RESEARCH AND COLLECTIONS STAFF

Rachel Smith

Head, Astronomy & Astrophysics Research Lab and Curator, Meteorites
rachel.smith@montgumry.com

Education

• PhD in Cosmochemistry/Astrochemistry (officially, Geochemistry), University of California Los Angeles, 2011
• MS in Cosmochemistry/Astrochemistry (officially, Geochemistry), University of California Los Angeles, 2009
• DVM, Cornell University, College of Veterinary Medicine, 1998
• BS, Cornell University, 1995

Appointments

• Professor, Department of Physics & Astronomy, Appalachian State University
• 北卡罗来纳大学教堂山分校物理与天文学系兼职教授
• (Past) Assistant Professor, Department of Physics & Astronomy, Appalachian State University
• (Past) Postdoctoral Scholar, Astronomy/Astrochemistry/Planetary Science, Blake Research Group, California Institute of Technology, 2011

Curriculum Vitae

Research Interests

• Early solar system chemistry
• Chemistry of forming planetary systems in the Galaxy
• Solar system evolution and planet formation
• Life in the Universe
• Origin of life

Dr. 雷切尔·史密斯是一位观测天文学家，对我们的太阳系和其他行星系统如何随着时间的推移形成和演变感兴趣. 她使用了一些最大的地面光学红外望远镜, including the 10-meter Keck Observatory on Mauna Kea in Hawaii, to study the chemistry of protoplanetary material — the gas, ice, 以及最终构成行星和生命前化合物的尘埃，这些尘埃围绕着银河系中正在形成的恒星. Dr. 史密斯使用Keck II望远镜上的高分辨率光谱仪NIRSPEC来详细评估一氧化碳气体(CO)中碳和氧的同位素, the same molecule in car exhaust). This gas is abundant in protoplanetary systems, 其中许多类似于我们太阳系形成时的情形.57 billion years ago.

Dr. 史密斯与加州理工学院的科学家合作, Jet Propulsion Laboratory, Space Telescope Science Institute, NASA Ames, and the American Museum of Natural History.

从这些观测得到的数据可以与陨石和太阳相比较, 这是我们从早期太阳系中获得的最古老的物质——为了了解早期形成行星的基本化学途径, and eventually, life.

Dr. 史密斯目前正在分析一个来自比太阳质量更大的年轻恒星的大型数据集，以便更多地了解恒星和行星形成在银河系不同环境下的变化. 她最近还参加了平流层红外天文观测站，作为一个旨在观察大质量年轻恒星中二氧化硫的项目的一部分.

Dr. 史密斯负责管理博物馆的陨石收藏. She is currently working on building the collection, examining meteorites in thin section, as well as exploring other visualization tools.

View Meteorite Collection Database.

Additionally, she oversees the visual content of the Astronomy & Astrophysics Research Lab (AARL), 目前是一个令人兴奋的项目的一部分，该项目使用名为“开放空间”的新开源宇宙飞行软件来创建交互式节目和数字内容. 该软件的开发是美国宇航局与纽约市美国自然历史博物馆合作的一部分, and also includes other museum and institutional partners.

Dr. 史密斯教授两门本科课程，这两门课程也是她为阿巴拉契亚州立大学开发的:天体生物学:探索宇宙中的生命(春季学期), and Star Formation (fall semesters). 这些课程有助于介绍天体物理学和太空探索的核心基本概念, and the many facets of searching for life beyond Earth. Dr. 每年夏天，史密斯都会为有兴趣加入她的研究和/或推广项目的本科生提供几个实习机会.

Courses Taught at Appalachian State University:

• Astrobiology: Searching for Life in the Universe
• Star Formation

Selected Publications

• Dungee, R., Boogert, A., de Witt, C., Monteil, C., Richter, M. J., Barr, A. G., Charnley, S., Indriolo, N., Karska, A., Neufeld, D. A., Smith, R. L., Tielens, A. G. G. M. High Resolution SOFIA/EXES Spectroscopy of SO₂ 大质量年轻恒星物体MonR2 IRS3中的气体:对硫收支的影响. The Astrophysical Journal Letters (SOFIA Special Focus issue), 868, L10.
  [http://iopscience.iop.org/article/10.3847/2041-8213/aaeda9/meta]
• Tillett A., Dermigny J., Emamian M., Tonin Y., Bucay I., Smith R. L., Darken M., Dearing C., Orbon M., Iliadis C. (2017). 用于放射性同位素研究的低本底ϒϒ-coincidence光谱仪. Nuclear Inst. and Methods in Physics Research A 871, 66.
  [http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S016890021730829X?via%3Dihub]
• Smith R. L., Pontoppidan K. M., Young E. D. and Morris M. R. (2015) Heterogeneity in ¹²CO/¹³CO abundance ratios toward solar-type young stellar objects. The Astrophysical Journal 813, 16 pp.
  [http://iopscience.iop.org/article/10.1088/0004-637X/813/2/120/pdf]
• Young E. D., Gounelle M., Smith R. L., Pontoppidan K. M., and Morris M. R., (2011). 太阳系诞生时超新星富集的天文氧同位素证据 environment by propagating star formation. The Astrophysical Journal 729, 13 pp.
  [http://iopscience.iop.org/article/10.1088/0004-637X/729/1/43/pdf]
• Smith R. L., Pontoppidan K. M., Young E. D., Morris M. R. and van Dishoeck E. F. (2009) High-precision C¹⁷O, C¹⁸O and C¹⁶O measurements in young stellar objects: analogues for CO self- shielding in the early solar system. The Astrophysical Journal 701, 13 pp.
  [http://iopscience.iop.org/article/10.1088/0004-637X/701/1/163/pdf]

Online Resources and Publications

OpenSpace, fly-through-the-Universe software

Dr. 史密斯是美国宇航局资助的“开放空间”项目的合作者和联合研究员。 非正式教育及其他领域的地球与空间科学动态可视化引擎由纽约的美国自然历史博物馆牵头. 项目团队正在开发一个开源软件工具 OpenSpace: http://openspaceproject.com

The Most Unknown, science documentary (2018)

Rachel is one of nine scientists featured in "The Most Unknown,由VICE主板和西蒙斯基金会制作的纪录片于2018年首映.

Selected Published Conference Proceedings

• Smith, R.L., Blake, G. A., Boogert, A.C.A., Pontoppidan, Tucker, M. A. (2018)从银河系中心到太阳附近原行星碳的观测研究, 49th Lunar and Planetary Science Conference, The Woodlands, TX, LPI 2083, 2985.
  [http://www.hou.usra.edu/meetings/lpsc2018/pdf/2985.pdf]
• Smith, L. R. (undergraduate), Panto, E. M. (undergraduate), Gudipati, M. S., Smith, R. L. (2018) Exploring ¹²CO/¹³通过星际冰模拟实验研究CO冰-气分馏, 49th Lunar and Planetary Science Conference, The Woodlands, TX, LPI 2083, 1187.
  [http://www.hou.usra.edu/meetings/lpsc2018/pdf/1187.pdf]
• Crapster-Pregont, E. J., Gemma, M. E., Emmart, C., Trakinski, Smith, R. L., Ebel, D. S., Kinzler, R. (2018) Setting the Universe Free, 49th Lunar and Planetary Science Conference, The Woodlands, TX, LPI 2083, 2111.
  [http://www.hou.usra.edu/meetings/lpsc2018/pdf/2111.pdf]
• Smith, R.L., Blake, G. A., Boogert, A.C.A., 跨银河系年轻恒星系统原行星碳的观测调查, 80th Annual Meeting of the Meteoritical Society, Santa Fe, New Mexico, LPI 1987, 6174.
  [http://www.hou.usra.edu/meetings/metsoc2017/pdf/6174.pdf]
• Smith, R. L., Blake, G. A., Boogert, A.C.A., Pontoppidan, K. M., Lockwood, A. C. (2016) 对大质量年轻恒星天体的高分辨率CO观测:研究 银河系中的原行星碳和氧，第47届月球与行星科学会议.
  [http://www.hou.usra.edu/meetings/lpsc2016/pdf/3028.pdf]
• Smith, R.L., Blake, G. A., Boogert, A.C.A., Pontoppidan, K. M., Lockwood, A. C. (2014). Investigating 用高分辨率光谱研究大质量年轻恒星天体的原恒星碳储层. 77th Meteoritical Society Meeting, Casablanca, Morocco, LPI, No. 1800, p. 5435.
  [http://www.hou.usra.edu/meetings/metsoc2014/pdf/5435.pdf]
• Smith, R.L., Pontoppidan, K. M., Blake, G. A., Lockwood, A. C., 2013. Observations of carbon and oxygen isotopic 原恒星在形态和母云上的异质性. 第44届月球和行星科学会议，伍德兰斯，得克萨斯州，LPI, No.1719, p. 2698.
  [http://www.lpi.usra.edu/meetings/lpsc2013/pdf/2698.pdf]
• Smith, R.L., Pontoppidan, K. M., Young, E. D., and Morris, M. R. (2010) New ¹²CO/¹³在年轻恒星物体和分子云中的CO观测:对 ¹²C/¹³C in the early solar nebula. 73rd Meteoritical Society Meeting, New York City, NY, Meteoritics & Planetary Science (Supplement), id. 5381.
  [http://www.lpi.usra.edu/meetings/metsoc2010/pdf/5381.pdf]
  Won the Gordon A. McKay Award [http://meteoriticalsociety.org/?page_id=64].

Dr. Smith's Posts on the Research and Collections Blog

Collections

• Meteorites

Fields of Research

• Astronomy & Astrophysics

Laboratories

• Astronomy & Astrophysics Research Lab