APS Faculty Research
Sub-Links within our "Facilities & Research" section: Faculty Research | Apache Point Observatory | Cornell-Caltech-Atacama Telescope | Sommers-Bausch Observatory
Overview Information
The University of Colorado is involved in research across the forefront of astronomy. Graduate students conduct research in every area in the department, and in many of the affiliated institutions and departments. The department has strengths in observational and theoretical astronomy, instrumentation, planetary science, and solar & space physics. We have particulary distinguished ourselves in the area of space-based astronomy. Our department houses both astrophysicists and planetary scientists, making ours a unique place where observers, theorists, and instrumentationalists from these two disciplines meet on a common ground. What this translates into is an opportunity to participate in a wide range of activities within one department! Most of the rostered faculty conduct their research at one of three institutions: CASA, JILA, and LASP.
Quick Look by Interest Area
More Detailed Research Interest Information
Discipline |
Research Areas |
Investigators |
Research in
Planetary
Science |
Planetary Rings and Solar System Dynamics |
L. Esposito |
Inner Planet Magnetospheres and Space
Physics |
D. Baker, T. Speiser (Emer.), R. Ergun, D. Brain |
Outer Planet Magnetospheres and the Io Plasma Torus |
N. Schneider, F. Bagenal |
Planetary Atmospheres |
C. Barth (Emer.), G. Thomas (Emer.), D. Brain |
Research in
Astrophysics |
Computational Fluid Dynamics, Solar Physics |
J. Toomre, B. Brown,
M. Rast |
Stellar Atmospheres, Radiative Transfer, Stellar Winds |
J. Linsky, T. Ayres |
Star Formation and Molecular Clouds |
J. Bally |
Interstellar Medium |
T. Snow |
Cosmology, Galaxy Formation, ISM & IGM |
M. Shull |
Cosmic X-ray Sources, Accretion Disks, AGN, Gamma Ray Bursts, Neutron Stars, and Black Holes |
M. Begelman, P. Armitage |
Galaxy Evolution, Quasars, Clusters, and Starbursts |
E. Ellingson, J. Stocke, J. Burns, J. Darling, J. Comerford |
Experimental CMB Cosmology |
N. Halverson |
General Relativity, Cosmology |
A. Hamilton |
Extrasolar Planets |
J.M. Desert |
Instrumentation
(Recent Projects and their CU PIs - many graduate and undergraduate students and engineers are involved with these projects) |
SPIRE, Bolocam |
J. Glenn |
MAXIM |
W. Cash |
Cosmic Origins
Spectrograph on HST,
UV Sounding Rockets, FUSE |
J. Green |
Ultraviolet
Imaging Spectrometer (UVIS) on Cassini, Ultraviolet
Spectrometer (UVS) on Galileo |
L. Esposito |
Interdisciplinary Research
The APS department encourages scientific collaboration with associated CU academic departments and local research institutes.
- Program in Geophysics
- The Geophysics program offers an interdisciplinary option for students with particular interests in solid-body geophysics and planetary surfaces. The program is jointly run by the the APS, Physics (Solid Earth Geophysics group), Geology, Aerospace Engineering, and several other departments; students are admitted to their home department but take courses set up by the Geophysics program and take the Geophysics comprehensive exams.
- SwRI
- Several graduate students are currently employed at Southwest Research Institute in Boulder. Students working at SwRI can write their theses with SwRI researchers.
- ATOC
- The Department of Atmospheric and Oceanic Sciences was until 1997 part of the APS department, and many strong ties exist between the two departments, including joint courses, advising, and scientific collaborations. Faculty and graduate students can be associated with both APS and ATOC.
- Physics
- Students in the Physics Department frequently do research in planetary science and astrophysics with APS faculty, and APS students may work with physics professors. The Plasma Physics Group, formerly a part of APS, is now associated with Physics and there are current APS students studying plasma physics.
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