Faculty Sponsor

Stan Zygmunt, Haiying He

College

College of Arts & Sciences (CAS)

Department/Program

Physics & Astronomy

Presentation Type

Poster Presentation

Symposium Date

Summer 7-22-2026

Abstract

Planetary nebulae (PNe) contain either carbon-based or oxygen-based dust or a combination of the two, though the exact molecular composition remains unknown. Here we analyze oxygen-rich PNe, whose dust is suspected to include silicate (SiO2)n clusters. We use methods of computational quantum mechanics to determine the equilibrium structures of (SiO2)n clusters for n=12−24 and analyze their stability and structural features. We then calculate the binding energy and the infrared (IR) spectra of the most stable silicate structures for each value of n. By comparing these spectra to observed spectra of oxygen-rich PNe, we hope to determine the molecular composition of the dust. This knowledge will improve our understanding of PNe formation and stellar evolution.

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