Chris Moore
I am conducting my Ph D. research in the Ultraviolet Instrumentation Rocket Group at CASA and at LASP with Kevin France. This research consists of developing, fabricating and testing of atomic layer depositon of thin film optical coatings to enhance the intrinsic UV reflectivity of metals for use as the next generation mirrors on future major space missions. These coatings will be spaceflight tested on a sounding rocket payload in the near future as part of my dissertation research.
The other half of my Ph D research involves the Miniature X-ray Solar Spectrometer (MinXSS) CubeSat with Tom Woods at LASP. I characterize our X-ray detectors and help in CubeSat system level testing. MinXSS will measure the x-ray energy distribution of the solar corona. I am interested in magnetic field influences on the dynamics of solar and stellar atmospheres and the emergent spectra. I will use MinXSS data (along with other satellites) to investigate active region evolution and better characterize the temperature, particle density and magnetic influences on the solar x-ray spectra.
I also worked with Prof. Mark Rast for my Comps 2 at LASP. I compared synthetic spectra from simulated convective hydrodynamic flows to convective magnetohydrodynamic flows to analyze the effects of magnetic fields on the chemical abundance determinations in the Solar photosphere from visible and infrared spectral lines.