{"id":75295,"date":"2025-08-04T13:07:48","date_gmt":"2025-08-04T20:07:48","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/in.nau.edu\/news\/?p=75295"},"modified":"2025-08-04T13:07:48","modified_gmt":"2025-08-04T20:07:48","slug":"in-the-spotlight-aug-4-8-2025","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/in.nau.edu\/news\/in-the-spotlight-aug-4-8-2025\/","title":{"rendered":"In the Spotlight: Aug. 4-8, 2025"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><span data-contrast=\"auto\">Kudos to these faculty, staff and programs.<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span data-contrast=\"auto\">Do you have a spotlight item to share with the NAU community?<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span data-contrast=\"auto\">E-mail your announcements to <\/span><a href=\"mailto:Inside@nau.edu\"><span data-contrast=\"none\">Inside@nau.edu<\/span><\/a><span data-contrast=\"auto\">, or use our <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/in.nau.edu\/news\/news-tip\/#.YEjwNWhKg2w\"><span data-contrast=\"none\">online submission form<\/span><\/a><span data-contrast=\"auto\">.<\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li data-leveltext=\"\u25cf\" data-font=\"Calibri\" data-listid=\"1\" data-list-defn-props=\"{&quot;335552541&quot;:1,&quot;335559685&quot;:720,&quot;335559991&quot;:360,&quot;469769242&quot;:[8226],&quot;469777803&quot;:&quot;left&quot;,&quot;469777804&quot;:&quot;\u25cf&quot;,&quot;469777815&quot;:&quot;multilevel&quot;}\" data-aria-posinset=\"1\" data-aria-level=\"1\"><span data-contrast=\"auto\">Department of Astronomy and Planetary Science (APS) associate professor <\/span><b><span data-contrast=\"auto\">Chad Trujillo <\/span><\/b><span data-contrast=\"auto\">co-authored the paper \u201c<\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.sciencedirect.com\/science\/article\/abs\/pii\/S0019103525002817\"><span data-contrast=\"none\">Evaluating an embryo origin for detached TNOs within full Kuiper belt formation models<\/span><\/a><span data-contrast=\"auto\">,\u201d published in the journal Icarus. The study\u2019s authors used simulations to test the theory that detached trans-Neptunian objects, or minor planets that orbit the sun at a greater distance than Neptune without being influenced by Neptune\u2019s gravitational pull, formed from protoplanets in the Kuiper belt.<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<ul>\n<li data-leveltext=\"\u25cf\" data-font=\"Calibri\" data-listid=\"1\" data-list-defn-props=\"{&quot;335552541&quot;:1,&quot;335559685&quot;:720,&quot;335559991&quot;:360,&quot;469769242&quot;:[8226],&quot;469777803&quot;:&quot;left&quot;,&quot;469777804&quot;:&quot;\u25cf&quot;,&quot;469777815&quot;:&quot;multilevel&quot;}\" data-aria-posinset=\"2\" data-aria-level=\"1\"><span data-contrast=\"auto\">APS assistant professor <\/span><b><span data-contrast=\"auto\">Diego Munoz <\/span><\/b><span data-contrast=\"auto\">earned an Astronomy and Astrophysics Research Grant from the National Science Foundation for his project, \u201cExplaining the Curious Orbits of Warm Jupiters.\u201d The research will develop theoretical models accounting for a recently identified class of warm Jupiters, or gas giant exoplanets, to explore how these objects evolve and influence their host stars.\u00a0<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<ul>\n<li data-leveltext=\"\u25cf\" data-font=\"Calibri\" data-listid=\"1\" data-list-defn-props=\"{&quot;335552541&quot;:1,&quot;335559685&quot;:720,&quot;335559991&quot;:360,&quot;469769242&quot;:[8226],&quot;469777803&quot;:&quot;left&quot;,&quot;469777804&quot;:&quot;\u25cf&quot;,&quot;469777815&quot;:&quot;multilevel&quot;}\" data-aria-posinset=\"3\" data-aria-level=\"1\"><span data-contrast=\"auto\">APS professor <\/span><b><span data-contrast=\"auto\">Christopher Edwards <\/span><\/b><span data-contrast=\"auto\">co-authored the paper \u201c<\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/agupubs.onlinelibrary.wiley.com\/doi\/10.1029\/2025JE008972\"><span data-contrast=\"none\">The Diurnal Cycles of Dust and Water Vapor as Observed by EMIRS<\/span><\/a><span data-contrast=\"auto\">,\u201d published in JGR Planets. The paper\u2019s authors used almost three years of Emirates Mars Infrared Spectrometer data\u2014an instrument Edwards co-developed\u2014to observe how the amount of dust and water vapor in Mars\u2019 atmosphere changes throughout a Martian day.\u00a0<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<ul>\n<li data-leveltext=\"\u25cf\" data-font=\"Calibri\" data-listid=\"1\" data-list-defn-props=\"{&quot;335552541&quot;:1,&quot;335559685&quot;:720,&quot;335559991&quot;:360,&quot;469769242&quot;:[8226],&quot;469777803&quot;:&quot;left&quot;,&quot;469777804&quot;:&quot;\u25cf&quot;,&quot;469777815&quot;:&quot;multilevel&quot;}\" data-aria-posinset=\"4\" data-aria-level=\"1\"><span data-contrast=\"auto\">Multiple APS affiliates co-authored the paper \u201c<\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/arxiv.org\/abs\/2507.12234\"><span data-contrast=\"none\">Near-Discovery Observations of Interstellar Comet 3I\/ATLAS with the NASA Infrared Telescope Facility<\/span><\/a><span data-contrast=\"auto\">,\u201d published in The Astrophysical Journal Letters. The study\u2019s list of NAU authors comprises doctoral students <\/span><b><span data-contrast=\"auto\">Chansey Champagne <\/span><\/b><span data-contrast=\"auto\">and <\/span><b><span data-contrast=\"auto\">Lucas McClure<\/span><\/b><span data-contrast=\"auto\">,<\/span> <span data-contrast=\"auto\">professor <\/span><b><span data-contrast=\"auto\">Josh Emery<\/span><\/b><span data-contrast=\"auto\">, associate professor <\/span><b><span data-contrast=\"auto\">Cristina Thomas <\/span><\/b><span data-contrast=\"auto\">and Research Experiences for Undergraduates alumna <\/span><b><span data-contrast=\"auto\">Megan Firgard<\/span><\/b><span data-contrast=\"auto\">.\u00a0<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<ul>\n<li data-leveltext=\"\u25cf\" data-font=\"Calibri\" data-listid=\"1\" data-list-defn-props=\"{&quot;335552541&quot;:1,&quot;335559685&quot;:720,&quot;335559991&quot;:360,&quot;469769242&quot;:[8226],&quot;469777803&quot;:&quot;left&quot;,&quot;469777804&quot;:&quot;\u25cf&quot;,&quot;469777815&quot;:&quot;multilevel&quot;}\" data-aria-posinset=\"5\" data-aria-level=\"1\"><span data-contrast=\"auto\">NAU alumnus <\/span><b><span data-contrast=\"auto\">Colin Chandler <\/span><\/b><span data-contrast=\"auto\">was the lead author of the first <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/arxiv.org\/abs\/2507.13409\"><span data-contrast=\"none\">academic paper<\/span><\/a><span data-contrast=\"auto\"> to use data from the Rubin Observatory\u2019s LSST Camera, which is the world&#8217;s largest digital camera at 3.2 gigapixels. The paper\u2019s authors also include incoming doctoral student <\/span><b><span data-contrast=\"auto\">Max Frissell<\/span><\/b><span data-contrast=\"auto\">, postdoctoral scholar <\/span><b><span data-contrast=\"auto\">Will Oldroyd<\/span><\/b><span data-contrast=\"auto\">, Trujillo and APS Chair <\/span><b><span data-contrast=\"auto\">David Trilling<\/span><\/b><span data-contrast=\"auto\">.<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<ul>\n<li data-leveltext=\"\u25cf\" data-font=\"Calibri\" data-listid=\"1\" data-list-defn-props=\"{&quot;335552541&quot;:1,&quot;335559685&quot;:720,&quot;335559991&quot;:360,&quot;469769242&quot;:[8226],&quot;469777803&quot;:&quot;left&quot;,&quot;469777804&quot;:&quot;\u25cf&quot;,&quot;469777815&quot;:&quot;multilevel&quot;}\" data-aria-posinset=\"6\" data-aria-level=\"1\"><span data-contrast=\"auto\">Doctoral student <\/span><b><span data-contrast=\"auto\">Kennedy Farrell <\/span><\/b><span data-contrast=\"auto\">was the lead author of the paper \u201c<\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/iopscience.iop.org\/article\/10.3847\/2041-8213\/addbd8\"><span data-contrast=\"none\">Recurrent Cometary Activity Discovered on Quasi-Hilda Jupiter Family Comet 362P\/(457175) 2008 GO98<\/span><\/a><span data-contrast=\"auto\">,\u201d published in The Astrophysical Journal Letters. The study\u2019s authors\u2014including Trujillo, Oldroyd, Chandler and NAU alumnus <\/span><b><span data-contrast=\"auto\">Jarod DeSpain<\/span><\/b><span data-contrast=\"auto\">\u2014used observations from the Lowell Discovery Telescope, the Astrophysical Research Consortium telescope and the Vatican Advanced Technology Telescope to track the activity of a Jupiter-family comet of interest.\u00a0<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<ul>\n<li data-leveltext=\"\u25cf\" data-font=\"Calibri\" data-listid=\"1\" data-list-defn-props=\"{&quot;335552541&quot;:1,&quot;335559685&quot;:720,&quot;335559991&quot;:360,&quot;469769242&quot;:[8226],&quot;469777803&quot;:&quot;left&quot;,&quot;469777804&quot;:&quot;\u25cf&quot;,&quot;469777815&quot;:&quot;multilevel&quot;}\" data-aria-posinset=\"7\" data-aria-level=\"1\"><span data-contrast=\"auto\">Emery co-authored the paper \u201c<\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/iopscience.iop.org\/article\/10.3847\/PSJ\/ade23c\"><span data-contrast=\"none\">Thermal-IR Observations of (152830) Dinkinesh during the Lucy Mission Flyby<\/span><\/a><span data-contrast=\"auto\">,\u201d published in The Planetary Science Journal. The paper uses data from NASA\u2019s Lucy spacecraft to profile the main-belt asteroid Dinkinesh.\u00a0<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<ul>\n<li data-leveltext=\"\u25cf\" data-font=\"Calibri\" data-listid=\"1\" data-list-defn-props=\"{&quot;335552541&quot;:1,&quot;335559685&quot;:720,&quot;335559991&quot;:360,&quot;469769242&quot;:[8226],&quot;469777803&quot;:&quot;left&quot;,&quot;469777804&quot;:&quot;\u25cf&quot;,&quot;469777815&quot;:&quot;multilevel&quot;}\" data-aria-posinset=\"8\" data-aria-level=\"1\"><span data-contrast=\"auto\">Chandler, Oldroyd, Trujillo and doctoral student <\/span><b><span data-contrast=\"auto\">William Burris <\/span><\/b><span data-contrast=\"auto\">co-authored the paper \u201c<\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/iopscience.iop.org\/article\/10.3847\/2041-8213\/add92b\"><span data-contrast=\"none\">A Dormant Captured Oort Cloud Comet Awakens: (18916) 2000 OG44<\/span><\/a><span data-contrast=\"auto\">,\u201d published in The Astrophysical Journal Letters. The authors used observatory data to prove new activity is emanating from a minor planet previously thought to be both an extinct comet and an asteroid on a cometary orbit.\u00a0<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p><a class=\"search-results-excerpt-link\" href=\"https:\/\/in.nau.edu\/news\/in-the-spotlight-aug-4-8-2025\/\">Kudos to these faculty, staff and programs.\u00a0 Do you have a spotlight item to share with the NAU community? E-mail your announcements to Inside@nau.edu, or use our online submission form. Department of Astronomy and Planetary Science (APS) associate professor Chad Trujillo co-authored the paper \u201cEvaluating an embryo origin for detached TNOs within full Kuiper belt&hellip;<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":96,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[16],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-75295","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-spotlight"],"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/in.nau.edu\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/75295","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/in.nau.edu\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/in.nau.edu\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/in.nau.edu\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/96"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/in.nau.edu\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=75295"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/in.nau.edu\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/75295\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/in.nau.edu\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=75295"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/in.nau.edu\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=75295"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/in.nau.edu\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=75295"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}