Date Approved

2022

Degree Type

Open Access Thesis

Degree Name

Master of Science (MS)

Department or School

Physics and Astronomy

Committee Member

David Pawlowski, PhD, Chair

Committee Member

Eric Paradis, PhD

Committee Member

Marshall Thomsen, PhD

Abstract

The quantity and diversity of the known exoplanets have grown in recent years. This has brought about a need for more efficient methods of narrowing down the list to those exoplanets most likely to sustain life. The Atmosphere in a Test Tube project, which began at the University of Padova, Italy, is accomplishing this in a laboratory setting through examination of exoplanet atmospheric responses to photosynthetic bacteria under simulations of the irradiance conditions of a planet’s host star. The goal of this project was to design and construct a second-generation apparatus at Eastern Michigan University. The team focused on an irradiation source consisting of an interface of LED light channels with differing chromatic emissions controlled by software that allows for the tuning of each LED channel to match a variety of spectral outputs. This paper will demonstrate the progress made on the design and preliminary data that have been collected.

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