Fachbereich 14 - Geowissenschaften
Institut für Planetologie
Analytische Planetologie

The role of laboratory experiments in the characterization of silicon-basedcosmic material

Silicate grains in space have attracted recently a wide interest of astrophysicists due to the increasing amount and quality of observational data, also thanks to the output obtained by the Infrared Space Observatory. The observations have shown that the presence of silicates is ubiquitous in space and that their properties vary with environment characteristics. Silicates, together with carbon, are the principal components of solid matter in space. Since their formation, silicate grains cross many environments characterized by different physical and chemical conditions which can induce changes to their nature. Moreover, the transformations experienced in the interplay of silicate grains and the medium where they are diped, are part of a series of processes which are the subject of possible changes in the nature of the space environment itself. Then, chemical and physical changes of silicate grains during their life play a key role in the chemical evolution of the entire Galaxy.The knowledge of silicate properties related to the space conditions where they are found is strictly related to the study in laboratory of the possible formation and transformation mechanisms they suffer. The application of production and processing methods capable to reproduce actual space conditions, together with the use of analytical techniques to investigate the nature of the of the material samples, form a subject of a complex laboratory experimental approach finalized to the understanding of cosmic matter. The goal of our work is to review, as much complete as possible, the experimental methods applied in various laboratories to the purpose of simulation and characterization of cosmic silicate analogues. We also describes laboratory studies and the chemical reactions suffered and induced by silicate grains. The comparison of available laboratory results with observational data evidences the essential constraints imposed by astronomical observations and, at the same time, indicates the most puzzling problems that deserve particular attention for the future. The final purpose of this workis to provide an overview of the present stage of knowledge on silicates in space and to provide guidelines for the future development in the field.

Drittmittelgeber:

International Space Science Institute, Bern

Beteiligter Wissenschaftler:

Elmar K. Jessberger et al.

Veröffentlichungen:

Colangeli, L., Th. Henning, J.R. Brucato, D. Clément, D. Favia, O. Guillois, F. Huisken, C. Jäger, E.K. Jessberger, G. Ledoux, G. Manicó, V. Mennella, F.J. Molster, H. Mutschke, V. Pironello, C. Reynaud, J. Roser, G. Vidali, L.B.F.M. Waters (2003): The role of laboratory experiments in the characterization of silicon-based cosmic material. Astr. Astrophys. Rev. (im Druck).