This week at LASP, I was finally introduced to my project. This project is working with images of star formations, images that are used to study various characteristics of stars, such as their formation and ionization. This meant I had to process these images using a script I wrote in Python to determine its wavelengths. I did this by ensuring that the wavelengths of light detected in the images were accurately determined. This was done by using testing methods in my script, such as printing comparisons of previous images of stars with data that has already been verified and then overlapping that with my current spectrum. This is done by taking these images, identifying known spectral lines, and adjusting the readings to match these known values. (Img. 1)
Throughout this week, I started understanding the basics of using these images and inserting the wavelength calibration into my script. My mentor helped me code the algorithms that would compare the detected wavelengths and make the necessary adjustments. I didn’t expect to be this involved with programming in this internship, but I am more than happy to learn about interpreting data using the images taken by satellites. What I am learning can be applied to any stem field, so it’s beneficial to learn about it now. Anyway, creating a method to identify and match the spectral lines in the data took a while, especially with no prior knowledge. But eventually, I made a script that could handle any noise in the measurements and still provide the desired result, which was the end of the week.
After work, I have been spending time with my cousin, who is teaching me lead climbing. I’m happy to have a good balance between this internship and extracurriculars, and meeting with my cousin has been great. Next week, the other intern, Patrick, and I will see Stick Figure at Red Rocks, which I am very excited about.
Hopefully, I can move on from this current project toward
its actual implications for SPRITE because I am currently just learning how to calibrate wavelengths from images taken previously. Overall, this internship has been incredible and I only have two more weeks until I am done.
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