Alexia Simon - Astrochemistry

Welcome!

I am a 6th-year PhD candidate in the Department of Astronomy at the Center for Astrophysics | Harvard & Smithsonian; working with Prof. Karin I. Öberg on the origins of chemical species in space and how chemical processes affect star and planet formation. My research focuses on laboratory astrochemistry, mimicking chemical reactions on ices in cold space environments where stars and planets form. Through these experiments, I aim to understand the composition of planets and other celestial bodies, as well as understanding the different pathways leading to the composition of our Solar System.

Here, you will find information about my research and links to my publications. If you have any questions about my work, feel free to email me.

Öberg's Astrochemistry Group

Research Interests

My research focuses on experimental astrochemistry, where I recreate the conditions of dense interstellar clouds and protoplanetary disks using an ultra-high vacuum chamber (~10^-9 torr) and temperatures as low as ~10K to room temperature. These conditions simulate environments where young stars and planets are born. My main projects include:

Studying the entrapment of hyper-volatiles such as CO, CH₄, N₂, and Ar within H₂O and CO₂ ice matrices.
Characterizing H/D exchange H₂O:CD₄ and D₂O:CH₄ ice mixturess under VUV irradiation.
Investigating the formation of deuterated methanol ice through oxygen insertion reactions.
Creating an infrared spectroscopy and temperature-programmed desorption (TPD) database of pure deuterated molecules and mixed water:d-molecule ices.

These experiments provide insights into the evolution of ices in dense interstellar clouds and protoplanetary disks, helping us understand the processes or chemicals that contribute to star and planet formation.

For more information on my research, please click here.