Nigel Sharp
Tucson Nighttime Scientific Staff
Areas of Interest
Double Galaxies, Large Scale Structure, Emission-line Regions
Recent Research Results
Sharp showed last year that we could successfully derive the physical
conditions in emission-line regions using careful narrow-band imaging
(a project sparked by D. De Young). Most studies use spectroscopy,
which provides a more accurate measurement of densities, pressures and
temperatures, but makes it hard to study spatial variations.
Theoretical models produce spatial structure with some uncertainty
about the magnitudes of physical quantities. Imaging the way Sharp and
De Young have done it makes it possible to a) obtain data under less
than ideal sky conditions, b) compare with theoretical models in ways
more appropriate to those models, and c) use a smaller aperture
telescope.
Future Research Plans
Sharp will continue the study of emission regions using data already in
hand. The results of this analysis will show whether the work should
be expanded with further observations, or if the current success was
fortuitous. Sharp's double galaxy studies currently include an atlas
of mixed morphology pairs, almost in publication, as well as the
continuing dynamical analysis of variously defined subsets. The goal
is to compare and contrast current dynamical analysis techniques with
the hope of finding areas for improvement. These will continue. A
collaborative book project (with Bill Keel and Igor Karachentsev) has
been under discussion for some time: perhaps this will be the period
that sees progress. Sharp also plans to complete a study of the
internal dynamics of the active galaxy NGC 3310.
Service
Sharp's principal duties are in computer support. He is the system
manager and consultant for all NOAO computers running VMS or Digital
Unix (OSF/1), and for the subset of Sun workstations comprising the
Scientists' Workstation Network (running a mixture of SunOS4 and
Solaris operating systems). Responsibilities include the hardware, the
operating system software, and the user software, including installing,
upgrading, and consulting on use. This covers any software used by any
staff member. Sharp acts as co-Postmaster for the NOAO-wide e-mail
system. He also handles small programming projects for members of
staff and for system use (such as the film recorder and the video disk
recorders). Sharp provides image services for staff and projects, such
as the WIYN first light pictures used at the dedication, and some of
NOAO's World Wide Web pages. He works with NOAO's educational
activities, providing responses to public and professional requests
(text, pictures, or both, as required - sometimes even video), as well
as images for the Public Information Office collection, which are
available for purchase. He has also been working with the Visitor
Center docent program and the outreach advisory board of local
teachers.
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Posted: 06Dec1996