Sebastian Rodriguez grew up on the island of Oahu. He graduated from Kapolei High in 2017 and is currently pursuing his bachelor’s degree in mechanical engineering with a minor in aerospace engineering at Oregon State University. Sebastian is a resilient worker who excels at thermal management and prototype development. He hopes to apply these skills in the aerospace sector- optimizing thermal management systems for efficient/green passenger transport. When he is not busy with school, Sebastian enjoys going to the beach, playing the guitar, and camping.
Home Island: O’ahu
High School: Kapolei High
Institution when accepted: Oregon State University
Akamai Project: DKIST Interpolation Database
Project Site: Daniel K. Inouye Solar Telescope (NSO/DKIST) – Makawao, Maui
Mentors:Â David Harrington, Andre Fehlmann, Tom Schad, Lucas Tarr
Project Abstract:
Daniel K.Inouye Solar Telescope (DKIST) is the world’s largest solar telescope. DKIST passes 300 watts of optical power through a complex optical path including the earth’s atmosphere at various zenith angles as well as an additional 60 meters of travel within the facility. The telescope is subject to a wide range of atmospheric factors which obscure solar radiation. Optical components are subjected to fluctuating thermal stresses, which vary with these atmospheric conditions. MODTRAN, an atmospheric simulator, had been used to design a database that interpolates wavelength and transmission data to better understand the effect thermal loads have on optics. A wide range of modeled atmospheric conditions were fed into a python program designed to calculate their impacts on the telescope’s main components. This data was packaged in a way that could easily be accessed or appended by researchers on the summit. The resulting array of atmospheric factors were analyzed and cataloged for DKIST’s calibration. Thermal calculations were derived and compared to actual telescope data. Some of the database’s outputs include: total heating flux absorbed by the optic, approximate temperature ranges at specific wavelengths, and plotted absorption curves over all of DKIST’s functional wavelength ranges. The database will help researchers evaluate the thermal strain on optical components. DKIST researchers can retrieve data from our archives to assess heating under a range of conditions.