Richard Green
Tucson Nighttime Scientific Staff
Areas of Interest
Active Galactic Nuclei, Quasar Absorption Line Systems, Galaxy Nuclear
Dynamics
Recent Research Results
Near-UV echelle data from the 4-meter have been acquired for studying
metal-line and Lyman alpha absorption systems observed in lines of
sight to distant quasars. Recent analysis of spectra of the quasars MC3
1331+170 and B2 1225+317 by York, Green and their collaborators shows
that the pattern of abundances of the chemical elements can be used to
model the star formation history of the absorbers. Some differences
are seen when compared to the fossil record of abundances in the oldest
stars in the Galaxy. Osmer, Hall, Liu and Green are pursuing a
multi-color survey of about a square degree of sky at high galactic
latitudes, that is complete to near 23rd magnitude in V. Recent papers
address the evolution of the quasar and Seyfert galaxy luminosity
functions. The low surface density of high-redshift objects confirms
earlier work that there was a "quasar epoch" around z=2 prior to which
the density of observable objects was significantly lower. In addition,
Liu's thesis supervised by Green will address the frequency of star
formation episodes through the incidence of E+A galaxies and the
evolution of star-formation rate in galaxies, based on a
color-selected sample from the same imaging database. Green's
participation in the Hubble Space Telescope Medium Deep Survey Key
Project has led to papers by thesis student V. Sarajedini and team
collaborators on the incidence of stellar nuclei in faint field
galaxies. The goal is to define the evolution of the faint end of the
Seyfert nucleus luminosity function.
Future Research Plans
During the next Agreement period, Green will concentrate on research
related to two NASA orbital instruments, for which he has served for
more than ten years on the instrument definition teams. The first
program is based on data from STIS, the Space Telescope Imaging
Spectrograph, currently scheduled for deployment in February, 1997.
Green leads the GTO team's internal key project on galaxy nuclear
dynamics. The goal will be to analyze spectra with high spatial
resolution to determine the demographics of Black Holes in the nuclei
of ellipticals and other non-active galaxies. The next program is that
of FUSE, the Far Ultraviolet Spectroscopic Explorer satellite. The
team's goal is to measure the primordial deuterium to hydrogen ratio as
a diagnostic of physical conditions in the nucleosynthesis phase of the
Hot Big Bang. Since deuterium is easily destroyed in stellar fusion
reactions, we must extrapolate the D/H ratio as a function of
metallicity of absorbing gas, which reflects the degree of modification
of primordial abundances by stellar processing.
Service
Responsibilities as Deputy Director:
- Ability to back up NOAO Director
- Example: Tasks as Acting Director in November 1995
- NSF ACAST meeting - attendance as observer for NOAO issues
- Initiation of planning for risk of reduced FY 1996 budget, including KPNO
- AURA Solar Subcommittee Meeting follow-up
- Meetings with AURA Management during Gemini Board visit
- Funds management during government shutdown
- PR and observer alert for impact of failure of KPNO 4-m dome shutter
- Planning for Observatories Visiting Committee visit to CTIO
- Work with AURA Executive Committee on revisions to Restructuring Proposal
- Management of Nighttime Instrumentation Program for CTIO/KPNO
- Chair of Instrument Projects Advisory Committee - priority planning and resource management
group composed of scientific staff from both sites
- Frequent interaction with engineering group managers and project scientists
- Enforcement of schedule and budget requirements on projects
- Management interface to international Gemini Project in support of
USGP for Gemini IR instrumentation program (arrays, controllers,
spectrograph) being carried out at NOAO
- Development of collaborative partnerships for new telescopes and
instruments
- Concluded MOU with L&F Industries and Hughes Danbury
Optical Systems for production of commercial 2.4-meter telescope line
- Management negotiation with Ohio State University for production of
shared IR imager and spectrograph for KPNO
- Representative of NOAO for Brazilian national review of SOAR Project
- NOAO Administrative WIYN Board Member
- NOAO interface for Edgar O. Smith Telescope Observatory development on Kitt Peak
- Supervision of NOAO/Tucson nighttime postdocs (both NSF and grant-supported)
- Performance Reviews
- Critique of job applications
- Selection of new hires
Go to: [ NOAO Scientific Staff ]
[ NOAO ]
[ CTIO ]
[ KPNO ]
[ NSO ]
[ USGP ]
NOAO is operated by the Association of U
niversities for Research in Astronomy
(AURA), Inc. under cooperative agreement with the
National Science Foundation
Posted: 06Dec1996