High-energy transient signals are most often determined to be gamma-ray burst events, but the recently-launched Einstein Probe has expanded astronomers’ ability to quickly respond to similar signals occurring at X-ray wavelengths. Now, a multi-wavelength study of EP240408a concludes that while many of the signal’s characteristics might lead to the conclusion that it is a gamma-ray burst, the non-detection at radio wavelengths precludes that possibility.
Recent News
Students Contribute to New Understanding of ‘Twinkling’ Pulsars
The flexible observing setup of the Green Bank Observatory’s 20-meter telescope enabled frequent, long-duration observations of eight pulsars, spanning two and a half years for a student-driven study carried out by students in the Pulsar Science Collaboratory program.
Double the Disks, Double the Discovery: New Insights into Planet Formation in DF Tau
Tucked away in a star-forming region in the Taurus constellation, a pair of circling stars are displaying some unexpected differences in the circumstellar disks of dust and gas that surround them. A new study led by researchers at Lowell Observatory, combining data from the Atacama Large Millimeter/submillimeter Array (ALMA) and Keck Observatory, has unveiled intriguing findings about planet formation in this binary star system, known as DF Tau, along with other systems in this region.
AUI Board of Trustees October 2018 Meeting
The AUI Board of Trustees met in Arlington, VA on October 25-26, 2018. Following President Adam Cohen’s overview of AUI, and reports from the Board and Governance Committees, the Board elected Eric Wilcots and Christine Wilson to serve as the next Board Chair and Vice-Chair of the AUI Board of Trustees, and appointed new Trustees Frank G. Klotz, Lt Gen, USAF (Ret); David Tatel, Chief Justice, U.S. Court of Appeals, D.C. Circuit; Mark Kontos, Former CFO of Battelle and Mitre; and Derrick Pitts, Chief Astronomer & Planetarium Director for the Franklin Institute.
The CFO reported updates on AUI’s financial status, treasury, business processes, and compliance before the FY 2019 budget was approved by the Board. The Board heard NRAO updates including an overview of North American (NA) ALMA operations, GBO, and the reintroduction of the VLBA under the NRAO umbrella. The NRAO updates also featured recent news of a discovery at the VLA which challenges the current understanding of how neutron stars behave. The discovery of a powerful, fast-moving jet of material from a neutron star opens exciting new areas of research.
The Board received updates from Lewis-Burke as well as perspectives from the NSF before recognitions were presented. Maria Teresa Ruiz and Anneila Sargent were recognized for their years of service and guidance as members of the AUI Board. Roscoe Giles was recognized for his years of service as Board Chair and thanked for his continued service as a Trustee.
The Trustee dinner on Wednesday evening and the reception on Thursday offered the opportunity to socialize as well as to discuss business topics and meet with colleagues from the NSF, people from the various organizations that support AUI’s work, representatives from other organizations that support or collaborate on our current research portfolio, and individuals with whom AUI hopes to build collaborations or may be sponsors of future AUI research activities.
The second day of meetings featured several administrative and NRAO centric discussions as well as nascent developments with AUI Labs, an entity under the AUI umbrella that will facilitate the conduct and accounting for work that AUI grows outside of the NSF research centers. The discussion centered on the AUI Labs business plan, cyber security, microelectronics, and STEM education and engagement updates.
Recent News
NSF VLA Contributes Crucial Puzzle Piece to ‘Peculiar’ High Energy Transient
High-energy transient signals are most often determined to be gamma-ray burst events, but the recently-launched Einstein Probe has expanded astronomers’ ability to quickly respond to similar signals occurring at X-ray wavelengths. Now, a multi-wavelength study of EP240408a concludes that while many of the signal’s characteristics might lead to the conclusion that it is a gamma-ray burst, the non-detection at radio wavelengths precludes that possibility.
Students Contribute to New Understanding of ‘Twinkling’ Pulsars
The flexible observing setup of the Green Bank Observatory’s 20-meter telescope enabled frequent, long-duration observations of eight pulsars, spanning two and a half years for a student-driven study carried out by students in the Pulsar Science Collaboratory program.
Double the Disks, Double the Discovery: New Insights into Planet Formation in DF Tau
Tucked away in a star-forming region in the Taurus constellation, a pair of circling stars are displaying some unexpected differences in the circumstellar disks of dust and gas that surround them. A new study led by researchers at Lowell Observatory, combining data from the Atacama Large Millimeter/submillimeter Array (ALMA) and Keck Observatory, has unveiled intriguing findings about planet formation in this binary star system, known as DF Tau, along with other systems in this region.