The University of Western Ontario|The University of Western Ontario

Purpose

Following the JWST ERS and Cycle 1 GO Announcement of Opportunity published on June 14, 2021, the CSA is providing funding via a Grant Agreement to the university to conduct research using the JWST. The project will investigate how dust is formed in old stars and subsequently modified by the radiation and wind of the star and interaction with other atoms, molecules and particles. To do this, observations of the Butterfly Nebula will be collected with MIRI. By probing the detailed spectral signatures of large carbonaceous molecules, researchers will determine how freshly made dust is modified by the very strong radiation fields and fast winds of the star.