DOCSLIB.ORG

The Milky Way Galaxy

Total Page：16

File Type：pdf, Size：1020Kb

Download full-text PDF Read full-text
The Milky Way Galaxy Our Home, the Milky Way Galaxy Dr. Sean Carey (IPAC) Dr. Dan Patnaude (CfA) Dr. Jessie Christiansen (IPAC) Universe of Learning science briefing Dr. Seth Digel (SLAC) August 25, 2016 1 Planets and Moons 2 Stars 3 Gas and Dust 4 Black Hole 5 Star Formation and the Structure of the Milky Way Sean Carey (IPAC/Caltech) 6 6 Structure of Galaxies M51 M83 LMC Andromeda IC 2006 Arp 220 Galaxies show a wide range of shapes based on their history and environment NGC 1300 7 Images courtesy ESA and STScI Our View of the Milky Way Death Valley / NPS The Sun is in the midplane of our Galaxy about 1/3rd of the distance out from the center, but what does our Galaxy really look like? 8 8 ISS / NASA Being in the Galaxy is a Tough Vantage Point Side View from roof of Spitzer Science Center looking towards Rose Bowl Rose Bowl Aerial View of Pasadena – courtesy of Google Maps Spitzer Science Center 9 Imagery ©2016 Google, Map data ©2016 Google 1000 ft And then there is Dust! Interstellar dust absorbs and scatters light just like smog in LA Donovan Blue Red Infrared Blue/Red/Infrared Redder light is blocked less: You can see through most of the murk in the infrared 10 Going from 2d to 3d : Turning Pictures into a Galactic Map There are no rulers that can be observed in our Galaxy. But there are types of stars called Red Clump Giants for which we know the intrinsic brightness. They are also fairly common and bright and can be used to trace the structure of the Galaxy. These can be used to measure distances; stars twice as far away are four times fainter. A portion of a Spitzer Space Telescope Map of the plane of our Galaxy 11 The Milky Way Our Galaxy is thought to be a barred spiral galaxy; the shape of the Galaxy on the other side is not really well known 12 Stellar Birth and Citizen Science https://www.milkywayproject.org/ http://www.spitzer.caltech.edu/glimpse360 Newly forming stars heat up the surrounding gas and dust that they form out of, causing the dust to glow brightly in the infrared 13 Stellar Old Age (and Death)… and Citizen Science Aging and dying stars throw off shells of gas and dust that glow in the Infrared images of shells from the infrared Spitzer Space Telescope 14 Summary and Future • Mapping of our Galaxy in the infrared using the Spitzer Space Telescope (and the Herschel Space Telescope) has informed us about the structure of our Galaxy and the lifecycle of stars (in particular how they form and what happens when they die) • The maps of our Galaxy answer many questions in NASA’s Cosmic Origins program • Future studies of star formation will be conducted with the James Webb Telescope which will provide a more detailed view of the process • Future mapping of the structure of our Galaxy will be done by WFIRST which will make the first stellar map of the far side of the Galaxy • All of these programs have greatly benefitted from citizen scientists who have made many discoveries by examining the large maps of the Galactic plane produced with Spitzer A snake-like shaped region where stars are forming 15 Supernovae and Supernova Remnants Dan Patnaude Harvard-Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics 16 - lifecycles of stars Credit: NASA/CXC Credit: 17 - lifecycles of stars 18 - Example Supernova: SN 1987A After Before 19 - the electromagnetic spectrum 20 - the structure of supernovae and their remnants Credit: Dan Patnaude (Harvard-Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics) 21 - the structure of supernovae and their remnants Credit: Pat Slane (CXC/Smithsonian) 22 - Example Supernova Remnant: Kepler’s SNR (SN 1604) Credit: NASA/CXC 23 - Example Supernova Remnant: Cassiopeia A Credit: NASA/CXC 24 - Example Supernova Remnant: Cassiopeia A - viewed in hard X-rays Credit: NASA/NuSTAR/CalTech 25 Summary • Supernova represent the violent endpoints in the evolution of some stars - they are responsible for the formation of heavy elements, and in particular the bulk of the metals that we observe in the universe - some supernova remnants are responsible for accelerating particles up to very high energies. We see evidence for this in the acceleration of electrons by highly amplified magnetic fields found in supernova shocks - by combining data from several NASA missions such as Chandra and NuSTAR, we are able to test theories for the evolution of massive stars as well as theories for the synthesis of heavy elements in supernova explosions, thus addressing fundamental questions posed by NASA in relation to how the universe works 26 EXOPLANETS Image credit: NASA/JPL Jessie Christiansen, NASA Exoplanet Science Institute 27 What are exoplanets? Artist’s rendering: NASA. Orbits not to scale. 28 How do we find them? NASA NASA Planets pull on their host stars Planets block the light from their host stars … this tells us their mass … this tells us their size In the last 21 years we have found over 3370 exoplanets! 29 What have we found? NASA/IAU 30 So many surprises… A planet where it rains liquid glass... Planets orbiting two – or even three! – stars... An egg-shaped planet, distorted by its host star... Orphaned planets, floating free in interstellar space… Planets being disintegrated by their host stars... Newborn planets only a few million years old... But no Earth twins... Yet! 31 Where are we finding them? (http://eyes.jpl.nasa.gov/eyes-on-exoplanets.html) 32 How common are planets? 1 3 of stars like the Sun have planets 33 The Milky Way is Full of Exoplanets! Studying exoplanets helps us to answer many of humanity’s, and NASA’s, biggest questions How did we get here? Are we Alone? NASA 34 Center of the Milky Way Optical photomosaic (A. Mellinger) Studying the Galactic Center outside the visible spectrum Seth Digel (KIPAC/SLAC) Universe of Learning Briefing 25 August 2016 35 Finding the Galactic Center To Earth Until the 1950s the accepted location of the GC was off by >30 degrees! Radio astronomy allowed mapping of interstellar gas dynamics The direction of the GC is now known extremely precisely: Sagittarius A* Rougoor & Oort (1959) 36 Sagittarius A* is a Massive Black Hole Keck Near Infrared Observations of Stellar Orbits around Sgr A* Tracking motions of individual massive stars in orbit around it has allowed its mass to be estimated (~4 million solar masses) Implied density confirms its black hole nature ~0.1 light year 37 Active Galactic Nuclei So-called active galaxies have intense, Composite image of Centaurus A variable, ‘non-thermal’ emission Active Galaxy associated with accretion disks of matter around their central black holes Depending on the wavelength and direction, this nuclear emission can dominate the output of the entire galaxy A related phenomenon is nuclear jets of high-energy particles Centaurus A is a relatively nearby ESO/WFI (Optical); MPIfR/ESO/APEX/A.Weiss et al. example (Submillimetre); NASA/CXC/CfA/R.Kraft et al. (X-ray) 38 Milky Way is a Sort-of Active Galaxy A weak jet interacting with ionized gas in the inner few light years VLA radio observations Chandra X-ray observations Jet feature is ~3 light years long Li et al. (2013) But the Milky Way may have been more active in the past… 39 The Big Picture at High Energies Fermi Large Area Telescope Map of the entire sky at energies >1 billion times visible light ~100 deg across (thousands of light years) Glow along the Galactic plane is from cosmic-ray collisions with interstellar gas The giant lobes above and below the Galactic center were entirely unexpected Known as the ‘Fermi Bubbles’ May be evidence of previous intense nuclear activity in the Milky Way 40 Other Gamma-Ray Signals from the Galactic Center: Dark Matter? On a smaller angular scale Excess Gamma Rays from the Galactic Center region (at energies 100-300 million times visible light) and at lower energies, the central part of the Milky Way is glowing more brightly than expected One possibility is that this is indirect evidence for particle dark matter ~20 degrees The energy distribution of Daylan et al. (2016) gamma rays suggests a particle mass of about 30x But… the mass of the proton 41 Gamma-ray excess: Dark Matter or Not? Pros Cons The Milky Way (and all galaxies) have The implied annihilation rate is in several times more mass than can be tension with limits from dwarf galaxy accounted for by stars and gas satellites of the Milky Way The dark matter is so far known only The central Milky Way should from its gravitational effects contain a large, broadly distributed population of millisecond pulsars One plausible theory is that it is so- called WIMPs that do not interact Millisecond pulsars are gamma-ray with light (of course) but can sources annihilate each other At the distance of the Galactic center Gamma rays from the resulting Fermi could not detect them particle cascades would be observed individually, just a glow from their where dark matter is concentrated, overall distribution such as the center of the Milky Way 42 Summary • Starting ~60 years ago observations outside the visible range opened up the possibility to find and study the Galactic Center • This has been advanced by NASA missions for infrared, X-rays and gamma rays and by ground-based radio and near-infrared observatories • Sgr A* has been found to be a massive black hole powering a (currently) weakly active galaxy • In gamma rays, study of the Galactic center is also motivated by the search for new particle physics, indirect detection of dark matter • This is a very active area of research and requires understanding still more about the center of the Milky Way • The work described here is within NASA’s Physics of the Cosmos objective in the category of How does the universe work? 43 TESS Future Studies JWST 2017-2018 2018 Mid-2020s 44 Additional Resources http://nasawavelength.org/list/1497 Thank you to our presenters! 45 .
Load more

Recommended publications
  • Michael Garcia Hubble Space Telescope Users Committee (STUC)
    Hubble Space Telescope Users Committee (STUC) April 16, 2015 Michael Garcia HST Program Scientist [email protected] 1 Hubble Sees Supernova Split into Four Images by Cosmic Lens 2 NASA’s Hubble Observations suggest Underground Ocean on Jupiter’s Largest Moon Ganymede file:///Users/ file:///Users/ mrgarci2/Desktop/mrgarci2/Desktop/ hs-2015-09-a-hs-2015-09-a- web.jpg web.jpg 3 NASA’s Hubble detects Distortion of Circumstellar Disk by a Planet 4 The Exoplanet Travel Bureau 5 TESS Transiting Exoplanet Survey Satellite CURRENT STATUS: • Downselected April 2013. • Major partners: - PI and science lead: MIT - Project management: NASA GSFC - Instrument: Lincoln Laboratory - Spacecraft: Orbital Science Corp • Agency launch readiness date NLT June 2018 (working launch date August 2017). • High-Earth elliptical orbit (17 x 58.7 Earth radii). Standard Explorer (EX) Mission PI: G. Ricker (MIT) • Development progressing on plan. Mission: All-Sky photometric exoplanet - Systems Requirement Review (SRR) mapping mission. successfully completed on February Science goal: Search for transiting 12-13, 2014. exoplanets around the nearby, bright stars. Instruments: Four wide field of view (24x24 - Preliminary Design Review (PDR) degrees) CCD cameras with overlapping successfully completed Sept 9-12, 2014. field of view operating in the Visible-IR - Confirmation Review, for approval to enter spectrum (0.6-1 micron). implementation phase, successfully Operations: 3-year science mission after completed October 31, 2014. launch. - Mission CDR on track for August 2015 6 JWST Hardware Progress JWST remains on track for an October 2018 launch within its replan budget guidelines 7 WFIRST / AFTA Widefield Infrared Survey Telescope with Astrophysics Focused Telescope Assets Coronagraph Technology Milestones Widefield Detector Technology Milestones 1 Shaped Pupil mask fabricated with reflectivity of 7/21/14 1 Produce, test, and analyze 2 candidate 7/31/14 -4 10 and 20 µm pixel size.
    [Show full text]
  • Report by the ESA–ESO Working Group on Extra-Solar Planets
    Report by the ESA–ESO Working Group on Extra-Solar Planets 4 March 2005 Summary Various techniques are being used to search for extra-solar planetary signatures, including accurate measurement of radial velocity and positional (astrometric) dis- placements, gravitational microlensing, and photometric transits. Planned space experiments promise a considerable increase in the detections and statistical know- ledge arising especially from transit and astrometric measurements over the years 2005–15, with some hundreds of terrestrial-type planets expected from transit mea- surements, and many thousands of Jupiter-mass planets expected from astrometric measurements. Beyond 2015, very ambitious space (Darwin/TPF) and ground (OWL) experiments are targeting direct detection of nearby Earth-mass planets in the habitable zone and the measurement of their spectral characteristics. Beyond these, ‘Life Finder’ (aiming to produce confirmatory evidence of the presence of life) and ‘Earth Imager’ (some massive interferometric array providing resolved images of a distant Earth) arXiv:astro-ph/0506163v1 8 Jun 2005 appear as distant visions. This report, to ESA and ESO, summarises the direction of exo-planet research that can be expected over the next 10 years or so, identifies the roles of the major facilities of the two organisations in the field, and concludes with some recommendations which may assist development of the field. The report has been compiled by the Working Group members and experts (page iii) over the period June–December 2004. Introduction & Background Following an agreement to cooperate on science planning issues, the executives of the European Southern Observatory (ESO) and the European Space Agency (ESA) Science Programme and representatives of their science advisory structures have met to share information and to identify potential synergies within their future projects.
    [Show full text]
  • Stsci Newsletter: 2011 Volume 028 Issue 02
    National Aeronautics and Space Administration Interacting Galaxies UGC 1810 and UGC 1813 Credit: NASA, ESA, and the Hubble Heritage Team (STScI/AURA) 2011 VOL 28 ISSUE 02 NEWSLETTER Space Telescope Science Institute We received a total of 1,007 proposals, after accounting for duplications Hubble Cycle 19 and withdrawals. Review process Proposal Selection Members of the international astronomical community review Hubble propos- als. Grouped in panels organized by science category, each panel has one or more “mirror” panels to enable transfer of proposals in order to avoid conflicts. In Cycle 19, the panels were divided into the categories of Planets, Stars, Stellar Rachel Somerville, [email protected], Claus Leitherer, [email protected], & Brett Populations and Interstellar Medium (ISM), Galaxies, Active Galactic Nuclei and Blacker, [email protected] the Inter-Galactic Medium (AGN/IGM), and Cosmology, for a total of 14 panels. One of these panels reviewed Regular Guest Observer, Archival, Theory, and Chronology SNAP proposals. The panel chairs also serve as members of the Time Allocation Committee hen the Cycle 19 Call for Proposals was released in December 2010, (TAC), which reviews Large and Archival Legacy proposals. In addition, there Hubble had already seen a full cycle of operation with the newly are three at-large TAC members, whose broad expertise allows them to review installed and repaired instruments calibrated and characterized. W proposals as needed, and to advise panels if the panelists feel they do not have The Advanced Camera for Surveys (ACS), Cosmic Origins Spectrograph (COS), the expertise to review a certain proposal. Fine Guidance Sensor (FGS), Space Telescope Imaging Spectrograph (STIS), and The process of selecting the panelists begins with the selection of the TAC Chair, Wide Field Camera 3 (WFC3) were all close to nominal operation and were avail- about six months prior to the proposal deadline.
    [Show full text]
  • An Implementation Concept for the ASPIRE Mission
    An Implementation Concept for the ASPIRE Mission. W. D. Deininger* ([email protected]), W. Purcell,* P. Atcheson,*G. Mills,* S. A Sandford,** R. P. Hanel,** M. McKelvey,** and R. McMurray** *Ball Aerospace & Technologies Corp. (BATC) P. O. Box 1062 Boulder, CO, USA 80306-1062 **NASA Ames Research Center Moffett Field, CA, USA 94035 Abstract—The Astrobiology Space Infrared Explorer complex and tied to the cyclic process whereby these (ASPIRE) is a Probe-class mission concept developed as elements are ejected into the diffuse interstellar medium part of NASA’s Astrophysics Strategic Mission Concept (ISM) by dying stars, gathered into dense clouds and studies. 1 2 ASPIRE uses infrared spectroscopy to explore formed into the next generation of stars and planetary the identity, abundance, and distribution of molecules, systems (Figure 1). Each stage in this cycle entails chemical particularly those of astrobiological importance throughout alteration of gas- and solid-state species by a diverse set of the Universe. ASPIRE’s observational program is focused astrophysical processes: hocks, stellar winds, radiation on investigating the evolution of ices and organics in all processing by photons and particles, gas-phase neutral and phases of the lifecycle of carbon in the universe, from ion chemistry, accretion, and grain surface reactions. These stellar birth through stellar death while also addressing the processes create new species, destroy old ones, cause role of silicates and gas-phase materials in interstellar isotopic enrichments, shuffle elements between chemical organic chemistry. ASPIRE achieves these goals using a compounds, and drive the universe to greater molecular Spitzer-derived, cryogenically-cooled, 1-m-class telescope complexity.
    [Show full text]
  • Astronomers Mull Merger of Missions
    NEWS IN FOCUS project along these lines — was indefinitely postponed in 2007, but the agency has contin- ued to put US$6 million a year into developing technology for exoplanet searches. Now planet NASA/JPL-CALTECH hunters think that joining forces with COPAG will be the winning strategy. Jim Kasting, a plan- etary scientist at Pennsylvania State University in University Park who is chair of the exoplanet group, says the two communities would both like to see a 4–8-metre telescope in space that would cost in excess of $5 billion. “Our interests are basically aligned,” he says. Such a mission would compete for top billing in the next decadal survey of astronomy by the US National Academy of Sciences, due in 2020. The big question, which follow-up meetings will consider, is whether the same technology can do both kinds of science. A cosmic-origins mission would need to collect as much ultraviolet and visible light as possible to image intergalactic gas, star formation and Exoplanet hunters want something to replace the postponed Terrestrial Planet Finder. Sun-like stars in nearby galaxies. A planet-hunt- ing probe would need a coronagraph to block SPACE SCIENCE direct light from host stars, and would have to be sensitive to the visible and near-infrared wavelengths that Earth-like planets primar- ily emit. The infrared 6.5-metre James Webb Astronomers mull Space Telescope (JWST), scheduled for launch in 2014, will be able to see larger planets but will not be sensitive to Earth-sized ones. The key to making the joint concept work will be develop- merger of missions ing a reflective coating for the telescope’s mirror that works from the ultraviolet to the infrared ranges and does not distort the incoming light Cosmic-origins scientists convene with exoplanet hunters.
    [Show full text]
  • Cosmic Origins Program Analysis Group
    Cosmic Origins Program Analysis Group Ken Sembach (STScI) 2014 COPAG Execuve CommiEee Daniela Julianne Dennis James Sally CalzeH Dalcanton Ebbets Green Heap Lynn David James Paul Ken Hillenbrand Leisawitz Lowenthal Scowen Sembach2 2014 COPAG Ex-Officio Members Susan Neff Mario Perez Michael Garcia GSFC COR Program Office NASA HQ NASA HQ COPAG members recently compleCng service: Jonathan Gardner Paul Goldsmith Charles Lillie Christopher MarCn 3 Cosmic Origins Quesons • How did we get here? – How and when did galaxies form? – How do stars form, evolve, and eventually die? – How are maer and the chemical elements distributed throughout the universe? 4 COPAG Tasks • Solicit and coordinate community input into the development and execuCon of NASA’s Cosmic Origins (COR) Program • Analyze this input in support of the planning and prioriCzaon of future exploraon within the COR program • Specific types of tasks include – ArCculang and prioriCzing key science drivers for COR research – Evaluang capabiliCes of potenCal missions for achieving COR science goals – Providing input and analysis on related acCviCes (e.g., ground-based observing, theory invesCgaons, laboratory astrophysics, suborbital invesCgaons, data archiving, etc) needed to achieve COR science goals – IdenCfying focus areas for technologies needed to advance COR science • All input is provided to the NASA Astrophysics SubcommiEee 5 2014 Science Analysis Groups (SAGs) and Science Interest Groups (SIGs) • SAG #6: Cosmic Origins Science Enabled by the WFIRST-AFTA Coronagraph • SAG #7: Science
    [Show full text]
  • Interferometric Space Missions for Exoplanet Science: Legacy of Darwin/TPF
    Interferometric Space Missions for Exoplanet Science: Legacy of Darwin/TPF D. Defrere` 1, O. Absil1, and C. Beichman2 1 Space sciences, Technologies & Astrophysics Research (STAR) Institute, University of Liege, Liege, Belgium. 2 NASA Exoplanet Science Institute, California Institute of Technology, Jet Propulsion Laboratory, Pasadena, Califor- nia, USA. Abstract DARWIN/TPF is a project of an infrared space-based interferometer designed to directly detect and charac- terize terrestrial exoplanets around nearby stars. Unlike spectro-photometric instruments observing planetary transits, an interferometer does not rely on any particular geometric constraints and could characterize exoplanets with any orbital configuration around nearby stars. The idea to use an infrared nulling interferometer to characterize exoplanets dates back to Bracewell(1978), and was extensively studied in the 1990s and 2000s by both ESA and NASA. The project focuses on the mid-infrared regime (5-20 mm), which provides access to key features of exoplanets, such as their size, their temperature, the presence of an atmosphere, their climate structure, as well as the presence of impor- tant atmospheric molecules such as H2O, CO2,O3, NH3, and CH4. This wavelength regime also provides a favorable planet/star contrast to detect the thermal emission of temperate (∼ 300 K) exoplanets (107 vs 1010 in the visible). In this chapter, we first review the scientific rationale of a mid-infrared nulling interferometer and present how it would provide an essential context for interpreting detections of possible biosignatures. Then, we present the main techno- logical challenges identified during the ESA and NASA studies, and how they have progressed over the last 10 years.
    [Show full text]
  • Cosmic Origins RFI Responses PASP Final
    Scientific Objectives for UV/Visible Astrophysics Investigations: A Summary of Responses by the Community (2012) Paul A. Scowen1, Mario R. Perez2, Susan G. Neff3, and Dominic J. Benford3 Abstract Following several recommendations presented by the Astrophysics Decadal Survey 2010 centered around the need to define “a future ultraviolet-optical space capability,” on 2012 May 25, NASA issued a Request for Information (RFI) seeking persuasive ultraviolet (UV) and visible wavelength astrophysics science investigations. The goal was to develop a cohesive and compelling set of science objectives that motivate and support the development of the next generation of ultraviolet/visible space astrophysics missions. Responses were due on 10 August 2012 when 34 submissions were received addressing a number of potential science drivers. A UV/visible Mission RFI Workshop was held on 2012 September 20 where each of these submissions was summarized and discussed in the context of each other. We present a scientific analysis of these submissions and presentations and the pursuant measurement capability needs, which could influence ultraviolet/visible technology development plans for the rest of this decade. We also describe the process and requirements leading to the inception of this community RFI, subsequent workshop and the expected evolution of these ideas and concepts for the remainder of this decade. Keywords: Conference Summary; Astronomical Instrumentation; Galaxies; Stars; Extrasolar Planets I. Introduction It has been recognized that at mid- and near-ultraviolet wavelengths (90 < λ < 300 nm), it is possible to detect and measure important astrophysical processes, which can shed light into the physical conditions of many environments of interest. For example, in the local interstellar medium (LISM) all but two (CaII H and K lines) of the key diagnostic of resonance lines are in the ultraviolet (Redfield 2006), which is depicted in Figure 1.
    [Show full text]
  • Sessions Calendar
    Associated Societies GSA has a long tradition of collaborating with a wide range of partners in pursuit of our mutual goals to advance the geosciences, enhance the professional growth of society members, and promote the geosciences in the service of humanity. GSA works with other organizations on many programs and services. AASP - The American Association American Geophysical American Institute American Quaternary American Rock Association for the Palynological Society of Petroleum Union (AGU) of Professional Association Mechanics Association Sciences of Limnology and Geologists (AAPG) Geologists (AIPG) (AMQUA) (ARMA) Oceanography (ASLO) American Water Asociación Geológica Association for Association of Association of Earth Association of Association of Geoscientists Resources Association Argentina (AGA) Women Geoscientists American State Science Editors Environmental & Engineering for International (AWRA) (AWG) Geologists (AASG) (AESE) Geologists (AEG) Development (AGID) Blueprint Earth (BE) The Clay Minerals Colorado Scientifi c Council on Undergraduate Cushman Foundation Environmental & European Association Society (CMS) Society (CSS) Research Geosciences (CF) Engineering Geophysical of Geoscientists & Division (CUR) Society (EEGS) Engineers (EAGE) European Geosciences Geochemical Society Geologica Belgica Geological Association Geological Society of Geological Society of Geological Society of Union (EGU) (GS) (GB) of Canada (GAC) Africa (GSAF) Australia (GSAus) China (GSC) Geological Society of Geological Society of Geologische Geoscience
    [Show full text]
  • Cosmic Origins Program Analysis Group
    Cosmic Origins Program Analysis Group Astrophysics Subcommi8ee Mee;ng March 26-27, 2014 Kenneth Sembach 1 2014 COPAG Execuve Commi8ee • Current Members – Daniela CalzeJ University of Massachuse8s – Amherst – Julianne Dalcanton University of Washington – Dennis Ebbets Ball Aerospace – Michael Garcia (ex-officio) NASA Headquarters – James Green University of Colorado – Boulder – Sally Heap Goddard Space Flight Center – Lynne Hillenbrand California Ins;tute of Technology – David Leisawitz Goddard Space Flight Center – James Lowenthal Smith College – Susan Neff (ex-officio) GSFC COR Program Office – Mario Perez (ex-officio, Ex. Secretary) NASA Headquarters – Paul Scowen Arizona State University – Ken Sembach (Chair) Space Telescope Science Ins;tute Members in red are new to the Execu;ve Commi8ee since the November 2013 Astrophysics Subcommi8ee telecon 2 Recent Ac;vi;es • Recruitment of new Execu;ve Commi8ee members • Establishment of 3 new Science Analysis Groups, as approved at the November 2013 ApS telecon – SAG #6: Cosmic Origins Science Enabled by the WFIRST-AFTA Coronagraph • COPAG Lead: James Green – SAG #7: Science Enabled by Operaons Overlap of the Hubble Space Telescope and the James Webb Space Telescope • COPAG Lead: Dennis Ebbets – SAG #8: Science Enabled by the WFIRST-AFTA Data Archive • COPAG Lead: Sally Heap (See backup slides for more details) 3 Recent Ac;vi;es • Establishment of 1 new Science Interest Group, as approved at the November 2013 ApS telecon – SIG #1: Far-Infrared Cosmic Origins Science and Technology Development • Lead:
    [Show full text]
  • Astronomy Astrophysics
    A&A 448, 787–800 (2006) Astronomy DOI: 10.1051/0004-6361:20053516 & c ESO 2006 Astrophysics Performance study of ground-based infrared Bracewell interferometers Application to the detection of exozodiacal dust disks with GENIE O. Absil1,,R.denHartog2, P. Gondoin2,P.Fabry2,R.Wilhelm3, P. Gitton3, and F. Puech3 1 Institut d’Astrophysique et de Géophysique, Université de Liège, 17 Allée du Six Août, 4000 Sart-Tilman, Belgium e-mail: [email protected] 2 Science Payloads and Advanced Concepts Office, ESA/ESTEC, postbus 299, 2200 AG Noordwijk, The Netherlands 3 European Southern Observatory, Karl-Schwarzschild-Str. 2, 85748 Garching bei München, Germany Received 25 May 2005 / Accepted 2 November 2005 ABSTRACT Nulling interferometry, a powerful technique for high-resolution imaging of the close neighbourhood of bright astrophysical objets, is currently considered for future space missions such as Darwin or the Terrestrial Planet Finder Interferometer (TPF-I), both aiming at Earth-like planet detection and characterization. Ground-based nulling interferometers are being studied for both technology demonstration and scientific prepa- ration of the Darwin/TPF-I missions through a systematic survey of circumstellar dust disks around nearby stars. In this paper, we investigate the influence of atmospheric turbulence on the performance of ground-based nulling instruments, and deduce the major design guidelines for such instruments. End-to-end numerical simulations allow us to estimate the performance of the main subsystems and thereby the actual sen- sitivity of the nuller to faint exozodiacal disks. Particular attention is also given to the important question of stellar leakage calibration. This study is illustrated in the context of GENIE, the Ground-based European Nulling Interferometer Experiment, to be installed at the VLTI and working in the L band.
    [Show full text]
  • Not Yet Imagined: a Study of Hubble Space Telescope Operations
    NOT YET IMAGINED A STUDY OF HUBBLE SPACE TELESCOPE OPERATIONS CHRISTOPHER GAINOR NOT YET IMAGINED NOT YET IMAGINED A STUDY OF HUBBLE SPACE TELESCOPE OPERATIONS CHRISTOPHER GAINOR National Aeronautics and Space Administration Office of Communications NASA History Division Washington, DC 20546 NASA SP-2020-4237 Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data Names: Gainor, Christopher, author. | United States. NASA History Program Office, publisher. Title: Not Yet Imagined : A study of Hubble Space Telescope Operations / Christopher Gainor. Description: Washington, DC: National Aeronautics and Space Administration, Office of Communications, NASA History Division, [2020] | Series: NASA history series ; sp-2020-4237 | Includes bibliographical references and index. | Summary: “Dr. Christopher Gainor’s Not Yet Imagined documents the history of NASA’s Hubble Space Telescope (HST) from launch in 1990 through 2020. This is considered a follow-on book to Robert W. Smith’s The Space Telescope: A Study of NASA, Science, Technology, and Politics, which recorded the development history of HST. Dr. Gainor’s book will be suitable for a general audience, while also being scholarly. Highly visible interactions among the general public, astronomers, engineers, govern- ment officials, and members of Congress about HST’s servicing missions by Space Shuttle crews is a central theme of this history book. Beyond the glare of public attention, the evolution of HST becoming a model of supranational cooperation amongst scientists is a second central theme. Third, the decision-making behind the changes in Hubble’s instrument packages on servicing missions is chronicled, along with HST’s contributions to our knowledge about our solar system, our galaxy, and our universe.
    [Show full text]