229th AAS Session Table of Contents

349 Pages·2016·5.7 MB·English

229th AAS
Grapevine, TX – January, 2017
Meeting Abstracts
Session Table of Contents
90 – HAD I: The 2017 Osterbrock Prize: Gravitational Lenses & Waves Poster 220 – AGN, QSO, Blazars: High Redshift
The Biographical Encyclopedia of Session 221 – Star Associations, Star Clusters -
Astronomers 142 – The Milky Way, The Galactic Center Galactic & Extragalactic II
100 – Welcome Address by AAS President Poster Session 222 – Starburst Galaxies Near & Far
Christine Jones (Harvard-Smithsonian, 143 – Elliptical Galaxies Poster Session 223 – Surveys & Data - From the Ground
CfA) 144 – Spiral Galaxies Poster Session 224 – Large Scale Structure, Cosmic
101 – Kavli Foundation Lecture: Early Solar 145 – Dwarf & Irregular Galaxies Poster Distance Scale
System Bombardment: Exploring the Echos Session 225 – Extremes of Time Domain
of Planetary Migration and Lost Ice Giants, 146 – Extrasolar Planets: Detection Poster Astrophysics: Stellar Mergers to Black Hole
William Bottke (SwRI) Session Outbursts
102 – Star Formation I 147 – The Solar System Poster Session 226 – Science with the Hyper Suprime-Cam
103 – Mergers, AGN, & GRB Host Galaxies 148 – Planetary Nebulae, Supernova (HSC) Survey
104 – Extrasolar Planets Detection: Transit Remnants Poster Session 227 – W. M. Keck Observatory: A Resource
105 – Galaxy Clusters I 149 – Gamma Ray Bursts Poster Session for NASA and the Entire US Community
106 – Ground Based & Airborne 150 – Intergalactic Medium, QSO 228 – White Dwarfs
Instruments Absorption Line Systems Poster Session 229 – Star-forming Galaxies at z~2
107 – Black Holes I 151 – Stellar Atmospheres, Winds, Be Stars, 230 – Cool Stars II
108 – HEAD I: Astronomy Across the & Wolf-Rayet Phenomena Poster Session 231 – Galaxy Clusters & Local Environment
Gravitational Wave Spectrum 152 – Pulsating & Variable Stars Poster 232 – Stellar Evolution, Stellar Populations
109 – New, Fundamental, Cutting-Edge Session 233 – Neutron Stars (Pulsars, Magnetars,
Science from Arecibo Observatory 153 – Star Formation Poster Session Pulsar Wind Nebulae) I
110 – Geoengineering the Atmosphere to 154 – Stellar Evolution, Stellar Populations 234 – Dannie Heineman Prize for
Fight Climate Change: Should Astronomers Poster Session Astrophysics: Increasing Accuracy and
Worry about It? 155 – Ground Based Facilities & Increasing Tension in Ho, Wendy
111 – HAD II: Some Notes on the History of Instrumentation Poster Session Freedman (University of Chicago)
Infrared Astronomy from Above the 156 – Catalogs Poster Session 235 – HEAD Bruno Rossi Prize: A Good
Atmosphere 157 – Societal Matters Poster Session Hard Look at Growing Supermassive Black
112 – The Solar System 158 – HAD IV: Poster Session Holes in the Distant Universe, W. Neil
113 – Intergalactic Medium, QSO 200 – Plenary Talk: The LED Outdoor Brandt (Pennsylvania State University)
Absorption Line Systems Lighting Revolution: Opportunities, 236 – Computation, Data Handling, Image
114 – Elliptical & Spiral Galaxies Threats and Mitigation, Martin Aubé Analysis & Light Pollution Poster Session
115 – Supernovae & Planetary Nebulae (Cégep de Sherbrook) 237 – Surveys & Large Programs Poster
116 – Planetary Environments & 201 – AAS Prize Presentations: Buchalter Session
Habitability Cosmology, Weber, George Van 238 – Space Missions & Instrumentation
117 – Annie Jump Cannon Award: The Biesbroeck, Tinsley, LAD Astrophysics Poster Session
Tumultuous Lives and Deaths of Stars, Prize, Education 239 – Making Great Observatories Even
Laura Lopez (Ohio State University) 202 – Extrasolar Planets: Characterization Better: Hubble's Hand in Studying the
120 – Extrasolar Planets: Characterization & Theory II Multi-Wavelength Universe Poster Session
& Theory I 203 – AGN, QSO, Blazars: Energetics & 240 – Cool Stars & Others: Surveys,
121 – AGN, QSO, Blazars: Obscured Physics Spectra, Rotation, Fundamentals Poster
122 – GW-SMBH-Lensing-PTA 204 – Star Formation: Galactic to Session
123 – Dwarf & Irregular Galaxies I Extragalactic 241 – Young Stellar Objects, Very Young
124 – Star Associations, Star Clusters - 205 – First Galaxies & Early Universe Stars, T-Tauri Stars, H-H Objects Poster
Galactic & Extragalactic I 206 – Space Missions from Cubesats to Session
125 – Cosmology I LUVOIR 242 – Neutron Stars (Pulsars, Magnetars,
126 – Science with the Discovery Channel 207 – Black Holes II Pulsar Wind Nebulae) Poster Session
Telescope and Beyond 208 – HEAD II: The Physics of the Perseus 243 – Cataclysmic Variables, Novae, &
127 – Linking the Scales of Star Formation Cluster, and Other Highlights, From Hitomi Symbiotic Stars Poster Session
128 – Surveys & Data - Catalogs, Archives, 209 – Making Great Observatories Even 244 – White Dwarfs Poster Session
Searched Better: Hubble's Hand in Studying the 245 – Extrasolar Planets: Characterization
129 – HAD III: History Multi-Wavelength Universe & Theory Poster Session
130 – Variable Stars, Asteroseismology 210 – The Presidential Transition: What 246 – Large Scale Structure, Cosmic
131 – Cool Stars I Can We Expect? Distance Scale Poster Session
132 – CO-HI Observations of Galaxies 211 – The Value of Astronomical Data & 247 – Black Holes Poster Session
133 – Dust & Magnetic Fields Long Term Preservation 248 – Dark Matter & Dark Energy Poster
134 – Structure of the Milky Way, & Stellar 212 – Young Stellar Objects, Very Young Session
Astrometry Stars, T-Tauri Stars, H-H Objects 249 – Starburst Galaxies Near & Far Poster
135 – Henry Norris Russell Lectureship: 213 – Innovations in Astronomy Teaching Session
How Stars Form, Christopher McKee & Learning 250 – AGN, QSO, Blazars Poster Session
(University of California, Berkeley) 214 – Galaxies at High Redshift 300 – SPD George Ellery Hale Prize:
137 – New, Fundamental, Cutting-Edge 215 – Cataclysmic Variables, Novae, & Magnetic Energy Release in Solar Flares,
Science from Arecibo Observatory Poster Symbiotic Stars Terry Forbes (University of New
Session 216 – The Galactic Disk, Galactic Bulge, & Hampshire)
138 – Astrobiology Poster Session Galactic Center 301 – Extrasolar Planets: Characterization
139 – Laboratory Astrophysics Poster 217 – Plenary Talk: What We Don't Know & Theory IV
Session about the Beginning of the Universe, Sean 302 – AGN, QSO, Blazars: Jets, Outflows, &
140 – Preparing for, & Engaging in, the Carroll (Caltech) Winds
2017 Solar Eclipse Poster Session 219 – Extrasolar Planets: Characterization 303 – Extrasolar Planets Detection:
141 – Relativistic Astrophysics, & Theory III Imaging
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304 – Properties of Nearby Galaxies Students: Curriculum & the GRE Poster Practice, & More!
305 – Galactic Archaeology with Kepler and Session 412 – Plenary Talk: The 21st Century: The
K2 334 – K12 & Citizen Science Research Century of Biology on Earth and Beyond,
306 – Cosmology II Collaborations: Involving Scientists, Jill Tarter (SETI Institute)
307 – Merging Galaxies & Gravitational Teachers, & Students Poster Session 424 – The Sun & Solar System Late Poster
Waves: From Mpc to mpc 335 – Education Resources & Projects Session
308 – Supernovae Spanning Broad Audiences Poster Session 425 – Extrasolar Planets Late Poster
309 – Space Missions: X-ray Instruments 336 – Promoting Research, Mentorship, & Session
310 – Planets & Planetesimals in Diversity for Astronomy Majors Poster 426 – Galaxy Clusters and the IGM Late
Circumstellar Disks Session Poster Session
311 – Molecular Clouds, HII Regions, PDRs 337 – Gen. Ed. Astronomy (Astro 101): 427 – Galaxy Evolution Late Poster Session
312 – Perspectives in Research Software: Courses, Classroom, Design, & Student 428 – The Milky Way and Other Galaxies
Education, Funding, Reproducibility, Research Poster Session Late Poster Session
Citation, & Impact 338 – Internships, Fellowships, & 429 – AGN and Friends Late Poster Session
313 – Exploring the Optical Time Domain Observatory Management Training for 430 – Cosmology and Related Topics Late
with the Intermediate Palomar Transient High School Students, Majors, & Graduates Poster Session
Factory Poster Session 431 – Neutron Stars & Friends Late Poster
314 – Graduate, Majors, & Gen. Ed. 339 – The Sun Poster Session Session
Astronomy Education: Research, Practice, 340 – Molecular Clouds, HII Regions, 432 – Star Formation, Young Stars and
& Funding Opportunities! Interstellar Medium & Dust Poster Session Clusters Late Poster Session
315 – Newton Lacy Pierce Prize: The 341 – Supernovae Poster Session 433 – Stars of Many Stripes Late Poster
Chemistry of Planet Formation, Karin 342 – Cosmology & CMB Poster Session Session
Öberg (Harvard-Smithsonian, CfA) 343 – Star Associations, Star Clusters - 434 – Supernovae et Multo Amplius Late
318 – Extrasolar Planets: Characterization Galactic & Extragalactic Poster Session Poster Session
& Theory V 344 – X-Ray & Eclipsing Binaries, Multiple 435 – The ISM, Dust and Circumstellar
319 – AGN, QSO, Blazars: Hosts & Star Systems Poster Session Disks Late Poster Session
Interactions 345 – Circumstellar & Debris Disks Poster 436 – GRBs and Space Missions Late
320 – Extrasolar Planets Detection: Radial Session Poster Session
Velocity I 346 – Galaxy Clusters Poster Session 437 – From the Earth, We Peer
321 – Galaxy Formation & Evolution 347 – Evolution of Galaxies Poster Session Outward…Late Poster Session
322 – Beyond the Academy: Panel 348 – Next Generation VLA Poster Session 438 – Catalogs, Surveys, Computation, etc.
Discussion on Entering Non-Academic 400 – Lancelot M. Berkeley Prize: Late Poster Session
Careers Exploring for Galaxies in the First Billion 439 – Education and Public Outreach Late
323 – Cosmic Microwave Background Years with Hubble and Spitzer - Pathfinding Poster Session
324 – Surveys & Data - Radio and High for JWST, Garth Illingworth (UC Santa 413 – Extrasolar Planets: Characterization
Energy Cruz) & Theory VII
325 – The Sun 401 – Extrasolar Planets: Characterization 414 – AGN, QSO, Blazars: Nuclear Regions
326 – Binary & X-ray Stellar Systems & Theory VI & Black Holes
327 – ALMA Observations of Circumstellar 402 – AGN, QSO, Blazars: X-rays & Gamma 415 – Extrasolar Planets Detection:
Disks Rays Methodology
328 – CubeSats in Astronomy & 403 – Extrasolar Planets Detection: Radial 416 – Dwarf & Irregular Galaxies II
Astrophysics Velocity II 417 – Binary Stellar Systems
329 – Results from the New Half-Degree 404 – Galaxy Clusters II 418 – Dark Matter, Dark Energy & CMB
Imager on the WIYN-0.9m Telescope 405 – NASA's 2020 Decadal Studies: An 419 – Star Formation II
330 – Neutron Stars (Pulsars, Magnetars, Update 420 – Circumstellar & Debris Disks
Pulsar Wind Nebulae) II 406 – Cosmology III 421 – Astronomy Picture of the Day:
331 – Helen B. Warner Prize: Feedback: 407 – GW-Stellar Mass BH Creative Uses in the Classroom & Beyond
Now with Physics, Philip Hopkins (Caltech) 408 – The Coolest Stars & Brown Dwarfs 422 – Plenary Talk: The 2017 Total Solar
332 – Plenary Talk: Astronomy from the 409 – Statistical, Mathematical & Eclipse: Through the Eyes of NASA, Alex
Upper Stratosphere: Key Discoveries and Computational Methods for Astronomy Young (NASA GSFC)
New Opportunities from High Altitude (ASTRO): SAMSI 2016-17 423 – Plenary Talk: How Supermassive
Scientific Balloons, Laura Fissel 410 – Supernovae & Remnants Black Hole Feedback Might Work, Megan
(Northwestern University) 411 – Astronomy Education Across the Donahue (Michigan State University)
333 – Astronomy Majors & Graduate Human Continuum: Research, Programs,
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of Planetary Migration and Lost Ice Giants,
90 – HAD I: The 2017 Osterbrock Prize: The
William Bottke (SwRI)
Biographical Encyclopedia of Astronomers
101.01 – Early Solar System Bombardment: Exploring
– Jay M. Pasachoff, presentation of the Osterbrock
the Echos of Planetary Migration and Lost Ice Giants
Prize and memorial to Prof. Donald Osterbrock
Heavily cratered surfaces on the Moon, Mars, Mercury show the
terrestrial planets were battered by an intense bombardment
90.01 – Osterbrock Prize Lecture: The Coming to Be of
during their first billion years or more, but the timing, sources, and
the Biographical Encyclopedia of Astronomers dynamical implications of these impacts are controversial. The Late
The four-volume Biographical Encyclopedia of Astronomers (and Heavy Bombardment refers to impact events that occurred after
cosmologists), second edition, is one of a kind: There is no stabilization of planetary lithospheres such that they could be
discipline-specific counterpart in the physical or biological sciences. preserved as craters. Lunar melt rocks and meteorite shock ages
The BEA is the work of 430 authors, translators, and editors who point toward a discrete episode of elevated impact flux between
produced biographies of approximately 1,800 persons, from the ~3.5 to ~4.2 Ga and a relative quiescence between ~4.0-4.2 to ~4.4
beginning of history to the beginning of the era of Big Science. How Ga. Evidence from Precambrian impact spherule layers suggest a
did this happen? The Editor-in-chief will give a “behind the pages” long-lived tail of terrestrial impactors lasted to ~2.0-2.5 Ga.
view of the construction of this first-look, first-reached-
from-the-shelf reference work. Dynamical models that include populations residual from primary
accretion and destabilized by giant planet migration can potentially
Author(s):Thomas A. Hockey1 account for observations, although all have pros and cons. The
Institution(s):1. University of Northern Iowa most parsimonious solution to match constraints is a hybrid model
with discrete early, post-accretion and later, planetary instability-
90.02 – Keeping the Biographical Encyclopedia of driven impactor populations.
Astronomers Relevant for a Generation
The Biographical Encyclopedia of Astronomers is a magnificent For the latter, giant planet instability models can successfully
accomplishment, but like all such compilations, it faces potentially reproduce the orbits of the giant planets, the origin/properties of
rapid obsolescence. Relying on my experience as an encyclopedia Jupiter/Neptune Trojans, irregular satellites, the structure of the
editor and a contributor to more than 20 other biographical main asteroid and Kuiper belts, and the presence of comet-like
reference works, I will highlight potential pitfalls for the BEA in the bodies in the main belt, Hilda, and Trojan asteroid populations.
future and suggest ways in which the publisher can ensure that the The best solutions, however, postulate there were once five giant
BEA will continue to remain relevant for a generation. planets: Jupiter, Saturn, and three ice giants, one that was
eventually ejected out of the Solar System by a Jupiter encounter.
Author(s):Marc Rothenberg1 Intriguing evidence for this “lost” ice giant planet can be found in
Institution(s):1. Smithsonian Institution the orbital properties of bodies captured in the main asteroid belt.
90.03 – Reading BEA II in Irvine (And Elsewhere) The applicability of giant planet instabilities to exoplanet systems
seems likely, with the initial configuration of giant planet orbits a
It is just possible that the number of BEA authors and editors
byproduct of their early migration and subsequent capture into
exceeds the number of its readers, but I doubt this, having done all
mutual mean motion resonances. The question is how long can a
three. Perhaps unusually, I have gone through each edition page by
stable configuration be maintained; dynamical models suggest the
page: BEA I several years ago, looking for what everybody who was
interval may be short, while bombardment evidence possibly favors
alive at the time did during World War I, and BEA II just recently,
hundreds of Ma.
in the process of compiling potted history of the development of
stellar astronomy and astrophysics in Germany. Neither task would
Author(s):William Bottke1
have been possible without BEA, which I therefore celebrate, along
Institution(s):1. Southwest Research Inst.
with Tom Hockey's enormous foresight, energy, and persistence. If
we were starting over, I (and probably he!) would ask authors and
editors for at least two things -- closer adherence to a format that
102 – Star Formation I
puts the most notable work (why this person is here!) first,
followed by "life" and "works" - and, where the information is
102.01 – Measuring Dark Molecular Gas
available, what the person did or had happen that must surely have
influenced life, beliefs, philosophy, what have It is now well known that a substantial fraction of Galactic
you, beyond the scientific achievements. We know what Einstein, molecular gas cannot be traced by CO emission. The thus dubbed
Karl Schwarzschild, and Rudolph Minkowski were doing in 1916, CO dark molecular gas (DMG) occupy a large volume of ISM with
while a number of other articles have holes about that time. And it intermediate extinction, where CO is either not self-shielded
is obvious why Martin Schwarzschild and Hans Bethe ceased to be and/or subthermally excited. We explore the utilities of simple
German astronomers; not so obvious for others. And, while we are hydrides, such OH, CH, etc., in tracing DMG. We mapped and
at it, what turned von Weizsäcker and Albert Wilson so firmly away modeled the transition zone cross a cloud boundary and derived
from the science in which they had already left large footprints? emperical OH abundance and DMG distribution formulae. We also
obtained absorption measurements of various species using
Author(s):Virginia L. Trimble1 Arecibo, VLA, ATCA, and ALMA. The absorption technique has the
Institution(s):1. UC, Irvine potential to provide systematic quantification of DMG in the next
few years.
– Panel Discussion
Author(s):Di Li1, Carl E. Heiles2
Institution(s):1. National Astronomical Observatories of China,
2. University of California at Berkeley
100 – Welcome Address by AAS President
Christine Jones (Harvard-Smithsonian, CfA) 102.02 – Fragmentation of Filamentary Molecular
Clouds Threaded by Perpendicular Magnetic Field
Filamentary clouds are ubiquitously seen in the star forming
101 – Kavli Foundation Lecture: Early Solar regions and the fragmentation of them are thought to result in star
System Bombardment: Exploring the Echos formation. Some of them are threaded by magnetic field parallel to
the cloud axis and some others are thread by perpendicular ones.
The effects of the parallel magnetic field on fragmentation have
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been studied well. However we know little about the effects of the Massive stars are key players in the evolution of galaxies, yet their
perpendicular magnetic field on fragmentation. A strong formation pathway remains unclear. In this talk, I will highlight
perpendicular magnetic field is likely to suspend the fragmentation. results from a project utilizing data from several galaxy-wide
In order to assess this effect, we have performed a linear stability surveys to build an unbiased dataset of ~700 massive young stellar
analysis of an isothermal filamentary cloud while taking account of objects (MYSOs), ~200 giant molecular clouds (GMCs), and ~100
a uniform magnetic field perpendicular to the cloud axis. We have young (< 10 Myr) optical stellar clusters (SCs) in the Large
used the ideal MHD approximation in the stability analysis for Magellanic Cloud. We have employed this data to quantitatively
simplicity. Then the analysis is formulated to be an eigenvalue study the location and clustering of massive star formation and its
problem in which each eigenmode has either a real frequency relation to the internal structure of GMCs. The main results are as
(stable) or a pure imaginary one (unstable). The growth rate of the follows: (1) Massive stars do not typically form at the highest
instability as well as the eigenmode is obtained numerically as a column densities nor centers of their parent GMCs. (2) Massive
function of the wavelength and magnetic field strength. star formation clusters over multiple generations and on size scales
The magnetic field suppresses gas motion perpendicular to it. much smaller than the size of the parent GMC. (3) The rate of
Accordingly, the growth rate of an unstable eigenmode decreases massive star formation is significantly boosted in clouds near SCs.
monotonically as the magnetic field is strengthened. The Yet, comparison of molecular clouds associated with SCs with those
wavelength of the most unstable mode is slightly increased by the that are not reveals no significant difference in their global
magnetic field. When the plasma beta at the cloud center is slightly properties. These results reveal a connection between different
below 2, the fragmentation instability is completely suppressed. generations of massive stars on timescales up to 10 Myr. I will
When the unstable mode is excited, only the magnetic field lines compare our findings with Galactic studies and discuss this in
that thread the high region near the cloud axis move appreciably. terms of GMC collapse, triggered star formation, and a potential
We compare our analysis with those for magnetized sheet-like dichotomy between low- and high-mass star formation.
clouds.
Author(s):Bram Ochsendorf3, Margaret Meixner2, Jeremy
Author(s):Tomoyuki Hanawa1, Takahiro Kudoh2, Kohji Chastenet2, A. G. G. M. Tielens1, Julia Roman-Duval2
Tomisaka3 Institution(s):1. Leiden University, 2. STScI, 3. The Johns
Institution(s):1. Chiba University, 2. Nagasaki University, 3. Hopkins University
National Astronomical Observatory Japan
102.06D – The Destructive Birth of Massive Stars and
102.03 – Interferometric Mapping of Perseus Massive Star Clusters
Outflows with MASSES Massive stars play an essential role in the Universe. They are rare,
The MASSES (Mass Assembly of Stellar Systems and their yet the energy and momentum they inject into the interstellar
Evolution with the SMA) survey, a Submillimeter Array (SMA) medium with their intense radiation fields dwarfs the contribution
large-scale program, is mapping molecular lines and continuum by their vastly more numerous low-mass cousins. Previous
emission about the 75 known Class 0/I sources in the Perseus theoretical and observational studies have concluded that the
Molecular Cloud. In this talk, I present some of the key results of feedback associated with massive stars' radiation fields is the
this project, with a focus on the CO(2-1) maps of the molecular dominant mechanism regulating massive star and massive star
outflows. In particular, I investigate how protostars inherit their cluster (MSC) formation. Therefore detailed simulation of the
rotation axes from large-scale magnetic fields and filamentary formation of massive stars and MSCs, which host hundreds to
structure. thousands of massive stars, requires an accurate treatment of
radiation. For this purpose, we have developed a new, highly
Author(s):Ian Stephens1, Michael Dunham2, Philip C. Myers1 accurate hybrid radiation algorithm that properly treats the
Institution(s):1. Harvard-Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics, absorption of the direct radiation field from stars and the
2. SUNY Fredonia re-emission and processing by interstellar dust. We use our new
Contributing team(s):the MASSES Team tool to perform a suite of three-dimensional radiation-
hydrodynamic simulations of the formation of massive stars and
102.04D – Disk Masses of Class I Protostars in Taurus MSCs. For individual massive stellar systems, we simulate the
and Ophiuchus collapse of massive pre-stellar cores with laminar and turbulent
Recent studies suggest that many protoplanetary disks around initial conditions and properly resolve regions where we expect
pre-main sequence stars with inferred ages of 1-5 Myr (known as instabilities to grow. We find that mass is channeled to the massive
Class II protostars) contain insufficient mass to form giant planets. stellar system via gravitational and Rayleigh-Taylor (RT)
This may be because by this stage much of the material in the disk instabilities. For laminar initial conditions, proper treatment of the
has already grown into larger bodies, hiding the material from direct radiation field produces later onset of RT instability, but does
sight. To test this hypothesis, we have observed every protostar in not suppress it entirely provided the edges of the radiation-
the Taurus and Ophiuchus star forming regions identified as Class dominated bubbles are adequately resolved. RT instabilities arise
I in multiple independent surveys, whose young (< 1 Myr old) disks immediately for turbulent pre-stellar cores because the initial
are more likely to represent the initial mass budget of turbulence seeds the instabilities. To model MSC formation, we
protoplanetary disks. For my dissertation I have used detailed simulate the collapse of a dense, turbulent, magnetized Mcl = 106
radiative transfer modeling of CARMA and ALMA millimeter M⊙ molecular cloud. We find that the influence of the magnetic
images, broadband SEDs, and near-infrared scattered light images pressure and radiative feedback slows down star formation.
to determine the geometry of the circumstellar material and Furthermore, we find that star formation is suppressed along dense
measure the mass of the disks around these protostars. By filaments where the magnetic field is amplified. Our results suggest
comparing the inferred disk mass distribution with results for the that the combined effect of turbulence, magnetic pressure, and
existing 1-5 Myr old disk sample, we constrain the initial mass radiative feedback from massive stars is responsible for the low star
budget for forming planets in protoplanetary disks. We find that formation efficiencies observed in molecular clouds.
the younger Class I disks are, on average, more massive than the
Author(s):Anna Rosen3, Mark Krumholz1, Christopher F.
older disk sample, but still may be shy of the necessary mass for
McKee2, Richard I. Klein2, Enrico Ramirez-Ruiz3
forming planets. It may be that even by this early stage, planet
Institution(s):1. Australian National University, 2. University of
formation is well underway.
California, Berkeley, 3. University of California, Santa Cruz
Author(s):Patrick Sheehan1, Joshua A. Eisner1
Institution(s):1. University of Arizona 102.07 – ALMA and VLA Observations of Proplyd
Candidates near Sgr A*
102.05 – The location, clustering, and propagation of Using the VLA, we recently detected a large number of
massive star formation in giant molecular clouds protoplanetary disk (proplyd) candidates lying within a couple of
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light years of the massive black hole Sgr A*. The bow-shock move from observed galaxies above the main sequence to those
appearance of proplyd candidates point toward the young massive below it, we see a nearly monotonic trend towards higher median
stars located near Sgr A*. Similar to Orion proplyds, the strong UV Sersic index, smaller radius, lower SFR density and higher stellar
radiation from the cluster of massive stars at the Galactic center is mass density. Our model again qualitatively reproduces these
expected to photoevaporate and photoionize the circumstellar disks trends, supporting a picture in which bulges and black holes
around young, low mass stars, thus allowing detection of the co-evolve and AGN feedback plays a critical role in galaxy
ionized outflows. To confirm this interpretation, ALMA quenching.
observations detect millimeter emission at 226 GHz from five Finally, we examine AGN-driven winds in a suite of cosmological
proplyd candidates that had been detected at 44 and 34 GHz with zoom simulations including a novel mechanical and radiation-
the VLA. We determine the mass of protoplanetary disks from cool driven AGN feedback prescription and compare the gas cycle with a
dust emission. These measurements show the presence of matched suite of zoom simulations that include only feedback from
on-going star formation with the implication that gas clouds can supernovae and young stars. We find that while stellar feedback
survive near Sgr A* and the relative importance of high vs can drive mass out of galaxies, it is unlikely to be able to keep the
low-mass star formation in the strong tidal and radiation fields of gas from re-accreting, whereas in our AGN runs it is much more
the Galactic center. likely for gas to be moved from the inner regions of a galaxy all the
way past the virial radius, never to return. We find that this
Author(s):Farhad Yusef-Zadeh3, William D. Cotton4, Marc feedback prescription is an efficient way to remove gas and quench
Royster3, Devaky Kunneriath4, M. Wardle2, D. A Roberts3, Al galaxies.
Wootten4, R. Schoedel1
Institution(s):1. IAA, 2. Macquarie University, 3. Northwestern Author(s):Ryan Brennan1
Univ., 4. NRAO Institution(s):1. Rutgers University
Contributing team(s):CANDELS
103 – Mergers, AGN, & GRB Host Galaxies 103.03 – Signatures of AGN feedback
Feedback from actively accreting SMBHs (Active Galactic Nuclei,
103.01D – Major mergers are not significant drivers of AGN) is now widely considered to be the main driver in regulating
star formation or morphological transformation at the growth of massive galaxies. Observational proof for this
z~2 scenario has, however, been hard to come by. Many attempts at
We investigate the contribution of major mergers (mass ratios > finding a conclusive observational proof that AGN may be able to
1:5) to stellar mass growth and morphological transformations quench star formation and regulate the host galaxies' growth have
around the epoch of peak cosmic star formation (z~2). We visually shown that this problem is highly complex.
classify a complete sample of massive (M > 1010MSun) galaxies at I will present results from several projects that focus on
this epoch, drawn from the CANDELS survey, into late-type understanding the power, reach and impact of feedback processes
galaxies, major mergers, spheroids and disturbed spheroids which exerted by AGN. I will describe recent efforts in our group of
show morphological disturbances. Given recent simulation work, relating feedback signatures to the specific star formation rate in
which indicates that recent (<0.3-0.4 Gyr) major-merger remnants their host galaxies, where our results are consistent with the AGN
exhibit clear tidal having a `negative' impact through feedback on the galaxies' star
features in such images, we use the fraction of disturbed spheroids formation history (Wylezalek+2016a,b). Furthermore, I will show
to probe the role of major mergers in driving morphological that powerful AGN-driven winds can be easily hidden and not be
transformations. The percentage of blue spheroids (i.e.with apparent in the integrated spectrum of the galaxy. This implies that
ongoing star formation) that show morphological disturbances is large IFU surveys, such as the SDSS-IV MaNGA survey, might
only ~21%, indicating that major mergers are not the dominant uncover many previously unknown AGN and outflows that are
mechanism for spheroid creation at z~2 - other processes, such as potentially very relevant for understanding the role of AGN in
minor mergers or cold accretion are likely to be the main drivers of galaxy evolution (Wylezalek+2016c)!
this process. Taken together, our results show that major mergers
are not significant drivers of galaxy evolution at z~2. Author(s):Dominika Wylezalek1, Nadia L. Zakamska1
Institution(s):1. Johns Hopkins University
Author(s):Emma Lofthouse3, Sugata Kaviraj3, Christopher Contributing team(s):MaNGA-GMOS Team
Conselice4, William Hartley1, Alice Mortlock2
Institution(s):1. ETH Zurich, 2. University of Edinburgh, 3. 103.04D – Star Formation and AGN activity of X-ray
University of Hertfordshire, 4. University of Nottingham selected AGN host galaxies in the Chandra-COSMOS
Legacy Survey
103.02D – Exploring Quenching, Morphological One of the ongoing issues for understanding the galaxy formation
Transformation and AGN-Driven Winds with and evolution is how active galactic nuclei (AGNs) affect the growth
Simulations of Galaxy Evolution of their host galaxies. We investigate the correlations between AGN
We present an examination of the spheroid growth and star activity and star formation properties of a large sample of ~3700
formation quenching experienced by galaxies since z~3 by studying X-ray selected AGNs over a wide range of luminosities (42 < log Lx
the evolution with redshift of the quiescent and spheroid- < 45) up to z~5 in the Chandra-COSMOS Legacy Survey. We
dominated fractions of galaxies from the CANDELS and GAMA perform a multi-component modeling from the far-infrared, when
surveys. We compare these fractions with predictions from a available, to the near-UV using AGN emission from the
semi-analytic model which includes prescriptions for bulge growth big-blue-bump (for Type 1 AGNs), a nuclear dust torus model, a
and AGN feedback due to mergers and disk instabilities. We then galaxy model and a starburst component for the spectral energy
subdivide our population into the four quadrants of the specific distributions (SEDs). Through detailed analysis of SEDs, we derive
star-formation rate (sSFR)-Sersic index plane. We find that the AGN host galaxy properties, such as stellar masses, star formation
fraction of star forming disks declines steadily while the fraction of rates (SFRs), and AGN luminosities. We find that AGN host
quiescent spheroids increases with cosmic time. The fraction of galaxies have, on average, similar SFRs compared to the normal
star-forming spheroids and quiescent disks are both non-negligible star-forming main sequence galaxies, suggesting no significant
and remain nearly constant. Our model is qualitatively successful enhancement or quenching of star formation. The average SFR of
at reproducing these fractions, suggesting a plausible explanation AGN host galaxies shows a flat distribution in bins of AGN
for the observed correlations between star formation activity and luminosity, consistent with recent ideas that the shorter variability
galaxy structure. timescale of AGN compared to star formation can lead to a flat
Next, we study the correlation of galaxy structural properties with relationship between the SFR and black hole accretion rates. Our
their location relative to the star-formation rate-stellar mass results suggest that both star formation and nuclear activity in the
correlation, or the star forming main sequence. We find that as we majority of AGN host galaxies might be driven more by internal
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secular processes at z<3, implying that they have substantially available online to the community. Finally, we discuss the
grown at much earlier epoch. exomoon population statistics implied by our analysis.
Author(s):Hyewon Suh1 Author(s):Alexander Teachey2, David M. Kipping2, Allan
Institution(s):1. Institute for Astronomy, University of Hawaii Schmitt1, Gaspar Bakos3, Lars A Buchhave6, Guillermo Torres3,
David Nesvorny5, Joel Hartman4, Chelsea Huang7
103.05 – A Curious Lack of Evolution in the LGRB Institution(s):1. Citizen Scientist, 2. Columbia University, 3.
Host Metallicity Distribution Harvard-Smithsonian CfA, 4. Princeton University, 5. Southwest
Research Institute, 6. University of Copenhagen, 7. University of
Recent improvements in the population of Long-duration Gamma
Toronto
Ray Burst host galaxies with measured metallicities and host
masses allows us to investigate how the distributions of both these
104.02 – K2 Warm Jupiters with the LCOGT TECH
properties change with redshift. First we examine possible biases in
the populations caused by the efficiency of obtaining mass and team
metallicity measurements at different redshifts. In comparing the Many if not most transiting gas giant planets on short orbital
redshift distributions of a variety of LGRB populations we find no periods (so called hot Jupiters) have larger radii than theoretically
biases out to a redshift of 2.5 with the exception of a reduced expected. Although several explanations have been proposed, none
metallicity sampling at redshifts high enough to require a separate have completely solved this puzzle. As the number of known
IR spectrum (z < 0.5). However observations using X-shooter transiting planets grew a correlation was identified between gas
(which allow for obtaining metallicities across a wide range of giant radius and the stellar incident flux. Still, it is not clear whether
redshifts) do not show this bias. We also compare the observed this correlation is causation. Several questions remain and
LGRB redshift distribution with recent predictions and find good answering them will characterize in more detail this observed
agreement. Having established that the mass and metallicity correlation and in turn the process responsible for the inflated
samples are unbiased we then find a curious consistency in the radii, such as: Is the lack of inflated gas giants at longer periods a
metallicity destruction across different redshifts. This is at odds robust feature? What is the incident flux below which there are no
with the general evolution in the mass metallicity relation, which inflated gas giants? How low in incident flux does this correlation
becomes progressively more metal poor with increasing redshift. stretch? These questions arise since there are only a small number
We do however find that the LGRB host galaxy mass distribution of transiting gas giants with low incident flux, below about 108
increases with redshift so as to preserve the LGRB metallicity erg/s/cm2, corresponding to orbital periods beyond 10 days around
destruction. In fact, converting the measured LGRB host masses to a Sun-like host star. We refer to such gas giant planets as warm
their expected metallicities reproduces reasonably consistent Jupiters. Discovering and confirming more transiting warm
metallicity distribution. Jupiters is the goal of this project, undertaken by the LCOGT
Transiting Exoplanet CHaracterization (TECH) team. We are using
Author(s):John Graham1, Patricia Schady1, Thomas K2 as our main source of transiting warm Jupiter candidates, with a
Kruehler1 few candidates discovered in each K2 campaign. LCOGT telescopes
Institution(s):1. Max-Planck-Institut für extraterrestrische are being used for obtaining additional ground-based transit light
Physik curves, which are critical for confirming and refining the K2 transit
ephemeris as outliers during ingress or egress of the few transit
103.06 – A simple model for black hole growth events observed by K2 can bias the measured ephemeris. Further
We present a simple phenomenological model for black hole ground-based follow-up data, including spectroscopy, radial
growth in the z~0 universe. We show that nuclear activity can be velocities, and high angular resolution imaging, are obtained by
described by two separate, mass-independent Eddington Ratio facilities directly accessible by LCOGT TECH team members. In
Distribution Functions (ERDFs) operating in blue and red galaxies, addition, LCOGT’s Network of Robotic Echelle Spectrographs
respectively. Our forward-modeling approach constrains these two (NRES) will be deployed during 2017 and will allow obtaining
ERDFs by comparing to the observed X-ray and radio luminosity spectroscopy and radial velocities with LCOGT facilities. In addition
functions. Alternative ERDFs with mass-dependence, such as to studying the inflated hot Jupiter conundrum, confirming a
those expected from AGN-driven mass-quenching of galaxies, are sample of warm Jupiters transiting bright stars will support
ruled out. We discuss the implications of this model and outline extending atmospheric characterization and spin-orbit alignment
potential applications studies beyond the hot Jupiter planet class.
Author(s):Kevin Schawinski1, Anna K. K. Weigel1, Neven Author(s):Avi Shporer2, Daniel Bayliss8, Joao Bento1,
Caplar1, Ivy Wong2 William D. Cochran11, Knicole D. Colon7, Diana Dragomir6,
Institution(s):1. ETH Zurich, 2. ICRAR/UWA Michael Endl11, Benjamin James Fulton10, Howard T. Isaacson9,
Enric Palle4, Robert Siverd5, Andrew Vanderburg3, George Zhou3
Institution(s):1. Australian National University, 2. Caltech, 3.
Harvard-Smithsonian CfA, 4. Instituto de Astrofisica de Canarias,
104 – Extrasolar Planets Detection: Transit
5. LCOGT, 6. MIT Kavli Institute, 7. NASA Ames Research Center,
104.01 – New Constraints on the Kepler Exomoon 8. Observatoire Astronomique de l’Université de Genève, 9. UC
Population Berkeley, 10. University of Hawaii, Institute for Astronomy, 11.
University of Texas
The search for exomoons represents an exciting new avenue in
Contributing team(s):LCOGT TECH team
exoplanetary science. The discovery of these worlds is expected to
reveal much about the formation and evolution of planets and
104.03 – SuPerPiG's Ultra-Short-Period Planets from
moons beyond our Solar System, just as the first exoplanet
K2 Campaigns 6 through 8
discoveries broadened our understanding two decades ago. For the
past several years the Hunt for Exomoons with Kepler (HEK) The unexpected discoveries of hundreds of exoplanets very close to
project has been searching for evidence of exomoons, and in their host stars have challenged planet formation theories. The
previously published work we employed computationally expensive most extreme subset of these are the ultra-short-period planets, or
photodynamical methods to survey 60 planets for the presence of USPs, with orbital periods of less than a day. These planets may
moons. We present here new results using an alternative phase- provide unprecedented insights into planet formation and
folding approach to compliment this search. While less sensitive on evolution and serve as sensitive probes for planet-star interactions
a case-by-case basis, the method is sufficiently quick and easy to and the stellar wind. Given their very short periods, such planets
implement that hundreds of Kepler planets can be studied en are particularly amenable to discovery by the Kepler, K2, and
masse, leading to new tighter constraints on the ensemble. As a upcoming TESS missions and follow-up efforts. In this
by-product of this work we present transit timing variation presentation, we will discuss our group’s ongoing search for ultra-
posterior distributions for hundreds of planets which will be short-period planets, the SuPerPiG effort. We will present our
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follow-up work and an updated list of candidates from our project, clusters (∼800 Myr), and the Upper Scorpius OB association (∼11
including a system with two small candidate planets, one with a Myr), but interestingly none in the Pleiades (∼125 Myr). These
period of about 13 hours and the other with a period of about 13 discoveries can be used to set limits on the migration timescale,
days. estimate atmosphere loss around young planets, and provide
independent tests of pre-main sequence stellar models. Here I
Author(s):Brian K. Jackson1, Elisabeth R. Adams2, Michael overview some key science results from our survey and briefly
Endl3 discuss our plans to identify more young planetary systems.
Institution(s):1. Boise State University, 2. Planetary Science
Institute, 3. University of Texas at Austin Author(s):Andrew Mann4, Eric Gaidos3, Elisabeth R.
Newton2, Aaron C Rizzuto4, Andrew Vanderburg1, Gregory N.
104.04 – Variable Variability: Understanding How Mace4, Adam L. Kraus4
Stars Vary from 4 years of Kepler Data Institution(s):1. Harvard, 2. Massachusetts Institute of
Technology, 3. University of Hawaii, 4. University of Texas at
We present an analysis of the variability of 113,000 stars that were
Austin
observed nearly continuously for 4.5 years (17 quarters) by the
Kepler spacecraft. We will provide an overview of the fraction of
104.07 – Update on the KELT Transit Survey: Hot
stars that are variable as a function of spectral type and the fraction
of time that the stars are variable, that is, statistically different than Planets around Hot, Bright Stars
their mean. We explore these regimes OF stellar variability on a The KELT Transit Survey consists of a pair of small-aperture,
variety of timescaleS (0.25 day, 0.5 days, 1 day, 5 days, 10 days, 20 wide-angle automated telescope located at Winer Observatory in
days, 50 days, and 100 days) and discuss the implications of our Sonoita, Arizona and the South African Astronomical Observatory
findings and how they relate to the photometric detection and (SAAO) in Sutherland, South Africa. Together, they are surveying
characterization of exoplanets. roughly 60% of the sky for transiting planets. By virtue of their
small apertures (42 mm) and large fields-of-view (26 degrees x 26
Author(s):David R. Ciardi1, Steve B. Howell2 degrees), KELT is most sensitive to hot Jupiters transiting
Institution(s):1. Caltech, 2. NASA Ames relatively bright (V~8-11), and thus relatively hot stars. Roughly
half of the dwarf stars targeted by KELT are hotter than 6250K;
104.05 – The Exoplant Migration Timescale from K2 such stars pose novel challenges, but also provide unique
Young Clusters opportunities. I will provide an update on the most recent
Planetary Migration models for close-in exoplanets(a < 0.1 AU, P < companions discovered by KELT, focusing in detail on a few
20 days) can be loosely divided into three categories: Disk-driven particularly interesting systems.
migration, binary-star planet interaction, and planet-planet
interaction. Disk migration, occurs over the lifetime of the KELT is a joint collaboration between the Ohio State University,
protoplanetary disk (<5 Myr), while migration involving dynamical Vanderbilt University, and Lehigh University. This work was
multi-body interactions operate on timescales of ~100’s of Myr to partially supported by NSF CAREER grant AST-1056524.
~1Gyr, a lengthier process than disk migration. It is unclear which
Author(s):B. Scott Gaudi1
of these is the dominating mechanism.
Institution(s):1. Ohio State Univ.
Contributing team(s):The KELT Collaboration
The K2 mission has measured planet formation timescales and
migration pathways by sampling groups of stars at key pre-main-
sequence ages: Over the past 10 campaigns, multiple groups of 104.08 – A Search for Transits of Proxima b in MOST
young stars have been observed by K2, ranging from the 10 Myr Photometry
Upper Scorpius OB association, through the ∼120 Myr Pleiades, The recent discovery of a potentially rocky planet in the
the ∼600-800 Myr Hyades and Praesepe moving groups, to the habitable-zone of our nearest star presents exciting prospects for
original Kepler Field. The frequency, orbital and compositional future detailed characterization of another world. If Proxima b
properties of the exoplanet population in these samples of different transits its star, the road to characterization would be considerably
age, with careful treatment of detection completeness, will be eased. In 2014 and 2015, we monitored Proxima Centauri with the
sufficient to address the question of exoplanet migration as their Canadian space telescope MOST for a total of 43 days. As expected,
host stars are settling onto the main sequence. the star presents considerable photometric variability due to flares,
which greatly complicate our analysis. Using Gaussian process
We will present the initial results of a program to directly address regression and Bayesian model selection with informative priors
the question of planet migration with a uniform injection-recovery for the time of transit of Proxima b, we do find evidence for a transit
tests on a new K2 detrending pipeline that is optimized for the of the expected depth. However, relaxing the prior on the transit
particular case of young, rotationally variable stars in K2 to time to an uninformative one returns a distinct solution
robustly measure the detectability of planets of differing size and highlighting the high false-positive rate induced by flaring. Using
orbit. Initial results point towards a migration timescale of 200-700 ground-based photometry from HATSouth, we show that our
Myr, which is consistent with the slower planet-planet scattering or candidate transit is unlikely to be genuine although a conclusive
Kozai migration models. answer will likely require infrared photometry, such as that from
Spitzer, where flaring should be suppressed.
Author(s):Aaron C Rizzuto2, Andrew Mann2, Adam L.
Kraus2, Michael Ireland1 Author(s):David M. Kipping1
Institution(s):1. Australian National University, 2. University of Institution(s):1. Columbia University
Texas at Austin
104.09 – Mission Status for the Transiting Exoplanet
104.06 – The Zodiacal Exoplanets in Time (ZEIT) Survey Satellite (TESS)
Survey The Transiting Exoplanet Survey Satellite (TESS) will discover
Planets and their host stars evolve with time, and the first few thousands of exoplanets in orbit around the brightest stars in the
hundred million years are thought to be the most formative. sky. TESS will monitor ~ 200,000 pre-selected bright stars in the
However, the majority of known exoplanets orbit stars older than solar neighborhood for temporary drops in brightness caused by
the timescales of interest (>1 Gyr). We have launched the Zodiacal planetary transits. This first-ever spaceborne all-sky transit survey
Exoplanets in Time (ZEIT) survey with the goal of identifying and will identify planets ranging from Earth-sized to gas giants, around
characterizing young (<1 Gyr) transiting planets. To this end, we a wide range of stellar types and orbital distances.
have utilized high-precision photometry of nearby young clusters
and stellar associations taken as part of the K2 mission. Thus far TESS stars will typically be 30 — 100 times brighter than those
we have discovered transiting planets in the Hyades and Praesepe surveyed by the Kepler satellite; thus, TESS planets will be far
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easier to characterize with follow-up observations. For the first With UV through FIR SED fitting, we estimate the star formation
time it will be possible to study the masses, sizes, densities, orbits, rate, dust content, and starburst duration in UV-bright cool core
and atmospheres of a large cohort of small planets, including a BCGs in CLASH, and examine relationships between these findings
sample of rocky worlds in the habitable zones of their host stars. and ICM cooling time and free-fall time profiles derived from
Chandra X-ray imaging. We present observational evidence
An additional data product from the TESS mission will be full frame constraining the duration of feedback episodes and find a very tight
images (FFI) with a cadence of 30 minutes. These FFI will provide relationship between the BCG star formation rate and the ratio of
precise photometric information for every object within the 2300 ICM cooling time to free-fall time (tcool/tff). Our observational
square degree instantaneous field of view of the TESS cameras. In results are fully consistent with a scenario where condensation of a
total, more than 30 million stars and galaxies brighter than depleting supply of thermally instable overdensities of the ICM gas
magnitude I=16 will be precisely photometered during the two-year are fueling long-duration (> 1 Gyr) BCG starbursts. We discuss the
prime mission. In principle, the lunar-resonant TESS orbit could implications of our findings for theoretical models of BCG-ICM
provide opportunities for an extended mission lasting more than a interaction.
decade.
Author(s):Kevin Fogarty1, Marc Postman3, Megan Donahue2
The baselined long duration survey by TESS of regions Institution(s):1. Johns Hopkins University, 2. Michigan State
surrounding the North and South Ecliptic Poles will provide prime University, 3. Space Telescope Science Institute
exoplanet targets for characterization with the James Webb Space Contributing team(s):CLASH
Telescope (JWST), as well as other large ground-based and
space-based telescopes of the future. 105.03 – Galaxy group dynamics using the GAMA
survey and predictions from semi-analytics and
TESS will issue data releases every 4 months, inviting immediate cosmological simulation.
community-wide efforts to study the new planets, as well as
We aim to discuss the dynamics of galaxies in group environment.
commensal survey candidates from the FFI. A NASA Guest
We present our current findings on the contentious issue of the
Investigator program is planned for TESS. The TESS legacy will be
stellar mass segregation in galaxy groups using the Galaxy And
a catalog of the nearest and brightest main-sequence stars hosting
Mass Assembly (GAMA) survey, the GALFORM semi-analytic and
transiting exoplanets, which should endure as the most favorable
the EAGLE cosmological hydrodynamical simulation catalogues of
targets for detailed future investigations.
galaxy groups. We will discuss our main results that show
negligible mass segregation in galaxy groups and also show a lack
TESS is targeted for launch in late 2017 — early 2018 as a NASA
of redshift evolution.
Astrophysics Explorer mission. In this talk, a status update for the
TESS mission will be presented. Author(s):Prajwal R. Kafle1, Aaron Robotham1, Claudia
Lagos1, Simon P Driver1
Author(s):George R. Ricker1
Institution(s):1. ICRAR, University of Western Australia
Institution(s):1. MIT
Contributing team(s):GAMA, GALFORM, EAGLE
Contributing team(s):TESS Science Team
105.04 – The Cluster Environments of Quasar Groups
Quasars are rare astronomical objects, and quasar pairs, triplets
105 – Galaxy Clusters I
and larger groupings are even rarer. The presence of several
quasars in the same small volume of space might therefore indicate
105.01 – Lyman Alpha Blobs: Seeds of Galaxy Groups
a region that is exceptionally rich in galaxies, and hence groups of
Recently, evidence has been mounting that giant Lyman alpha
quasars could serve as ueful beacons for identifying distant clusters
(Lya) nebulae, or "blobs," at high redshift are coincident with
or protoclusters of galaxies. With this motivation, we compare the
regions of galaxy overdensity and likely the progenitors of galaxy
cluster environments of single versus multiple quasar systems
groups. These Lya blobs are rare structures found at roughly 1 < z <
using data from the Sloan Digital Sky Survey.
6 which have typical diameters of ~100 kpc and Lya luminosities of
~10^42 to 10^44 erg s^-1. Using Hubble Space Telescope (HST) Author(s):Michael West1, Michael Gregg3, Justin Toller2
imaging, we explore the environments of three systematically-
Institution(s):1. Lowell Observatory, 2. Northern Arizona
selected blobs at 1.5 < z < 2.5. Comparing the total surface density
University, 3. University of California, Davis
of galaxies in a region centered on the blob to the average surface
density of galaxies in the field, we find that all three blobs exhibit
105.05D – Shock Features in Merging Galaxy Clusters
significant overdensity (up to a factor of 5-10). After narrowing
Clusters of galaxies are the largest and the most massive
down which galaxies are most likely to be associated with each Lya
gravitationally collapsed objects in the universe. In the hierarchical
blob, we confirm that the raw overdensities are enhanced and find
scenarios of the large-scale structure formation of the universe,
evidence of a luminosity gap in at least one of the three systems
they form by subcluster mergers and infall. Major mergers inject
studied. These results suggest that Lya blobs offer new insight into
tremendous amounts of energy (∼1064 erg) into the intracluster
the early phases of galaxy group and cluster formation.
medium (ICM), triggering shocks and generating. These hydro-
Author(s):Agnar Hall1, Moire Prescott1 dynamical activities may amplify magnetic fields in the cluster and
accelerate relativistic particles. These non-thermal phenomena
Institution(s):1. New Mexico State University
have been revealed by the detection of Mpc-scale diffuse radio
emission. Current studies hint at a correlation between X-ray and
105.02D – Observational Constraints on the Link
Radio morphologies.
Between the Intracluster Medium and Brightest
Cluster Galaxies
To further address this issue, shock properties of 15 galaxy clusters
We use data from Chandra, HST, Spitzer, and Herschel to study the were studied. The sample was divided into two categories: with and
nature of feedback in the brightest cluster galaxies (BCGs) of cool without diffuse radio emission. In my dissertation, my goal is to
core galaxy clusters. Using the 16-band photometry HST available address questions: Do more luminous clusters have stronger
with CLASH in combination with observations taken with Spitzer, shocks?, How continuous gas stripping affect cool cores?, Why
Herschel, and Chandra, we study the nature of the feedback some clusters exhibit a stronger correlation between X-ray shocks
mechanism required to offset cooling. While a great deal of and radio relic?
progress has been made on this front, there is still much to learn
from the feedback-affected stellar populations of cool core BCGs Author(s):Sarthak Dasadia1, Ming Sun1, Andrea Morandi1
and X-ray observations of the intracluster medium (ICM). Institution(s):1. The University of Alabama in Huntsville
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105.06 – Electron Heating at Galaxy Cluster Shocks: harbor an Earth-sized exoplanet located in the habitability zone. At
Measuring the Temperature of the Bullet Cluster this distance (4.3 pc), BVIT on SALT could detect a 48 joule per
pulse laser, now commercially available as tabletop devices.
Shock with NuSTAR
The Bullet cluster is famous for driving a shock into an oncoming
subcluster's intracluster medium with its cool core (the "bullet"). Author(s):John Vallerga2, Barry Welsh2, Marissa Kotze1,
Chandra data suggest a very high electron temperature right at the Oswald Siegmund2
front (>30 keV), implying that electrons are directly heated by the
Institution(s):1. South African Astronomical Observatory, 2.
passing shock contrary to expectations. However, Chandra's
University of California, Berkeley
sensitivity to such high temperatures is low, given that its effective
area declines swiftly above ∼4 keV. NuSTAR, the first focusing
106.02 – Science capabilities of the Maunakea
hard (>10 keV) X-ray observatory, is much better matched to the
Spectroscopic Explorer
emission from gas with high temperatures, assuming its much
poorer spatial resolution can be appropriately modeled. We present The Maunakea Spectroscopic Explorer (MSE) project will
a demonstration of this technique with joint Chandra-NuSTAR transform the CFHT 3.6m optical telescope into a 10m class
imaging spectroscopy of the Bullet cluster and its shock. On dedicated multiobject spectroscopic facility, with an ability to
average across its entire length, the shock temperature is in line simultaneously measure thousands of objects with a spectral
with both the expectations of no direct heating by the shock (only resolution range spanning 2,000 to 20,000. The project is
increased temperature from adiabatic compression) and direct currently in design phase, with full science operations nominally
heating; both predictions overlap due to the lower Mach number starting in 2025. MSE will enable transformational science in areas
farther away from the cool core. To compare directly with the as diverse as exoplanetary host characterization; stellar monitoring
Chandra-only measurement, we also constrain the shock campaigns; tomographic mapping of the interstellar and
temperature immediately ahead of the cool core, possibly to intergalactic media; the in-situ chemical tagging of the distant
confirm this exciting example of direct electron heating driven by a Galaxy; connecting galaxies to the large scale structure of the
weak shock. The prospects for future measurements in other Universe; measuring the mass functions of cold dark matter
clusters with NuSTAR will also be discussed. sub-halos in galaxy and cluster-scale hosts; reverberation mapping
of supermassive black holes in quasars. MSE is an essential
Author(s):Daniel R. Wik1 follow-up facility to current and next generations of multi-
Institution(s):1. University of Utah wavelength imaging surveys, including LSST, Gaia, Euclid,
eROSITA, SKA, and WFIRST, and is an ideal feeder facility for
105.07 – Constraining halo energetics using Sunyaev- E-ELT, TMT and GMT. I will give an update on the status of the
project and review some of the most exciting scientific capabilities
Zel'dovich measurements
of the observatory.
Both feedback and non-thermal processes play important roles in
the thermodynamic and star-formation properties of the Author(s):Daniel Devost1, Alan McConnachie1, Nicolas
intracluster medium (ICM). Recently, there have been exciting Flagey1, Patrick Cote2, Michael Balogh4, Simon P Driver5, Kim
detections of the kinetic Sunyaez-Zel'dovich (SZ) from galaxy Venn3
clusters. These measurements and future ones provide new
Institution(s):1. Canada-France-Hawaii Telescope, 2. National
windows into the thermodynamic properties of the ICM. We show
Research Council of Canada, 3. University of Victoria, 4.
how we can constrain the average feedback and non-thermal
University of Waterloo, 5. University of Westers Australia
pressure support through the combination of thermal and kinetic
SZ measurements.
106.03D – FLITECAM/SOFIA Commissioning and
Author(s):Nicholas Battaglia1, Emmanuel Schaan1, Simone Early Science and A Study of Late-T Dwarf Color
Ferraro2, David N. Spergel1 Outliers with NIRSPEC/Keck
Institution(s):1. Princeton University, 2. UC Berkeley My thesis combines the development of infrared instrumentation
with the application of infrared imaging and spectroscopy to the
characterization of the highest and lowest mass products of the star
106 – Ground Based & Airborne Instruments formation process. I supported the development and
commissioning of FLITECAM, a 1-5 μm imager and spectrograph
106.01 – A new imaging technique for detecting for SOFIA (Stratospheric Observatory for Infrared Astronomy), as
interstellar communications the UCLA FLITECAM Instrument Scientist, and used FLITECAM
to probe high-mass star formation. In parallel, I used the NIRSPEC
We report on a unique detection methodology using the Berkeley
spectrograph at Keck Observatory to study the lowest mass
Visible Image Tube (BVIT) mounted on the 10m Southern African
products of star formation, brown dwarfs. Here, I present an
Large Telescope (SALT) to search for laser pulses originating in
overview of FLITECAM’s in-flight performance in both imaging
communications from advanced extraterrestrial (ET) civilizations
and spectroscopy modes. I also describe the results of an imaging
residing on nearby Earth-like planets located within their
survey of the NGC 2024 and W3 star-forming regions using
habitability zones. The detection technique assumes that ET
FLITECAM’s Paschen-α (1.87 μm) and Polycyclic Aromatic
communicates through high powered pulsed lasers with pulse
Hydrocarbon (PAH; 3.3 μm) filters. These filters provide an
durations on the order of 5 nanoseconds, the signals thereby being
effective way to trace the ionized gas emission and the emission
brighter than that of the host star within this very short period of
from small grains. Additionally, I present the results of a
time. Our technique turns down the gain of the optically sensitive
NIRSPEC/Keck spectroscopic follow-up survey of 13 late-type T
photon counting microchannel plate detector such that ~30
dwarfs (T6-T9) with unusually red or blue J-H colors. Previous
photons are required in a 5ns window to generate an imaged event.
work suggests that J-H color outliers may represent the
Picking a priori targets with planets in the habitable zone
high-gravity, low-metallicity (old) and low-gravity, high-metallicity
substantially reduces the false alarm rate.
(young) extremes of the late-T dwarf population. I find that the T
dwarf color outliers in this sample are more homogenous than
Interplanetary communication by optical masers was first
expected. Nevertheless, comparisons to spectral standards and
postulated by Schwartz and Townes in 1961. Under the assumption
publicly available atmospheric models do reveal subtle physical
that ET has access to a 10 m class telescope operated as a
differences in their spectral morphologies.
transmitter then we could detect lasers with a similar power to that
of the Livermore Laboratory laser (~1.8Mj per pulse), to a distance
Author(s):Sarah E. Logsdon1
of ~ 1000 pc.
Institution(s):1. University of California, Los Angeles
In this talk we present the results of 2400 seconds of BVIT
106.04 – Update on the Commensal VLA Low-band
observations on the SALT of the star Wolf 1061, which is known to
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Ionospheric and Transient Experiment (VLITE) Author(s):Steven Villanueva2, Jason D Eastman1, B. Scott
The JVLA Low-band Ionospheric and Transient Experiment Gaudi2, Richard W. Pogge2, Keivan G. Stassun3, Mark
(VLITE) is a commensal observing system on the NRAO JVLA. The Trueblood4, Patricia Trueblood4
separate optical path of the prime-focus sub-GHz dipole feeds and Institution(s):1. Harvard-Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics,
the Cassegrain-focus GHz feeds provided an opportunity to expand 2. The Ohio State University, 3. Vanderbilt University, 4. Winer
the simultaneous frequency operation of the JVLA through joint Observatory
observations across both systems. The low-band receivers on 10
JVLA antennas are outfitted with dedicated samplers and use spare
fibers to transport the 320-384 MHz band to the VLITE correlator. 107 – Black Holes I
The initial phase of VLITE uses a custom-designed real-time DiFX
software correlator to produce autocorrelations, as well as parallel 107.01D – Testing SMBH scaling relations using
and cross-hand cross-correlations from the linear dipole feeds. cosmological simulations and optical/near-IR imaging
NRL and NRAO have worked together to explore the scientific data
potential of the commensal low frequency system for ionospheric The strong correlation between supermassive black hole (SMBH)
remote sensing, astrophysics and transients. VLITE operates at mass and a number of measurable features of the host galaxies has
nearly 70% wall time with roughly 6200 hours of JVLA time generated great interest in the notion that galaxy formation and
recorded each year. SMBH growth are closely linked. My dissertation has focused
primarily on the SMBH-host galaxy scaling relations and their
VLITE data are used in real-time for ionospheric research and are implications for galaxy evolution. First, we use the statistically
transferred daily to NRL for processing in the astrophysics and tightest correlations with SMBH mass, which are the Sersic index
transient pipelines. These pipelines provide automated radio for early-type galaxies and pitch angle for spiral galaxies, to predict
frequency interference excision, calibration, imaging and the SMBH masses in our volume-limited sample, and derive the
self-calibration of data. SMBH mass function (BHMF), and quantify the SMBH space
density in our local universe.
We will review early scientific results from VLITE across all three I will present the observational simplicity of our approach to
science focus areas, including the ionosphere, slow (> 1 sec) estimate the local BHMF through imaging data only as well as our
transients, and astrophysics. We also discuss the future of the BHMF estimate and its implications. Our result is as of a particular
project, that includes its planned expansion to eVLITE including interest because it is derived from a nearly complete sample within
the addition of more antennas, and a parallel capability to search set limits and provides reliable data, especially for the low-mass
for fast (< 1 sec), dispersed transients, such as Fast Radio Bursts end of the local BHMF.
and Rotating Radio Transients. We will also present early results of
commissioning tests to utilize VLITE data products to complement Next, we study the data from Illustris simulation project, which is a
NRAO’s 3 GHz VLA Sky Survey (VLASS). Revised pipelines are large cosmological simulation of galaxy formation. This simulation
under development for operation during the on-the-fly operation provides a statistically large and representative sample of objects,
mode of the sky survey. and makes it possible to disentangle the physical link between
black holes and their host galaxies. We derive the spiral arm
Author(s):Namir E. Kassim3, Tracy E. Clarke3, Paul S. Ray3, morphology in the multi-wavelength, and test the theories of spiral
Emil Polisensky3, Wendy M. Peters3, Simona Giacintucci3, Joseph structure in the simulated disk galaxies. We further study the
F. Helmboldt3, Scott D. Hyman4, Walter Brisken2, Brian Hicks3, Illustris prediction for the SMBH mass-spiral arm pitch angle
Julia S Deneva1 relation and check if the result produces the slope and
Institution(s):1. George Mason University, resident at NRL, 2. normalization of the observed SMBH mass-spiral arm pitch angle
NRAO, 3. NRL, 4. Sweetbriar College relation. A careful assessment of the agreement/disagreement with
observations is the primary test of the physics implemented in the
106.05 – DEdicated MONitor of EXotransits and simulation. I will present our results from the Illustris spiral
Transients (DEMONEXT): Low-Cost Robotic and galaxies, and discuss the implications on which galaxy types are
Automated Telescope for Followup of Exoplanetary strongly physically linked with their central SMBHs
Transits and Transients and which are much less affected by the presence of a SMBH in
their center.
We present the design, development, and early science from the
DEdicated MONitor of EXotransits and Transients (DEMONEXT),
Author(s):Burcin Mutlu Pakdil3, Marc S. Seigar4, Benjamin
an automated and robotic 20 inch telescope jointly funded by The
L. Davis1, Patrick M. Treuthardt2, Joel Berrier5
Ohio State University and Vanderbilt University. The telescope is a
Institution(s):1. Centre for Astrophysics and Supercomputing,
PlaneWave CDK20 f/6.8 Corrected Dall-Kirkham Astrograph
2. North Carolina Museum of Natural Sciences, 3. University of
telescope on a Mathis Instruments MI-750/1000 Fork Mount
Minnesota, 4. University of Minnesota Duluth, 5. University of
located at Winer Observatory in Sonoita, AZ. DEMONEXT has a
Nebraska at Kearney
Hedrick electronic focuser, Finger Lakes Instrumentation (FLI)
CFW-3-10 filter wheel, and a 2048 x 2048 pixel FLI Proline
107.02D – Exploring mass-scaling physics and outflow
CCD3041 camera with a pixel scale of 0.90 arc-seconds per pixel
and a 30.7 x 30.7 arc-minute field-of-view. The telescope's geometry in accreting black holes
automation, controls, and scheduling are implemented in Python, One of the main tasks facing studies of black hole accretion in both
including a facility to add new targets in real time for rapid black hole X-ray binaries (XRB) and Active Galactic Nuclei (AGN)
follow-up of time-critical targets. DEMONEXT will be used for the is to break spectral model-fitting degeneracies. We explore two
confirmation and detailed investigation of newly discovered planet methods of simultaneous spectral modelling to reduce these
candidates from the Kilodegree Extremely Little Telescope (KELT) degeneracies: (a) simultaneous fitting of XRBs and AGN, and (b)
survey, exploration of the atmospheres of Hot Jupiters via folding in timing properties in a novel way to better understand the
transmission spectroscopy and thermal emission measurements, outflow evolution of XRBs during outburst.
and monitoring of select eclipsing binary star systems as
benchmarks for models of stellar evolution. DEMONEXT will It is a long-standing idea that AGN are scaled up versions of XRBs,
enable rapid confirmation imaging of supernovae, flare stars, tidal such that the physics of accretion cares only about accretion rate,
disruption events, and other transients discovered by the All Sky and not the black hole mass. We show that this principle of scale-
Automated Survey for SuperNovae (ASAS-SN). invariance may provide us with a way to break degeneracies in
broadband spectral modelling of both XRBs and AGN, focusing
primarily on low-luminosity sources where degeneracies are more
prevalent. We simultaneously model the broadband spectra of the
two most quiescent (LX ~ 10-9 LEdd) accreting black holes on
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