This $378,481 Project Grant, awarded by the National Science Foundation (NSF) under the Mathematical and Physical Sciences (MPS) program (CFDA 47.049), supports a collaborative research project led by the University of California, Santa Barbara (UCSB). The project aims to use polarimetry techniques to better understand the atmospheric changes and evolutionary processes in brown dwarfs, also known as "failed stars", during the critical L/T transition stage. The research will involve developing comprehensive models integrating cloud formation and chemical processes to interpret existing and new polarimetric observations of brown dwarfs and exoplanets. The project also has a significant educational component, providing research training opportunities for graduate and undergraduate students at UCSB, Johns Hopkins University, and the University of Central Florida. Additionally, the team will create a dedicated website and educational resources to promote the applications of polarimetry in astrophysics to the broader scientific community and the public. This award supports fundamental scientific research with the potential to advance knowledge about brown dwarf and exoplanet evolution.
Generated 1/28/25, 7:04 AM