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Multi-wavelength transit and secondary-eclipse light-curve observations are some of the most powerful techniques to probe the thermo-chemical properties of exoplanets. Although the large planet-to-star brightness contrast and few available spectral bands produce data with low signal-to-noise ratios, a Bayesian approach can robustly reveal what constraints we can set, without over-interpreting the data. Here I performed an end-to-end analysis of transiting exoplanet data. I analyzed space-telescope data for three planets to characterize their atmospheres and refine their orbits, investigated correlated noise estimators, and contributed to the development of the respective data-analysis pipelines. Chapters 2 and 3 describe the Photometry for Orbits, Eclipses and Transits (POET) pipeline to model Spitzer Space Telescope light curves. I analyzed secondary-eclipse observations of the Jupiter-sized planets WASP-8b and TrES-1, determining their day-side thermal emission in the infrared spectrum. The emission data of WASP-8b indicated no thermal inversion, and an anomalously high 3.6 micron brightness. Standard solar-abundance models, with or without a thermal inversion, can fit the thermal emission from TrES-1 well. Chapter 4 describes the most commonly used correlated-noise estimators for exoplanet light-curve modeling, and assesses their applicability and limitations to estimate parameters uncertainties. I show that the residual-permutation method is unsound for estimating parameter uncertainties. The time-averaging and the wavelet-based likelihood methods improve the uncertainty estimations, being within 20 - 50% of the expected value. Chapter 5 describes the open-source Bayesian Atmospheric Radiative Transfer (BART) code to characterize exoplanet atmospheres. BART combines a thermochemical-equilibrium code, a one-dimensional line-by-line radiative-transfer code, and the Multi-core Markov-chain Monte Carlo statistical module to constrains the atmospheric temperature and chemical-abundance profiles of exoplanets. I applied the BART code to the Hubble and Spitzer Space Telescope transit observations of the Neptune-sized planet HAT-P-11b. BART finds an atmosphere enhanced in heavy elements, constraining the water abundance to ~100 times that of the solar abundance.

<p> The oxidation kinetics of iron-manganese alloys with manganese contents up to 60 w/o exposed to carbon dioxide-carbon monoxide atmospheres at 1000°C have been determined as a function of gas composition by a gravimetric technique. The experimental conditions were chosen in order that the product of the reaction between metal and oxidizing atmosphere would be a single-phase oxide scale.</p> <p> The main objective of this study was to determine the oxidation characteristics of iron-manganese alloys. It has been found that the rate of oxidation of alloys up to 12% manganese at the early stages is limited by interfacial reaction control and later by diffusion processes in the oxide scale. Oxidation rates of alloys containing more than 27% manganese are entirely controlled by diffusion in the oxide scales. The experiments show that the linear oxidation rate is independent of alloy composition. On the other hand, the rate of parabolic oxidation becomes lower with increasing manganese content in the alloy.</p> <p> The results from gravimetric measurements and chemical analyses have been interpreted by a model for the diffusion of iron and manganese through the wustite scale. The phenomenological equations from this theoretical approach have enabled calculations of self-diffusion coefficients for iron and manganese and the concentration of defects in the FeO-MnO solid solution as a function of MnO content. The calculated defect concentrations are compared with theoretical models assuming different types of defect structures.</p> / Thesis / Master of Engineering (MEngr)

<p> A series capillary viscometer has been used to measure the viscosity of nitrogen and air over a temperature range of 100 to 400°K and to pressures of 150 atmospheres. </p> <p>The low pressure results have been correlated using a modified Sutherland equation of the form: n = C1T^C2 / T+C3 </p> <p> Intermolecular force constants have been computed for nitrogen using the Chapman Enskog collision theory approach.</p> <p> The viscosity in the dense gas region was correlated using equations of the form n-no = A1ρ + A2ρ^2 and thus overall equations for viscosity as a function of temperature and density were formulated as n = C1T^C2 / T+C3 +A1ρ + A2ρ^2 </p> <p> These equations were used to generate tables of smoothed values of viscosity as a function of pressure and temperature.</p> / Thesis / Master of Engineering (MEngr)

The intention is to develop a better understanding of what message in the form of atmosphere are people receiving from the light solutions of open public spaces and what characteristics contribute to build this perception. The method consists of two main stages. For the first  stage a methodology to critically observe lighting solutions is developed. The methodology is based on the combination of past studies from Anders Liljefors and Carolina Hiller. The second stage comprehends an analysis of the lighting solutions of three case studies in Stockholm province area. Using a questionnaire, general public is asked to observe the lighting in specific areas of each case study to do a further categorization into atmospheres. The premise is that by understanding the characteristics, that contribute to the perception of specific atmospheres, the lighting designer can conceive a project efficiently: by strengthening the relation between the project's intention and the final user's perception.

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