From CASS

Research

Contents 1 Research 1.1 Observational Cosmology 1.2 Gravitation Astrophysics 1.3 CMB Polarization (Polar Bear) 1.4 Origin of Structure 1.5 Dark Matter/Energy Theory 1.6 Neutrino/Nuclear Astrophysics 1.7 Cosmic Rays, High Energy Astronomy 1.8 Brown Dwarfs and Planets 1.9 Plasma Astrophysics 1.10 Solar Physics

Research areas currently active in CASS include theoretical astrophysics; observational astronomy in the optical, UV, infrared, x-ray, and radio regimes; experimental and theoretical space plasma physics; planetary magnetospheres; solar physics; astrometry; studies of comets, asteroids, and meteorites; the origin and evolution of plentary systems; and galaxy evolution.

Optical observational facilites available to CASS scientists include the Lick Observatory on Mount Hamilton, California; the Keck Telescopes on Mauna Kea, Hawaii; and other national and international facilities. CASS scientists may also use a number of specialized research facilities including the San Diego Supercomputer Center (SDSC).

Observational Cosmology

Active Researchers: Alison Coil, Art Wolfe, David Tytler, and Kim Griest

Active Galactic Nuclei (AGNs)

Baryon number of universe

Baryon Acoustic Oscillations (BAO)

Changing fine structure constant

Mass assembly history and chemical evolution of galaxies

Damped Lyman alpha absorption systems

Origin of Black Holes

PRIMUS redshift survey

Gravitation Astrophysics

Active Researchers: Tom Murphy and Eric Michelsen

Lunar laser ranging: high precision measurements of earth-moon distance (to 1 mm !!)

Mass-energy of space-time curvature

Gravitomagnetism

CMB Polarization (Polar Bear)

Active Researchers: Brian Keating, Hans Paar, and Gabriel Rebeiz

Observational Cosmology Group

POLAR BEAR Observatory

Cosmic Infrared Background Experiment

Probing absolute neutrino mass

Gravitational radiation from inflation

Origin of Structure

Active Researchers: Michael Norman and Dusan Keres

San Diego Supercomputer Center

Computational AMR radiation hydro

Galaxy formation simulation

First stars

Dark Matter/Energy Theory

Active Researchers: Kim Griest

Gravitational microlensing

Varying constants

Surveys

Neutrino/Nuclear Astrophysics

Active Researchers: George Fuller

Collective neutrino oscillations in supernovae neutrinos in
cosmology/early universe

Nucleosynthesis and nuclear/particle astro

Cosmic Rays, High Energy Astronomy

Active Researchers: Richard Lingenfelter, Richard Rothschild, James Matteson, and Alex Markowitz.

High Energy Instrument Development and Science

High Resolution Gamma-Ray Spectroscopy - HIREGS

Burst and Transient Source Experiment -BATSE

High Energy X-Ray Timing Experiment - HEXTE

X-ray Detector development

Gamma-ray astronomy

Brown Dwarfs and Planets

Active Researchers: Adam Burgasser

Infrared Astronomy Group

Infrared imaging of dust in galaxies, star-forming regions, and comets

Instrumentation

Probing frontier in small compact objects

Plasma Astrophysics

Active Researchers: Pat Diamond, Alexei Kritsuk, and Mikhail Malkov

Gyrokinetic Particle Simulation of Turbulent Transport in Burning Plasmas (GPS-TTBP)

Plasma Theory Group

Solar Physics

Active Researchers: Bernie Jackson and Andrew Buffington.

SMIE instrument