This $435,610 Project Grant award from the National Science Foundation (NSF) Division of Astronomical Sciences under the Mathematical and Physical Sciences (CFDA 47.049) program will fund research at the California Institute of Technology (Caltech) to investigate the formation of second-generation planetesimals in the dusty outflows of dying stars and how this material can pollute the atmospheres of white dwarf stars. The three-year project aims to advance scientific understanding of the final stages of planetary systems and stellar life cycles. Key research tasks include modeling the formation and orbital dynamics of these planetesimals, as well as simulating the long-term process of white dwarf pollution. The project will also support STEM education and diversity initiatives through outreach programs with high school students and teachers.
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