During her PhD studies, Signe Kyrkjebø studied water and CO₂ ice growth on carbonaceous surfaces in the laboratory under conditions simulating those in cold interstellar clouds. The ability of ice clusters on dust grains to catalyze reactions may be an important influence on the rich chemistry observed in the interstellar medium and play a role in the origin of life. Signe Kyrkjebø studied diffusion of water molecules, and imaged fractal ice clusters with scanning tunneling microscopy.

The new research findings contribute to the understanding of the dynamics of ice nucleation and growth on surfaces on the molecular level of detail. This knowledge can be applied to both the study of the chemical activity of icy grains in the interstellar medium and the design of surfaces where ice nucleation needs to be controlled.

The PhD study was completed at Interdisciplinary Nanoscience Center (iNANO), Faculty of Natural Sciences, Aarhus University.

This summary was prepared by the PhD student.

Time: Thursday, 24 October 2024 at 11:00
Place: Building 1525, room 626, Lecture Theatre Det Skæve Rum, Department of Physics and Astronomy, Aarhus University, Ny Munkegade 120, 8000 Aarhus C
Title of PhD thesis: The nucleation and growth of interstellar ice on carbonaceous surfaces
Contact information: Signe Kyrkjebø, e-mail: signeky@gmail.com, tel.: +45 60677366
Members of the assessment committee:
Professor Thomas Michely, Institute of Physics II, The University of Cologne, Germany
Professor Naoki Watanabe, Institute of Low Temperature Science, Hokkaido University, Japan
Professor Jeppe Vang Lauritsen (chair), Interdisciplinary Nanoscience Center, Aarhus University, Denmark
Main supervisor:
Professor Liv Hornekær, Center for Interstellar Catalysis at the Department of Physics and Astronomy, Aarhus University, Denmark
Co-supervisor:
Andrew Cassidy, Center for Interstellar Catalysis at the Department of Physics and Astronomy, Aarhus University, Denmark
Richard Balog, Department of Physics and Astronomy, Aarhus University, Denmark
Language: The PhD dissertation will be defended in English

The defence is public.
The PhD thesis is available for reading at the Graduate School of Natural Sciences/GSNS, Ny Munkegade 120, building 1521, 8000 Aarhus C