies, Erika Kohler
Graduate Theses and Dissertations
Radar studies of the surface of Venus have identified regions with high radar reflectivity concentrated in the Venusian highlands: between 2.5 and 4.75 km above a planetary radius of 6051 km, though it varies with latitude. Previous research has proposed several theories on the source of these anomalies, including increased surface roughness, metallic materials with higher dielectric constants, or ferroelectric materials. Prior work suggests several processes that could be the origin of these anomalies, such as surface-atmospheric interactions or low lying clouds or fog. Alternatively, these anomalies could result from a semi-metallic compound trapped at the cooler conditions in the …
Exploring The Surface Liquid And Lake Regions Of Titan With Laboratory Experimentation And Cassini Spacecraft Data, Felix Casimir Wasiak
Exploring The Surface Liquid And Lake Regions Of Titan With Laboratory Experimentation And Cassini Spacecraft Data, Felix Casimir Wasiak
Graduate Theses and Dissertations
The surface liquids and lake regions of Titan are studied utilizing three unique techniques, the results of which are reported in this dissertation. The development of a facility to simulate the surface conditions of Titan, and to conduct experiments on samples within that facility, brings an understanding of Titan's surface not possible through observation and modeling alone. The properties of this facility are presented, including conceptual methodology, design, implementation, performance, and experimental results. The facility, the main component of which is a simulation chamber, allows for Titan temperatures of 90 - 94 K and a 1.5 bar N2 atmosphere. The …