{"id":6414,"date":"2025-01-23T14:29:06","date_gmt":"2025-01-23T21:29:06","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/nau.edu\/astronomy-and-planetary-science\/?page_id=6414"},"modified":"2025-01-23T14:35:34","modified_gmt":"2025-01-23T21:35:34","slug":"accomplishments-2024","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/in.nau.edu\/department-astronomy-planetary-science\/accomplishments-2024\/","title":{"rendered":"Accomplishments 2024"},"content":{"rendered":"

December 2024<\/h3>\n\n
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Former DAPS postdoc Maggie McAdam has a new paper out Accordion Closed<\/span><\/h4>\n <\/span>\n <\/div>\n <\/a>\n
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Detection of Hydration on Nominally Anhydrous S-complex Main Belt Asteroids<\/a><\/p>\n
DAPS co-authors include faculty Cristina Thomas<\/strong> and Josh Emery<\/strong>, and current postdoc Lauren McGraw<\/strong>.
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Recent PhD graduate Oriel Humes has a new pape Accordion Closed<\/span><\/h4>\n <\/span>\n <\/div>\n <\/a>\n
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Insights on the Rotational State and Shape of Asteroid (203) Pompeja from TESS Photometry<\/a>
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Our department had a substantial footprint at the recent AGU (American Geophysical Union) meeting. Accordion Closed<\/span><\/h4>\n <\/span>\n <\/div>\n <\/a>\n
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Congratulations to the following presenters and my apologies if I missed anyone:<\/p>\n
Faculty:
\nChristopher Edwards, Chris Haberle, Josh Emery, Cristina Thomas, Haley Sapers<\/p>\n
Postdocs:
\nBen McKeeby, Cheng Ye<\/p>\n
Graduate students:
\nDede Chapline, Natalie Jones, Laura Lee, Ian Marrs<\/p>\n
There’s also a Logan Tegler on the list — Steve’s younger daughter!
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Congratulations to our fall, 2024, graduates! Accordion Closed<\/span><\/h4>\n <\/span>\n <\/div>\n <\/a>\n
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We are very proud of each one of you.<\/p>\n
PhD:
\nSchuyler Borges (advisors: Josh Emery, Lillian Ostrach) Anna Engle (Steve Tegler, Jennifer Hanley) Andy Lopez-Oquendo (David Trilling) James Windsor (Ty Robinson)<\/p>\n
MS:
\nHelen Eifert<\/p>\n
BS:
\nHayden Green
\nRyan Milligan<\/p>\n<\/body><\/html>\n\n <\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n
November 2024<\/h3>\n\n
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Christopher Edwards and former NAU Graduate Student (and NAU Postdoc, now at NASA\u2019s GFSC\/Dartmouth College) Ari Koeppel completed a passage through the Northwest Passage Accordion Closed<\/span><\/h4>\n <\/span>\n <\/div>\n <\/a>\n
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$\"Christopher$
Christopher Edwards and Ari Koeppel flying their drone.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
$\"Christopher$
Christopher Edwards and Ari Koeppel flying their drone.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
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Out on the ice.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/body><\/html>\n\n <\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n
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There is a new book out about NASA\u2019s DART mission and our Cristina Thomas is featured Accordion Closed<\/span><\/h4>\n <\/span>\n <\/div>\n <\/a>\n
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How to Kill an Asteroid: The Real Science of Planetary Defense<\/a>
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David Trilling had a proposal selected by NASA\u2019s YORPD program Accordion Closed<\/span><\/h4>\n <\/span>\n <\/div>\n <\/a>\n
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A rapid-response program to characterize Near Earth Objects with LCO’s MuSCAT instruments.<\/em><\/p>\n
This is a three year program ($556K) that will support PhD student Remi Cantelas, and we’ll use Las Cumbres Observatory (LCO) telescopes in Hawai`i and Australia.
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Haley Sapers visited UBC [University of British Columbia, in Vancouver] Oct 29 \u2013 Nov 1 Accordion Closed<\/span><\/h4>\n <\/span>\n <\/div>\n <\/a>\n
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where she met with students and faculty in the Department of Earth, Ocean, and Atmosphere Science
\n(EOAS) and the department of Department of Microbiology and Immunology. She was invited to give a special seminar as well as the weekly EOAS colloquium.
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Undergraduate student Hunter Brooks is on another new paper Accordion Closed<\/span><\/h4>\n <\/span>\n <\/div>\n <\/a>\n
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New Cold Subdwarf Discoveries from Backyard Worlds and a Metallicity Classification System for T Subdwarfs<\/a>
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Audrey Smith (from our astronomy club), gave a \u201csky tour\u201d and operated telescopes Accordion Closed<\/span><\/h4>\n <\/span>\n <\/div>\n <\/a>\n
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at the monthly Walker Observatory star party at De Miguel Elementar school.
\nMary Lara<\/strong> is the director of the observatory, and Ed Anderson<\/strong> is their technical support.
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PhD alum Colin Chandler, current postdoc Will Oldroyd, and faculty Chad Trujillo are on a new paper Accordion Closed<\/span><\/h4>\n <\/span>\n <\/div>\n <\/a>\n
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The Volatile Composition and Activity Evolution of Main-Belt Comet 358P\/PANSTARRS<\/a>
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Mark Salvatore shared this cool video Accordion Closed<\/span><\/h4>\n <\/span>\n <\/div>\n <\/a>\n
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Meteor Crater – The World’s Best Preserved Asteroid Impact Crater <\/a><\/p>\n
This is from when the NAU film crew came out with us to Meteor Crater when we were doing some of the surveying work for the Barringer family. This highlights some of the recent drone work that we’re doing at Meteor Crater, and demonstrates the sort of collaborations that MC has been so generous in helping us to establish.<\/p>\n
Congratulations to Mark, postdoc Ben McKeeby<\/strong>, and undergrad student Hayden Green<\/strong>!
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Mark Salvatore heads to Antarctica for two months Accordion Closed<\/span><\/h4>\n <\/span>\n <\/div>\n <\/a>\n
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for a set of field experiments associated with the NSF Long-Term Ecological Research McMurdo program he is a co-investigator on. Mark will be carrying out in situ and remote sensing experiments related to ecology and geology in the Antarctic Dry Valleys. <\/p>\n
Mark — have a great trip! We’ll miss you!
\nSee you in January.
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Christopher Edwards\u2019 Planetary Field Analogs class traveled to Upheaval Dome in Canyonlands Utah Accordion Closed<\/span><\/h4>\n <\/span>\n <\/div>\n <\/a>\n
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in an attempt to figure out if it was an impact crater or not.<\/p>\n
(Spoiler, it almost certainly is contrary to the posted national park sign ambiguity!).<\/p>\n
$\"Planetary$
Planetary Analogs class in Utah.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/body><\/html>\n\n <\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n
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First year PhD student Tyler Cox\u2019s new paper is part 2 in a sequence, the first of which was published earlier this year Accordion Closed<\/span><\/h4>\n <\/span>\n <\/div>\n <\/a>\n
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Photothermal Spectroscopy for Planetary Sciences: A Characterization of Planetary Materials in the Mid-IR<\/a>
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The paper that Jessica Walsh was working on before her tragic accident was just published in Earth and Planetary Science Letters\n\nNumeric ring-reconstructions based on massifs favor a non-oblique south pole-Aitken-forming impact event\n Accordion Closed<\/span><\/h4>\n <\/span>\n <\/div>\n <\/a>\n
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Christopher Edwards notes that “this work, related to the formation of the South Pole Aiken Basin on the Moon, was what Jessica had presented on several occasions at conferences and in the department. She was working diligently to get this published the summer she passed away. In the accident, a significant portion of the manuscript materials, including text, figures, and data she had worked so hard on, were unrecoverable from her laptop. After combing through files on my lab servers, shared Google drives, and other sources, Dr. Hannes Bernhardt, a good collaborator of hers, led the effort to finalize the analysis and write up the paper. Many thanks are owed to him and the other co-authors for working through this and turning it into something I think Jessica would be proud of. This is, of course, only a small recognition of the impact Jessica would have made on the field throughout her career. Nevertheless, I’m happy to say this work is published in her memory.<\/p>\n
I’ll also note that former postdoc Aurelien Stcherbinine had a paper published in Icarus, On the impact of the vertical structure of Martian water ice clouds on nadir atmospheric retrievals from simultaneous EMM\/EXI and TGO\/ACS-MIR observations<\/a>, related to Mars clouds, and he perhaps summed it up best in the acknowledgment section of his article:<\/p>\n\n
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\n This article is dedicated to the memory of Jessica Walsh. For the love of Mars and clouds.<\/span>\n <\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n<\/body><\/html>\n\n <\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n
October 2024<\/h3>\n\n
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The astronomy club visited the Large Binocular Telescope (LBT) and Sub-millimeter Telescope (SMT) on Mt Graham in southern Arizona. Accordion Closed<\/span><\/h4>\n <\/span>\n <\/div>\n <\/a>\n
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Club president, Audrey Smith reports, “The trip went really well. We had to read a sign a promise to not harm the red squirrels but we only got to seen them while driving. We were able to tour the SMT as well. When there they were observing so we got to see how things ran as well as a tour of the instruments. The LBT facility was amazing and huge. We actually saw in on top of the mountain while driving to Safford. The entire tour was amazing. They moved both the telescope and dome for us. We were all amazed by how massive everything was. We were also shocked to see Kitt Peak and Mount Lemmon from the kitchen. It was a fun trip. No one got sick going up or down the mountain which was a good thing. Joe and Joannah also offered to help us tour Kitt Peak and the MMT.”<\/p>\n
Joe here is Joe Shields, director of the LBT, who was our colloquium speaker earlier this month — which allowed us to make the connection for this visit. (Joannah is the deputy director of LBT.)
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$\"Astronomy$
Astronomy club at the Mt. Graham Observatories.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/p><\/body><\/html>\n\n <\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n
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Congratulations to all department people who were presenters or co-authors at the recent meeting of the American Astronomical Society\u2019s Division for Planetary Science Accordion Closed<\/span><\/h4>\n <\/span>\n <\/div>\n <\/a>\n
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Faculty: Josh Emery, Haley Sapers, Steve Tegler, Cristina Thomas, David Trilling, Chad Trujillo<\/p>\n
Postdocs: Annika Gustafsson (PhD), Lauren McGraw (PhD), Will Oldroyd (PhD)<\/p>\n
PhD students: Will Burris, Maria Chernyavskaya, Anna Engle, Kennedy Farrell, Lucas McClure, Ana Morgan, Ryder Strauss, Cece Thieberger<\/p>\n
Alumni: Wilnelia Barea-Carrion (REU), Colin Chandler (PhD), Jarod DeSpain (BS), Max Hood (BS), Rachel Huchmala (BS), Oriel Humes (PhD), Jay Kueny (BS), Audrey Martin (PhD)
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First year PhD student Sam Hemmelgarn has a new paper out\n\nHow Meteor Showers Can Guide the Search for Long Period Comets\n Accordion Closed<\/span><\/h4>\n <\/span>\n <\/div>\n <\/a>\n
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This is Sam’s first first-author paper!
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Cristina Thomas attended the successful launch of the European Space Agency\u2019s Hera mission in Florida Accordion Closed<\/span><\/h4>\n <\/span>\n <\/div>\n <\/a>\n
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And then got to enjoy a hurricane-impacted post-launch vacation!
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PhD students Shae Raposa and Anna Engle (who recently defended her dissertation!) have a co-first author paper Accordion Closed<\/span><\/h4>\n <\/span>\n <\/div>\n <\/a>\n
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Outbursts Upon Cooling of Low-Temperature Binary Mixtures: Experiments and Their Planetary Implications<\/a><\/p>\n
Other NAU authors include Steve Tegler<\/strong>, Jennifer Hanley<\/strong>, Will Grundy<\/strong>, Gerrick Lindberg<\/strong>, Cece Thieberger<\/strong>, and Shy Dustrud<\/strong>.
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New PhD, Anna Engle has a paper out Accordion Closed<\/span><\/h4>\n <\/span>\n <\/div>\n <\/a>\n
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Ice Formation, Exsolution, and Multiphase Equilibria in the Methane–Ethane–Nitrogen System at Titan Surface Conditions<\/a><\/p>\n
Other NAU authors include Steve Tegler<\/strong>, Jennifer Hanley<\/strong>, Will Grundy<\/strong>, Gerrick Lindberg<\/strong>, Cece Thieberger<\/strong>, and Shy Dustrud<\/strong>.
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Senior undergrad, Hunter Brooks is part of a new project that is highlighted in this NOIRLab press release Accordion Closed<\/span><\/h4>\n <\/span>\n <\/div>\n <\/a>\n
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Join the Hunt for Asteroids Orbiting White Dwarf Stars<\/a>
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Diego Munoz was a feature speaker at the recent Four Corners regional meeting of the American Physical Society Accordion Closed<\/span><\/h4>\n <\/span>\n <\/div>\n <\/a>\n
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2024 Four Corners Meeting of the American Physical Society <\/a>
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September 2024<\/h3>\n\n
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Chad Trujillo received funding for two grants related to Active Asteroids Accordion Closed<\/span><\/h4>\n <\/span>\n <\/div>\n <\/a>\n
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From the NSF, a continuation of the Active Asteroids project started by Colin Chandler for his dissertation based on archival DECam data and at activeasteroids.net.<\/p>\n
And from NASA, a new spinoff project based on archival Subaru data which, being from an 8m telescope, is more sensitive to activity than all prior surveys and the future Rubin Observatory.<\/p>\n
Together, these two projects will produce tens of millions of images of about 75% of the main belt asteroids in a search for activity.<\/p>\n
Congratulations, Chad!
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Undergraduate student Hunter Brooks is lead author on a newly accepted peer-reviewed paper Accordion Closed<\/span><\/h4>\n <\/span>\n <\/div>\n <\/a>\n
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Discovery of 118 New Ultracool Dwarf Candidates Using Machine Learning Techniques<\/a><\/p>\n
Congratulations, Hunter!
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Zach Ulibarri (BS 2013), was named as a 51 Peg b fellow for their 2024 cohort Accordion Closed<\/span><\/h4>\n <\/span>\n <\/div>\n <\/a>\n
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This is a prestigious postdoctoral fellowship for the top young people working in the field of exoplanet science (and related topics). Zach got his PhD in physics at CU-Boulder and will take this postdoc fellowship to Cornell.<\/p>\n
Zach’s brief bio.<\/a>
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First year PhD student Christopher (Tyler) Cox has a new paper out Accordion Closed<\/span><\/h4>\n <\/span>\n <\/div>\n <\/a>\n
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Photothermal Spectroscopy for Planetary Sciences: Mid-IR Absorption Made Easy<\/a>
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Christopher Edwards and PhD alumnus Aaron Weintraub have a new paper out Accordion Closed<\/span><\/h4>\n <\/span>\n <\/div>\n <\/a>\n
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Global survey of paleo-bedforms on Mars<\/a>
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Laura Lee and David Trilling both gave public talks at the Flagstaff Festival of Science Accordion Closed<\/span><\/h4>\n <\/span>\n <\/div>\n <\/a>\n
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Lucas McClure (PhD student), Josh Emery, Cristina Thomas, and Riley Williams (BS 2024) have a new paper out Accordion Closed<\/span><\/h4>\n <\/span>\n <\/div>\n <\/a>\n
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Size-Based Spectrophotometric Analysis of the Polana-Eulalia Complex<\/a>
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Former postdoc Aurelien Stcherbinine and Christopher Edwards have a new paper Accordion Closed<\/span><\/h4>\n <\/span>\n <\/div>\n <\/a>\n
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On the impact of the vertical structure of Martian water ice clouds on nadir atmospheric retrievals from simultaneous EMM\/EXI and TGO\/ACS-MIR observations<\/a>
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Chad Trujillo is on a new paper out Accordion Closed<\/span><\/h4>\n <\/span>\n <\/div>\n <\/a>\n
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New Moons of Uranus and Neptune from Ultra-Deep Pencil Beam Surveys<\/a>
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PhD studnet Ryder Strauss also has a new paper Accordion Closed<\/span><\/h4>\n <\/span>\n <\/div>\n <\/a>\n
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The DECam Ecliptic Exploration Project (DEEP). VII. The Strengths of Three Superfast Rotating Main-belt Asteroids from a Preliminary Search of DEEP Data<\/a><\/p>\n
and the author list includes former PhD students Will Oldroyd<\/strong> (presently an NAU postdoc) and Colin Chandler<\/strong>, former NAU postdocs Andrew McNeill<\/strong>, Cesar Fuentes<\/strong>, and Michael Mommert<\/strong>, and faculty David Trilling<\/strong> and Chad Trujillo<\/strong>.
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September 19 was the first appearance of the new \u201cAstrojacks\u201d Accordion Closed<\/span><\/h4>\n <\/span>\n <\/div>\n <\/a>\n
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Alternate branding for NAU’s athletic department, and our astronomy club was on hand with some telescopes and their usual blend of competence and good cheer! Thank you Audrey Smith, Gary Rosip, and club co-advisor Matt Lydy for sharing the excitement of astronomy with the attendees of that soccer game.<\/p>\n
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August 2024<\/h3>\n\n
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Mike Gowanlock (affiliate APS faculty), David Trilling, Andrew McNeill (former NAU postdoc), Daniel Kramer (former NAU undergrad and MS student), and Maria Chernyavskaya have a new paper out Accordion Closed<\/span><\/h4>\n <\/span>\n <\/div>\n <\/a>\n
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Asteroid Period Solutions from Combined Dense and Sparse Photometry<\/a>
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Congratulations to Chris Haberle for organizing and hosting the first-ever OSIRIS-APEx Science Team Meeting Accordion Closed<\/span><\/h4>\n <\/span>\n <\/div>\n <\/a>\n
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OSIRIS-APEx, a NASA mission to asteroid Apophis. The science team meeting was held NAU.<\/p>\n
Congratulations also to the NAU presenters, and to those who attended the meeting to meet and interact with science team members from all over the world.
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Allie Rutledge, Candice De Anda, and Ian Marrs recently completed SSW-funded fieldwork in Arctic Sweden. Accordion Closed<\/span><\/h4>\n <\/span>\n <\/div>\n <\/a>\n
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Along with Co-I Mark Salvatore<\/strong> and external Co-Is, they are investigating cold-based glacial alteration in Mars-like terrain. They had an amazing field season working out of Tarfala Research Station (University of Stockholm), even if the weather didn’t always cooperate.<\/p>\n
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Senior undergrad Hunter Brooks is a Co-author on a new paper which was picked up by the New York Times and CNN! Accordion Closed<\/span><\/h4>\n <\/span>\n <\/div>\n <\/a>\n
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Discovery of a Hypervelocity L Subdwarf at the Star\/Brown Dwarf Mass Limit <\/a><\/p>\n
New York Times: A ‘Speedy Little Star’ May Be on Course to Escape Our Galaxy<\/a><\/p>\n
CNN: An unusual object is moving so fast it could escape the Milky Way. Scientists aren’t certain what it is <\/a><\/p>\n
Congratulations, Hunter!
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Jasmine Garani and Lucas McClure sent this terrific picture of them with our astronomy boot camp students, from the week before the semester began! Accordion Closed<\/span><\/h4>\n <\/span>\n <\/div>\n <\/a>\n
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July 2024<\/h3>\n\n
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The Hubble Space Telescope selections for Cycle 32 were announced last week, and David Trilling\u2019s program to look for activity among Centaurs was selected as a 62-orbit snapshot program Accordion Closed<\/span><\/h4>\n <\/span>\n <\/div>\n <\/a>\n
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Here’s the co-investigator list: Colin Chandler<\/strong> (former NAU PhD student), Will Grundy<\/strong> (Lowell and NAU adjunct faculty), Teddy Kareta<\/strong> (Lowell), Ana Morgan<\/strong> (current NAU PhD student), Will Oldroyd<\/strong> (former NAU PhD student and current NAU postdoc), and Steve Tegler<\/strong> (NAU faculty). Keeping it local!
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Anna Engle, whose dissertation defense is coming soon has a postdoc position lined up Accordion Closed<\/span><\/h4>\n <\/span>\n <\/div>\n <\/a>\n
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at the University of North Carolina Charlotte starting in the fall! She will be working on a project trying to get Orange Hydrogen from Catalytic Low Temperature Serpentinization<\/em>.<\/p>\n
She’s looking forward to working in a new ‘low temperature’ range (~375 K as opposed to 95 K)!
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Allie Rutledge and incoming PhD student Candace De Anda presented research on Icelandic eskers as Mars analogs Accordion Closed<\/span><\/h4>\n <\/span>\n <\/div>\n <\/a>\n
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at the 8th International Conference on Mars Science and Exploration<\/strong> in Whitehorse, Yukon Territory. <\/p>\n
She also gave a public talk to the community one evening.
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$\"\"$ Allie Rutledge giving a public talk in Whitehorse, Yukon Territory, Canada.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/p><\/body><\/html>\n\n <\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n
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Josh Emery is a co-author on a new paper Accordion Closed<\/span><\/h4>\n <\/span>\n <\/div>\n <\/a>\n
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Unveiling the ice and gas nature of active centaur (2060) Chiron using the James Webb Space Telescope<\/a><\/p>\n
Last year’s sabbatical visitor John Stansberry<\/strong> also a co-author.
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Kennedy Farrell recently attended the Physics of Extreme Massive Stars (POEMS) conference at the National Observatory in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil Accordion Closed<\/span><\/h4>\n <\/span>\n <\/div>\n <\/a>\n
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She presented computer-modeled spectra for a Wolf-Rayet star, BAT99-3, and discussed the implications of stellar characteristics on the evolution of massive stars. <\/p>\n
While in Rio, she met several monkeys and ate a lot of acai!<\/p>\n
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Kennedy in front of the National Observatory, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/body><\/html>\n\n <\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n
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On July 1st Haley Sapers [incoming faculty member] led an international field team in the High Canadian Arctic to Expedition Fjord, Axel Heiberg Island, Nunavut, Canada Accordion Closed<\/span><\/h4>\n <\/span>\n <\/div>\n <\/a>\n
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Sapers and her team joined other researchers at the remote McGill Arctic Research Station (MARS). Haley is testing ICOS [integrated cavity output spectroscopy] technology developed by ABB Inc. as a remote sensing tool as part of a instrument development program to build a methane spectrometer to measure methane seeps in the High Arctic and as a potential flight instrument to characterize near surface methane emissions on Mars. The team also collected samples from a suite of permafrost hosted perennial hypersaline cold spring methane seeps to investigate the ability of the seep-associated microbial community to oxidize methane and characterize the biogeochemical diversity of these unique springs and how they responding to rapid warming and potential increased methane emissions.<\/p>\n
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Arctic Team 2024: (L to R) Dr. Greg Slater (Professor, McMaster University), Dr. Sujung Lim (Postdoctoral scholar, University of Nevada, Los Vegas), Dr. Haley Sapers, Lucas Beckering Vinkers Stofer (graduate student, McMaster University). On the shore of Expedition River near Gypsum Hill Springs.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
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Haley Spers and Sujung Lim taking geochemical measurements at one of the Gypsum Hill Spring methane seep outlets.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/body><\/html>\n\n <\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n
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J.F. Smekens has a new paper out Accordion Closed<\/span><\/h4>\n <\/span>\n <\/div>\n <\/a>\n
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Rapid Primary Sulfate Aerosol Generation Observed With OP-FTIR in the Eruptive Plume of the Fagradalsfjall Basaltic Eruption, Iceland, 2021<\/a><\/p>\n
They look at how to accurately quantify gas and aerosols from eruptive plumes with a common monitoring tool, the Open-Path FTIR spectrometer. It’s a new method that allows them to look at sulfur speciation in the gas plumes as they are being emitted and how they vary as the activity at the vent varies.
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J.F Smekens completed a field campaign to three active volcanoes in Sicily: Etna, Stromboli and Vulcano Accordion Closed<\/span><\/h4>\n <\/span>\n <\/div>\n <\/a>\n
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This is in support of research grant on which he is co-I with collaborators from University of Pittsburgh, UT Austin and the INGV (volcanic and seismic observatory of Italy). They are testing a new multi-spectral thermal infrared camera, and how it can help us retrieve accurate measurements of volcanic gases, aerosols and ash from eruptions with very different styles. <\/p>\n
This is in support of the joint NASA \/ Italian space agency SBG mission (Surface Biology and Geology), which is a new satellite instrument providing data in the IR and scheduled to launch in 2027-28.<\/p>\n
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JF comments in an aside: I do believe the word volcano derives from this island, which was named Vulcano because it was thought to be the chimney to the house of Vulcan, Roman god of fire.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
$\"Volcano$
JF comments in an aside: I do believe the word volcano derives from this island, which was named Vulcano because it was thought to be the chimney to the house of Vulcan, Roman god of fire.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/body><\/html>\n\n <\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n
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The ice lab provided thin-film experiments to support JWST observations of Ariel reported in the Astrophysical Journal Letters Accordion Closed<\/span><\/h4>\n <\/span>\n <\/div>\n <\/a>\n
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JWST Reveals CO Ice, Concentrated CO 2 Deposits, and Evidence for Carbonates Potentially Sourced from Ariel’s Interior<\/a><\/p>\n
The experiments were the basis of PhD student, Ana Morgan’s second-year projec; and undergrad, Ryan Wocher’s AST 485 research.
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Former REU student Samantha Morrison has an accepted paper for work she did with Ryder Strauss and David Trilling (along with colleagues from USNO) in 2023 Accordion Closed<\/span><\/h4>\n <\/span>\n <\/div>\n <\/a>\n
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Infrared Colors of Small Serendipitously-Found Asteroids in the UKIRT Hemisphere Survey<\/a>
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Cheng Ye, Mark Salvatore, and Christopher Edwards have a new paper out Accordion Closed<\/span><\/h4>\n <\/span>\n <\/div>\n <\/a>\n
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Orbital Observations Suggest Decoupled Olivine and Carbonate Enrichments in Jezero Crater<\/a><\/p>\n
which is about the origins of the Carbonate-bearing unit the Perseverance Rover is currently exploring.
\nThe key findings are that the carbonate-bearing unit, when examined from the entire suite of datasets available, shows different characteristics than the other carbonate bearing units when observed from orbit.
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Laura Lee, Nathan Smith, Dede Chapline, and Anna Baker attended the Tenth International Conference on Mars Accordion Closed<\/span><\/h4>\n <\/span>\n <\/div>\n <\/a>\n
\n \n\n 10th International Conference on Mars<\/a><\/center>\n
Laura, Nathan, and Anna had poster presentations that all received high interest from conference goers. They also met up with former NAU postdoc, Aurelien Stcherbinine.<\/p>\n
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Laura Lee, Dede Chapline and Nathan Smith.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/body><\/html>\n\n <\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n
June 2024<\/h3>\n\n
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A new paper that is led by former MS student, Laura Flagg, now a postdoc at Cornell Accordion Closed<\/span><\/h4>\n <\/span>\n <\/div>\n <\/a>\n
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Debris Disks can Contaminate Mid-Infrared Exoplanet Spectra: Evidence for a Circumstellar Debris Disk around Exoplanet Host WASP-39<\/a>
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Recent PhD (now GSFC Postdoc) Ari Koeppel had a paper published in AGU\u2019s Earth and Space Science Accordion Closed<\/span><\/h4>\n <\/span>\n <\/div>\n <\/a>\n
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A Novel Surface Energy Balance Method for Thermal Inertia Studies of Terrestrial Analogs<\/em><\/p>\n
With Co-Authors Christopher Edwards<\/strong>, current NAU APS Grad students Helen Eiffert<\/strong> and Dede Chapline<\/strong>, and former NAU Postdoc Kristen Bennett<\/strong>. <\/p>\n
The paper demonstrates the a newly developed, quantitative field-based model for deriving thermophysical and material properties from remote sensing data. This is the culmination of more than 5 years of field work, model development, and data analysis.<\/p>\n
Congrats Ari et al!
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A new paper out includes several NAU authors: Cristina Thomas, former MS student Brian Burt, Andy Lopez-Oquendo, David Trilling Accordion Closed<\/span><\/h4>\n <\/span>\n <\/div>\n <\/a>\n
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2023 DZ2 Planetary Defense Campaign<\/a>
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Alumnus Carver Bierson (who was Carver Thomason while an undergrad here) has just accepted a full time faculty position in astronomy at Scottsdale Community College, to start this fall Accordion Closed<\/span><\/h4>\n <\/span>\n <\/div>\n <\/a>\n
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Terrific to see our students succeed post-NAU!
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Congratulations to Mark Salvatore for successfully leading the first ever Hat Ranch field camp Accordion Closed<\/span><\/h4>\n <\/span>\n <\/div>\n <\/a>\n
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with about 25 students completing a four-week multi-disciplinary field course. <\/p>\n
Congratulations, Mark, for seeing this stage through — we know how much work you put into this.
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Becks Carmack and Mark Loeffler have a new paper out Accordion Closed<\/span><\/h4>\n <\/span>\n <\/div>\n <\/a>\n
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Energy and Temperature Dependencies for Electron-induced Sputtering from H2O Ice: Implications for the Icy Galilean Moons<\/a>
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Josh Emery is a co-author on a new paper Accordion Closed<\/span><\/h4>\n <\/span>\n <\/div>\n <\/a>\n
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Origin of Asteroid (101955) Bennu and its Connection to the New Polana Family<\/a>
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Congratulations to NAU people who presented at the recent TNO2024 meeting in Taiwan Accordion Closed<\/span><\/h4>\n <\/span>\n <\/div>\n <\/a>\n
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TNO == Trans-Neptunian Objects<\/p>\n
Meeting Website<\/a><\/p>\n
NAU had a really impressive presence:
\nColin Chandler (former PhD student), Josh Emery, Will Grundy (adjunct faculty), Brittany Harvison (former undergrad), Audrey Martin (former PhD student), Ana Morgan, John Stansberry (last year’s sabbatical visitor), Ryder Strauss, David Trilling.<\/p>\n
There were about 100 people at the meeting — pretty impressive that nearly 10% of the attendees for this very international meeting are, or recently have been, part of our department!
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May 2024<\/h3>\n\n
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Allie Rutledge spent the end of winter doing field work in southwest Greenland Accordion Closed<\/span><\/h4>\n <\/span>\n <\/div>\n <\/a>\n
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She was measuring spectral data, collecting field samples to measure glacial alteration, and generally freezing her fingers off.
\nThe main goal of the NSF-funded project is to characterize seasonal shifts in the Greenland ice sheet melt cycle and how that is changing in a warming climate. This kind of deep field science isn’t possible without a lot of work by a lot of people, and she’s very grateful to folks in the department – especially Jagoda Janiszewska and Christopher Edwards – for being so supportive of mid-semester fieldwork!<\/p>\n
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Allie Rutledge doing fieldwork in southwest Greenland.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/body><\/html>\n\n <\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n
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Rebecca \u201cBecks\u201d Carmack won second place in the OGPS (grad college) poster competition, and $500 \u2014 congratulations! Accordion Closed<\/span><\/h4>\n <\/span>\n <\/div>\n <\/a>\n
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See the poster.<\/a>
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Incoming grad student Gavin Moriarty has an at-large position (and is chair of the poster symposium) in the Grad Student Government for the 24\/25 academic year. Accordion Closed<\/span><\/h4>\n <\/span>\n <\/div>\n <\/a>\n
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Congratulations, Gavin, and fast work!
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PhD student, Rebecca \u201cBecks\u201d Carmack, and Mark Loeffler have a new paper out Accordion Closed<\/span><\/h4>\n <\/span>\n <\/div>\n <\/a>\n
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Energy and temperature dependencies for electron-induced sputtering from H2O-ice: Implications for the icy Galilean moons<\/a>
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Recent PhD,Patrick Tribbett; and Mark Loeffler have a new paper out Accordion Closed<\/span><\/h4>\n <\/span>\n <\/div>\n <\/a>\n
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Thermal Oxidation Reaction between NH3 and O3: Low-temperature Formation of an NH4+ -bearing Salt<\/a>
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Christopher Edwards is a co-author on a new paper Accordion Closed<\/span><\/h4>\n <\/span>\n <\/div>\n <\/a>\n
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Observations of Water Frost on Mars with THEMIS: Application to the Presence of Brines and the Stability of (Sub)Surface Water Ice<\/a>
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Former NAU postdoc Andrew McNeill will start a position as assistant professor of physics and astronomy at Bowling Green State University (Ohio) in the fall. Accordion Closed<\/span><\/h4>\n <\/span>\n <\/div>\n <\/a>\n
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Congratulations Andrew!!!
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Chris Haberle\u2019s NASA PSTAR (Planetary Science and Technology through Analog Research) proposal was selected for funding Accordion Closed<\/span><\/h4>\n <\/span>\n <\/div>\n <\/a>\n
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This is a 3 year $2.1M proposal. Christopher Edwards<\/strong> is a Co-I, Allie Rutledge<\/strong> is a collaborator, and there is funding for a full time graduate student and 2 undergraduates per year. <\/p>\n
The work would use a multispectral imager and thermal emission spectrometer to perform field analog investigations of hot spring silica sinter deposits in Utah and Chile. Field samples will be acquired for a rigorous laboratory characterization focusing on spectroscopy, mineralogy, and biosignature preservation and modification. <\/p>\n
There are also Co-I’s from ASU, Western Washington University, and University of New Mexico. <\/p>\n
Congratulations, Chris!
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Congratulations to Max Hood, who received our department\u2019s outstanding senior award for this semester Accordion Closed<\/span><\/h4>\n <\/span>\n <\/div>\n <\/a>\n
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And to the rest of our graduates!
\nAstronomy majors: Max Hood <\/strong>and Riley Williams<\/strong>.
\nAstronomy minors: Fern Carter<\/strong>, Shannon Comstock<\/strong>, Grace Morris<\/strong>, and Zoe Spalding<\/strong>.
\nPhD: James Windsor<\/strong>.
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PhD Candidate, Andy Lopez-Oquendo (first author), with Mark Loeffler and David Trilling have a new paper Accordion Closed<\/span><\/h4>\n <\/span>\n <\/div>\n <\/a>\n
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Laser Irradiation of Carbonaceous Chondrite Simulants: Space-weathering Implications for C-complex Asteroids<\/a>
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Mike Gowanlock (APS affiliate); David Trilling; recent undergrad and MS student, Daniel Kramer; PhD student Maria Chernyavskaya; and former postdoc (and new Bowling Green State University assistant\nprofessor) Andrew McNeill have a new paper Accordion Closed<\/span><\/h4>\n <\/span>\n <\/div>\n <\/a>\n
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The Solar System Notification Alert Processing System (SNAPS): Asteroid Population Outlier Detection<\/a>
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David Trilling presented at the recent \u201cHotwiring the Transient Universe VII\u201d conference in Toronto Accordion Closed<\/span><\/h4>\n <\/span>\n <\/div>\n <\/a>\n
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Hotwiring the Transient Universe VII<\/a>
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Maria Chernyavskaya and David Trilling presented at the recent \u201cRare Gems in Big Data\u201d conference in Tucson Accordion Closed<\/span><\/h4>\n <\/span>\n <\/div>\n <\/a>\n
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Rare Gems in Big Data<\/a>
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April 2024<\/h3>\n\n
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Congratulations to second year PhD student Laura Lee who has won a National Science Foundation (NSF) Graduate Research Fellowship Program (GRFP) award!! Accordion Closed<\/span><\/h4>\n <\/span>\n <\/div>\n <\/a>\n
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Congratulations also to Laura’s mentor Christopher Edwards<\/strong>; and to Josh Emery<\/strong>, for leading our graduate seminar on proposal writing, which continues to be incredibly successful in helping our students win these nationally competitive awards!
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New paper co-authored by Josh Emery, Will Grundy, Audrey Martin Accordion Closed<\/span><\/h4>\n <\/span>\n <\/div>\n <\/a>\n
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JWST Near-infrared Spectroscopy of the Lucy Jupiter Trojan Flyby Targets: Evidence for OH Absorption, Aliphatic Organics, and CO2<\/a>
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Cristina Thomas is a co-author on a new paper Accordion Closed<\/span><\/h4>\n <\/span>\n <\/div>\n <\/a>\n
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The Unusual Brightness Phase Curve of (65803) Didymos<\/a>
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Josh Emery and Chris Haberle are co-authors on a new paper Accordion Closed<\/span><\/h4>\n <\/span>\n <\/div>\n <\/a>\n
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Rocks with Extremely Low Thermal Inertia at the OSIRIS-REx Sample Site on Asteroid Bennu<\/a>
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Recent PhD, Amber Young, is a co-author on a new paper Accordion Closed<\/span><\/h4>\n <\/span>\n <\/div>\n <\/a>\n
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Optimized Bandpasses for the Habitable Worlds Observatory’s ExoEarth Survey<\/a>
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PhD student, Ryder Strauss, and David Trilling are co-authors on a new paper Accordion Closed<\/span><\/h4>\n <\/span>\n <\/div>\n <\/a>\n
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Jupiter Co-Orbital Comet P\/2023 V6 (PANSTARRS): Orbital History and Modern Activity State<\/a>
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Congratulations to senior undergraduate Kaitlyn Deacon, who won a Gold Axe award last week! Accordion Closed<\/span><\/h4>\n <\/span>\n <\/div>\n <\/a>\n
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In addition to working on a research project with Mark Salvatore and majoring in astrophysics. Kaitlyn is also the drum major for the NAU marching band!
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Mark Loeffler has won a new NASA Solar System Workings award Accordion Closed<\/span><\/h4>\n <\/span>\n <\/div>\n <\/a>\n
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The project is titled, The Stability of Organosulfur and Organic Compounds in Solar System Ices<\/em>. The project investigates how stable amino acids and astrophysically-relevant organosulfur compounds may be in icy environments found on extraterrestrial surfaces. The results will have implication for what compounds scientists may be likely to find when observing surfaces of icy moons that have been chemically altered over time.<\/p>\n
The award is for $458K over 3 years.<\/p>\n
Congratulations, Mark!
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David Trilling and Christopher Edwards are part of a Flagstaff-based team of scientists and engineers who have advanced to the semi-finals of the global XPRIZE Wildfire competition. Accordion Closed<\/span><\/h4>\n <\/span>\n <\/div>\n <\/a>\n
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They are proposing to build a constellation of cubesats that would enable rapid detection of fires before they reach a catastrophic size. <\/p>\n
You can learn more here<\/a>
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Congratulations to Cristina Thomas, who was awarded NAU\u2019s Most Significant Research\/Scholarly Work her publication on the results of the NASA\/DART mission Accordion Closed<\/span><\/h4>\n <\/span>\n <\/div>\n <\/a>\n
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2024 Research and Creative Activity Awards<\/a>
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Congratulation to Christopher Edwards and Mark Loeffler who were promoted to full professor Accordion Closed<\/span><\/h4>\n <\/span>\n <\/div>\n <\/a>\n
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NAU faculty who earned promotion in the 2023-24 academic year<\/a>
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PhD candidate,Andy Lopez-Oquendo, Mark Loeffler, and David Trilling have a new paper out Accordion Closed<\/span><\/h4>\n <\/span>\n <\/div>\n <\/a>\n
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Laser Irradiation of Carbonaceous Chondrite Simulants: Space Weathering Implications for C-complex Asteroids<\/a>
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Undergrad student Meghan Speckert; Phil Massey, and Brian Skill (Lowell Observatory) have a new paper out Accordion Closed<\/span><\/h4>\n <\/span>\n <\/div>\n <\/a>\n
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The Stellar Content of the Young Open Cluster Berkeley 50 (IC 1310)<\/a>
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Former postdoc Aurelien Stcherbinine and Christopher Edwards are co-authors on a new paper Accordion Closed<\/span><\/h4>\n <\/span>\n <\/div>\n <\/a>\n
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On the impact of the vertical structure of Martian water ice clouds on nadir atmospheric retrievals from simultaneous EMM\/EXI and TGO\/ACS-MIR observations<\/a>
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PhD candidate, Schuyler Borges, former undergrad, Gabrielle Jones, and former faculty, Ty Robinson have a new paper out Accordion Closed<\/span><\/h4>\n <\/span>\n <\/div>\n <\/a>\n
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Detectability of Surface Biosignatures for Directly-Imaged Rocky Exoplanets<\/a>
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Recent PhD Oriel Humes; recent PhD and now postdoc, Audrey Martin; Cristina Thomas and Josh Emery have a new paper Accordion Closed<\/span><\/h4>\n <\/span>\n <\/div>\n <\/a>\n
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Comparative Mid-Infrared Spectroscopy of Dark, Primitive Asteroids: Does Shared Taxonomic Class Indicate Shared Silicate Composition?<\/a>
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Jennifer Hanley and Kendall Koga recently participated in reduced gravity flights Accordion Closed<\/span><\/h4>\n <\/span>\n <\/div>\n <\/a>\n
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As part of their NASA SSERVI grant, they helped run nano-impactor experiments at 0.08 and 0.05 g. The impactors had motion sensors installed that monitored speed and spin upon impact in various density media. There were 4 flights over the course of the week, and each flight consisted of 8-9 parabolas. The modified Falcon 20 would reach the desired low gravity conditions for ~20 seconds, with ~2g on either side of the arc. <\/p>\n
The flights took place at the National Research Council in Ottawa, CA.<\/p>\n
A couple of video files of the experiment can be found here <\/a>and here<\/a>.<\/p>\n
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Jennifer Hanley<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n<\/div>\n\n\n
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Kendal Koga<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/body><\/html>\n\n <\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n
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Congratulations to our 15 undergrad students who presented at the NAU Undergraduate Symposium Accordion Closed<\/span><\/h4>\n <\/span>\n <\/div>\n <\/a>\n
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Hayden Green, Audrey Smith, Yves Wood, Riley Williams, William Rosen, Lleyton Hull, Emily Clark (x2), Margaret Mayhook, Rachel Fry (x4), Gavin Moriarty, Jack Kohm, Kayla Blair (x3), Hunter Brooks, Nolan Thompson, Jarod DeSpain
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Postdoc Cheng Ye\u2019s proposal to NASA Mars Data Analysis Program was selected Accordion Closed<\/span><\/h4>\n <\/span>\n <\/div>\n <\/a>\n
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The proposal is titled, Investigating compositional, thermophysical, and original variabilities of ancient volcanic materials on Mars<\/em>.<\/p>\n
This project is going to comprehensively investigate the large circus-Hellas volcanic province and small isolated volcanic edifices across the southern highlands of Mars to examine the compositional variations, eruption types, temporal and spatial distributions, and possible formation mechanisms of ancient volcanism on Mars. <\/p>\n
There are two Co-Is on this proposal: Christopher Edwards and former APS postdoc Valerie Payre (currently assistant professor at University of Iowa). This proposal is ~$578K for 3 years.<\/p>\n
Congratulations!!!
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Christopher Edwards (a Co-I) on a project led by Kevin Lewis at JHU was awarded an MDAP Accordion Closed<\/span><\/h4>\n <\/span>\n <\/div>\n <\/a>\n
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The project is to investigate the composition and nature of the Medusa Fossae in a proposal entitled, Origins of the Medusae Fossae Formation: Stratigraphy and Depositional Histor<\/em>y. <\/p>\n
This proposal will send ~230K to NAU and support a graduate student to help complete the work.<\/p>\n
Congratulations!
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The annual Arizona NASA Space Grant Consortium (AZSGC) Student Research Symposium Accordion Closed<\/span><\/h4>\n <\/span>\n <\/div>\n <\/a>\n
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This is a statewide event that includes student presentations from Northern Arizona University, NASA Space Grant Interns. The Symposium includes presentations on a variety of topics based on research done by the students over the duration of their fall\/spring internship. Twenty-one NAU\/NASA Space Grant interns presented their research at the Symposium this past month at the University of Arizona. Student majors this cohort included Engineering, Biology, Chemistry, Physics and Astrophysics, Biomedical Science, Geology, Computer Science, Forensics and Criminalistics, Environmental Science and Climatology. <\/p>\n
Faculty and research staff mentors from NAU’s College of Engineering, Informatics, and Applied Sciences and College of the Environment, Forestry, and Natural Sciences, participated, as well as research scientists from USGS Astrogeology Center and Lowell Observatory, and the editor from the local Flagstaff Arizona Daily Sun.<\/p>\n
Congratulations to all interns and mentors!<\/p>\n
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March 2024<\/h3>\n\n
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Congratulations to those who presented at the Lunar and Planetary Science Conference Accordion Closed<\/span><\/h4>\n <\/span>\n <\/div>\n <\/a>\n
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Undergraduate students Greta Freeman<\/strong>, Emily Clark<\/strong>. PhD students Anna Baker<\/strong>, Nicole Ozdowski<\/strong>, Laura Lee<\/strong>, Natalie Jones<\/strong>, Ian Marrs<\/strong>, Ana Morgan<\/strong>. Postdocs Cheng Ye<\/strong>, Chris Wolfe<\/strong>. <\/p>\n
We also note a first-author presentation by Jessica Walsh<\/a><\/strong>. We miss her.<\/p>\n
LPSC 2024<\/a><\/center>
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Cristina Thomas has a new paper out Accordion Closed<\/span><\/h4>\n <\/span>\n <\/div>\n <\/a>\n
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Dimorphos orbit determination from mutual events photometry<\/a>
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David Trilling has a new paper out Accordion Closed<\/span><\/h4>\n <\/span>\n <\/div>\n <\/a>\n
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The New Horizons Extended Mission Target: Arrokoth Search and Discovery<\/a>
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Recent PhD, Colin Chandler is lead author on a number of Citizen Science papers Accordion Closed<\/span><\/h4>\n <\/span>\n <\/div>\n <\/a>\n
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The Active Asteroids Citizen Science Program: Overview and First Results<\/a><\/p>\n
Co-authors include Chad Trujillo<\/strong>, Will Oldroyd<\/strong>, Jay Kueny<\/strong>, Will Burris<\/strong>, Jarod DeSpain<\/strong>, Kennedy Farrell<\/strong>, David Trilling<\/strong>, and Annika Gustafsson<\/strong>.<\/p>\n
This was also picked up by the Arizona Daily Sun<\/a><\/p>\n
Other papers recently published by this group using citizen science: <\/p>\n
AI-enhanced Citizen Science Discovery of an Active Asteroid: (410590) 2008 GB140<\/a><\/p>\n
2016 UU121: An Active Asteroid Discovery via AI-enhanced Citizen Science<\/a><\/p>\n
Cometary Activity Discovered on Vacationing Centaur 2019 OE31<\/a><\/p>\n
New Active Jupiter Family Comet 2008 QZ44: a Discovery with Citizen Science<\/a><\/p>\n
Mars-Crossing Minor Planet 2018 VL10: a Jupiter-family Comet Discovery via Citizen Science<\/a><\/p>\n
Activity Discovered on Mars-Crossing Jupiter Family Comet 2018 OR by Citizen Scientists<\/a>
\nThis one is Kennedy’s first 1st-author paper!
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A new paper from the Astrophysical Ices group Accordion Closed<\/span><\/h4>\n <\/span>\n <\/div>\n <\/a>\n
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The Equilibrium Vapor Pressures of Ammonia and Oxygen Ices at Outer Solar System Temperatures<\/a>
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Congratulations to undergrad Emily Clark, who will participate in the REU program in biophysics at Notre Dame this summer Accordion Closed<\/span><\/h4>\n <\/span>\n <\/div>\n <\/a>\n
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Mark Loeffler awarded at NASA Solar System Workings Accordion Closed<\/span><\/h4>\n <\/span>\n <\/div>\n <\/a>\n
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The awarded proposal is titled: The Stability of Organosulfur and Organic Compounds in Solar System Ices<\/em>.<\/p>\n
The projects investigates how stable amino acids and astrophysically-relevant organosulfur compounds may be in icy environments found on extraterrestrial surfaces. The results will have implication for what compounds scientists may be likely to find when observing surfaces of icy moons that have been chemically altered over time. The award is for $458K over 3 years.
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PhD student Cece Thieberger, and faculty Jennifer Hanley and Diego Munoz presented at Extreme Solar Systems V in New Zealand Accordion Closed<\/span><\/h4>\n <\/span>\n <\/div>\n <\/a>\n
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Extreme Solar Systems V, Christchurch, NZ, 16 – 21 March 2024<\/a>
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Connor Auge (BS 2017) successfully defended his PhD in astronomy at the University of Hawai`i Accordion Closed<\/span><\/h4>\n <\/span>\n <\/div>\n <\/a>\n
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You can watch his defense here: https:\/\/youtube.com\/watch?v=5IW5fomCoLA<\/a>.<\/p>\n
$\"Connor$
Connor Auge (BS 2017) successfully defended his PhD in astronomy at the University of Hawai`i. Pictured here with his advisor, Dave Sanders.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
Connor is now starting a postdoc position working on the Burst-alert-telescope AGN Spectroscopic Survey.<\/p>\n
Thanks to Lisa Chien for providing this update.
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Samuel Navarro-Meza publishes a paper Accordion Closed<\/span><\/h4>\n <\/span>\n <\/div>\n <\/a>\n
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Taxonomy of Subkilometer Near-Earth Objects from Multiwavelength Photometry with RATIR<\/a><\/p>\n
Samuel completed his PhD at UNAM (Mexico) a few years ago. Most of his PhD work was carried out while a long-term visitor here at NAU.
\nGreat to see this paper finally get published! Other NAU authors include David Trilling<\/strong> and Michael Mommert<\/strong> (now faculty at the Stuttgart University of Applied Sciences in Germany).
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Mark Salvatore has now been running the world\u2019s first Meteor Crater class in the Spring 2024 semester Accordion Closed<\/span><\/h4>\n <\/span>\n <\/div>\n <\/a>\n
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$\"AST299$
AST299 class at Meteor Crater (Spring 2024).<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
NAU is the only university in the world that can offer this class! They take an NAU bus to Meteor Crater every Friday afternoon for a few hours at the world’s best preserved impact crater, and the topic of the class is impact cratering.
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Mark hosted and participated in a recent meeting for his NSF LTER (long-term ecological research) project Accordion Closed<\/span><\/h4>\n <\/span>\n <\/div>\n <\/a>\n
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“This is the annual Winter PI meeting where the leaders debrief from the past field season and strategize for the upcoming season.” <\/p>\n
Remember that Mark is part of the Antarctic\/McMurdo LTER team.
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Postdoc Will Oldroyd recently accepted a fellowship position at Katalyst Space Technologies a space startup based here in Flagstaff Accordion Closed<\/span><\/h4>\n <\/span>\n <\/div>\n <\/a>\n
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He starts in June and will be working on software for upgrading satellites.
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Will Oldroyd and Will Grundy are coauthors on a new paper Accordion Closed<\/span><\/h4>\n <\/span>\n <\/div>\n <\/a>\n
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Beyond Point Masses. III. Detecting Haumea’s Nonspherical Gravitational Field<\/a>
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Recent PhD graduate Oriel Humes has a new paper out Accordion Closed<\/span><\/h4>\n <\/span>\n <\/div>\n <\/a>\n
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The Distribution of Highly Red-sloped Asteroids in the Middle and Outer Main Belt<\/a><\/p>\n
Co-authors are professor Cristina Thomas<\/strong> and postdoc Lauren McGraw<\/strong>.
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JF Smekens is a co-author in a recently published paper Accordion Closed<\/span><\/h4>\n <\/span>\n <\/div>\n <\/a>\n
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SO2 emission rates and incorporation into the air pollution dispersion forecast during the 2021 eruption of Fagradalsfjall, Iceland<\/a><\/p>\n
The paper discusses emissions during the first Icelandic eruption on the Reykjanes peninsula in 2021, in which they look into Sulfur budgets between gas and ground mass, and how observed emissions are integrated within gas dispersion models in real time.
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Diego Munoz gave an invited talk at U of Arizona Accordion Closed<\/span><\/h4>\n <\/span>\n <\/div>\n <\/a>\n
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Mark Salvatore gave an invited talk in NAU\u2019s biology department and an invited talk at LSU Accordion Closed<\/span><\/h4>\n <\/span>\n <\/div>\n <\/a>\n
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CONGRATULATIONS to Christopher Edwards and Mark Loeffler, who both earlier this week received notice of their promotions to full professor, effective for the 24\/25 academic year Accordion Closed<\/span><\/h4>\n <\/span>\n <\/div>\n <\/a>\n
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Both Christopher and Mark are incredible mentors, researchers, teachers, and colleagues. Their contributions to our department, and to the success of our students, are enormous, and we are very fortunate to have them as colleagues and members of our department.
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February 2024<\/h3>\n\n
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Congratulations to Ed Anderson and David Trilling, who were honored this week for their 25 and 15 years, respectively, at NAU. Accordion Closed<\/span><\/h4>\n <\/span>\n <\/div>\n <\/a>\n
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Longstanding NAU employees honored at 2024 Years of Service ceremony.<\/a>
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NAU\u2019s NSF-supported REU (Research Experiences for Undergraduates) program was renewed for another three year period. Accordion Closed<\/span><\/h4>\n <\/span>\n <\/div>\n <\/a>\n
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The PI of this program is David Trilling<\/strong> — it was run for many years by emerita faculty Kathy Eastwood<\/strong>. 2024 will be the 34th year of our REU program, and it is the longest continually operating REU site in astronomy in the country. In fact, we’re pretty sure this program was selected in the first-ever REU cohort in astronomy, and has been operating here ever since. Congratulations to everyone involved in the success of this proposal and the success of this program over many, many years.
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PhD student Andy Lopez Oquendo has accepted a postdoc position at NASA Goddard, in Maryland, to start in the fall. Accordion Closed<\/span><\/h4>\n <\/span>\n <\/div>\n <\/a>\n
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This position is part of the NASA Postdoctoral Program, and Andy is one of only six people selected in this round.
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Congratulations, Andy!<\/strong><\/center>\n

\nAt Goddard he’ll join other recent NAU PhD graduates who are now postdocs there: Ari Koeppel, Amber Young, and Patrick Tribbett. It’s a party of successful great young NAU-trained scientists!
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Diego Munoz gave an invited colloquium in the astronomy and astrophysics department at UC-Santa Cruz Accordion Closed<\/span><\/h4>\n <\/span>\n <\/div>\n <\/a>\n
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Nathan J. Tohtsoni, Education Coordinator from Navajo Transitional Energy Company, LLC has gifted the NAU\/NASA Space Grant AIMER Program $5K Accordion Closed<\/span><\/h4>\n <\/span>\n <\/div>\n <\/a>\n
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Mary Lara<\/strong> (NAU AIMER Coordinator) met Nathan Tohtsoni, the Education Coordinator for Navajo Transitional Energy Company, two years ago at a Girl Scout Camp at Dine College in Tsaile. This past fall, he offered Mary $5,000 in grant money to the AIMER Program to purchase Alpha rockets to use with Shonto Prep, Ganado Middle School and the Girl Scouts. He also requested that she use some of the grant money to purchase space t-shirts for the Girl Scouts.
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PhD alumna Lauren Biddle has a new paper out Accordion Closed<\/span><\/h4>\n <\/span>\n <\/div>\n <\/a>\n
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Deep Paβ Imaging of the Candidate Accreting Protoplanet AB Aur b<\/a>
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PhD students Shae Raposa, Rebecca Carmack, and faculty Mark Loeffler both presented at the recent laboratory astrophysics workshop in Kauai Accordion Closed<\/span><\/h4>\n <\/span>\n <\/div>\n <\/a>\n
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19-22 February 2024, Laboratory Astrophysics Workshop (ICE 2024), Kauai, HI, USA<\/a>
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Congratulations to the 12 NAU faculty, students, and sabbatical visitors who presented at the Flagstaff Astronomy Symposium (and see you again in the fall!) Accordion Closed<\/span><\/h4>\n <\/span>\n <\/div>\n <\/a>\n
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Jasmine Garani has been elected to the NAU Faculty Senate, to start in the fall Accordion Closed<\/span><\/h4>\n <\/span>\n <\/div>\n <\/a>\n
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Cristina Thomas is a co-author on this new DART paper Accordion Closed<\/span><\/h4>\n <\/span>\n <\/div>\n <\/a>\n
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Lucy Observations of the DART Impact Event<\/a>
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Selections for Cycle 3 of the James Webb Space Telescope were announced Accordion Closed<\/span><\/h4>\n <\/span>\n <\/div>\n <\/a>\n
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Wow, 10:1 oversubscription is a really tough game, making our successes even more impressive!<\/p>\n
Congratulations to Cristina Thomas<\/strong> and Josh Emery<\/strong>, who are co-investigators on 1 and 3, respectively, selected proposals! <\/p>\n
Also, PhD student, Lucas McClure<\/strong> (CoI, 1 proposal) and adjunct faculty, Will Grundy<\/strong> (CoI, 1 proposal) on the acceptance list.<\/p>\n
Also on the list of accepted programs two alumni from our department: former undergrad Brittany Harvison<\/strong> (CoI, 1 proposal) and MS alumna Ryleigh Davis<\/strong> (PI 1 proposal, CoI 1 proposal).
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Ed Anderson has been named a finalist for a STEMMY! Accordion Closed<\/span><\/h4>\n <\/span>\n <\/div>\n <\/a>\n
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What’s a STEMMY? These are Flagstaff-area STEM awards. Ed is a finalist for the Community Partner of the Year category, and we’ll find out Thursday, March 7, whether he wins! <\/p>\n
Congratulations, Ed — you are very deserving of this award<\/center>
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January 2024<\/h3>\n\n
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Undergrad, Jarod DeSpain, is lead author on a new paper in RNAAS Accordion Closed<\/span><\/h4>\n <\/span>\n <\/div>\n <\/a>\n
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Citizen Science Discovery of a Recurrently Active Jupiter-Family Comet: (551023) 2012 UQ192<\/a>
\nCo-authors include faculty supervisor, Chad Trujillo<\/strong>; recent PhD’s Colin Chandler<\/strong> and Will Oldroyd<\/strong>; current grad-students Will Burris<\/strong> and Kennedy Farrell<\/strong>; and alumnus (class of 2019), Jay Kueny<\/strong>.<\/p>\n
The same team also published a paper at the end of last year as well:
\nNew Active Quasi-Hilda Asteroid 2004 CV50: A Citizen Science Discovery<\/a>
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The DECam Ecliptic Exploration Project (DEEP) announced the discovery of more than 100 trans-Neptunian objects Accordion Closed<\/span><\/h4>\n <\/span>\n <\/div>\n <\/a>\n
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Thes are faint objects in the distant outer Solar System.<\/p>\n
The team led by David Trilling<\/strong> and including Chad Trujillo<\/strong>, Will Oldroyd<\/strong>, Ryder Strauss<\/strong>, and Colin Chandler<\/strong>.<\/p>\n
This is the first batch of discoveries from DEEP. Over the next year or so they will announce thousands of such objects, making their survey the largest to date.
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NAU\u2019s student-built VISIONS camera \u2014 the VISible and Infrared ObservatioN System \u2014 was delivered to RocketLab Accordion Closed<\/span><\/h4>\n <\/span>\n <\/div>\n <\/a>\n
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by PhD student Laura Lee and research faculty Chris Haberle.<\/p>\n
VISIONS will be installed on NASA’s EscaPADE mission, to be launched for Mars in August, 2024. This successfully concludes the hardware construction and delivery phase of the project. The next phases are integration, and eventually in-flight operations<\/p>\n
$\"Chris$
Chris Haberle with VISIONS at RocketLab<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
$\"Laura$
Laura Lee with VISIONS at RocketLab<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
Congratulations to all involved!
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New faculty member Diego Munoz continues to lead the charge on astrophysics research at NAU Accordion Closed<\/span><\/h4>\n <\/span>\n <\/div>\n <\/a>\n
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He is PI on a recently accepted proposal in NASA’s ATP program (Astrophysics Theory) for the project entitled Accreting Massive Black Hole Binaries in Galactic Nuclear Clusters<\/em>.<\/p>\n*
This is a 3 year program that will support an NAU grad student and an undergrad for three years. The total award is $383,012.
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Recent PhD awardee Oriel Humes reports from her postdoc position at TU Braunschweig IGEP Accordion Closed<\/span><\/h4>\n <\/span>\n <\/div>\n <\/a>\n
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“I’ve been in Braunschweig [Germany] at my new postdoc position for a month now! Now that I’ve settled in I wanted to send you this update including a picture of me with my name on the TU Braunschweig IGEP (Institute for Geo- and Extraterrestrial Physics) directory to be included in the next good news email. I also gave a seminar this week at the IGEP about my PhD research to introduce myself to the department.”<\/p>\n
$\"Dr.$
Dr. Oriel Humes in front of the name board at her postdoc job in Germany.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/body><\/html>\n\n <\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n
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APS undergraduate Lleyton Hull (under the supervision of Mark Salvatore) led a review session on Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs) and the FAA\u2019s Part 107 licensing examination for civil UAV piloting Accordion Closed<\/span><\/h4>\n <\/span>\n <\/div>\n <\/a>\n
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The voluntary review session was attended by ten participants (including two from NAU Marketing and two from NAU ITS Enterprise Information Services), seven of whom made the trip to Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University the following Friday to take the exam and become certified pilots. <\/p>\n
We are happy to report that all participants who took the exam passed and are now licensed drone pilots!
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In the president\u2019s welcome back video you might spot professors Edwards and Loeffler and former students Aaron Weintraub and Beau Prince Accordion Closed<\/span><\/h4>\n <\/span>\n <\/div>\n <\/a>\n
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President Cruz-Rivera’s Welcome Back message.<\/a><\/p>\n
Looking good, folks!
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Undergrads Hunter Brooks and Jack Kohm presented at the recent American Astronomical Society national meeting in New Orleans. Accordion Closed<\/span><\/h4>\n <\/span>\n <\/div>\n <\/a>\n
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Congratulations to both!
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Space Grant program coordinator Paloma Davidson reports Accordion Closed<\/span><\/h4>\n <\/span>\n <\/div>\n <\/a>\n
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“Right now until the end of March, there’s a small group of students who are astronomy majors, and minors participating in the Plant Mars Challenge. The group leaders are PhD student Laura Lee and recent BS graduate and current MS student Loren Larrieu. I’m excited that NASA Space Grant could fund this and I really hope this project is a success and a great learning experience.”
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Former NAU postdoc and research faculty Michael Mommert published a very useful book! Accordion Closed<\/span><\/h4>\n <\/span>\n <\/div>\n <\/a>\n
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Michael has had a couple of positions since leaving NAU, and next month will become professor of AI and remote sensing at Stuttgart University of Applied Sciences (Germany).<\/p>\n
$\"Michael$ <\/p>\n
Congratulations, Michael!!
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Recent PhD graduate Amber Young (now at NASA Goddard in Maryland) has a new paper out Accordion Closed<\/span><\/h4>\n <\/span>\n <\/div>\n <\/a>\n
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Retrievals Applied to a Decision Tree Framework Can Characterize Earthlike Exoplanet Analogs<\/a><\/p>\n
Former faculty, Ty Robinson<\/strong> is one of the co-authors.
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PhD student James Windsor is 1st author on a new paper Accordion Closed<\/span><\/h4>\n <\/span>\n <\/div>\n <\/a>\n
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Inner Edge Habitable Zone Limits Around Main Sequence Stars: Cloudy Estimates<\/a><\/p>\n
Recent PhD graduate, Amber Young<\/strong>; and former faculty, Ty Robinson<\/strong> are among the co-authors.
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PhD Student Laura Lee gave a remote presentation to Freedom 7 Elementary school in Florida Accordion Closed<\/span><\/h4>\n <\/span>\n <\/div>\n <\/a>\n
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Brian Abramowitz from the Florida Museum of Natural History has an initiative to bring scientists to Florida schools and reached out to Laura looking for an astronomy expert to talk to Freedom 7 Elementary school.<\/p>\n
She remotely presented to 60 some odd students about differentiating bodies in the Solar System.
\nHere’s the link to her slides: https:\/\/www.canva.com\/design\/DAF6k8Y1l2Q\/PVIuzzDuO_7iUHVXrLq7EQ\/edit<\/a>
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Not-quite-so-recent PhD graduate Catherine Clark has a new paper out Accordion Closed<\/span><\/h4>\n <\/span>\n <\/div>\n <\/a>\n
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The POKEMON Speckle Survey of Nearby M Dwarfs. III. The Stellar Multiplicity Rate of M Dwarfs within 15 pc<\/a>
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In 2023 we spent about $4.5M on research projects (not including state support like faculty and staff salaries) Accordion Closed<\/span><\/h4>\n <\/span>\n <\/div>\n <\/a>\n
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That’s a great number — congratulations!
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New Research Faculty Jean-Fran\u00e7ois Smekens will participate in 2 projects recently selected by NASA Accordion Closed<\/span><\/h4>\n <\/span>\n <\/div>\n <\/a>\n
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He was a named postdoc on both projects, contributed to the proposal writing, and is now an active investigator with substantial funding for 3 years. Both projects will explore the application of multi-spectral infrared imaging for the monitoring of natural hazards.<\/p>\n
The first project, entitled “UAS Thermal Infrared Spectroscopy will Improve Real Time Evaluation of Hazards and Environmental Impacts of Wildfires<\/em>”, was submitted to the FireSense Technology program, which is a technology development program managed by the Earth Science Technology Office (ESTO) seeking new, innovative Earth system observation capabilities to predict and manage wildfires and their impacts. Using drone-mounted IR multi-spectral imaging, the team will develop new tools to measure thermal flux, monitor burn area and quantify gas and ash emissions.<\/p>\n
The second project, entitled “Validating volcanic degassing retrievals using a novel ground-based thermal infrared camera system: Preparing for the upcoming SBG mission<\/em>”, was submitted to the ESI program (Earth Surface and Interior). This project will use ground-based multi-spectral IR to monitor changes in the thermal flux and gas outputs at 3 persistently active volcanic systems in Italy, with the specific goal of developing level 4 products for the upcoming SBG mission.<\/p>\n
J-F’s role in both projects will be to develop retrieval codes for gas and particle emissions from the camera data.
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PhD student Ryder Strauss has a new paper out\n Accordion Closed<\/span><\/h4>\n <\/span>\n <\/div>\n <\/a>\n
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Exoplanet Analog Observations of Earth from Galileo Disk-integrated Photometry<\/a><\/p>\n
Co-authors include faculty, David Trilling<\/strong>; former faculty, Ty Robinson<\/strong>; and former undergrads, Ryan Cummings<\/strong> and Christopher Smith<\/strong>.
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Cristina Thomas is on a new DART paper Accordion Closed<\/span><\/h4>\n <\/span>\n <\/div>\n <\/a>\n
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Dimorphos Orbit Determination from Mutual Events Photometry<\/a>
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Contact the Department of Astronomy & Planetary Science<\/h3>\n <\/div>\n
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