Correct interpretation of a vast array of astronomical data relies heavily on understanding the properties of silicate dust
as a function of wavelength, temperature, and crystallinity. We introduce the OPASI-T (Optical Properties of
Astronomical Silicates with Infrared Techniques) project to address the need for high fidelity optical characterization
data on the various forms of astronomical dust. We use two spectrometers to provide extinction data for silicate samples
across a wide wavelength range (from the near infrared to the millimeter). New experiments are in development that will
provide complementary information on the emissivity of our samples, allowing us to complete the optical
characterization of these dust materials. In this paper, we present initial results from several materials including
amorphous iron silicate, magnesium silicate and silica smokes, over a wide range of temperatures, and discuss the design
and operation of our new experiments.
|