The Boston University Astronomy Department Annual Report 2006

Dept. Administrator: Susanna Lamey Chairman: James M. Jackson

The Boston University Astronomy Department 2006 Annual Report - July 2005-June 2006

TABLE OF CONTENTS

Executive Summary 4

Faculty and Staff 5

Teaching 6

Observatory and Facilities 9

Boston University Astronomical Society 10

The Graduate Program 11

Seminar Series 12

Alumni Affairs and Public Outreach 12

Research 13

Future Plans and Departmental Needs 14

APPENDIX A: Faculty, Staff, and Graduate Students 19

APPENDIX B: 2006 Astronomy Graduates 21

APPENDIX C: Seminar Series 2005/2006 22

APPENDIX D: Sponsored Project Funding 24

APPENDIX E: PhD Recipients, 1995-2006 26

APPENDIX F: Research Telescopes Available to Peer Institutions 30

The Boston University Astronomy Department 2006 Annual Report - July 2005-June 2006

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

The Department of Astronomy teaches science to hundreds of non-science majors from throughout the university, and runs one of the largest astronomy degree programs in the country. The faculty’s substantial grant activity, scientific productivity, and professional service demonstrate the Department’s excellence.

The Department graduated a class of nine undergraduates, all with a major concentration, as well as two Astronomy minors. While our program is small by CAS standards, among astronomy programs it is among the largest in the US.

In our graduate program, two students completed a PhD. Our graduate recruiting for next year was very successful: we have an incoming class of ten new students, bringing our total of new and ongoing astronomy graduate students to 44.

Overall grant revenue won through competitive proposals by Department Faculty and affiliated Research Associates stayed at modern high levels. Last year, the Department and its associated research centers raised $11,256,807, or approximately $700,000 per teaching faculty. Our faculty published a total of 114 papers in the disciplines’ most prestigious journals.

The Department had several noteworthy achievements. Prof. Janes and graduate student April Pinnick were part of a team that discovered a new planet orbiting a nearby sun-like star. The Boston University-Five College Radio Observatory Galactic Ring Survey, an 8-year project to map the molecular gas clouds in our home galaxy, the Milky Way, was completed and its data released to the public. Prof. Schwadron, a new faculty member, has proposed a theory to explain the puzzling absence of energized cosmic rays as Voyager passed through the so-called “termination shock” at the outer edge of our solar system. Prof. Oppenheim uses radar data and modeling to study meteor trails in the earth’s upper atmosphere.

In summary, the Department continues to thrive, serve, lead, and prosper with a strong educational programs and an outstanding research program. We look forward to working with the College to solve our long-standing space problem, to find the funds for a new observatory complex, and to support Boston University’s participation in an exciting new project, the Discovery Channel Telescope.

The Boston University Astronomy Department 2006 Annual Report - July 2005-June 2006

FACULTY AND STAFF

Faculty The Department of Astronomy currently has twenty-six faculty members: sixteen academic faculty and ten research faculty. The full list of the faculty and staff of the Department is provided in Appendix A. This coming fall, we plan to conduct a faculty search. The astronomy faculty continues to provide outstanding service to the nation and profession by serving on advisory committees for NASA and NSF, observatories, learned societies, and professional journals. This activity not only keeps our faculty informed of national and international developments, but it also allows us to form and influence national research policies. This high level of external activity demonstrates our stature among the first rank of the nation’s research departments.

New Appointments Associate Professor Nathan Schwadron joined the Astronomy Department teaching faculty in August 2005. Professor Schwadron came to us from the Southwest Research Institute in San Antonio, Texas, where he was a staff scientist. Prof. Schwadron’s research and expertise on the sun’s outer atmosphere and its interaction with the material in the solar system is an important new area that helps bridge many of the Department’s diverse research initiatives.

Changes in Status and Awards Received - Professor Jules Aarons retired from the department after many years of exemplary research and service. Professor Aarons will be missed by all. - Professor James Jackson became the Department’s eleventh Chairman on July 1, 2005. He succeeds Professor Harlan Spence, who tirelessly and ably served the department since July 2002. - Professor Tereasa Brainerd became the head of Boston University’s Institute for Astro- physical Research (IAR), a research center within the department. Professor Brainerd succeeds Prof. Jackson, who served as IAR Director for three years. - Professor Thomas Bania was appointed the department’s Director of Graduate Studies.

Research Associates and Departmental Staff Through its two affiliated research centers, the CSP and the IAR, the Department of As- tronomy currently has 18 Research Associates supporting our collective research mission. A full listing of Research Associates connected with the department and department staff appears in Appendix A.

Changes in Status and Awards Received: Research Associates -Dr. Justin Kasper joined the Center for Space Physics as a Research Fellow. Dr. Kasper will be working on the CRaTER project. -Dr. Qiugang Zong will be leaving the Center for Space Physics to take a new position at the University of Massachusetts at Lowell.

The Boston University Astronomy Department 2006 Annual Report - July 2005-June 2006

Changes in Status and Awards Received: Department Staff -Jennifer Brown was hired as the new librarian of the Michael D. Pappagiannis Astronomy Library. Jennifer is also currently working half-time as a web developer for the CRaTER project. -Erin Buck, Nikole Lewis, and Rick Foster joined the staff of the Center for Space Physics this year, and Lisa Walsh left the CSP.

TEACHING

Approximately 700 – 900 undergraduate students and 25 – 30 graduate students per year enroll in astronomy courses. The Astronomy Department has three distinct suites of courses to serve Boston University students:

1. Astronomy for non-science majors. Undergraduate non-science majors at Boston Uni- versity usually take our 100-level courses to fill the natural science distribution requirement. Since astronomy is rarely part of the high school curriculum, these courses offer an attractive opportunity for students wishing to experience a new field of science. 2. Core Curriculum. Astronomy faculty play a key role in the Core Curriculum Natural Sci- ences course CC105. About 300 students per year enroll in this course. 3. Astronomy for majors. Our 200-400 level courses provide a rigorous technical education for students wishing a career in astronomy or a related field. About 1/3 of our majors go on to graduate school in astronomy or physics. Those who enter the workforce instead have gained important skills in problem solving, mathematics, and physics. Many of these students find jobs where skills in analysis are highly sought. 4. Graduate-level astronomy. Our graduate program trains the next generation of astro- physicists and space physicists. Because of our department’s strong concentration in space physics research, our students are all required to take elementary courses in both astrophysics and space physics. After passing the qualifying exams, a student may choose advanced courses in either field.

Undergraduate Programs Director of Undergraduate Studies: Professor Kenneth Janes

Divisional Studies Courses In terms of number of students, the department’s largest teaching mission by far is courses designed to satisfy College divisional study requirements and similar requirements within the other undergraduate schools and colleges of the University.

We offer four such 100-level courses. Two of these, AS 101: The Solar System, and AS 102: The Astronomical Universe, provide surveys of solar system astronomy and extra-solar system astronomy and carry laboratory credit. The other two, AS 109 Cosmology and AS 117 Cosmic Evolution, are somewhat more focused and do not carry laboratory credit. This year we offered eight sections of these courses: four sections of AS 101, two of AS 102, and one

The Boston University Astronomy Department 2006 Annual Report - July 2005-June 2006 each of AS 109 and AS 117. In addition, we offered two honors sections, which were run as additions to regular courses.

Left: This chart shows Astronomy undergraduate course enrollment trends since 2000.

Table 1: 100-Level Astronomy Enrollments Year Fall Spr CAS Non-CAS Total 1995/96 442 394 546 290 836 1996/97 407 361 486 282 768 1997/98 416 311 449 278 727 1998/99 420 346 526 240 766 1999/00 437 307 502 242 744 2000/01 421 373 521 273 794 2001/02 322 242 374 190 564 2002/03 389 295 458 226 684 2003/04 372 329 488 213 701 2004/05 319 273 408 180 588 2005/06 295 293 406 182 588

Table 1 indicates that the total 100-level enrollment was 588 in 2005/2006. The average enrollment in each section this year was 12 students; actual section enrollments varied between 5 and 19. Of the students taking these courses, approximately 69% (406) were CAS students and 31% (182 ) came from other schools and colleges. Table 1 demonstrates also that this relative distribution between CAS and other schools has prevailed for at least the past decade.

The Core Curriculum The department is committed to providing excellent science education to students not concentrating in science, in the spirit of a true liberal arts education. Since an increasing number of CAS students choose to meet this component of their education through the Core, the department is committed to supporting the physical science component of the Core

The Boston University Astronomy Department 2006 Annual Report - July 2005-June 2006

Curriculum, CC105.

One of our own faculty members, Professor Alan Marscher, developed and coordinated CC105 for many years. Professor James Jackson served for several years as course coordinator, and has continued the strong presence of Department of Astronomy faculty and leadership in this important program. The Astronomy Department provides as many additional faculty members to this course as our other teaching commitments allow. This year, Profes- sors Marscher, Jackson, and Brainerd staffed the Core Curriculum course. We anticipate another strong representation of astronomy faculty and leadership in CC105 next academic year, with Prof. Jackson continuing as course coordinator, and Profs. Marscher and Blanton as teaching faculty.

Undergraduates Concentrating in Astronomy The Department continues to have one of the largest and strongest undergraduate majors programs in astronomy in the country. In terms of bachelor’s degrees awarded in astronomy, Boston University typically ranks from second through fifth for all US universities. For example in 2005, Boston University awarded 12 bachelor’s degrees, behind only Berkeley (22), Maryland (16), Arizona (14), and Colorado (13). In 2006, Boston University awarded 9 bachelor’s degrees. However, data for other US institutions for June graduations is not yet available.

During the 2005/06 academic year, 46 students (some of whom have declared an additional concentration) were declared in one of the department’s concentrations, and many additional students who expressed a strong interest in astronomy were being advised by an astronomy faculty member. The most popular concentration is Astronomy and Physics, followed by Astronomy and Geophysics and Space Science. These numbers are distributed fairly evenly over the freshman to senior classes and remain comparable with last year’s distribution.

This year’s graduating class consisted of nine students; four received BA’s in Astronomy and Physics and five in Astronomy. As has been the case now for many years, this class repre- sents a significant fraction of the total number of Bachelor’s degrees awarded nationally (the total number nationally in 2005 was 325 at 76 institutions). Current enrollments indicate that we will graduate ten or more students a year for the foreseeable future. A list of our graduating class is provided in Appendix B.

Undergraduate Curriculum There were no changes to the undergraduate curriculum last year.

Undergraduate Advising Advising of students concentrating, or intending to concentrate, in one of the majors offered by the department is overseen by the Director of Undergraduate Studies, Professor Kenneth Janes.

Since the course schedule for our concentrations is fairly structured, advising must begin with the incoming class sometimes even before they arrive on campus. Thus, freshman

The Boston University Astronomy Department 2006 Annual Report - July 2005-June 2006 advising during the summer is critically important. We also carefully monitor possible freshman concentrators during the first few days of classes in the fall to make sure all are taking the appropriate classes. We often recruit and advise highly-qualified students from our 100- level offerings; we have had growing success in recent years of identifying excellent scholars and introducing them into our program through these courses and advising. Students who decide during their sophomore year to concentrate in astronomy provide us with our biggest advising challenges, but the numbers are small enough that each case can be dealt with carefully on an individual basis.

This year we assigned as many students as possible to their advisor from the previous year. This provides much more continuity for the students, but requires faculty to be more aware of advising issues at all stages of our program. Every faculty member who was here both semesters acted as an advisor.

OBSERVATORY AND FACILITIES

Observatory Improvements The disparity between our national departmental prominence and the shamefully squalid quality of our observatory continues to be embarrassing, with negative impacts on recruitment efforts. We undertook some badly needed cosmetic improvements to the observatory, including new interior walls, floor, and ceiling. Nevertheless, we are a long way from an acceptable facility.

The dilapidated state of the Judson Coit Observatory continues to be an acute embarrassment for the Department, College, and University. The observatory walls are rusted and peeling. The main dome fills with snow in the winter. Every Wednesday night we open the observatory to the public to view astronomical objects through our telescopes, and the face we present to the public is one of abject poverty. High schools and community colleges have better telescope facilities than Boston University.

To partially overcome this state of abject dilapidation, the Department financed some cosmetic repairs this year. Contracts installed new dry walls, a floor, and ceiling. These improvements, however, are mainly cosmetic. The metal walls behind the new drywall remains corroded. The observatory dome is still not weatherproof, and it will again fill with snow in the winter. Apart from the basic structure, the antiquated, shoddy quality of our telescopes and cameras is far below acceptable standards for a modern university.

In this upcoming year, we are planning to make general repairs to the observatory domes in order to keep the weather from damaging the equipment and telescopes. We will again ask the College for the funds it promised, but failed to deliver, for equipment upgrades.

We look forward to establishing such a facility as an integral part of a new observatory complex and seek the College’s continued financial assistance in this proposed, major development project.

The Boston University Astronomy Department 2006 Annual Report - July 2005-June 2006

THE BOSTON UNIVERSITY ASTRONOMICAL SOCIETY

BUAS President: Amanda Johnson Faculty Advisors: Professor Harlan Spence

The BUAS is the undergraduate society associated with the department. Under the strong leadership of President Amanda Johnson, Vice-President Jon Brewer, Treasurer Michael Gully-Santiago, and Secretary Nicholas McConnell, with mentoring from their advisor, Pro- fessor Harlan Spence, the society had another highly successful year and served the department well. They promoted and organized a robust membership and enjoyed several events on campus as well as at remote sites.

This year the BUAS held observing sessions, open to all undergraduates, at the J.B. Coit Observatory every clear Sunday evening. They expanded their digital imaging equipment through the purchase of a new digital SLR camera, and also improved their observing equipment with the addition of two devoted solar telescopes with narrow band hydrogen alpha and calcium K filters. The BUAS website underwent considerable changes, and the informa- tive e-mail list that the BUAS maintains now includes hundreds of subscribers. Also, the BUAS took on a departmental book drive to collect and send unused astronomy textbooks to the Royal College Observatory in Sri Lanka, which was in desperate need of materials to augment their very small library. Three of the BUAS officers, Nick McConnell, Amanda Johnson, and Jon Brewer, graduated in May, and the remaining officer, Michael Gully-San- tiago, appointed a new roster for the 2006-07 academic year.

The BUAS plans to expand its equipment further next year and offer more observing trips to undergraduates, and plans to continue their Sunday night meetings. However, the organiza- tion is currently in sore need of office and laboratory space for long-term construction of telescopes and equipment storage.

Above/Right: The BUAS decorated our observatory dome for Halloween.

10 The Boston University Astronomy Department 2006 Annual Report - July 2005-June 2006

GRADUATE PROGRAM

Director of Graduate Studies: Professor Thomas Bania Director of Graduate Admissions: Professor John Clarke

Overview Our graduate program remains vigorous. Of the thirty-nine PhD-granting astronomy programs in the country, ours is about average in terms of the number of students and in the number of PhDs awarded. Our graduate students continue to win student awards at national scientific conferences as well as highly-competitive fellowships from federal agencies. A survey of our graduates who earned PhDs in the past decade reveals a remarkable degree of overall professional success. A significant fraction of our PhD recipients already hold faculty and leadership positions at major research institutions (see Appendix E). This past year we added twelve new students to our graduate student population and graduated two, resulting in a current total of 36. Every graduate student is fully supported as either a teaching fellow and/or research assistant for the full 12 months. Teaching Fellows and Research Assistants are listed in Appendix A. We graduate an average of about three PhDs each year (43 in the last 14 years). This year, we had two PhD graduates, Erin (Weeks) Bardar and Carlos Martinis. Our graduate students continue to be honored for their efforts, both for teaching and research and by both the Col- lege and by external institutions. This year’s awardees include: - Jon Niehof, who was awarded the College Prize as Outstanding Teaching Fellow in Astronomy. - Katherine Garcia, Sarah McGregor and Nicholeen Viall, who won Best Student Papers at the American Geophysical Union’s Fall 2005 meeting. - Monica Young, who was awarded a predoctoral fellowship from the Center for Astrophysics at Harvard University.

Graduate Student Recruitment Graduate student recruitment is critical to maintaining a vigorous graduate program. Com- petition for the best graduate students among the top schools is intense, and we must ex- pend considerable effort in attracting the best students to choose Boston University for their graduate study. Our vigorous recruitment this year was very successful. Professor John Clarke led our graduate recruitment effort this year, and the entire department (faculty, students, and staff) participate significantly in meeting with visiting graduate students and educating them about the strengths and values of our program. As is increasingly common, the department did a great job of actively recruiting several top applicants and converting them into incoming students. We look forward to greeting ten new students entering our graduate program in the fall; this incoming group will maintain our graduate population at strong levels. A list of the incoming students is provided in the Appendix.

Graduate Curriculum There were no changes to our graduate curriculum.

11 The Boston University Astronomy Department 2006 Annual Report - July 2005-June 2006

Graduate Advising Advising of graduate students was overseen by Professor Thomas Bania, Director of Grad- uate Studies (DGS), in his first year in that important administrative position. Incoming graduate students are advised by the DGS, who continues to be their primary advisor until they select a research supervisor, usually no later than their first summer of graduate study. After a student has a research supervisor, he/she provides their primary advice. Neverthe- less, all graduate student registrations are countersigned by the DGS to ensure that students register for the appropriate courses, especially as they prepare for the written component of the PhD qualifying examination (the “Comps”). The DGS continues to monitor students’ progress throughout their graduate career, ensuring that they present themselves for qualifying and language exams on time.

Our graduate program is small enough for the faculty collectively, once a year during a fall faculty meeting, to discuss the progress of each graduate student individually. This process allows us to compare assessments and experiences, and to identify any potential problems and suggest solutions. This advising scheme works well for our graduate program.

SEMINAR SERIES

Weekly seminar series in both Astrophysics and Space Physics are held throughout the academic year. These are run as graduate seminar courses by members of the department faculty, but organized and financed by the Institute for Astrophysical Research and the Center for Space Physics, respectively. The lists of outstanding speakers in both seminar series are provided in Appendix C.

ALUMNI AFFAIRS AND PUBLIC OUTREACH

Two annual public outreach/alumni highlights are our annual musical events performed by members and friends of the Department: “Astronomy Unplugged”, an informal, intimate concert of popular contemporary music, and our “Musical Soiree”, a formal concert of clas- sical music held each spring in the Tsai Center. These open concerts build esprit de corps within the Department and are enjoyed by many more from within the larger BU community.

Our most prominent outreach effort is our Public Open Nights held every clear Wednesday night in the Coit Observatory. This program is run by our department curator, typically supported by members of the BUAS, and draws hundreds of visitors annually from the Greater Boston area. We stress that the quality of this popular program and other special events are limited by and indeed ever threatened by the poor physical state of the Coit Observatory. The attraction of our special events to the general public stands in contrast to our inability to deliver quality programs due to the limitations of our facility, demonstrating the urgent

12 The Boston University Astronomy Department 2006 Annual Report - July 2005-June 2006 need for a new observatory complex.

There are ample opportunities to increase such outreach activities, but the deplorable physical state of the observatory makes this unwise. When our department’s desperate need for improvements to our sadly neglected main facility is addressed, we will be able to increase both the quantity and quality of programs such as this one.

RESEARCH

The Department of Astronomy, through its affiliated research units, the Center for Space Physics (CSP), the Institute for Astrophysical Research (IAR), and the Center for Integrated Space Weather Modeling (CISM), has a robust and thriving research program. Every member of the faculty maintains a research program through external sponsored funding. Publi- cation of scientific results continued at a brisk pace in the top journals of our fields.

Overall Summary The Department’s research accomplishments for 2005-06 are remarkable. Some highlights include: -The discovery of a new planet by a team with strong Boston University participation. -The completion of the Galactic Ring Survey, an ambitious 8-year project that mapped the gas clouds in a large portion of our home galaxy, the Milky Way. These highlights are the tip of the iceberg---more research done through the auspices of CISM, CSP, and IAR is described in more detail in their annual reports. Please read these three annual reports for a more comprehensive description.

Above: The Galactic Ring Survey. This picture shows the molecular clouds from a large portion of our Milky Way Galaxy. The survey data were released to the public and a paper describing the data was published in 2006.

13 The Boston University Astronomy Department 2006 Annual Report - July 2005-June 2006

Research Funding The Astronomy Department is very successful in raising research funds. Compared with other science departments at Boston University, for the past two years the Astronomy De- partment has the largest annual grant income ($11.7 M in FY2004, $12.6 M in FY2005; $11.2 M in FY2006). This accomplishment is even more impressive considering the small size of our faculty. Indeed, with the single exception of the PhD-only program in Cognitive and Neural Sciences, the average grant income raised per faculty member in the Astronomy De- partment is $703,000, far more than for any other CAS science department. We are confi- dent that we will continue to win both the large grants similar to PICTURE, LCI, CRaTER, and CISM, as well as the smaller “bread-and-butter” grants that sustain our base program.

As has been the case in past years, our research was supported by grants and contracts from three major federal agencies National Science Foundation, NASA, and the Office of Naval Research. We continue to stress the importance of this diversity as a hedge against the shift- ing sands of highly competitive federal and private research funds. A full listing of funding received this year as reported monthly by the OSP is provided in Appendix D.

Peer-Reviewed Publications The Department’s faculty, research associates, and students continue to publish in the leading journals of our disciplines and to present their results at national and international meetings. This activity not only disseminates major new research results, but also helps to keep the department’s research prominent within our research communities. Members of the Astron- omy Department and its affiliated research centers published 114 articles in refereed journals during the reporting period, about 7 per teaching faculty. A full accounting of these publications is in the CSP, CISM, and IAR annual reports.

Use of IDC Return The Department of Astronomy no longer receives any IDC return. Instead, IDC is re- turned to IAR and CSP who administer all sponsored research funding.

FUTURE PLANS & DEPARTMENTAL NEEDS

In order to remain competitive with our peer institutions, Boston University astronomers re- quire access to a new research facility. We have identified the Discovery Channel Telescope as an excellent opportunity for both our University and our Department. Another pressing departmental need is space: renovations to existing space - teaching, meeting, office, laboratory, and observatory space – as well as development of new space to accommodate our growing efforts. The dilapidated state of the Judson Coit Observatory clearly demonstrates the need to build a major, new observatory complex.

A New Research Facility: The Discovery Channel Telescope Boston University enjoys the use of one small research telescope, the 1.8 meter diameter Perkins Telescope, which it shares with Lowell Observatory. The University’s agreement

14 The Boston University Astronomy Department 2006 Annual Report - July 2005-June 2006 with Lowell gives 50% of the telescope time to Boston University. This guaranteed access to telescope time is absolutely critical if we are to remain competitive. Indeed, the Lowell agreement allowed us to build two major Boston University instruments, PRISM and Mimir, with funding from the NSF, NASA, and the Keck Foundation. Continued access to these state of the art instruments will no doubt lead to a steady stream of science funding for large projects which are impossible to perform on national facilities. Indeed, several such projects have already been funded.

To remain competitive, Boston University must have access to high-level research grade telescopes. A growing trend in the field is for universities, or consortia of universities, to fund telescopes to provide guaranteed telescope time to their faculty. With the dwindling funding of national telescope facilities, having one’s own telescope is the only way to perform the observations necessary to thrive. Furthermore, access to telescopes is a prerequisite for funding astronomical instrumentation.

All of our peer astronomy departments (and many lower-tiered departments) have access to telescopes superior to the Perkins. Thirty astronomy departments enjoy regular access to telescopes with over twice the collecting area as the Perkins telescope (see Table). We cannot compete unless we gain access to a telescope of our own.

If we are to reach the next level, Boston University astronomers must have access to a larger, modern telescope. The need for our own telescope is especially pressing in light of funding trends. NSF funding of national telescopes is being cut. Because most of our astro- physicists now rely on national facilities, it will be increasingly difficult to conduct front-line research in astronomy without guaranteed access to a private telescope.

The centerpiece of our long-term plan is for Boston University to participate in the construction and operation of a new research telescope. Several new telescopes are being proposed, and some could provide excellent opportunities for the Astronomy Department. We have identified the Discovery Channel Telescope as the most attractive project.

Right: Artist’s conception of the finished Discovery Channel telescope.

15 The Boston University Astronomy Department 2006 Annual Report - July 2005-June 2006

Above: January 2005 construction photo at Happy Jack, AZ (with B.U. undergraduates).

The Discovery Channel Telescope is a new 4 meter diameter telescope being built by Lowell Observatory near Flagstaff, Arizona. When finished, the DCT will be the 6th largest telescope in the continental US and the16th largest in the world. The DCT is designed to have a unique capability for mapping large sections of the sky in the optical and infrared. Lowell Observatory is seeking partners to join in its construction and operations.

Because the DCT’s fast mapping speed is ideally suited for large surveys, the DCT is a per- fect match to our department’s research strength in astronomical surveys. Although it is not the largest telescope, for wide-field imaging the DCT will be among the world’s very best. Thus, it enables unique science. One very important DCT project will deduce the structure of the Milky Way galaxy in unprecedented detail by measuring the speeds of hundreds of millions of stars. The DCT will also be used to find thousands of Kuiper Belt Objects, the most distant known objects in the solar system.

The Discovery Channel has provided $10 million for the DCT and plans to showcase the telescope and its discoveries not only through television, but also through its K-12 educational mission. About 2/3 of all K-12 school districts in the US subscribe to the Discov- ery broadband service. Thus, participating in the Discovery Channel Telescope would pay enormous benefits to the University. A partnership with Discovery would lead not just to a telescope, but also a strong media presence, and unprecedented opportunities for training our student scientists, educators, and journalists.

16 The Boston University Astronomy Department 2006 Annual Report - July 2005-June 2006

The Discovery Channel Telescope would bring several advantages to Boston University: - The Discovery Channel is an important outlet for promoting Boston University and furthering its education mission - The DCT would provide a highly visible showcase to attract donors. - Discovery’s continuing programming of DCT discoveries guarantees positive pub licity for Boston University on an ongoing basis. - A partnership with Discovery can benefit many other units within the University. For example, Discovery’s broadband educational products and services provide an important opportunity for our School of Education, and its ongoing documen tary work could serve our students and faculty in the School of Communications. - Guaranteed access to a modern research telescope provides important funding op portunities for instrumentation and astronomical surveys. - The DCT will attract the best faculty and the best students.

A New Observatory Complex The physical condition of our on-campus teaching observatory is shamefully poor and com- pletely inconsistent with the national stature and high quality of our educational and research programs.

The Coit Observatory on the roof of the CAS building is arguably the department’s most important teaching facility, severing nearly a thousand student visits each year. On Wednes- day evenings we have for many years opened the observatory to the public and they return with great regularity in large number. The observatory is necessarily a focal point of any tour of the department by prospective students or others. However, several local area high schools have significantly better observatories than ours.

The appalling state of our observatory presents a public image of squalor that is truly unac- ceptable to a modern research university. What should and could be a crowning gem for the Astronomy Department, the CAS building, and the College and University, is instead an ongoing embarrassment.

We have just finished some cosmetic repairs to the observatory (dry wall and paint), but the basic problems remain hidden. The dome fills with snow and damages any equipment stored inside it. Our telescopes are antiquated and our equipment substandard. The outside walls remain cracked and peeling. In sum, the observatory is the most public part of the department’s facilities yet it is our very poorest face.

If we are to teach astronomy divisional courses with a laboratory component, and if that is to include access to the night sky and if we are to teach our majors and graduate students modern observational astronomy then we must build a new observatory. The new observatory should include a museum to house our historically significant antique astronomical telescopes and instruments. We envision also a planetarium/theatre and teaching labs in addition to modern telescopic facilities. This new multi-million dollar facility would be a resource not only for the department, but also for the entire BU community.

17 The Boston University Astronomy Department 2006 Annual Report - July 2005-June 2006

We look forward to working with Administration and Development to resolve the long-outstanding and ever-worsening problem of our presently inadequate observatory. We are eager to work to identify funds and/or donors to make our vision for a new observatory complex a reality. We hope that this visionary project will become a primary need presented to potential donors and a priority for BU capital investments.

Our Physical Space Crisis One of the most pressing departmental needs continues to be our lack of space. We no longer have adequate room to house our growing research and teaching missions.

The Department faces a severe space shortage. With the continuing success of our research efforts, we are attracting larger and larger projects to the Department, but we are being forced to cram our personnel into smaller and smaller spaces. As a consequence, during this fiscal year, we have exceeded full capacity. The arrival of three large hardware projects, a return of our graduate program to larger levels, and the conversion of 500 into an Access Grid room and 502 into a classroom/seminar room has created an office crisis. We are de- laying necessary hires because we have no place to put them. We have no space for storage, or for our growing computer facilities. We have barely adequate space for teaching laborato- ries, and less than adequate space for teaching computer labs. We have no common areas for scientific interactions. We are beginning to place established researchers in former closets and reception areas. Our on-campus teaching observatory is literally falling apart. More ef- ficient use of our space is no longer an option.

A partial solution to our space needs was found last year in moving Prof. Fritz’s research laboratory to the Photonics Building. We hope that the University will be able to accommodate our current and future projects as well. We look forward to help from the University in meeting this pressing need.

18 The Boston University Astronomy Department 2006 Annual Report - July 2005-June 2006

APPENDIX A: Faculty, Staff, and Graduate Students Chairman: Professor James Jackson Associate Chairman: Professor Kenneth Janes Director of Graduate Studies: Professor Thomas Bania Director of Undergraduate Studies: Professor Kenneth Janes Department Administrator: Ms. Susanna Lamey

Faculty Jules Aarons, Research Professor of Astronomy and Space Science. BA, City College of New York; MA, Boston University; PhD, University of Paris Thomas Bania, Professor of Astronomy. AB, Brown University; MS, PhD, University of Virginia Sunanda Basu, Research Professor of Astronomy and Space Physics. BSc, Calcutta University (India); AM, Boston University; PhD, Calcutta University (India) Elizabeth Blanton, Assistant Professor of Astronomy. AB, Vassar College; MA, MPhil, PhD, Columbia Tereasa Brainerd, Associate Professor of Astronomy. BSc, University of Alberta; PhD, Ohio State Kenneth Brecher, Professor of Astronomy. BS, PhD, Massachusetts Institute of Technology Supriya Chakrabarti, Professor of Astronomy. BE, University of Calcutta; MS, PhD, University of Cali fornia, Berkeley Jiasheng Chen, Assistant Research Professor of Astronomy. BS, Peking University; MS, Chinese Academy of Sciences; PhD University of Delaware John Clarke, Professor of Astronomy. BS, Denison University; MA, PhD, Johns Hopkins University Dan Clemens, Professor of Astronomy. BS, BS, University of California; MS, MS, PhD, UMass Timothy Cook, Associate Research Professor of Astronomy and Space Physics. BA, Johns Hopkin, PhD, University of Colorado. Nancy Crooker, Research Professor of Astronomy and Space Physics. BA, Knox College; MS, PhD, University of California, Los Angeles. Theodore Fritz, Professor of Astronomy and Space Physics, Professor of Electrical and Computer Engineering, Professor of Aerospace and Mechanical Engineering. BS, Virginia Polytechnic Insti tute; MS, PhD, University of Iowa Charles Goodrich, Research Professor of Astronomy and Space Physics. BS, PhD, Massachusetts Insti tute of Technology W. Jeffrey Hughes, Professor of Astronomy. BSc, PhD, University of London James Jackson, Professor of Astronomy. BS, Pennsylvania State University; PhD, Massachusetts Institute of Technology Kenneth Janes, Professor of Astronomy. AB, Harvard College; MS, San Diego State University; MA, MPhil, PhD, Yale. John Lyon, Research Professor of Astronomy and Space Physics. ScB, Brown University; PhD, University of Maryland Alan Marscher, Professor of Astronomy, Associate Dean. BS, Cornell University; PhD, University of Virginia Michael Mendillo, Professor of Astronomy, Professor of Electrical and Computer Engineering. BS, Provi dence College; MA, PhD, Boston University Meers Oppenheim, Associate Professor of Astronomy. BS, PhD, Cornell University Jack Quinn, Research Professor of Astronomy and Space Physics. BA, University of Colorado; MS, PhD, University of California San Diego. Nathan Schwadron, Associate Professor of Astronomy. BA, Oberlin College; PhD, University of Michi gan, Ann Arbor George Siscoe, Research Professor of Astronomy and Space Physics. BS, PhD, Massachusetts Institute of Technology Harlan Spence, Professor of Astronomy. BA, Boston University; MS, PhD, University of California, Los Angeles

19 The Boston University Astronomy Department 2006 Annual Report - July 2005-June 2006

Astrophysics Research Associates (Institute for Astrophysical Research) Amanda Bosh, SB, MSS, PhD, Massachusetts Institute of Technology Svetlana Jorstad, BS, PhD, St. Petersburg State University Kathleen Kraemer, BS, California Institute of Technology; PhD, Boston University Jill Rathborne, PhD, University of New South Wales, Sydney, Australia Ronak Shah, BA, Boston University, MA, PhD, University of Virginia

Space Physics Research Associates (Center for Space Physics and CISM) Jeffrey Baumgardner, BA, MA, Boston University Yakov Dimant, MS, Novosibirsk State University, Siberia; PhD, Lebedev Institute of Physics, Moscow Pallamraju Duggirala, MS, Osmania University; PhD, Physical Research Laboratory, Ahmedabad, India Lars Dyrud, BA, Augsburg College; MA, PhD, Boston University Larry Kepko, BA, MS, PhD, University of California, Los Angeles Xie Lun, BE, MS, Changchun Institute of Optics and Fine Mechanics; PhD, Peking University Viacheslav Merkin, BS, MA, Moscow Institute of Physics and Technology; PhD, University of Maryland Mathew Owens, MS, University College London; Ph.D., Imperial College London Henry Rishbeth, BA, MA, PhD, ScD, University of Cambridge, England Steven Smith, BS, MS, PhD, University of Canterbury, New Zealand Chris Sweeney, BS, Miami University (Ohio); MS, PhD, University of Michigan Jody Wilson, BS, Ohio State University; MS, PhD, University of Colorado, Boulder Paul Withers, B.A., M.S., Cambridge University, PhD, University of Arizona Qiugang Zong, BS, Sichuan University; PhD, University of Braunschweig, Germany

Department Staff David Bradford, Systems Manager, BS, Indiana University Jennifer Brown, Librarian, BA, Boston University Susanna Lamey, Department Administrator, BA, Susquehanna University; MA, Boston University Jeffrey Sanborn, Associate Systems Manager, BS, Boston University Quinn Sykes, Observatory Curator, BS, MS, University of North Carolina, Charlotte

Astronomy Graduate Students During 2005-2006 Teaching Fellows Research Assistants (*=CSP †=IAR Ф=SMEC) Susan Grunwald Ingolfur Agustsson† Loren Anderson† Elizabeth Bass* Nick Lee Nina Bonaventura† Sarah McGregor* Suwicha Wannawichian* Josh Wing Ed Chambers† Carlos Martinis* Erin BardarФ Susanna Finn Katie Garcia* Emily Mercer† Penny Wu* Christina Prested Timothy Guild* Luke Moore* Hui Zhang* Chris Mendillo Brian Hicks* Jon Niehof* Frannie D’Arcangelo† April Pinnick Paul Howell† Tony Case* Ned Douglass† Chia-Lin Huang* Alexis Johnson† Andrew Jordan* Mike Klida* Amber Kendall Nicki Viall* Monica Young† Kate Whitaker*

Incoming Graduate Students Graduate Student Undergraduate Institution Graduate Student Undergraduaate Institution Cara Battersby UMass Amherst Dipesh Bhattarai Whittier College Carol Carveth Worchester Polytech. Julia Duval Paul Sabatier U. Kamen Kozarev Williams College Sean Lockwood U.C. Berkeley Majd Mayyasi UMass Boston Mike Pavel U. Florida Carl Schmidt Univ. Colorado Brian Walsh Colgate Charlotte Wong Wheaton College

20 The Boston University Astronomy Department 2006 Annual Report - July 2005-June 2006

APPENDIX B: 2006 Astronomy Graduates

DOCTOR OF PHILOSOPHY Name Advisor Thesis Title Erin Bardar Kenneth Brecher “Development and Analysis of Spectroscopic Learning Tools and the Light and Spectroscopy Concept Inventory for Introductory College Astronomy” Carlos Martinis Michael Mendillo “On the Dynamics and Instabilities of the Low Latitude Ionosphere”

MASTER OF ARTS None

BACHELOR OF ARTS Name Concentration Ann Douglas Astronomy Jennifer Hanson Astronomy and Physics Amanda Johnson Astronomy James Kim Astronomy Sheena Khanchandani Astronomy Nick McConnell Astronomy and Physics Nathan Meixler Astronomy and Physics Josh Stadtlander Astronomy Elizabeth Taber Astronomy and Physics

21 The Boston University Astronomy Department 2006 Annual Report - July 2005-June 2006

APPENDIX C: Seminar Series 2005/2006

Institute for Astrophysical Research Seminar Series

Fall 2005 September 13 - Heidi Newberg, RPI, Will the real stellar halo please stand up? September 20 - Robert Simon, Univ. of Cologne, Submillimeter and far-infrared Astronomy at KOSMA: Preparing for Herschel and SOFIA September 27 - Igor Drozdovsky, Instituto de Astrofisica de Canarias, The stellar structures around disk galaxies October 4 - Nathan Smith, Univ. of Colorado, Eta Carinae and the LBVs: Extreme Mass Loss from Lumi- nous Evolved Stars October 18 - Peter McCullough, Space Telescope Science Institute, The XO Planet Finding System October 21 - Joao Yun, University of Lisbon, Building an Astronomy Research Group from Scratch: Tale of a Portugese BU Alumnus October 25 - Beth Willman, New York University., A Little Light, A Lot of Relevance: the least luminous galaxies October 28 - Greg Sivakoff, University of Virginia, Low Mass X-ray binaries in galaxies November 1 - Eric Gawiser, Yale University, The MUSYC census of Protogalaxies at z = 3 November 4 – Freeman Dyson, Professor Emeritus Institute for Advanced Study at Princeton, Gravi- tons November 8 - Jill Rathborne, BU/IAR, Infrared Dark Clouds: precursors to star clusters November 29 - Robert Zinn, Yale University, The QUEST RR Lyrae Survey and the New Virgo Stellar Stream December 6 - Eileen Friel, NSF

Spring 2006 January 31 - Charles Lada, Center for Astrophysics, Origins of Star Formation Research from Aristotle to Ambartsumian Feb 7 - Tereasa Brainerd, Boston U., New constraints on CDM halos from satellite galaxies and weak lensing: the view from room 514B Febuary 28 - David DeVorkin, NASM, Beyond Stardrek – Women who changed the Universe March 14 - Jonathan McKinney, General Relativistic Magnetohydrodynamic Simulations of Jet Formation and Large-Scale Propagation from Black Hole Accretion Systems March 20 - George Jacoby, NOAO, The Luminosity of Type Ia SNe and the Future of the Sun March 28 - Mike Cushing, University of Arizona, Clouds and Chemistry: Probing the Atmospheres of Ultra- cool Dwarfs with Spitzer April 4 - Philip Myers, Center for Astrophysics, Observations and Models of Young Stellar Clusters April 11 - David Soderblom, STScI, The Sun at 1,000 Light Years: Can we see our future in the stars? April 18 - Rick Pogge, The Ohio State University, Measuring supermassive black holes in AGN – A progress report

22 The Boston University Astronomy Department 2006 Annual Report - July 2005-June 2006

Center for Space Physics Seminar Series

Fall 2005 September 15 - John Raymond, Center for Astrophysics, Thermal Equilibration in Collisionless Shocks September 22 - Harlan Spence, Boston University, CRaTER (Cosmic Ray Telescope for the Effects of Ra- diation) September 29 - Charles Smith, University of New Hampshire, Dissipation of Turbulence in Solar Wind October 6 - Thomas Zurbuchen, University of Michigan, The 100th Birthday of Special Relativity October 13 - John Merriwether, Clemson University, Fabry-Perot Interferometry and New Directions in Pas- sive Optics Research: A Review and New Results October 20 - David McComas, Southwest Research Institute, The Interstellar Boundary Explorer (IBEX) October 27 - Mary Hudson, Dartmouth College, Dynamic Modeling of New Radiation Belts from Solar Storms November 3 - Cora Randall, LASP (University of Colorado), Ozone Depletion via Energetic Electrons November 10 - Fred Adams, University of Michigan, Formation and Migration of Extra-Solar Planets November 17 - Eberhand Moebius, University of New Hampshire, Understanding the Local Interstellar Medium by Measuring its Neutral Atoms December 1 - Qiugang Zong, Boston University, Energetic Particles in the Magnetosphere: A Cluster Perspec- tive

Spring 2006 January 23 - Professor Jean-Claude Gerard, Universite de Liege, IMAGE FUV Observations of the Proton Aurora: Morphology and Diagnostic of the State of Magnetosphere February 2 - Dr. John Retterer, AFRL, Forecasting Low-latitude Radio Scintillation with First-Principle Models February 9 - Professor Paul Song, UMass Lowell, Magnetosphere-ionosphere/thermosphere coupling: A three- fluid approach February 16 - Dr. Bronislaw Dichter, AFRL, An Unexpected Space Weather Effect on the Chandra X-Ray Telescope February 23 - Professor Joshua Semeter, Boston University, Covergence of Magnetospheric Energy Flux in the Polar Ionosphere March 2 - Dr. Yan Song, University of Minnesota, Parallel Electric Fields, Reconnection and Auroral Particle Acceleration March 16 - Dr. Hal Weaver, Johns Hopkins Applied Physics Laboratory, The Exploration of the Solar System’s Third Zone March 23 - Dr. George Parks, University of California, Space Plasma Physics: Where We Came From & Where We Must Go March 30 - Professor Darrell Strobel, Johns Hopkins University, Titan’s Upper Atmosphere: Do we really understand the physics that controls its structure? April 6 - Professor Tom Hill, Rice University, The Other Kind of Planetary Magnetosphere April 13 - Dr. David Brain, University of California, Crustal Fields in the Solar Wind: The Lumpy Bumpy Magnetosphere of Mars April 20 - Professor George Gloeckler, University of Maryland, Acceleration of Low-Energy Particles in the Heliosphere and at the Termination Shock May 4 - Dr. Jeffrey Hoffman, MIT, The Massachusetts Space Grant Consortium: Advanced Pressure Suit Technology for Future Space Exploration

23 The Boston University Astronomy Department 2006 Annual Report - July 2005-June 2006

APPENDIX D: Sponsored Project Funding

Funding Received on New or Continuing Grants by Astronomy Faculty and Senior Research Associates in FY06

PI Agency Title Award Funding *Bania 9116-5 NASA Mapping the Distribution of Hot Gas in the Inner Milky Way $56,600 Basu 8117-5 ONR Multi-Technique Studies of Ionospheric Plasma Structuring $59,106 Basu 8117-5 NASA Studies of Ionospheric Plasma Structuring at Low Latitude from Space & $56,006 Ground, their Modeling & Relationships to Scintillations Basu 8975-5 NSF International Coordination Office for the Scientific Committee on Solar- $89,928 Terrestrial Physics-Climate and Weather of the Sun-Earth System (SCOSTEP-CAWSES) Program *Baumgardner 9193-5 NSF CEDAR: A Calibration “Facility” fpr CEDAR Optical Aeronomy. $107,478 Blanton 8651-5 Foundations Clare Boothe Luce Professorship $109,724 *Blanton 9269-5 NASA Chandra General Observer Progam, Cycle 6-Bubbles and B-Flats: A $58,792 Deep Observation of Abell 2052 Bosh 8512-5 NASA Planetary Ring Studies using Stellar Occultation $45,392 Chakrabarti 8763-5 NASA Planet Imaging Concept Testbed Using a Rocket Experiment $443,409 (PICTURE + JPL $1,110,000) *Chakrabarti, Baumgardner, NSF SGER: Investigation of ESF Triggers Using Balloon-Based and Ground $75,000 Duggirala, and Cook 9169-5 Diagnostics

*Clarke 9020-5 NASA ACS Imaging of the Uranus Aurora and Hydrogen Corona (Subcontract $35,000 via Space Telescope Institute) *Clarke 9174-5 NASA Coordinated Observations of Saturn’s Auroral Dynamic Morphology $27,398 and Cassini Plasma Measurements (Subcontract via Space Telescope Science Institute) *Clarke 9241-5 NASA High Resolution Imaging of Jupiter’s Diffuse Auroral Emissions $44,999 Inside/Outside Main Oval During Solar Minimum (Subcontract via Space Telescope Science Institute) Clarke 8438-5 STScI HST UV Images of Saturn’s Aurora coordinated with Cassini Solar Wind $46,872 Measurements Clarke 8864-5 NASA Saturn’s Auroral Energy Deposition Coordinated with Cassini UVIS $27,819

Clarke 8865-5 STScI Identification of Magnetic Anomaly at Jupiter from Satellite Footprints $28,542

Clemens 4509-5 JPL The SIRTF Galactic Plane Survey $58,706 *Cook 9214-5 MAGNOLIA Design and Development of Radiation Hardened ROIC for Culti-Color $24,500 LWIR/VLWIR Focal Plane Arrays Cook 8944-5 MAGNOLIA The Baryonic Structure Probe: Characterizing the Cosmic Web of Matter $13,171 Through Ultraviolet Spectroscopy *Crooker 9201-5 NSF SHINE: Studies of ICME-CME Connections and Implications for $85,698 Heliospheric Topology *Crooker 9238-5 NASA Heliospheric Outflows at Sector Boundaries and Their Solar Sources $78,227

Dimant and Oppenheim NSF Plasma Instabilities and Turbulent Heating in Lower Ionosphere: Theory $98,294 8387-5 and Simulations *Duggirala 9013-5 DoD/Air Force Ground-Based Optical Investigations of Daytime Polar Cap ARCS, $30,000 Daytime Aurora and Dayglow Duggirala 8973-5 SRI Critical Investigation of Dayside Reconnection Arcs and the Csp $46,628 Boundary with Coordinated ISR and HIRISE Diagnostics. Fritz 8854-5 NASA The POLAR CAMMICE Effort at Boston University $266,000 Fritz 8878-5, 9113-5, NASA The CLUSTER RAPID On-Orbit Operations and Data Verifications $371,270 9290-5 Fritz 8888-5 NASA The Loss Cone Imager (LCI) $774,753 Hughes 8183-5 NSF Collaborative Research: GEM MACCS-East–A magnetometer Array for $75,000 Cusp & Cleft Studies (MACCS) Hughes 9763-5 NSF STC: Center for Integrated Space Weather Modeling $4,000,000 *Jackson 9078-5 NSF Release and Analysis of the Galactic Ring Survey $175,000 *Jackson 9720-5 NASA The MSX Dark Cloud Catalog $87,975 *Janes 9080-5 NSF Old Star Clusters: Stellar Activity and Galactic Structure $217,841

24 The Boston University Astronomy Department 2006 Annual Report - July 2005-June 2006

*Janes 9251-5 NSF REU Supplement: Collaborative Research: BU/LowellObservatory $8,171 Partnership-Bringing the Perkins Telescope into the 21ST Century

*Jorstad 9022-5 JPL Spitzer Space Telescope: Deep Imaging of Quasar Jets with IRAC $22,318 Kepko and Spence 8732-5 NSF Highly Periodic Solar Wind Density Structures: Characteristics and $124,192 Magnetospheric Coupling *Marscher 9007-5 NASA Positrons in AGN Jets: Search for Annihilation Line Radiation $56,903 *Marscher 9008-5 NASA Mapping the Variable X-Ray Emission in Blazars $28,009 *Marscher 9021-5 JPL Spitzer Space Telescope: Comparison of Time-Variable IR and X-Ray $47,498 Continuum Spectra in Four Blazars *Marscher 9091-5 NASA Sub Studies of Winds in Quasars $23,088 *Marscher 9108-5 NASA Relation Between X-Ray State and Energy Flow in Jets or Radio Galaxies $30,496

*Marscher 9237-5 NASA NGC1052: The Key to Explore the Disk-Jet Connection in AGN $30,278 Marscher 8514-5 NSF Multifrequency Probes of Blazar Jets $203,653 *Mendillo 9085-5 NASA Saturn Thermosphere-Ionosphere Model (STIM) $75,000 *Mendillo 9144-5 DOD/ONR Multiple Characteristics of Ionospheric Variability Patterns $155,000 *Mendillo 9283-5 NASA Mars Odyssey Mission: Analysis of Accelerometer Data from $45,000 Aerobraking. Mendillo 7210-5 NASA Saturn’s Ionosphere and Plasmasphere $24,000 Mendillo 8059-5 NASA The Interaction of Mars Upper Atmosphere with the Solar Wind $90,000 Mendillo 8204-5 NSF Imaging Science and Modeling Investigations of the Upper Atmosphere $294,694

Mendillo 8557-5 NASA Studies of Variability Patterns and their causes in Mars Upper $101,623 Atmosphere Oliver 8384-5 NSF Incoherent Scatter Radar Studies of Hot Oxygen $134,896 Oppenheim 9744-5 NSF CEDAR: The Aeronomy of Meteor Trails: Observations, Simulations, $89,488 and Theory Oppenheim and Dimant NSF Simulations and Theory of Small Scale E-Region Turbulence $96,000 8866-5 *Schwadron 9240-5 NSF Collaborative Research: SHINE-Dynamical Properties of Suprathermal $30,236 Ions in the 3D Heliosphere *Semeter 9173-5 NSF AMISR Graduate Studies: Development of Multi-Sensor Analysis $72,670 Techniques and a Synergistic Educational Program *Semeter 9278-5 NSF CAREER: Magnetosphere-Ionsphere Coupling Through Multi-Sensor $82,870 Data Semeter 8805-5 NSF Ground-Based Investigation of Upflowing Ions in the Discrete Aurora $80,033 (in conjunction with Center for Space Physics) Siscoe 8027-5 NSF Solar Wind Magnetosphere Ionosphere Coupling $129,710 *Smith 9014-5 NSF Multi-Diagnostic Characterization of Mesospheric Gravity Wave $59,337 Propagation at the Arecibo Observatory *Smith 9202-5 NSF CEDAR: Multi-Diagnostic Characterization of Mesospheric Gravity $96,829 Wave Propagation at Several Globally Distributed Sites *Spence 8982-5 NASA Integrative Sun-Earth System Studies Using Magnetospheric Energetic $98,000 Particles Spence 4870-5 NASA Integrative Sun-Earth System Studies Using Magnetospheric Energetic $65,000 Particles Spence 8521-5 NASA/APL ENA Imager Collimator Design and Prototype for SEC Geospace $30,800 Mission Instrument Spence 8834-5 NASA Cosmic Ray Telescope for the Effects of Radiation (CRaTER) $1,362,000 Wilson 8619-5 STScI The Escape of Oxygen from Mars $32,998 *Wilson 9115-5 NASA Identifying the Sources of the Lunar Atmosphere Prior to Human $51,000 Habitation on the Moon

Total New and Continuing Award Funding for FY06 $11,586,918

* = New Award

25 The Boston University Astronomy Department 2006 Annual Report - July 2005-June 2006

APPENDIX E: Department of Astronomy PhD Recipients: 1995 – 2006

Research Last Confirmed Year PhD Recipient Dissertation Title Supervisor Location Prof. Thomas The Abundance of 3He Associate Scientist Bania National Radio Dana Balser in the Milky Way Galaxy Astronomy Observatory Prof. Robert Hydrogen Escape from Staff Scientist Kerr Harvard-Smithsonian Xiang Qun He the Earth’s Atmosphere Center for Astrophysics 1995 Dynamical Effects of Prof. Michael Staff Scientist Substorms in the Middle Mendillo Jet Propulsion Xiaoqing Pi and Lower Latitude Laboratory, Cal Tech Ionosphere Time Variable Prof. Alan Staff Scientist Extragalactic Radio Marscher Harvard-Smithsonian Yun Fei Zhang Sources with Peaked Center for Astrophysics Spectra Prof. Dan The Structures, Education Software Clemens Kinematics, and Developer Northeast Consortium Brian Kane Magnetic Natures of for Engineering Starless Bok Globules 1996 Education Old Stellar Systems: A Prof. Professor Kent Montgomery Study in Stellar and Kenneth Astronomy Department, Galactic Evolution A. Janes Young Harris College Upper Atmospheric Prof. Robert Staff Scientist Oxygen Density Kerr NASA Goddard Earth Redgie S. Determined from Sciences and Technology Lancaster Combined Optical and (GEST) Center Incoherent Scatter Radar Measurements The Properties of the Prof. James Assistant Professor of Timothy A. 1997 Dense Gas in the Nuclei Jackson Astronomy Paglione of Spiral Galaxies York College, CUNY Traveling Convection Prof. W. Assistant Researcher Vorticles at Cusp Jeffrey Dept. of Atmospheric Latitudes Observed by Hughes Sci., UCLA Eftyhia Zesta MAACS

26 The Boston University Astronomy Department 2006 Annual Report - July 2005-June 2006

Prof. Harlan Staff Scientist Global Dynamics of the E. Spence Space Instrum. and Hot Plasma in the Inner System Eng. Magnetosphere:Energeti Anders Jørgensen Los Alamos National c Neutral Atom (ENA) Laboratory and In-situ Measurements

The Effects of Massive Prof. James Astrophysicist, Air Star Formation on the Jackson Force Research Lab, Interstellar Medium: Hanscom AFB, MA Kathleen Kraemer 1998 Photodissociated and Research Fellow Molecular Gas in NGC IAR, Boston University 6334 The Velocity Prof. Robert President & co- Distributions of Kerr Founder John Noto Hydrogen and Helium Scientific Solutions in the Earth’s Exosphere Properties of the Plasma Prof. George (Stay-at-home mother – a Sheelah Shodhan- Mantle in the Earth’s Siscoe very important job!) Shah Magnetotail Prof. Alan NAS/NRC Marscher Postdoctoral Res. Laboratory for Markos Models of Blazars Assoc., Georganopoulos High Energy Astrophysics, NASA/GSFC

1999 Carbon Gas in High Professor Staff Scientist James G. Ingalls Galactic Latitude Thomas Jet Propulsion Molecular Clouds Bania Laboratory, Cal Tech The Influence of Special Prof. Alan Jansky Postdoct. Relativistic Effects on Marscher Fellow, NRAO Matthew Lister the Observed Properties Asst. Professor (starting of Jets in Active 9/2003) Galactic Nuclei Purdue University Modeling the Trapping Prof. Professor Mohamed J. 2000 Boundary of the Theodore University of Bahrain Alothman Radiation Belts Fritz Prof. Roger Postdoctoral Yelle Researcher A New Look at the Dept. of Physics and Jovian Atmosphere with Astronomy, Northern Yan Bétremieux a Raman Scattering Arizona University Model

27 The Boston University Astronomy Department 2006 Annual Report - July 2005-June 2006

Prof. James The Interstellar Medium Postdoctoral Scholar Jackson Radio Astronomy Lab Alberto D. Bolatto in Low Metallicity Astronomy Dept., U.C. Environments Berkeley Assessing Plasma Sheet Prof. Harlan Research Associate Convection Models E. Spence Space and Remote Karen L. Hirsch Using Off-Equatorial Sensing Sciences Plasma Sheet Los Alamos National Observations Laboratory Two-Point Studies of Prof. Harlan Postdoctoral the Spatial and E. Spence Researcher Temporal Aspects of Department of Athanasios High-Latitude Particle Atmospheric Sciences Boudouridis Precipitation: A Remote University of California, Diagnostic of Los Angeles Magnetospheric Regions and Processes Maohai Huang Interstellar Carbon Prof. Thomas Postdoctoral 2001 Under Influence of HII Bania Researcher Regions Trieste Observatory, Italy EUV/FUV Remote Prof. Supriya Research Associate Andrew W. Sensing of the Low- Chakrabarti Naval Research Stephan Latitude Ionosphere and Laboratory Thermosphere High Resolution Study Prof. Supriya Member of the Senate of the Heliospheric Chakrabarti Staff Sherri G. Stephan Interface Region Using Washington, DC SCARI Pro.f Tereasa Staff Scientist Applications of Weak Brainerd Air Force Research Gravitational Lensing: Candace Oaxaca Laboratory 2002 Constraining the Dark Hanscom AFB, MA Wright Matter in Clusters and Galaxies

Magnetosphere- Prof. W. NSF GEM David Murr Ionosphere Coupling on Jeffrey Postdoctoral Fellow Meso- and Macro-scales Hughes Dartmouth College 2003 The Large Scale Galactic Prof. James Mathematics Teacher Michal Kolpak Structure of Star Jackson China Formation Tracers Sigrid Close “Theory and Analysis of Prof. Meers Staff Scientist Meteroids Using High- Oppenheim MIT Lincoln Laboratory 2004 Resolution Multi- Frequency Radar Data”

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Lars Dyrud “Simulations and Analysis Prof. Meers CEDAR Postdoctoral of the Effects of Small Oppenheim Fellow Scale Turbulence on Boston University Macro Scale Plasma” Melissa “Ultra-High Precision Prof. Astronomy Lecturer Hayes-Gehrke Photometry of Open Kenneth The University of Clusters: A Study of Stella Janes Maryland Activity in Old Stars” Marc Kassis “Mid-Infrared Prof. James Support Astronomer Observations of Jackson W. M. Keck Observatory Photodissociation Region (Prof. Lynne Kamuela, HI and MIRSI: A Mid- Deutsch) Infrared Spectrometer and Imager Developed for Ground Based Observing Lara Waldrop “Probing the Structure, Prof. CEDAR Postdoctoral Composition, and Theodore Fellow Dynamics of the Jovian Fritz University of Illinois Plasma Sheet with Energetic Particles” Andrei Sokolov “Theoretical Study of Prof. Alan Postdoctoral Research Multifrequency Emission Marscher 2005 Associate Variability in Blazars” University of Lancashire, UK Erin Bardar “Development and Prof. TERC Analysis of Spectroscopic Kenneth Cambridge, MA Learning Tools and the Brecher Light and Spectroscopy Concept Inventory for Introductory College 2006 Astronomy” Carlos Martinis “On the Dynamics and Prof. Michael Research Associate Instabilities of the Low Mendillo Center for Space Physics, Latitude Ionosphere” Boston, MA

29 The Boston University Astronomy Department 2006 Annual Report - July 2005-June 2006

APPENDIX F. Research Telescopes Available to Peer Institutions

Research Telescopes: Peer Institutions Telescopes with at least twice the collecting area of the Perkins Arizona U 2 x 8.4-meter Large Binocular Telescope(LBT) (Under Construction) timeshare: 6.5-meter MMT Telescope (on Mt. Hopkins) 8.4-meter Large-aperature Synoptic Survey Telescope(LSST) (Under Design and Development) 2 x 6.5-meter Magellan Project Telescope 7 x 8.4-meter Giant Magellan Telescope Project (GMT under Design and Development) 12-meter Kitt Peak 12-Meter Telescope (KP12m) (on Kitt Peak) 10-meter Submillimeter Telescope (SMT) (on Mt. Graham) Northern 2 x 8.4m LBT : timeshare Arizona CA Inst of Tech Hale 200-inch Telescope Owens Valley Radio Observatory (6 x 10.4m interferometer) Keck telescopes (2 x 10m) Thirty Meter telescope (under design) Caltech Submillimeter Observatory: 10-meter dish atop Mauna Kea in Hawaii CA-U Berkeley 3m Lick Observatory Millimeter-wave radio interferometer at Hat Creek (10 x 6m interferometer) Keck telescopes (2 x 10m) CA-U Los Keck Observatory (2 x 10m) Angeles Lick Observatory 3m CA-U Santa Keck Observatory (2 x 10m) Cruz Lick Observatory 3m CO-U Boulder ARC 3.5m Telescope at Apache Point Yale U WIYN 3.5m 18% share VLT 8.4m telescopes Gemini 8m telescope, Magellan 6.5m telescopes Florida-U 10.4 meter telescope to be installed at the Roque de los Muchachos Observatory Hawaii U Mauna Kea Observatory

Optical/Infrared IRTF NASA Infrared Telescope 3.0m NASA 1979 Facility CFHT Canada-France-Hawaii 3.6m Canada/France/UH 1979 Telescope UKIRT United Kingdom Infrared 3.8m United Kingdom 1979 Telescope Keck I W. M. Keck Observatory 10m Caltech/University of 1992 California Keck II W. M. Keck Observatory 10m Caltech/University of 1996 California Subaru Subaru Telescope 8.3m Japan 1999 Gemini Gemini Northern Telescope 8.1m USA/UK/ 1999 Canada/Argentina/ Australia/Brazil/Chile

Submillimeter CSO Caltech Submillimeter Observatory 10.4m Caltech/NSF 1987 JCMT James Clerk Maxwell Telescope 15m UK/Canada/Netherlands 1987 SMA Submillimeter Array Radio 8x6m Smithsonian Astrophysical 2002 Observatory/Taiwan

30 The Boston University Astronomy Department 2006 Annual Report - July 2005-June 2006

VLBA Very Long Baseline Array 25m NRAO/AUI/NSF 1992 Chicago U Apache Pointe Observatory : time share 3.5m Illinois U BIMA interferometer (10 x 6m) Indiana U WIYN: 3.5m MD-U of, Kitt peak: timeshare, total of 20% College Park 4m 3.5 BIMA Array: timeshare OVRO Array: timeshare Amherst Coll FCRAO 14m Radio telescope Harvard U 6.5 m MMT Mt Hopkins: timeshare 6.5m Magellan, Las Campanas: timeshare 20% Submillimeter Array, Mauna Kea (interferometer 9 x 6m) MA-U Amherst FCRAO 14m Radio telescope Large Millimeter Telescope, Mexico (50 m, under construction) Michigan State 4.1m SOAR Michigan U of GMT 20m : timeshare 26m Radio telescope at Peach Mountain Obs. Minnesota U of MMT 6.5m: timeshare Steward Obs: timeshare 2 x 8.4-meter Large Binocular Telescope(LBT) (Under Construction) 6.5-meter MMT Telescope (on Mt. Hopkins) 8.4-meter Large-aperature Synoptic Survey Telescope(LSST) (Under Design and Development) 2 x 6.5-meter Magellan Project Telescope 7 x 8.4-meter Giant Magellan Telescope Project (GMT under Design and Development) Princeton U Apache Point Observatory timeshare 15% 3.5m 2.5m New Mexico Apache Point Observatory: timeshare State 3.5m 2.5m Cornell Arecibo radiotelescope (300 m) Palomar Observatory 5m Ohio State LBT timeshare: 12.5% Pennsylvania U 6m ATC: timeshare Rice 3.67-m AEOS Air Force telescope on Maui: timeshare Texas at Austin McDonald Observatory 9.2m 11m SALT: timeshare: 5% Virginia-U of 8.4-meter (x2) Large Binocular Telescope (LBT) (on Mt. Graham) (Under Construction) 10.0-meter Submillimeter Telescope (SMT) (on Mt. Graham) 6.5-meter Magellan Telescope (at Las Campanas) 6.5-meter MMT Telescope (on Mt. Hopkins) ALL TIMESHARE Washington –U 3.5m Apache Point Observatory: timeshare ~30% of 8.4m LSST: timeshare (under development) Wisconsin-U of, 11m SALT: timeshare Madison 3.5m WIYN: timeshare