Laboratory Astrophysics The Open University UK

Overview

About the programme

We are particularly interested in ices (molecules in the solid phase) in space – such as the icy mantles which coat microscopic dust grains that make up the vast clouds of dust and gas from which stars and planets form, as well as ice-covered planetary bodies in our Solar System.

Since we cannot grab a handful of ice from space, we simulate astrophysical environments in the laboratory and carry out systematic investigations to unravel their physical and chemical properties.

We use in situ techniques to learn about their structure and composition and subject them to various types of processing, simulating cosmic rays and stellar winds, to learn about the molecular interactions that lead to the formation of complex organic molecules.

Laboratory Astrophysics work at The Open University UK is pivotal to understanding how the molecular building blocks of life are formed in space and goes hand-in-hand with astronomical observations.