Newsletter 99 ª March 2000 NEWSLETTER

Total Page:16

File Type:pdf, Size:1020Kb

Newsletter 99 ª March 2000 NEWSLETTER Newsletter 99 ª March 2000 NEWSLETTER The American Astronomical Societys2000 Florida Avenue, NW, Suite 400sWashington, DC [email protected] ROCHESTER PRESIDENT’S COLUMN HOSTS Bob Gehrz, President, [email protected] AAS The Budget is Here: Start_Early@Home On February 7, President Clinton submitted a FY2001 budget SUMMER request which includes dramatic increases for the science MEETING funding agencies such as NASA and NSF. Well before this, at Caltech, he emphasized the need to support all scientific LOC members at the research and the interconnectedness of the physical and life University of Rochester sciences. Congress also appears to be acknowledging the (UR), and the Rochester importance of basic science research. Institute of Technology (RIT) This year, we have a chance, are delighted to welcome the if we get started now, 196th Meeting of the AAS to support proactively to Rochester, NY from a substantial increase 4–8 June 2000. The ...the best way to in science budgets third largest urban influence a budget outcome rather than be area in New York, forced to react to Rochester is home to a variety of industries and is to visit the home district a potential disaster research centers that support astronomy — from those offices of congressional created by partisan at UR and RIT that develop detector arrays for space politics, as we were missions and for ground-based astronomy; to the representatives last year. Luckily, Eastman Kodak Company, that developed the mirror for science is a non-partisan Chandra and Keck telescopes; to the Richardson Grating issue and is likely to enjoy Laboratory, that produces ultra-large gratings, such as those for continued support no matter who the Subaru Telescope; and to UR’s Laboratory for Laser wins the coming Presidential election. Energetics (LLE), working on intense laser laboratory Even in an improved political climate, however, without the astrophysics. active involvement of scientists, no hope of Congressional The history of astronomy and astronomy education is well support for science can be realized. A silent community represented in Rochester at the Strasenburgh Planetarium commands no attention from Congress. (Rochester Museum and Science Center) and the George By far the best way to influence a budget outcome is to visit the Eastman House, a museum specializing in the development of home district offices of congressional representatives. Members the camera, optics and imaging techniques. of the House and Senate have offices in their home districts, As part of the AAS meeting program, tours are planned of UR’s usually in the major metropolitan areas within the district. Some Laboratory for Laser Energetics (http://www.lle.rochester.edu) and have several offices and split their time between them when they the Richardson Grating Lab (http://www.gratinglab.com). A are not in Washington. In the home district, representatives have reception and tour of the beautiful George Eastman House for more time for visitors, visiting and for talking. 150 participants (sponsored by Kodak, the University of Although there is no single recipe for establishing a good home Rochester and Rochester Institute of Technology) will be held office relationship, the following suggestions made during a panel discussion sponsored by the AAS Committee on Public Continued on page 2 Policy (CAPP) at the Atlanta AAS meeting may be useful: • Call the home office and get to know some of the local HIGHLIGHTS staff. Be aware of the Congressional schedule (look at Council Actions at Atlanta Meeting........................................3 http://www.house.gov). Make sure your member knows you Proposal to Amend AAS Bylaws ...........................................4 are a constituent, that you are an astronomer and you are Atlanta Meeting Highlights...................................................14 interested in your member’s position on astronomy and Astronomer Finds Happiness in the Oil Industry .................16 space science issues; HAD, HEAD Meetings in Atlanta .........................................18 • Offer to serve as an information resource for any issues that NSF Strategic Plan and Portfolio Allocation Review ...........21 come up pertaining to your area of expertise. Information is Mexican Astronomers Met in November .............................21 a valuable resource for members of Congress; if they have President’s FY’01 Budget Submitted to Congress ..............24 an easy way of learning, they will take advantage of it; Continued on page 23 2 AAS Newsletter 99 ª March 2000 ROCHESTER MEETING PUBLICATIONS NEWS Continued from page 1 Free Access to Journals Older than Three Years; Tuesday evening, 6 June from 6–8:00pm (http://www.eastman.org). Page Charges Reduced Adam Frank, UR faculty member, will give a public talk on Monday evening, 5 June. The excellent brass quintet, Prism, Bruce Elmegreen, Chair, Publications Board and Robert W. Milkey, Executive Officer, AAS (http://www.wizware.com/prism/frame.htm) of the UR’s Eastman School of Music will entertain at the AAS banquet on At the January meeting, the AAS Council approved the Wednesday evening, 7 June. Publications Board proposal, effective immediately, to make There’s plenty to do and see in and around Rochester beyond the freely available on the Web all AAS journals older than three astronomical activities planned for the meeting. An hour’s drive years from their cover dates. This applies to the Astrophysical east of Rochester, in Seneca Falls, NY is the home of Elizabeth Journal Parts I, II, and Supplements, and to the Astronomical Cady Stanton, where, in 1848, the US women’s rights Journal, whether accessed through the ADS or directly through movement officially began with the First Women’s Rights the University of Chicago Press. While the access to these older Convention, which led, 72 years later, to the ratification of the journals is free to all, the published AAS policy regarding rights 19th Amendment to the US Constitution. Also in Seneca Falls is of use still applies to all material contained in AAS journals. the Women’s Hall of Fame and the National Women’s Rights The Publications Board is also happy to announce that, effective Park. The Susan B. Anthony House, Rochester, is listed on 1 January 2000, page charges for electronically submitted the National Register of Historic Places and is open to the manuscripts to ApJ Part I and ApJ Supplements are reduced. Page public. Niagara Falls is an hour and a half to the west of charges for electronic submissions to ApJ, ApJS, and AJ are now Rochester. Letchworth State Park, called the “Grand Canyon all $115. Page charges for the ApJ Letters remain at $155 (only of the East,” is an hour south. Water sports and wine-tasting electronic manuscripts are accepted). Page charges for paper tours abound in the nearby Finger Lakes submissions to ApJ, ApJS and AJ remain at $130. The new rates (http://www.fingerlakes.net/flp/flpwine/flpwineld.html). are printed on page 8 of the 2000 Membership Directory. Close to Rochester’s downtown area and within a few miles of New ApJ Homepage the Convention Center at the Centers at High Falls,an Julie Steffen, Astronomy Pub. Manager, U. Chicago Press entertainment mecca, is Brown’s Race Historic District where there is a replica water raceway, early 19th century industrial Please go to http://www.journals.uchicago.edu/ApJ/ and explore the new home of the ApJ. You will see a new look, improved buildings, an excavated forge site and a massive waterwheel. functionality and enhanced content. Future updates to this site Take well-documented walking tours around the museum trail will include new “Yellow Pages” and Tentative Tables of and neighborhood of the arts, as well as Rochester’s historic Contents. Please send us your comments by email. residential neighborhoods. Walking, public transportation, or the free EZ Rider bus (evenings after 5:30pm; Sundays excluded) make it easy to visit these areas. For all there is to see LETTERS TO THE EDITOR and do, visit the web sites, http://www.visitrochester.com and Letters to the Editor on current issues of importance to astronomers are http://www.rochgetaway.com, which give an overview of the area, welcomed. Letters must be signed and should not exceed 250 words. For and feature area museums – e.g. UR’s Memorial Art Gallery, inclusion in the June 2000 issue, letters must be received by Jeff Linsky, parks, sports, entertainment, history and the like. Bring the Associate Editor, Letters, by 1 April 2000. You may contact Jeff Linsky by whole family for a week of fun and exploration bound to suit email [email protected], phone 303-492-7838, or FAX 303-492-5235. everyone’s tastes. The Associate Editor may edit letters, but will consult with authors before doing so. Letters will be published at the discretion of the Editors. Meetings In General The AAS Newsletter (ISSN 8750-9350) is published in March, June, August, October, and December by the American Astronomical Society, 2000 Florida Avenue, NW, Suite 400, Washington, DC 20009-1231, Tel: 202-328-2010, Video Projectors FAX: 202-234-2560, [email protected]; http://www.aas.org Starting with the June 2000 Meeting in Rochester, the AAS will The $105.00 annual membership dues for the American Astronomical Society provide LCD/video projectors for AAS invited speakers or for include $3.00 that is applied toward a subscription to the AAS Newsletter. Periodical postage paid at Washington, DC. invited speakers in special or topical sessions only when POSTMASTER: Send address changes to AAS, 2000 Florida Avenue, NW, requested at least two weeks before the start of a meeting. Suite 400, Washington, DC 20009-1231. These projectors will not be available for contributed papers. Items of general interest to be considered for publication in the AAS Place your order with Diana Alexander, [email protected]. Newsletter should be sent to [email protected].
Recommended publications
  • NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center Laboratory for High Energy
    1 NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center Laboratory for High Energy Astrophysics Greenbelt, Maryland 20771 @S0002-7537~99!00301-7# This report covers the period from July 1, 1997 to June 30, Toshiaki Takeshima, Jane Turner, Ken Watanabe, Laura 1998. Whitlock, and Tahir Yaqoob. This Laboratory’s scientific research is directed toward The following investigators are University of Maryland experimental and theoretical research in the areas of X-ray, Scientists: Drs. Keith Arnaud, Manuel Bautista, Wan Chen, gamma-ray, and cosmic-ray astrophysics. The range of inter- Fred Finkbeiner, Keith Gendreau, Una Hwang, Michael Loe- ests of the scientists includes the Sun and the solar system, wenstein, Greg Madejski, F. Scott Porter, Ian Richardson, stellar objects, binary systems, neutron stars, black holes, the Caleb Scharf, Michael Stark, and Azita Valinia. interstellar medium, normal and active galaxies, galaxy clus- Visiting scientists from other institutions: Drs. Vadim ters, cosmic-ray particles, and the extragalactic background Arefiev ~IKI!, Hilary Cane ~U. Tasmania!, Peter Gonthier radiation. Scientists and engineers in the Laboratory also ~Hope College!, Thomas Hams ~U. Seigen!, Donald Kniffen serve the scientific community, including project support ~Hampden-Sydney College!, Benzion Kozlovsky ~U. Tel such as acting as project scientists and providing technical Aviv!, Richard Kroeger ~NRL!, Hideyo Kunieda ~Nagoya assistance to various space missions. Also at any one time, U.!, Eugene Loh ~U. Utah!, Masaki Mori ~Miyagi U.!, Rob- there are typically between twelve and eighteen graduate stu- ert Nemiroff ~Mich. Tech. U.!, Hagai Netzer ~U. Tel Aviv!, dents involved in Ph.D. research work in this Laboratory. Yasushi Ogasaka ~JSPS!, Lev Titarchuk ~George Mason U.!, Currently these are graduate students from Catholic U., Stan- Alan Tylka ~NRL!, Robert Warwick ~U.
    [Show full text]
  • NASA Goddard Space Flight Center Laboratory for High Energy Astrophysics Greenbelt, Maryland 20771
    1 NASA Goddard Space Flight Center Laboratory for High Energy Astrophysics Greenbelt, Maryland 20771 This report covers the period from July 1, 2002 to June Stephen Henderson, Hans Krimm, John Krizmanic, Jeongin 30, 2003. Lee, John Lehan, James Lochner, Thomas McGlynn, Paul This Laboratory’s scientific research is directed toward McNamara, Alex Moiseev, Koji Mukai, James Reeves, Na- experimental and theoretical investigations in the areas of dine Saudraix, Chris Shrader, Steven Snowden, Yang Soong, X-ray, gamma-ray, gravitational wave and cosmic-ray astro- Martin Still, Steve Sturner, and Vigdor Teplitz. physics. The range of interests of the scientists includes the The following investigators are University of Maryland Sun and the solar system, stellar objects, binary systems, Scientists: Drs. Keith Arnaud, David Band ͑UMBC͒, Simon neutron stars, black holes, the interstellar medium, normal Bandler, Patricia Boyd ͑UMBC͒, John Cannizzo ͑UMBC͒, and active galaxies, galaxy clusters, cosmic ray particles, David Davis ͑UMBC͒, Ian George ͑UMBC͒, Masaharu gravitational wave astrophysics, extragalactic background ra- Hirayama ͑UMBC͒, Una Hwang, Yasushi Ikebe ͑UMBC͒, diation, and cosmology. Scientists and engineers in the Kip Kuntz ͑UMBC͒, Mark Lindeman, Michael Loewenstein, Laboratory also serve the scientific community, including Craig Markwardt, Julie McEnery ͑UMBC͒, Igor Moskalenko project support such as acting as project scientists and pro- ͑UMBC͒, Chee Ng, Patrick Palmeri, Dirk Petry ͑UMBC͒, viding technical assistance for various space missions. Also Christopher Reynolds, Ian Richardson, and Jane Turner at any one time, there are typically between ten and fifteen ͑UMBC͒. graduate students involved in Ph.D. research work in this Visiting scientists from other institutions: Drs. Hilary Laboratory.
    [Show full text]
  • Future Probes of the Neutron Star Equation of State Using X-Ray Bursts
    I Future Probes of the Neutron Star Equation of State Using X-ray Bursts Tod E. Strohmayer Luboratory for High Energy Astrophysics, NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center; Greenbelt, MD 20771 Abstract. Observations with NASA’s Rossi X-ray Timing Explorer (RXTE)have resulted in the discovery of fast (200 - 600 Hz), coherent X-ray intensity oscillations (hereafter, ‘%urstoscillations”) during thermonuclear X-ray bursts from 12 low mass X-ray binaries (LMXBs). Although many of their detailed properties remain to be fully understood, it is now beyond doubt that these oscillations result from spin modulation of the thermonuclear burst flux from the neutron star surface. Among the new timing phenomena revealed by RXTE the burst oscillations are perhaps the best understood, in the sense that many of their properties can be explained in the framework of this relatively simple model. Because of this, detailed modelling of burst oscillations can be an extremely powerful probe of neutron star structure, and thus the equation of state (EOS) of supra- nuclear density matter. Both the compactness parameter /3 = CM/SR,and the surface velocity, v,,, = SZSPi,R, are encoded in the energy-dependent amplitude and shape of the modulation pulses. The new discoveries have spurred much new theoretical work on thermonuclear burning and propagation on neutron stars, so that in the near future it is not unreasonable to think that detailed physical models of the time dependent flux from burning neutron stars will be available for comparison with the observed pulse profiles from a future, large collecting area X-ray timing observatory. In addition, recent high resolution burst spectroscopy with XMM/Newton suggests the presence of redshifted absorption lines from the neutron star surface during bursts.
    [Show full text]
  • Astro2010: the Astronomy and Astrophysics Decadal Survey
    Astro2010: The Astronomy and Astrophysics Decadal Survey Notices of Interest 1. 4 m space telescope for terrestrial planet imaging and wide field astrophysics Point of Contact: Roger Angel, University of Arizona Summary Description: The proposed 4 m telescope combines capabilities for imaging terrestrial exoplanets and for general astrophysics without compromising either. Extremely high contrast imaging at very close inner working angle, as needed for terrestrial planet imaging, is accomplished by the powerful phase induced amplitude apodization method (PIAA) developed by Olivier Guyon. This method promises 10-10 contrast at 2.0 l/D angular separation, i.e. 50 mas for a 4 m telescope at 500 nm wavelength. The telescope primary mirror is unobscured with off-axis figure, as needed to achieve such high contrast. Despite the off-axis primary, the telescope nevertheless provides also a very wide field for general astrophysics. A 3 mirror anastigmat design by Jim Burge delivers a 6 by 24 arcminute field whose mean wavefront error of 12 nm rms, i.e.diffraction limited at 360 nm wavelength. Over the best 10 square arcminutes the rms error is 7 nm, for diffraction limited imaging at 200 nm wavelength. Any of the instruments can be fed by part or all of the field, by means of a flat steering mirror at the exit pupil. To allow for this, the field is curved with a radius equal to the distance from the exit pupil. The entire optical system fits in a 4 m diameter cylinder, 8 m long. Many have considered that only by using two spacecraft, a conventional on-axis telescope and a remote occulter, could high contrast and wide field imaging goals be reconciled.
    [Show full text]
  • Women in Astronomy III (2009) Proceedings
    W OMEN I N A STRONOMY AND S PACE S CIENCE Meeting the Challenges of an Increasingly Diverse Workforce Proceedings from the conference held at The Inn and Conference Center University of Maryland University College October 21—23, 2009 Edited by Anne L. Kinney, Diana Khachadourian, Pamela S. Millar and Colleen N. Hartman I N M EMORIAM Dr. Beth A. Brown 1969-2008 i D e d i c a t i o n Dedication to Beth Brown Fallen Star Howard E. Kea, NASA/GSFC She lit up a room with her wonderful smile; she made everyone in her presence feel that they were important. On October 5, 2008 one of our rising stars in astronomy had fallen. Dr. Beth Brown was an Astrophysicist in the Science and Exploration Directorate at NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center. Beth was always fascinated by space: she grew up watching Star Trek and Star Wars, which motivated her to become an astronaut. However, her eyesight prevented her from being eligible for astronaut training, which led to her pursuing the stars through astronomy. Beth pursued her study of the stars more seriously at Howard University where she majored in physics and astronomy. Upon learning that her nearsightedness would limit her chances of becoming an astronaut, Beth’s love for astronomy continued to grow and she graduated summa cum laude from Howard University. Beth continued her education at the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor. There she received a Master’s Degree in Astronomy in 1994 on elliptical galaxies and she obtained her Ph.D.
    [Show full text]
  • Reflections on the Rossi X-Ray Timing Explorer” © 3/19/13 Hale Bradt
    “Reflections on the Rossi X-ray Timing Explorer” © 3/19/13 Hale Bradt Reflections on the Rossi X-ray Timing Explorer A Personal Account by Hale Bradt An expanded version of the banquet talk at the Symposium, “Exploring Physics with Neutron Stars” in honor of the 65th birthday of Fred K. Lamb Tucson, Arizona, 18 Nov. 2010 Introduction When I retired in 2001 I had to reduce my office footprint because I was to share the office with Gordon Pettengill, another faculty retiree. Upon coming across files relating to the RXTE mission, it occurred to me that the 20 years we spent in bringing this mission to fruition (i.e. launch) was quite interesting and that the documents and correspondence in my files might well be donated to the MIT Archives. I thus left this pile, about 12 inches high, on top of one of my file cabinets with the intention of organizing it a bit and providing a brief contextual document to accompany them. Some months ago, Dimitrios Psaltis called and asked me to give a talk on the selling of the RXTE mission, and I said, “Why me and why that?” “Well,” he said, “this Symposium is to honor Fred Lamb and he was instrumental in helping bring about the mission. I recall that, at a conference in Rome, over dinner or lunch, you told me all about the adventures of getting RXTE into orbit and a lot of it was very funny, and I thought it would be appropriate for this symposium.” So, I agreed, and realized this was the goad I needed to address that pile of documents that had been untouched for 9 years.
    [Show full text]
  • Headnews/Headnews.May01.Html
    HEAD - Newsletter No. 78, May 2001 file:///D|/H E A D/Web/headnews/headnews.may01.html HEADNEWS: THE ELECTRONIC NEWSLETTER OF THE HIGH ENERGY ASTROPHYSICS DIVISION OF THE AAS Newsletter No. 78, May 2001 IN THIS ISSUE: 1. Notes from the Editor - Paul Hertz 2. Minoru Oda (1923-2001) - Lynn Cominsky 3. Reuven Ramaty (1937-2001) - NASA Press Release 4. HEAD News: 2000 and 2001 Rossi Prizes - Lynn Cominsky 5. News from NASA Headquarters - Paul Hertz Alan Bunner to Retire Office of Space Science to Streamline its Organization Opportunity in Astrophysics at NASA Headquarters Cosmic Journeys Update Research Program Deadlines in 2001 Explorer Program Update: SMEX Explorer Program Update: MIDEX 6. HEAD in the News - Lynn Cominsky and Megan Watzke News from the HEAD Meeting in Honolulu News from the San Diego AAS Meeting News from Gamma 2001 Other Chandra News News from RXTE News from XMM 7. EUVE Completes Mission - Brett Stroozas and Roger Malina 8. RXTE News - Jean Swank 9. Chandra X-ray Observatory Status - Belinda Wilkes 10. High Energy Transient Explorer (HETE) - George Ricker 11. XMM-Newton Updates - Ilana Harrus 12. HESSI Ready for Launch - David Smith 13. Swift Mission News - Lynn Cominsky 14. GLAST Mission News - Lynn Cominsky 15. Chandra Fellows Named - Megan Watzke 16. Meeting Announcements: High Energy Universe at Sharp Focus (16-18 July @ St. Paul, MN) Statistical Challenges in Modern Astronomy III (18-21 July @ State College, PA) Two Years of Science with Chandra (5-7 September @ Washington, DC) 1 of 26 6/3/01 11:35 PM HEAD - Newsletter No. 78, May 2001 file:///D|/H E A D/Web/headnews/headnews.may01.html X-ray Astronomy School (10-12 September @ Greenbelt, MD) Gamma Ray Burst and Afterglow Astronomy 2001 (5-9 November @ Woods Hole, MA) New Visions of the X-ray Universe in the XMM_Newton and Chandra era (26-30 November 2001 @ ESTEC, Noordwijk, Netherlands) from the Editor - Paul Hertz, HEAD Secretary-Treasurer, Notes [email protected], 202-358-0986 Beginning this month, HEAD will only be delivering the table-of-contents for HEADNEWS into your mailbox.
    [Show full text]
  • The Steady Spin-Down Rate of 4U 1907+09
    Mon. Not. R. Astron. Soc. 327, 1269–1272 (2001) The steady spin-down rate of 4U 1907109 P P Altan Baykal,1 C¸ag˘das¸I˙nam,1 M. Ali Alpar,2 Jean in ’t Zand3,4 and Tod Strohmayer5 Downloaded from https://academic.oup.com/mnras/article-abstract/327/4/1269/1009147 by MIDDLE EASTTECHNICAL UNIVERSITY user on 23 July 2020 1Physics Department, Middle East Technical University, Ankara 06531, Turkey 2Faculty of Engineering and Natural Sciences, Sabancı University, 81474, Istanbul, Turkey 3Astronomical Institute, Utrecht University, the Netherlands 4Space Research Organization Netherlands, Sorbonnelaan 2, 3584 CA Utrecht, the Netherlands 5Laboratory for High Energy Astrophysics NASA/GSFC Greenbelt, Maryland 20771, USA Accepted 2001 July 10. Received 2001 July 4; in original form 2000 November 27 ABSTRACT Using X-ray data from the Rossi X-ray Timing Explorer, we report the pulse timing results of the accretion-powered, high-mass X-ray binary pulsar 4U 1907109, covering a time-span of almost two years. We measured three new pulse periods in addition to the previously measured four pulse periods. We are able to connect pulse arrival times in phase for more than a year. The source has been spinning down almost at a constant rate, with a spin-down rate of n_ ¼ð23:54 ^ 0:02ÞÂ10214 Hz s21 for more than 15 yr. Residuals of pulse arrival times yield a very low level of random-walk noise, with a strength of ,2  10220 rad2 s23 on a time-scale of 383 d, which is 40 times lower than that of the high-mass X-ray binary pulsar Vela X-1.
    [Show full text]
  • Oscillations During Thermonuclear X-Ray Bursts
    r · Adv. Space Res. Vol. 28, Nos 2-3, pp. 511-522, 2001 ~ Pergamon Published by Elsevier Science Ltd on behalf of COSPAR. Printed in Great Britain www.elsevier.comllocate/asr 0273-1177/01 $20.00 + 0.00 PII: S0273-1177(01)00422-7 W l)(PlQD ~ I~ p , OSCILLATIONS DURING THERMONUCLEAR X-RAY BURSTS Tod E. Strohmayer1 INASA's Goddard Space Flight Center, Mail Code 662, Greenbelt, MD 20771, USA ABSTRACT High amplitude, nearly coherent X-ray brightness oscillations during thermonuclear X-ray bursts were dis­ covered with the Rossi X-ray Timing Explorer (RXTE) in early 1996. Spectral and timing evidence strongly supports the conclusion that these oscillations are caused by rotational modulation of the burst emission and that they reveal the spin frequency of neutron stars in low mass X-ray binaries, a long sought goal of X-ray astronomy. Studies carried out over the past year have led to the discovery of burst oscillations in four new sources, bringing to ten the number with confirmed burst oscillations. I review the status of our knowledge of these oscillations and indicate how they can be used to probe the physics of neutron stars. For a few burst oscillation sources it has been proposed that the strongest and most ubiquitous frequency is actually the first overtone of the spin frequency and hence that two nearly antipodal hot spots are present on the neutron star. This inference has important implications for both the physics of thermonuclear burning as well as the mass - radius relation for neutron stars, so its confirmation is crucial.
    [Show full text]
  • Goddard's Astrophysics Science Division Annual Report 2010 5B
    The Astrophysics Science Division Annual Report 2010 Astrophysics Science Division The NASA/TM–2011–215870 Goddard’s Astrophysics Science Division Annual Report 2010 Joan Centrella and Francis Reddy, Editors Pat Tyler, Graphical Editor NASA/TM-2011-215870 NASA Goddard Space Flight Center Greenbelt, Maryland 20771 March 2011 7KH1$6$67,3URJUDP2IÀFH«LQ3URÀOH 6LQFHLWVIRXQGLQJ1$6$KDVEHHQGHGLFDWHGWRWKH &21)(5(1&(38%/,&$7,21&ROOHFWHG DGYDQFHPHQWRIDHURQDXWLFVDQGVSDFHVFLHQFH7KH SDSHUVIURPVFLHQWLÀFDQGWHFKQLFDOFRQIHUHQFHV 1$6$6FLHQWLÀFDQG7HFKQLFDO,QIRUPDWLRQ 67, V\PSRVLDVHPLQDUVRURWKHUPHHWLQJVVSRQVRUHG 3URJUDP2IÀFHSOD\VDNH\SDUWLQKHOSLQJ1$6$ RUFRVSRQVRUHGE\1$6$ PDLQWDLQWKLVLPSRUWDQWUROH 63(&,$/38%/,&$7,216FLHQWLÀFWHFKQLFDO 7KH1$6$67,3URJUDP2IÀFHLVRSHUDWHGE\ RUKLVWRULFDOLQIRUPDWLRQIURP1$6$SURJUDPV /DQJOH\5HVHDUFK&HQWHUWKHOHDGFHQWHUIRU SURMHFWVDQGPLVVLRQRIWHQFRQFHUQHGZLWKVXE 1$6$·VVFLHQWLÀFDQGWHFKQLFDOLQIRUPDWLRQ7KH MHFWVKDYLQJVXEVWDQWLDOSXEOLFLQWHUHVW 1$6$67,3URJUDP2IÀFHSURYLGHVDFFHVVWR WKH1$6$67,'DWDEDVHWKHODUJHVWFROOHFWLRQRI 7(&+1,&$/75$16/$7,21(QJOLVKODQJXDJH DHURQDXWLFDODQGVSDFHVFLHQFH67,LQWKHZRUOG WUDQVODWLRQVRIIRUHLJQVFLHQWLÀFDQGWHFKQLFDOPD 7KH3URJUDP2IÀFHLVDOVR1$6$·VLQVWLWXWLRQDO WHULDOSHUWLQHQWWR1$6$·VPLVVLRQ PHFKDQLVPIRUGLVVHPLQDWLQJWKHUHVXOWVRILWV UHVHDUFKDQGGHYHORSPHQWDFWLYLWLHV7KHVHUHVXOWV 6SHFLDOL]HGVHUYLFHVWKDWFRPSOHPHQWWKH67,3UR DUHSXEOLVKHGE\1$6$LQWKH1$6$67,5HSRUW JUDP2IÀFH·VGLYHUVHRIIHULQJVLQFOXGHFUHDWLQJ 6HULHVZKLFKLQFOXGHVWKHIROORZLQJUHSRUWW\SHV FXVWRPWKHVDXULEXLOGLQJFXVWRPL]HGGDWDEDVHV RUJDQL]LQJDQGSXEOLVKLQJUHVHDUFKUHVXOWVHYHQ
    [Show full text]
  • NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center Laboratory for High Energy
    315 NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center Laboratory for High Energy Astrophysics Greenbelt, Maryland 20771 ͓S0002-7537͑90͒00302-X͔ This report covers the period from July 1, 1999 to June 30, Krimm, John Krizmanic, James Lochner, Natalie 2000. Mandzhavidze, Thomas McGlynn, Alex Moiseev, Koji Mu- kai, Kirpal Nandra, Scott Owens, David Palmer, Sangwook Park, Chris Shrader, Alan Smale, Steven Snowden, Yang This Laboratory’s scientific research is directed toward Soong, Martin Still, Steve Sturner, Toshiaki Takeshima, Ken experimental and theoretical investigations in the areas of Watanabe, and Georg Weidenspointner. X-ray, gamma-ray, and cosmic-ray astrophysics. The range The following investigators are University of Maryland of interests of the scientists includes the Sun and the solar Scientists: Drs. Keith Arnaud, Manuel Bautista, Patty Boyd system, stellar objects, binary systems, neutron stars, black ͑UMBC͒, Fred Finkbeiner, Warren Focke, Ian George holes, the interstellar medium, normal and active galaxies, ͑UMBC͒, Una Hwang, Peter Kurczynski, Michael Loewen- galaxy clusters, cosmic ray particles, gravitational wave stein, Greg Madejski, Craig Markwardt, Chee Ng, Ian Rich- astrophysics, and the extragalactic background radiation. ardson, David Smith, Jane Turner ͑UMBC͒, Azita Valinia, Scientists and engineers in the Laboratory also serve the and Tahir Yaqoob ͑UMBC͒. scientific community, including project support such as Visiting scientists from other institutions: Drs. Vadim acting as project scientists and providing technical assistance Arefiev ͑IKI͒, Hilary Cane ͑U. Tasmania͒, Ernesto Esteban to various space missions. Also at any one time, there are ͑U. P.R.͒, Ralph Fiorito ͑Catholic U.͒, Peter Gonthier ͑Hope typically between twelve and eighteen graduate students College͒, Thomas Hams ͑U.
    [Show full text]
  • (GEMS) Mission
    SSC09-III-4 Big Astrophysics in a Small Package The Gravity & Extreme Magnetism SMEX (GEMS) Mission Erin Walter Orbital Sciences Corporation, USA 21839 Atlantic Blvd Dulles, VA 20166; (703)406-5872 [email protected] Carlos Niederstrasser Orbital Sciences Corporation, USA 21839 Atlantic Blvd Dulles, VA 20166; (703)406-5504 [email protected] Jean H. Swank Goddard Space Flight Center, USA X-ray Astrophysics Laboratory Goddard Space Flight Center Code 662 Greenbelt MD 20771; (301)286-9167 [email protected] Keith Jahoda Goddard Space Flight Center, USA X-ray Astrophysics Laboratory Goddard Space Flight Center Code 662 Greenbelt MD 20771; (301)286-3527 [email protected] ABSTRACT The Gravity and Extreme Magnetism SMEX (GEMS) mission will be the first mission to use x-ray polarimetry to characterize the geometry and behavior of x-ray sources, including supermassive black holes and magnetars. Although such astrophysics missions usually require a “large” spacecraft, recent advances in technology allow a smaller spacecraft to conduct significant science in this exciting field. By focusing on the polarization of x-rays, GEMS will enable scientists for the first time to answer some of the most exciting questions in astrophysics. Polarization has the potential to resolve conflicting estimates of black hole spin, reveal how energy is released in this environment, and probe the physics behind strong magnetic fields. GEMS is made possible by recent breakthroughs in several key technologies. Advances in gas detector technology have enabled exploitation of photoelectric polarimetry, without sacrificing sensitivity. Light-weight mirrors are constructed of especially treated aluminum foils.
    [Show full text]