General Seminar : Dr. Dana Anderson & Dr. Megan Mouser
Title: "Determining C/N/O Abundances in Protoplanetary Disks via Observations of Molecular Emission"
Abstract: Characterizing the chemical composition of planet-forming materials in protoplanetary disks around young stars is an important step in interpreting the formation and evolution histories of planets. While molecular emission from protoplanetary disk gases is sensitive to various physical and chemical disk properties, it only provides a partial view of the complete chemical contents of the disk. Using physical/chemical disk modeling we attempt to connect molecular line observations of protoplanetary disks to the underlying chemical abundances in disk materials. In this talk, I will present modeling results and submillimeter molecular line observations focused on major carriers of carbon, nitrogen, and oxygen in protoplanetary disks. I will also discuss the potential for deriving C, N, and O abundances from telescope observations of bright, observable molecular species.
Title: "Clinopyroxene-melt Trace Element Partitioning in Fe-rich Basaltic Systems"
Abstract: Trace element partitioning in Fe-rich basaltic systems is understudied but is important for understanding petrogenesis of Fe-rich magmatic bodies. Clinopyroxenes are a major host of incompatible elements in planetary interiors, thus the study of their incompatible trace element inventories can yield important information on the melting and fractionation processes during igneous petrogenesis. This work explores trace element partitioning in clinopyroxenes with variable Fe and Al content at 1 and 2 GPa and utilizes the results to create predictive lattice strain models. These models can be applied to understand the evolution of natural Fe-rich magmatic systems on Earth and in the Solar System.
