A Sampler of Research Topics for Undergraduates Astronomy Department and Steward Observatory University of Arizona Fall 2012

Home , Extragalactic astronomy

There are many undergraduate research opportunities in astronomy at the University of Arizona and at several other Tucsonbased observatories and research institutes. The following pages describe some specific projects for undergraduates, supervised by faculty and research staff members. Each entry lists the faculty supervisor and email contact information, and a title or description of the project. The level of experience needed is somewhat variable, and may not be specified in the descriptions. Typically some familiarity with computers is expected, though not in all cases. If you are interested in one of the projects listed, you should talk to the supervising researcher about what qualifications are needed for a successful research experience. Besides these specific projects, many Steward faculty have research activities for which they would welcome student participation. To help students identify faculty who may have such projects, the last section lists faculty and research staff together with a brief summary of their research interests. (This listing is taken from the Astronomy Dept. home page at http://www.as.arizona.edu). Contact phone and office numbers can be found in the Steward directory or from the Department office. Your faculty advisor can help you connect with research projects if you're interested but not sure how to get started. And, since a research project may involve a substantial time commitment, it's very important that you, your advisor, and your potential research supervisor agree that participating in research work will not be detrimental to your academic studies. Remember that your courses come first! You should discuss what kind of time commitment is expected, and how this might affect your academic work, before making any mutual agreements about research projects. So talk with your advisor before committing yourself. This is especially the case when your project and supervisor are not at the U of A but one of the other astronomy organizations in Tucson. Note for international students: If you plan to work on a research project for someone outside the U of A, such as NOAO or Planetary Science Institute, and to be paid for your work, consult with the International Students Office first, to ensure that taking a nonuniversity paid job does not jeopardize your student visa status. The federal Immigration Department has become very strict about this!

Websites for other research programs: NASA SpaceGrant internships on campus http://spacegrant.arizona.edu/opportunities/internships/

NSF REU program: (summer internships around the U.S.) http://www.nsf.gov/home/crssprgm/reu/

Undergraduate Research Projects, 2012/2013 - Page 1 Weak gravitational lensing and dark matter

Contact: Dr. Alexandra Abate Weak gravitational lensing provides a unique way for determining the distribution of dark matter in the Universe. Students involved in this project will aim to robustly detect galaxies from real astronomical data and measure their shapes using standard tools, and depending on progress, make a projected 2D map of the mass within the image.

Metallicity Gradients in the Milky Way Disk

Contact: Dr. Ivan Hubeny or

Dr. Katia Cunha The project consists in determining chemical abundances of mostly B stars with varying distance from the Galactic center, using existing observations together with available nonLTE model atmosphere grids and spectrum synthesis programs (Synspec/Synplot). A basic knowledge of IDL is welcome but not mandatory. The actual work will be using the IDL code Synplot to fit observed line profiles with theoretical spectra to determine chemical abundances of important species, such as O, Ne, Mg, Al, Si, and S.

Two projects: (1) Galaxy clusters; and gravitationally lensed distant galaxies and (2) Radio astronomy receivers for the Event Horizon Telescope Contact: Dr. Dan Marrone < [email protected] > (1) I study distant galaxies and galaxy clusters using radio and optical/IR telescopes. The galaxies I target are typically starburst galaxies in the very early universe, gravitationally lensed by intervening objects, which we hope to study in great detail. The galaxy clusters are the most massive gravitationallybound objects in the universe and are used to determine cosmological parameters. I am looking for a student with interest in one or both of these topics and a desire to work with astronomical data or simulations. Previous experience in optical/IR data reduction, radio interferometry, or computer programming are desirable, but not required. (2) I run a laboratory in which we construct radio astronomical receivers. The current key project is a receiver for the South Pole Telescope, which will join a worldwide array to take a picture of the event horizon of the black hole at the center of our galaxy. Students with interest in astronomical instrumentation are encouraged to contact me. Previous experience with electronics, mechanical design, optical design, and computer programming are especially desirable.

Undergraduate Research Projects, 2012/2013 - Page 2 A census of Black Holes with the LSST Contact: Brenda Frye The Large Synoptic Survey Telescope (LSST) is a major observatory nearing completion. For this project, one will have the opportunity to explore the feasibility of undertaking a census of stellar mass sized objects in the Milky Way (including black holes), by the technique of gravitational microlensing. The learning outcomes are: to learn the physics of gravitational lensing, to learn about photometry, to learn/further develop programming database and programming skills. The result could be suitable for a AAS poster.

Research in Astronomy Education Contact: Ed Prather I would like to offer a research project, for credit, that would investigate the 1page, exam notes sheets, used by my gened students in the Centennial Hall Astro 170B1 course. The analysis would involve coding the students examnote sheets from the three midterms and the final exam. From this coding we would be able to document which topics students most commonly provided graphics, problems/answers and information about, at the time of the midterm, and which topics were prioritized as still needing information and answers at the time of the final. The goal of this work would be to write a short paper on the results for presentation at an AAS meeting and perhaps a publication within AER when coupled with data from our other Center for Astronomy Education studies.

The High Elevation Antarctic Terahertz (HEAT) telescope Contact: Craig Kulesa The High Elevation Antarctic Terahertz (HEAT) telescope is an autonomous, robotic telescope operating from the summit of the Antarctic plateau, a site we call "Ridge A". The 16,000 ft pressure altitude, calm winds, clear skies, and bitter cold (100F) make it the best site on Earth for infrared and submillimeterwave telescopes. HEAT is spectroscopicallymapping the Milky Way in the terahertzfrequency spectral lines of major forms of carbon in the interstellar medium, which provides a new view of the evolution and life cycle of star forming clouds. There are three different avenues which may be of interest to students; participation in any or all is welcomed! 1) We are in the process of building a second HEAT telescope to deploy to Ridge A this December. Instrumentationoriented students may be interested in helping us construct and test the telescope prior to deployment. 2) Students interested in radio astronomy data can help process data and interpret the data HEAT is currently providing. 3) Theory oriented students can help construct models to help us understand the structure and chemistry of interstellar clouds.

Undergraduate Research Projects, 2012/2013 - Page 3 Observing Supernovae at Late Times Contact: Peter Milne Since 2001, we have observed individual type Ia supernovae until they fade too faint to be detected with Steward Observatory telescopes (12 years after they explode). Working with optical and infrared data, we seek to determine if positrons (the antimatter of electrons), escape the supernova ejecta and escape into the host galaxies. A student assistant would work with that data to create light curves for these supernovae.

Three projects in Adaptive Optics Contact: John Codona The first is a data analysis project to look at AO wavefront sensor telemetry from the MMT and LBT and extract information about winds aloft. We will compare the results with local wind measurements as well as the daily high altitude balloon measurements. A second, related student project would be to study the captured telemetry data for insights into the operation of the AO servo. The goal is to make a side processor that monitors the data at observation time and makes recommendations to the operator about how to improve performance. The third project is to build, calibrate, deploy and test a research AO system for the Kuiper 61" telescope. I have gathered all of the critical components for the system, including the deformable mirror and a fast computer. The goal would be to build and calibrate the system in a lab and then take it to Mt Bigelow and get it running on bright stars. If we can get a faster camera for the wavefront sensor, we will be able to use the system on fainter guide stars and the 61" AO system will become scientifically useful for observations. The primary/initial use for the system is to develop and test futuristic AO and highcontrast coronagraphy concepts before they get deployed on larger telescopes that are more heavily utilized. My reason for building the Kuiper AO system is to implement my phase apodization coronagraph (the general theory behind the APP coronagraphic masks) on a second deformable mirror (which we also have) and use techniques I have developed to adaptively suppress the residual starlight in the halo. I have estimated that we should be able to detect objects with a contrast of 13 to 14 magnitudes at a spacing of 2 lambda/D. Once operational, the system could be used for observations such as looking for asteroid companions.

Undergraduate Research Projects, 2012/2013 - Page 4 Several projects on Galaxies, Mergers, Active Galactic Nuclei (AGNs) Contact: Jeyhan Kartaltepe I am a Hubble Fellow at NOAO and I would be interested in working with an undergraduate student. There are a few possible projects that a student could work on, depending on their interest. The role of galaxy mergers over cosmic time: The student will use nearinfrared imaging taken with HST in several deep fields to identify galaxy mergers at a wide range of redshifts. We will try out several different methods for identifying mergers and compare them to see which is the most robust. Then we will investigate how the role of mergers has evolved with redshift. AGN contribution to luminous infrared galaxies: The student will use nearinfrared spectra of luminous infrared galaxies and known AGNs taken with the FMOS instrument on Subaru (the Japanese 8 meter telescope) to investigate how AGNs contribute to luminous infrared galaxies at high redshift (z = 1.11.7). The spectra of the known AGNs will allow us to calibrate AGN identification methods at this redshift. The star formation/AGN properties of galaxy mergers: The student will use various AGN identification methods, as well as star formation (SF) rate indicators (primarily from the far infrared) to investigate how each property changes during the galaxy merger process. We will start with a large sample of galaxy mergers at various stages (first approach, first passage, final coalescence) to investigate how SF and AGN activity are correlated with these stages. We will also investigate the location of these galaxies on the star formation rate versus stellar mass diagram to see whether mergers at various stages increase the star formation rate relative to other galaxies of similar stellar mass.

CMOS image detectors for telescope autoguiders Contact: Michael Lesser Instrumentation project to evaluate the use of CMOS image detectors for use as telescope autoguiders. The project would likely involve literature and sales searches as well as a camera purchase and evaluation in the lab and perhaps at a Steward telescope.

Simulations of Galaxy Mergers Contact: Charlotte Christensen Highly star formingBlue Compact Dwarf galaxies are theorized to be the result of mergers between dwarf galaxies. If this is the case, these galaxies may be experiencing a significant redistribution of their baryonic and dark matter as a result of both the dynamics of the merger and the supernova feedback. The goal of this project is to use galaxy formation simulations to follow the history of Blue Compact Dwarf galaxy analogs. The student will compare mockobservations of dwarf galaxies during and following mergers to observations of Blue Compact Dwarf galaxies. The student will then track particles during these mergers to study how the mass distribution evolves and how it is influenced by stellar feedback.

Undergraduate Research Projects, 2012/2013 - Page 5 Faculty and Research Staff of Steward Observatory/Dept. of Astronomy, and their research interests (for a complete listing see the department website, www.as.arizona.edu/people/faculty/ )

J. Roger P. Angel ([email protected]) Regents Professor Instrumentation (Large Telescopes, Adaptive Optics); extrasolar planets; solar energy

Dave Arnett ([email protected]) Regents Professor Theoretical Astrophysics (supernovae, stellar evolution, nucleosynthesis)

Daniel Apai ([email protected]) Assistant Professor Extrasolar planets; planet formation; astrobiology

Jill Bechtold (jbechtold@@as.arizona.edu) Professor Quasars, The Intergalactic Medium

John Bieging ([email protected]) Professor Radio and submm astronomy, molecular spectroscopy of interstellar and circumstellar matter, stellar winds

Laird Close ([email protected]) Professor Adaptive Optics; search for brown dwarfs, extrasolar planets

Johanan Codona Senior Research Scientist Adaptive Optics, Instrumentation, Interferometry, HighContrast Imaging

Chris Corbally ([email protected]) Adjunct Associate Professor (Vatican Observatory) Stellar astronomy

Catia Cuhna Assistant Astronomer Stellar astronomy

Eiichi Egami ([email protected]) Associate Astronomer Cosmology, infrared astronomy, extragalactic astronomy

Undergraduate Research Projects, 2012/2013 - Page 6 Chad Engelbracht ([email protected]) Associate Astronomer Instrumentation; infrared astronomy; extragalactic and cosmology

Josh Eisner ([email protected]) Associate Professor Star formation, interstellar matter, radio astronomy

Xiaohui Fan ([email protected]) Professor Extragalactic astronomy; active galactic nuclei; brown dwarfs

Tom Fleming ([email protected]) Astronomer Xray Astronomy; stellar astronomy; astronomy education

Brenda Frye Assistant Astronomer and Lecturer Extragalactic astronomy

Elizabeth Green ([email protected]) Associate Astronomer Stellar Populations, Stellar Evolution

Richard F. Green ([email protected]) Director, Large Binocular Telescope Observatory Quasars and Their Environments, Terminal Stages of Stellar Evolution

Olivier Guyon ([email protected]_ Assistant Professor Adaptive optics; extrasolar planets

John M. Hill ([email protected]) Project Director, LBT Project Large Telescope Design, Clusters of Galaxies

Philip Hinz ([email protected]) Associate Professor Adaptive Optics; Extrasolar Planets; Astrobiology

Ivan Hubeny ([email protected]) Senior research scientist Stellar astronomy; planetary atmospheres; theoretical astrophysics

Undergraduate Research Projects, 2012/2013 - Page 7 Chris Impey ([email protected]) Professor Infrared and Optical Observations of Quasars and Galaxies

Buell T. Jannuzi Professor, Director of Steward Observatory, Department Head of Astronomy Extragalactic astronomy

J. Serena Kim ([email protected]) Associate Astronomer Galactic astronomy; star and planet formation

Michael Lesser ([email protected]) Senior Research Scientist Astronomical Instrumentation, CCD Development

Michael LloydHart ([email protected]) Astronomer Adaptive Optics

Daniel Marrone ([email protected]) Assistant Professor Extragalactic astronomy; instrumentation

H. (Buddy) Martin ([email protected]) Project Scientist Optical Fabrication, Adaptive Optics

Donald W. McCarthy ([email protected]) Astronomer Infrared Astronomy, High Resolution Imaging, Adaptive Optics

Fulvio Melia ([email protected]) Professor, Physics Department Theoretical Astrophysics

Edward Olszewski ([email protected]) Professor Dwarf Galaxies, Magellanic Clouds

Feryal Ozel ([email protected]) Associate Professor Theoretical astrophysics; black holes

Undergraduate Research Projects, 2012/2013 - Page 8 Philip Pinto ([email protected]) Associate Professor Supernovae, Radiative Transfer

Richard Poss ([email protected]) Associate Professor History of Astronomy; Astronomy and the Arts

Edward Prather ([email protected]) Associate Professor Astronomy and Physics Education research

George H. Rieke ([email protected]) Professor Observational Infrared Astronomy

Marcia J. Rieke ([email protected]) Professor Infrared Astronomy, Instrumentation

Yancy Shirley ([email protected]) Assistant Professor Star formation, radio astronomy, astrochemistry

Nathan Smith ([email protected]) Assistant Professor High mass stars and star formation, interstellar matter

Peter A. Strittmatter ([email protected]) Regents Professor Theoretical astrophysics, cosmology, active galactic nuclei

Rodger I. Thompson ([email protected]) Professor Extragalactic Astronomy, Star Formation, Infrared Astronomy, Instrumentation

Christopher Walker ([email protected]) Professor Star Formation, Interstellar Matter, Millimeter Instrumentation

Benjamin Weiner ([email protected]) Assistant Astronomer Instrumentation, Infrared Astronomy, Extragalactic Astronomy

Undergraduate Research Projects, 2012/2013 - Page 9 Steven West ([email protected]) Research Scientist Instrumentation

Grant Williams ([email protected]) Astronomer, Director MMT Massive Stars, Supernovae, Gamma-Ray Bursts, Instrumentation, Polarimetry

Christopher Willmer ([email protected]) Assistant Astronomer Extragalactic Astronomy and Cosmology, Infrared Astronomy

Ann Zabludoff ([email protected]) Associate Professor Extragalactic Astronomy

Dennis Zaritsky ([email protected]) Professor Extragalactic Astronomy and Cosmology

Lucy Ziurys ([email protected]) Professor Laboratory Microwave Spectroscopy, Astrochemistry, Radio astronomy

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