Space / Cosmology

Space science, broadly defined as the study of the universe and our relationship to it, is the province of multiple disciplines. Understanding the formation and evolution of the solar system is equally the task of the chemist who measures isotope effects in meteorites, the astronomer who observes planetary atmospheres or interstellar dust, and the theoretical physicist who studies gravitational collapse to form a planet and then its subsequent thermal and mechanical evolution. The McDonnell Center for the Space Sciences is a consortium of Washington University faculty, research staff and students from the departments of Earth & Planetary Sciences, Physics, Chemistry and the School of Engineering and Applied Sciences. The Center exists to encourage collaborative research efforts among scientists working on space science problems and projects that span traditional departmental lines. The "Mac Center," as it is called, fosters this type of endeavor through the sponsorship of cooperative research and through formal activities such as the Visiting Scientist Program.

Faculty Experts:

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James H. Buckley Professor of Physics in Arts & Sciences James Buckley specializes in astrophysical research in high-energy phenomena. His research interests include the origin of cosmic rays, gamma-ray and multiwavelength observations of active galaxies and experimental cosmology. Expertise: Gamma-Ray, Multiwavelength Observations of Active Galaxies, Experimental Cosmology, Dark Matter Search, Origin of Cosmic Rays, Optical Astronomy, Optical Transients from AGNs and GRBs, … Direct contact: 314-935-7607 / buckley@wustl.edu

Alexander Meshik Research professor of physics in Arts & Sciences Meshik is the lead author of a study in the Oct. 19, 2007, issue of Science on the analysis of solar wind noble gases (neon and argon) from NASA's Genesis Mission. Meshik and colleagues will next study the solar wind samples for xenon and krypton. Meshik also analyzed the isotopic structure of noble ... Expertise: Geochemistry, Geochronology, Nuclear Chemistry, Xenon, Krypton, solar wind, noble gases, … Direct contact: 314-935-5049 / am@wustl.edu

W. Robert Binns Research Professor of Physics in Arts & Sciences W. Robert Binns' research is primarily in cosmic ray astrophysics. He and the Washington University cosmic ray group have developed scintillating optical fibers coupled to image intensified CCD cameras or multi-anode photomultiplier tubes to obtain images of charged particle tracks. He is principal ... Expertise: cosmic ray astrophysics, Cosmic Ray Isotope Spectrometer, CRIS, Trans-lron Galactic Element Recorder, TIGER, scintillating fiber hodoscope, isotopic abundances, … Direct contact: (314) 935-6247 / wrb@wuphys.wustl.edu

Ramanath Cowsik Professor of Physics in Arts and Sciences Ramanath Cowsik Download Ramanath Cowsik's research interests are in the fields of astronomy, astrophysics, cosmology and non-accelerator particle physics. His scientific contributions include establishing the highest observatory in the world in Hanle, Ladakh, in the Himalayas at an altitude of 15,000 ft. for astronomy in ... Expertise: astronomy, astrophysics, cosmology, non-accelerator particle physics, high-energy astrophysics, dark matter, neutrinos, … Direct contact: (314) 935-4493 / cowsik@wuphys.wustl.edu

Charles M. Hohenberg Professor of Physics in Arts & Sciences Hohenberg's area of specialization focuses on noble gases, and he has established a laboratory at Washington University for that purpose. He developed a new type of mass spectrometer that defines the state of the art noble gas mass spectrometry. Combining nearly perfect ion optics with the ultimate ... Expertise: noble gases, mass spectrometer, meteorites, noble gas mass spectrometry Direct contact: (314) 935-6266 / cmh@wuphys.wustl.edu

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News Stories & Tip Sheets:

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2008 McDonnell lecture Space scientist Flanagan to speak on Webb Telescope March 20, 2008 -- Flanagan Kathryn Flanagan, Ph.D., senior scientist and head of the James Webb Space Telescope (JWST) Mission Office at the Space Telescope Science Institute, will deliver the 2008 McDonnell Lecture at 7 p.m. Thursday, March 27, in Room 214 Wilson Hall on the Danforth Campus at Washington University in St. Louis.

Burnell reflects on pulsars and being a pioneer British astronomer Jocelyn Bell Burnell reflects on the process of scientific discovery and being a pioneer March 12, 2008 -- British astronomer Jocelyn Bell Burnell will describe her landmark work in discovering the first pulsars at the Assembly Series at 11 a.m. on Wed., March 19 in Graham Chapel.

Earth's orbit creates more than a leap year Leap year adjusts calendar for natural forces driving climate change Feb. 8, 2008 -- Image courtesy of NASA The Earth's orbital behaviors are responsible for more than just presenting us with a leap year every four years. According to Michael E. Wysession, Ph.D., associate professor of earth and planetary sciences in Arts & Sciences at Washington University in St. Louis, parameters such as planetary gravitational attractions, the Earth's elliptical orbit around the sun and the degree of tilt of our planet's axis with respect to its path around the sun, have implications for climate change and the advent of ice ages.

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Related News Clips:

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Show More Space / Cosmology Clips

NASA Spacecraft Fine Tunes Course For Mars Landing ScienceDaily.com and 21 others April 11, 2008 -- NASA engineers have adjusted the flight path of the Phoenix Mars Lander, setting the spacecraft on course for its May 25 landing on the Red Planet. ...

NASA Cut Means No Roving for Mars Rover Associated Press and 92 others March 25, 2008 -- Scientists plan to put one of the twin Mars rovers to sleep and limit the activities of the other robot to fulfill a NASA order to cut $4 million from the program's budget, mission team members said Monday. The cut comes at a time when the robots are in the midst of an extensive exploration campaign, said deputy principal investigator and WUSTL earth and planetary sciences professor Ray Arvidson.

Antarctica's unique space rocks BBC News (UK) March 14, 2008 -- A pair of meteorites discovered in Antarctica are in a class all of their own, a major space conference has been told. WUSTL earth and planetary sciences professor Ryan Zeigler comments.

The Crew of STS-123 The New York Times March 11, 2008 -- Article profiles the seven men who make up the crew of the shuttle Endeavour's mission to the International Space Station. The youngest member of the crew is WUSTL alum Robert Behnken. He will conduct three spacewalks, and will operate the space station's robotic arm during the other spacewalks.

Jupiter's Moon Europa: What Could Be Under The Ice? ScienceDaily.com and 3 others Dec. 14, 2007 -- Jupiter's moon Europa is just as far away as ever, but new research is bringing scientists closer to being able to explore its tantalizing ice-covered ocean and determine its potential for harboring life. WUSTL earth and planetary sciences professor William McKinnon is discussing some of these recent findings and new opportunities for exploring Europa in a news briefing today at the meeting of the American Geophysical Union in San Francisco.

Mineral may unlock secrets of Venus's ancient oceans NewScientist.com (UK) Oct. 11, 2007 -- Did ancient oceans on Venus last long enough for potential life to have emerged? The answer could be locked inside a hardy mineral called tremolite, which future robotic missions to our neighbouring planet could find and study. Experiments by Natasha Johnson of NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center in Greenbelt, Maryland and WUSTL earth and planetary sciences professor Bruce Fegley Jr. have previously shown that tremolite, which forms in the presence of water, is tough enough that it could have survived on Venus's surface to the present.

NASA Mars Rover Churns Up Questions With Sulfur-Rich Soil ScienceDaily.com, NewScientist.com (UK) and 14 others March 15, 2007 -- Some bright Martian soil containing lots of sulfur and a trace of water intrigues researchers who are studying information provided by NASA's Spirit rover. "This material could have been left behind by water that dissolved these minerals underground, then came to the surface and evaporated, or it could be a volcanic deposit formed around ancient gas vents," said WUSTL earth and planetary sciences professor Ray Arvidson. He is the deputy principal investigator for NASA's twin Mars rovers, Spirit and Opportunity.

Passing probe to study 'crop circles' on Europa NewScientist.com (UK) Feb. 28, 2007 -- When NASA's New Horizons space probe makes its closest approach of Jupiter on Wednesday, it will get the best ever glimpse at the composition of several of the planet's large moons. NASA plans to send back only five images of Jupiter and its moons shortly after the flyby. One of those five will be of Jupiter's moon, Europa, which scientists think harbours a watery ocean beneath an icy crust. Some scientists say this is a prime place to look for life in the solar system. WUSTL earth and planetary sciences professor Bill McKinnon comments.

Aerial sight was a meteor The Kansas City Star and 1 others Feb. 6, 2007 -- That dazzling object seen falling from the sky over Missouri, Kansas and other Midwestern states Sunday evening was a meteor, though where it ended up is uncertain, experts said. WUSTL earth and planetary sciences professor Randy Korotev comments.

Mars rover reaches rim of deep crater Associated Press and 90 others Sept. 28, 2006 -- The Mars rover Opportunity reached the rim of a deep crater Wednesday after an arduous 21-month trek, marking a milestone. Victoria crater, with its exposed walls of thickly layered rocks, is a treasure trove for scientists trying to determine whether the rocks were formed in shallow lakes, which might suggest the planet once could have been hospitable to life. WUSTL earth and planetary sciences professor and NASA scientist Ray Arvidson comments.

Rover holding up well on Mars San Francisco Chronicle Sept. 12, 2006 -- Defying all the odds, the gutsy Mars rover Opportunity is still trundling tirelessly across the Red Planet's rugged landscape and making new discoveries of ancient water 2 1/2 years after it bounced to a landing on a mission designed to last only three months. When the rover reaches the walls of the huge Victoria Crater, it will find the thickest stack of layered rocks it has yet encountered, and to Ray Arvidson of Washington University in St. Louis, the prospect of analyzing those rocks is truly exciting.

Rover nears crater science trove BBC News (UK) and 12 others Sept. 8, 2006 -- Nasa's robotic Mars rover Opportunity is closing in on what could be the richest scientific "treasure trove" of its mission so far. Within the next two weeks, Opportunity should reach the rim of Victoria crater, wider and deeper than any it has visited in more than two-and-a-half years on Mars. NASA scientist and WUSTL earth and planetary sciences professor Ray Arvidson comments.

Begging a crust Nature.com (UK) Sept. 5, 2006 -- Article looks at the research still being done using the lunar rock brought back between 1969 and 1976, mainly by the U.S. Apollo missions. These rocks have helped scientists to understand much of what we know about the Moon today. WUSTL earth and planetary sciences professor Randy Korotev comments on new techniques being developed as this research continues.

Wild weather: Iron rain on failed stars USA Today and 1 others July 5, 2006 -- Ever since their discovery 11 years ago, brown dwarfs have baffled scientists. Sometimes called "failed stars," brown dwarfs are too small to trigger the fusion of hydrogen that keeps stars like our sun shining for billions of years. Instead, over tens of millions of years brown dwarfs slowly cool and fade. Meanwhile, the weather on these strange objects is some of the wildest in the galaxy. WUSTL planetary chemistry professor Katharina Lodders comments.

Astronomers sweep space for the sources of cosmic dust Science Magazine online Nov. 1, 2005 -- Article on new observing tools scientists can use to study interstellar dust. Astronomers know that interstellar dust illuminates the erratic deaths of stars, and it traces a direct link from stars to the birth of our solar system — and ultimately, to Earth. WUSTL physicist and cosmochemist Ernst Zinner comments.

E=MC squared at 100 NPR: All Things Considered Oct. 4, 2005 -- WUSTL physicist John Rigden comments on the 100th anniversary of Einstein's famous equation. He is the author of Einstein 1905: The Standard of Greatness.

New method developed to find exoplanets United Press International, RedNova.com (TX) and 3 others Sept. 8, 2005 -- Astronomers looking for earth-like planets in other solar systems — exoplanets — now have a new field guide thanks to WUSTL earth and planetary scientists Bruce Fegley and Laura Schaefer. The research was presented during this week's annual meeting of the Division of Planetary Sciences of the American Astronomical Society in Cambridge, England.

Scientists Release Rover Panoramic Photo Associated Press Online, Astrobiology Magazine and 58 others Sept. 2, 2005 -- Scientists released the first full-color panoramic picture of the landscape taken by the rover from its lookout point, showing the rover's tracks in the dust, flat plains of the surrounding Gusev Crater region, rugged terrain dubbed "the geologic promised land" by one scientist, distant plateaus on the crater rim and more hills. WUSTL earth and planetary sciences professor Ray Arvidson comments. He is deputy principal investigator of the rover mission.

Mapping life on Earth could predict finding it on Mars Universe Today Online and 2 others May 12, 2005 -- WUSTL geologist Carrine Blank is developing techniques that will help understand how early life developed and diverged here on Earth, to help predict where and what form it might take on Mars. Carrine Blank has traced the genetic relationships between different classes of bacteria, and determined when they broke away from each other to evolve into distinct organisms. These patterns of divergence have happened in several places on Earth, so it's possible they happened on Mars too.

Unexpectedly, the mars rovers are still going strong New York Times March 22, 2005 -- Nearly a year past its planned three-month lifetime, the Mars rover Spirit has found itself rejuvenated and is now making some of its most significant discoveries about Mars' waterlogged past. Spirit and its twin, Opportunity, on the other side of Mars, have continued working so well that managers have requested that the mission be extended up to another 18 months. WUSTL earth and planetary sciences professor Ray Arvidson comments. He is a member of the NASA science team.

More news:

Astrobiology grant
University scientists experiment on origins of organic compounds
Aug. 22, 2003 -- Bruce Fegley, Ph.D., and his colleagues in the Planetary Chemistry Laboratory here will conduct experiments on the origin of organic compounds in the solar nebula, the cloud of gas and dust from which the sun, Earth and other objects in the solar system formed. Fegley's group will use the experimental results and other data to model how impacts by comets and asteroids may have supplied organic materials to Earth during its early history.

Mars mission bolstered by Arvidson, colleagues
July 11, 2003 -- Two robotic field geologists are hurtling toward Mars on separate launch vehicles to provide answers to questions on the planet's climate and water history. Sixteen people at the University, from undergraduate students to full professors, are fully involved in the mission. They helped NASA determine the landing sites for the rovers — Spirit and Opportunity — and will assist in the analysis of the data collected.

New way to study history of the universe
March 2003 - For the first time, scientists have identified and analyzed single grains of silicate stardust in the laboratory. This breakthrough, reported in the Feb. 27 issue of Science Express, provides a new way to study the history of the universe. This classic anhydrous porous "fluffy" interplanetary dust particle (IDP) is the type in which reseachers at Washington University in St. Louis and NASA found stardust. This particle is about 10 micrometers (a micrometer is one milliont of a meter) across; the stardust grain the researchers found is about the size of just one of the little grains that make up the fluffy IDP."Astronomers have been studying stardust through telescopes for decades," said first author Scott Messenger, Ph.D., senior research scientist in the Laboratory for Space Sciences at Washington University in St. Louis. "And they have derived models of what it must be like, based on wiggles in their spectral recordings. But they never dreamed it would be possible to look this closely at a grain of stardust that has been floating around in the galaxy."

Weather in outer space? Ask a brown dwarf
July/August 2002 -- Brown dwarfs, which have been described as "failed stars," are celestial bodies more massive than planets like Jupiter but not large enough to sustain the thermonuclear reactions that make a star shine. In the June 1, 2002 issue of Astrophysical Journal Letters, Katharina Lodders, a senior research scientist in the Planetary Chemistry Lab at Washington University in St. Louis -- along with researchers from UCLA, NASA and other institutions -- reported the first evidence for the existence of changing weather patterns on brown dwarfs. They are the first non-planetary objects to exhibit such phenomena.

Pluto mission proposed to launch in 2006
May 3, 2002 -- The last time Pluto was this close to Earth, George Washington was a British officer. Thus, said William B. McKinnon, Ph.D., professor of earth and planetary sciences in Arts & Sciences, there is a real urgency behind the proposed New Horizons mission to Pluto and the Kuiper Belt. McKinnon is a team member of New Horizons, led by the Southwest Research Institute (SWRI) in San Antonio and the Johns Hopkins Applied Physics Laboratory, with the involvement of many other universities and research institutions. The principal investigator of the collaborative effort is Alan Stern, Ph.D., of the SWRI.