Physical Sciences and Mathematics Commons^™

Powerful Radio Sources In The Southern Sky. I. Optical Identifications, Francesco Massaro, S. V. White, A. García-Pérez, A. Jimenez-Gallardo, A. Capetti, C. C. Cheung, W. R. Forman, C. Mazzucchelli, A. Paggi, Juan P. Madrid

Physics and Astronomy Faculty Publications and Presentations

Since the early sixties, our view of radio galaxies and quasars has been drastically shaped by discoveries made thanks to observations of radio sources listed in the Third Cambridge Catalog and its revised version (3CR). However, the largest fraction of data collected to date on 3CR sources was performed with relatively old instruments, rarely repeated and/or updated. Importantly, the 3CR contains only objects located in the Northern Hemisphere, thus having limited access to new and innovative astronomical facilities. To mitigate these limitations, we present a new catalog of powerful radio sources visible from the Southern Hemisphere, extracted from the GLEAM …

A Candidate Magnetic Helium-Core White Dwarf In The Globular Cluster Ngc 6397, Manuel Pichardo Marcano, Liliana E. Rivera Sandoval, Thomas J. Maccarone, Rene D. Rohrmann, Craig O. Heinke, Diogo Belloni, Leandro G. Althaus, Arash Bahramian

Physics and Astronomy Faculty Publications and Presentations

We report a peculiar variable blue star in the globular cluster (GC) NGC 6397, using Hubble Space Telescope optical imaging. Its position in the colour–magnitude diagrams and its spectrum are consistent with this star being a helium-core white dwarf (He WD) in a binary system. The optical light curve shows a periodicity at 18.5 h. We argue that this periodicity is due to the rotation of the WD and possibly due to magnetic spots on the surface of the WD. This would make this object the first candidate magnetic He WD in any GC, and the first candidate magnetic WD …

Optimizing Course Offerings In A Science Department, Yu Kay Law

Academic Chairpersons Conference Proceedings

We will discuss how enrollment data and faculty/advisor input can be used to maximize schedule efficiency in course offerings and providing for student success. We will also discuss how best to monitor and rearrange course schedules in light of actual enrollment.

Stellar Atmosphere Models For Select Veritas Stellar Intensity Interferometry Targets, Jackson Ladd Sackrider, Jason P. Aufdenberg, Katelyn Sonnen

Beyond: Undergraduate Research Journal

Since 2020 the Very Energetic Radiation Imaging Telescope Array System (VERITAS) has observed 48 stellar targets using the technique of Stellar Intensity Interferometry (SII). Angular diameter measurements by VERITAS SII (VSII) in a waveband near 400 nm complement existing angular diameter measurements in the near-infrared. VSII observations will test fundamental predictions of stellar atmosphere models and should be more sensitive to limb darkening and gravity darkening effects than measurements in the near-IR, however, the magnitude of this difference has not been systematically explored in the literature. In order to investigate the synthetic interferometric (as well as spectroscopic) appearance of stars …

Wallaby Pilot Survey: Hydra Cluster Galaxies Uv And H I Morphometrics, Benne W. Holwerda, Frank Bigiel, Albert Bosma, Helene M. Courtois, Nathan Deg, Helga Dénes, Ahmed Elagali, Bi-Qing For, Baerbel Koribalski, Denis A. Leahy, Karen Lee-Waddell, Ángel R. López-Sánchez, Se-Heon Oh, Tristan N. Reynolds, Jonghwan Rhee, Kristine Spekkens, Jing Wang, Tobias Westmeier, O Ivy Wong

Faculty and Staff Scholarship

Galaxy morphology in atomic hydrogen (H I) and in the ultraviolet (UV) are closely linked. This has motivated their combined use to quantify morphology over the full H I disc for both H I and UV imaging. We apply galaxy morphometrics: concentration, asymmetry, gini, M₂₀ and multimode-intensity-deviation statistics to the first moment-0 maps of the WALLABY Survey of galaxies in the hydra cluster centre. Taking advantage of this new H I survey, we apply the same morphometrics over the full H I extent on archival GALEX FUV and NUV data to explore how well H I truncated, extended ultraviolet …

The Jwst Early-Release Science Program For Direct Observations Of Exoplanetary Systems Ii: A 1 To 20 Μm Spectrum Of The Planetary-Mass Companion Vhs 1256-1257 B, Brittany E. Miles, Beth A. Biller, Polychronis Patapis, Kadin Worthen, Emily Rickman, Kielan K.W. Hoch, Andrew Skemer, Marshall D. Perrin, Niall Whiteford, Christine H. Chen, B. Sargent, Sagnick Mukherjee, Caroline V. Morley, Sarah E. Moran, Mickael Bonnefoy, Simon Petrus, Aarynn L. Carter, Elodie Choquet, Sasha Hinkley, Kimberly Ward-Duong, Jarron M. Leisenring, Maxwell A. Millar-Blanchaer, Laurent Pueyo, Shrishmoy Ray, Steph Sallum, Karl R. Stapelfeldt, Jordan M. Stone, Jason J. Wang, Olivier Absil, William O. Balmer, Anthony Boccaletti, Mariangela Bonavita

Astronomy: Faculty Publications

We present the highest fidelity spectrum to date of a planetary-mass object. VHS 1256 b is a (∼8″, a = 150 au), young, planetary-mass companion that shares photometric colors and spectroscopic features with the directly imaged exoplanets HR 8799c, d, and e. As an L-to-T transition object, VHS 1256 b exists along the region of the color-magnitude diagram where substellar atmospheres transition from cloudy to clear. We observed VHS 1256 b with JWST's NIRSpec IFU and MIRI MRS modes for coverage from 1 to 20 μm at resolutions of ∼1000-3700. Water, methane, carbon monoxide, carbon dioxide, sodium, and potassium are …

Tess Discovery Of Twin Planets Near 2:1 Resonance Around Early M Dwarf Toi 4342, E. Tey, C. X. Huang, M. Kunimoto, A. Vanderburg, A. Shporer, S. N. Quinn, G. Zhou, K. A. Collins, K. I. Collins, Eric L.N. Jensen, R. P. Schwarz, R. Sefako, T. Gan, E. Furlan, C. L. Gnilka, S. B. Howell, K. V. Lester, C. Ziegler, C. Briceño, N. Law, A. W. Mann, G. R. Ricker, R. K. Vanderspek, D. W. Latham, S. Seager, J. M. Jenkins, J. N. Winn, D. A. Caldwell, D. Charbonneau, C. J. Burke, Z. Essack

Physics & Astronomy Faculty Works

With data from the Transiting Exoplanet Survey Satellite (TESS), we showcase improvements to the MIT Quick Look Pipeline (QLP) through the discovery and validation of a multiplanet system around M dwarf TOI 4342 (T_mag = 11.032, M⋆ = 0.63 M_{⊙, R⋆ = 0.60 R⊙, Teff = 3900 K, d = 61.54 pc). With updates to QLP, including a new multiplanet search, as well as faster cadence data from TESS's First Extended Mission, we discovered two sub-Neptunes (Rb = 2.266 (+0.038)/(-0.038) R⊕ and Rc = 2.415 (+0.043)/(-0.040) R …}

Characterization Of A Set Of Small Planets With Tess And Cheops And An Analysis Of Photometric Performance, D. Oddo, D. Dragomir, A. Brandeker, H. P. Osborn, K. Collins, K. G. Stassun, N. Astudillo-Defru, A. Bieryla, S. B. Howell, D. R. Ciardi, S. Quinn, J. M. Almenara, C. Briceño, K. I. Collins, K. D. Colón, D. M. Conti, N. Crouzet, E. Furlan, T. Gan, C. L. Gnilka, R. F. Goeke, E. Gonzales, M. Harris, J. M. Jenkins, Eric L.N. Jensen, D. Latham, N. Law, M. B. Lund, A. W. Mann, B. Massey, F. Murgas, G. Ricker, H. M. Relles, P. Rowden, R. P. Schwarz, J. Schlieder, A. Shporer, S. Seager, G. Srdoc, G. Torres, J. D. Twicken, R. Vanderspek, J. N. Winn, C. Ziegler

Physics & Astronomy Faculty Works

The radius valley carries implications for how the atmospheres of small planets form and evolve, but this feature is visible only with highly precise characterizations of many small planets. We present the characterization of nine planets and one planet candidate with both NASA TESS and ESA CHEOPS observations, which adds to the overall population of planets bordering the radius valley. While five of our planets—TOI 118 b, TOI 262 b, TOI 455 b, TOI 560 b, and TOI 562 b—have already been published, we vet and validate transit signals as planetary using follow-up observations for four new TESS planets, including …

The Tess Grand Unified Hot Jupiter Survey. Ii. Twenty New Giant Planets, S. W. Yee, J. N. Winn, J. D. Hartman, L. G. Bouma, G. Zhou, S. N. Quinn, D. W. Latham, A. Bieryla, J. E. Rodriguez, K. A. Collins, O. Alfaro, K. Barkaoui, C. Beard, A. A. Belinski, Z. Benkhaldoun, P. Benni, K. Bernacki, A. W. Boyle, R. P. Butler, D. A. Caldwell, A. Chontos, J. L. Christiansen, D. R. Ciardi, K. I. Collins, D. M. Conti, J. D. Crane, T. Daylan, C. D. Dressing, J. D. Eastman, Z. Essack, P. Evans, M. E. Everett, S. Fajardo-Acosta, R. Forés-Toribio, E. Furlan, M. Ghachoui, M. Gillon, C. Hellier, I. Helm, A. W. Howard, S. B. Howell, H. Isaacson, E. Jehin, J. M. Jenkins, Eric L.N. Jensen, J. F. Kielkopf, D. Laloum, N. Leonhardes-Barboza, P. Lewin, S. E. Logsdon, J. Lubin, M. B. Lund, M. G. Macdougall, A. W. Mann, N. A. Maslennikova, B. Massey, K. K. Mcleod, J. A. Muñoz, P. Newman, V. Orlov, P. Plavchan, A. Popowicz, F. J. Pozuelos, T. A. Pritchard, D. J. Radford, M. Reefe, G. R. Ricker, A. Rudat, B. S. Safonov, R. P. Schwarz, H. Schweiker, N. J. Scott, S. Seager, S. A. Shectman, C. Stockdale, T.-G. Tan, J. K. Teske, N. B. Thomas, M. Timmermans, R. Vanderspek, D. Vermilion, D. Watanabe, L. M. Weiss, R. G. West, J. Van Zandt, M. Zejmo, C. Ziegler

Physics & Astronomy Faculty Works

NASA's Transiting Exoplanet Survey Satellite (TESS) mission promises to improve our understanding of hot Jupiters by providing an all-sky, magnitude-limited sample of transiting hot Jupiters suitable for population studies. Assembling such a sample requires confirming hundreds of planet candidates with additional follow-up observations. Here we present 20 hot Jupiters that were detected using TESS data and confirmed to be planets through photometric, spectroscopic, and imaging observations coordinated by the TESS Follow-up Observing Program. These 20 planets have orbital periods shorter than 7 days and orbit relatively bright FGK stars (10.9 < G < 13.0). Most of the planets are comparable in mass to Jupiter, although there are four planets with masses less than that of Saturn. TOI-3976b, the longest-period planet in our sample (P = 6.6 days), may be on a moderately eccentric orbit (e = 0.18 ± 0.06), while observations of the other …

Generating Synthetic Satellite Images Of Mars Dust Storms Based On Radiative Transfer Models, As A Follow-On Application Of Marswrf Dust Cycle Simulations, Fatima Ali Alkaabi

Theses

Dust is a fundamental component of the Martian atmosphere; it plays a vital role in the planet's climate system and atmospheric variability. For these reasons, it is considered one of the essential keys to understanding the Martian atmosphere's behavior. The dust events on Mars range from local/regional dust storms that occur every Martian year to global dust storms that have only been observed, on average, once every 3-4 Martian years. The large regional and global dust storms have strong thermal and dynamic effects on the atmosphere. MarsWRF is a Mars version of the terrestrial numerical weather and climate model WRF …

Design And Assessment Of A Leo Gnss Miniconstellation For Positioning, Navigation, And Timing (Pnt), Mariya Abdulkhaleq Mohamad

Theses

Recently, there has been a resurgent demand in the United Arab Emirates for more accurate positioning, navigation, and timing signals, especially for some targeted applications such as autonomous vehicles and flying taxis. The existing Global Navigation Satellite Systems (GNSS) provide real-time positioning accuracy for up to several meters, while the targeted applications require fast convergence of centimeterlevel positioning accuracy. Recent studies have shown that transmitting GNSS signals from a Low Earth Orbit (LEO) instead of a Medium Earth Orbit (MEO) would enhance positioning accuracy. The main objective of this thesis is to design and simulate an optimum scenario of a …

Aggregate Effects Of Proliferating Low-Earth-Orbit Objects And Implications For Astronomical Data Lost In The Noise, John C. Barentine, Aparna Venkatesan, Jessica Heim, James Lowenthal, Miroslav Kocifaj, Salvador Bará

Astronomy: Faculty Publications

The rising population of artificial satellites and associated debris in low-altitude orbits is increasing the overall brightness of the night sky, threatening ground-based astronomy as well as a diversity of stakeholders and ecosystems reliant on dark skies. We present calculations of the potentially large rise in global sky brightness from space objects in low Earth orbit, including qualitative and quantitative assessments of how professional astronomy may be affected. Debris proliferation is of special concern: we calculate that all log-decades in debris size contribute approximately the same amount of night sky radiance, so debris-generating events are expected to lead to a …

Correlating Changes In Spot Filling Factors With Stellar Rotation: The Case Of Lkca 4, Facundo Pérez Paolino, Jeffrey S. Bary, Michael S. Petersen, Kimberly Ward-Duong, Benjamin M. Tofflemire, Katherine B. Follette, Heidi Mach

Astronomy: Faculty Publications

We present a multi-epoch spectroscopic study of LkCa 4, a heavily spotted non-accreting T Tauri star. Using SpeX at NASA’s Infrared Telescope Facility (IRTF), 12 spectra were collected over five consecutive nights, spanning ≈1.5 stellar rotations. Using the IRTF SpeX Spectral Library, we constructed empirical composite models of spotted stars by combining a warmer (photosphere) standard star spectrum with a cooler (spot) standard weighted by the spot filling factor, f spot. The best-fit models spanned two photospheric component temperatures, T phot = 4100 K (K7V) and 4400 K (K5V), and one spot component temperature, T spot = 3060 K (M5V) …

Direct Discovery Of The Inner Exoplanet In The Hd 206893 System: Evidence For Deuterium Burning In A Planetary-Mass Companion, S. Hinkley, S. Lacour, G. D. Marleau, A. M. Lagrange, J. J. Wang, J. Kammerer, A. Cumming, M. Nowak, L. Rodet, T. Stolker, W. O. Balmer, S. Ray, M. Bonnefoy, P. Mollière, C. Lazzoni, G. Kennedy, C. Mordasini, R. Abuter, S. Aigrain, A. Amorim, R. Asensio-Torres, C. Babusiaux, M. Benisty, J. P. Berger, H. Beust, S. Blunt, A. Boccaletti, Kimberly Ward-Huong, Et Al

Astronomy: Faculty Publications

Aims. HD 206893 is a nearby debris disk star that hosts a previously identified brown dwarf companion with an orbital separation of ~ 10 au. Long-Term precise radial velocity (RV) monitoring, as well as anomalies in the system proper motion, has suggested the presence of an additional, inner companion in the system. Methods. Using information from ongoing precision RV measurements with the HARPS spectrograph, as well as Gaia host star astrometry, we have undertaken a multi-epoch search for the purported additional planet using the VLTI/GRAVITY instrument. Results. We report a high-significance detection over three epochs of the companion HD 206893c, …

Merging Black Holes: Assessing The Performance Of Two Analytic Gravitational Waves Models, Dillon Buskirk, Maria Babiuc-Hamilton

Physics Faculty Research

Merging black holes produce the loudest signal in the detectors. However, this is the most difficult signal to accurately predict with analytical techniques. Only computer simulations can account for the nonlinear physics during the collision, but they are inherently complex, costly, and affected by numerical errors. In order to bypass this problem, two analytical models for the merger have been developed: the Implicit Rotating Source (IRS) and the newer Backwards one Body (BoB). In this work, we assess the performance of the BoB model by comparing it with the older IRS model and with the numerical data, identifying its strengths …

Evolution Of Coronal Magnetic Field Parameters During X5.4 Solar Flare, Seth H. Garland, Benjamin F. Akers, Vasyl B. Yurchyshyn, Robert D. Loper, Daniel J. Emmons

Faculty Publications

The coronal magnetic field over NOAA Active Region 11,429 during a X5.4 solar flare on 7 March 2012 is modeled using optimization based Non-Linear Force-Free Field extrapolation. Specifically, 3D magnetic fields were modeled for 11 timesteps using the 12-min cadence Solar Dynamics Observatory (SDO) Helioseismic and Magnetic Imager photospheric vector magnetic field data, spanning a time period of 1 hour before through 1 hour after the start of the flare. Using the modeled coronal magnetic field data, seven different magnetic field parameters were calculated for 3 separate regions: areas with surface |Bz| ≥ 300 G, areas of flare brightening seen …

Calculating MBh Scaling Relations For Agns Using 2d Galaxy Decomposition Software To Analyse Hst Images, Jewel A. Capili

Physics

This study uses the 2D galaxy decomposition software GALFIT developed by Dr. Chien Peng to analyse Hubble Space Telescope images of 14 Active Galactic Nuclei (AGNs) and obtain their M_BH-spheroid luminosity scaling relations for comparison with previous studies.

Non-Hermitian Floquet-Free Analytically Solvable Time-Dependent Systems, Hamed Ghaemi-Dizicheh, Hamidreza Ramezani

Physics and Astronomy Faculty Publications and Presentations

The non-Hermitian models, which are symmetric under parity (P) and time-reversal (T) operators, are the cornerstone for the fabrication of new ultra-sensitive optoelectronic devices. However, providing the gain in such systems usually demands precise control of nonlinear processes, limiting their application. In this paper, to bypass this obstacle, we introduce a class of time-dependent non-Hermitian Hamiltonians (not necessarily Floquet) that can describe a two-level system with temporally modulated on-site potential and couplings. We show that implementing an appropriate non-Unitary gauge transformation converts the original system to an effective one with a balanced gain and loss. This …

Speed Of Sound For Hadronic And Quark Phases In A Magnetic Field, Efrain J. Ferrer, A. Hackebill

Physics and Astronomy Faculty Publications and Presentations

In this paper we calculate the speed of sound for three phases that may exist inside a magnetized hybrid neutron star at different density regions: A hadronic phase at low densities, quark-matter in the magnetic dual chiral density wave (MDCDW) phase at intermediate densities and a free-quark phase modeled by the MIT bag model at higher densities. It is found that the speed of sound exhibits a non-monotonic behavior, that goes from values smaller than the conformal limit ( c 2 s < 1 / 3 ) in the hadronic phase, to peak ( c 2 s > 1 / 3 ) in the MDCDW phase, to finally reach the conformal limit ( c 2 s …

Patchy Forsterite Clouds In The Atmospheres Of Two Highly Variable Exoplanet Analogs, Johanna M. Vos, Ben Burningham, Jacqueline K. Faherty, Sherelyn Alejandro, Eileen Gonzales, Emily Calamari, Daniella Bardalez Gagliuffi, Channon Visscher, Xianyu Tan, Caroline V. Morley, Mark Marley, Marina E. Gemma, Niall Whiteford, Josefine Gaarn, Grace Park

Faculty Work Comprehensive List

We present an atmospheric retrieval analysis of a pair of highly variable, ∼200 Myr old, early T type planetary-mass exoplanet analogs SIMP J01365662+0933473 and 2MASS J21392676+0220226 using the Brewster retrieval framework. Our analysis, which makes use of archival 1–15 μm spectra, finds almost identical atmospheres for both objects. For both targets, we find that the data is best described by a patchy, high-altitude forsterite (Mg2SiO4) cloud above a deeper, optically thick iron (Fe) cloud. Our model constrains the cloud properties well, including the cloud locations and cloud particle sizes. We find that the patchy forsterite slab cloud inferred from our …

Mikołaj Kopernik 1473-1543 Astronom - Matematyk, Który Wstrzymał Słońce, Ruszył Ziemię, Polskie Go Wydało Plemię, Polish-Canadian Business Professionals Association Of Windsor, Leddy Library, University Of Windsor

Windsor Polonia

Exhibit on 550th anniversary of Nicolaus Copernicus' birth, in Polish

How Noise Thresholds Affect The Information Content Of Stellar Flare Sequences, Elmer C. Rivera, Jay R. Johnson, Jonathan Homan, Simon Wing

Faculty Publications

Systems that exhibit discrete dynamics can be well described and reconstructed by considering the set of time intervals between the discrete events of the system. The Kepler satellite has cataloged light curves for many Sun-like stars, and these light curves show strong bursts in intensity that are associated with stellar flares. The waiting time between these flares describes the fundamental dynamics of the stars and is driven by physical processes, such as flux emergence. While it is rather straightforward to identify large flares, the identification of weaker flares can be challenging because of the presence of noise. A common practice …

3d Mhd Models Of The Centrifugal Magnetosphere From A Massive Star With An Oblique Dipole Field, Asif Ud-Doula, Stanley P. Owocki, Marc Gagné, Simon Daley-Yates

Earth & Space Sciences Faculty Publications

We present results from new self-consistent 3D magnetohydrodynamics(MHD)simulations of the magnetospheres from massive stars with a dipole magnetic axis that has a non-zero obliquity angle (β) to the star’s rotation axis. As an initial direct application, we compare the global structure of co-rotating discs for nearly aligned (β = 5◦) versus half-oblique (β = 45◦) models, both with moderately rapid rotation (∼0.5 critical). We find that accumulation surfaces broadly resemble the forms predicted by the analytical rigidly rotating magnetosphere model, but the mass buildup to near the critical level for centrifugal breakout against magnetic confinement distorts the field from the …

Periodicities And Plasma Density Structure Of Jupiter’S Dawnside Magnetosphere, Xuanye Ma, A.A. Schok, P.A. Delamere, B. Mino, P.A. Damiano, B. Zhang, A. Sciola

Publications

The ability to quantify variations in magnetic field topology and density within Jupiter’s magnetosphere is an important step in understanding the overall structure and dynamics. The Juno spacecraft has provided a rich data set in the dawnside magnetosphere. The recent Grid Agnostic MHD for Extended Research Applications (GAMERA) global simulation study by Zhang et al. (2021) showed a highly structured plasmadisc with closed magnetic field lines mapping between the outer dawn-tail flank and the high latitude polar region. To test these model predictions, we examined Juno’s magnetic field data and electron/energetic particle data to categorize portions of orbits 1-15 into …

Looking For Life, Conor C. Grubb

CAFE Symposium 2023

The topic of aliens is not just about conspiracy theories and tinfoil hats, through the years numerous respected scientists have weighed in and put thought into the topic. The Search for Extraterrestrial Intelligence (SETI) is closely tied to the Fermi Paradox and the Drake Equation. The Fermi Paradox considers why humans haven't already interacted with aliens if they exist, and the Drake Equation outlines potential variables that would influence the chances of humanity receiving radio contact from an alien civilization.

Measurement Of The VE- Nucleus Charged-Current Double-Differential Cross Section At 〈EV⟩ = 2.4 Gev Using Nova, M. A. Acero, P. Adamson, L. Aliaga, N. Anfimov, A. Antoshkin, E. Arrieta-Diaz, L. Asquith, A. Aurisano, A. Back, M. Biard, N. Balashov, P. Baldi, B. A. Bambah, S. Bashar, K. Bays, R. Bernstein, V. Bhatnagar, D. Bhattarai, B. Bhuyan, J. Bian, Roberto Petti, Et. Al.

Faculty Publications

The inclusive electron neutrino charged-current cross section is measured in the NOvA near detector using 8.02×10²⁰ protons-on-target in the NuMI beam. The sample of GeV electron neutrino interactions is the largest analyzed to date and is limited by ≃17% systematic rather than the ≃7.4% statistical uncertainties. The double-differential cross section in final-state electron energy and angle is presented for the first time, together with the single-differential dependence on Q² (squared four-momentum transfer) and energy, in the range 1  GeV≤E_νGENIE, GiBUU, NEUT, and NuWro neutrino event generators. The data do not strongly favor a model over the …

Galfit-Ing Agn Host Galaxies In Cosmos: Hst Versus Subaru, Callum Dewsnap, Pauline Barmby, Sarah C. Gallagher, C. Megan Urry, Aritra Ghosh, Meredith C. Powell

Physics and Astronomy Publications

The COSMOS field has been extensively observed by most major telescopes, including Chandra, HST, and Subaru. HST imaging boasts very high spatial resolution and is used extensively in morphological studies of distant galaxies. Subaru provides lower spatial resolution imaging than HST but a substantially wider field of view with greater sensitivity. Both telescopes provide near-infrared imaging of COSMOS. Successful morphological fitting of Subaru data would allow us to measure morphologies of over 104 known active galactic nucleus (AGN) hosts, accessible through Subaru wide-field surveys, currently not covered by HST. The morphological parameters indicate the types of galaxies that host AGNs. …

The Giant Accreting Protoplanet Survey (Gaplanets): Optimization Techniques For Robust Detections Of Protoplanets, Jéa I. Adams Redai, Katherine B. Follette, Jason Wang, Clare Leonard, William Balmer, Laird M. Close, Beck Dacus, Jared R. Males, Katie M. Morzinski, Joseph Palmo, Laurent Pueyo, Elijah Spiro, Helena Treiber, Kimberly Ward-Duong, Alex Watson

Astronomy: Faculty Publications

High-contrast imaging has afforded astronomers the opportunity to study light directly emitted by adolescent (tens of megayears) and “proto” (<10 >Myr) planets still undergoing formation. Direct detection of these planets is enabled by empirical point-spread function (PSF) modeling and removal algorithms. The computational intensity of such algorithms, as well as their multiplicity of tunable input parameters, has led to the prevalence of ad hoc optimization approaches to high-contrast imaging results. In this work, we present a new, systematic approach to optimization vetted using data of the high-contrast stellar companion HD 142527 B from the Magellan Adaptive Optics Giant Accreting Protoplanet …

Naming Venus: An Exploration Of Goddesses, Heroines, And Famous Women, Kavya Beheraj

Dissertations, Theses, and Capstone Projects

Humans have been observing and romanticizing Venus for more than 5,000 years. However, mapping its surface has nearly always been impossible, since the planet is shrouded in thick clouds. A breakthrough came just fifty years ago with the invention of radar imaging, leading to the discovery (and naming) of hundreds of new features in a relatively short length of time.

The rapid naming of Venus is a case study on the impact of planetary nomenclature — the process of naming features on other worlds. While the act of naming streamlines communication and humanizes alien landscapes, it is subject to bias, …

Wallaby Pilot Survey: H I Gas Kinematics Of Galaxy Pairs In Cluster Environment, Shin-Jeong Kim, Se-Heon Oh, Jing Wang, Lister Staveley-Smith, Bärbel S. Koribalski, Minsu Kim, Hye-Jin Park, Shinna Kim, Kristine Spekkens, Juan P. Madrid

Physics and Astronomy Faculty Publications and Presentations

We examine the H I gas kinematics of galaxy pairs in two clusters and a group using Australian Square Kilometre Array Pathfinder (ASKAP) WALLABY pilot survey observations. We compare the H I properties of galaxy pair candidates in the Hydra I and Norma clusters, and the NGC 4636 group, with those of non-paired control galaxies selected in the same fields. We perform H I profile decomposition of the sample galaxies using a tool, BAYGAUD, which allows us to deblend a line-of-sight velocity profile with an optimal number of Gaussian components. We construct H I superprofiles of the sample galaxies via …