Some Scientific Results (...with students and colleagues)

Gravity Physics and Dynamics:

Our understanding of gravity is almost certainly incomplete -- astrophysical systems can teach us more about gravity

• - First demonstration of significant cosmic large-scale filamentary galaxy structure.
• - Developed astrophysical constraints on modified gravity theories.
• - Developed the theory of dynamic gravitational tides for explaining Dwarf Spheroidal galaxy observables.
• - Measured diffuse galaxy cluster light for detecting dynamical friction.
• - Measured galaxy cluster alignment and developed a dynamic tide model of the observed galaxy alignment.
• - Developed solar oscillation measurements for constraining cosmological gravitational background radiation and intermediate-scale gravity theories.

Physics of the Sun:

The Sun (more than any astrophysical object) affects life on Earth yet, despite its proximity, it's dark energy and dark matter are cosmic mysteries

• - Achieved most accurate measurements of the solar oblateness and limits on solar radius variability.
• - First measurement of the 1-2 micron infrared spectrum of the solar corona
• - Discovery of the 3.98 mcron SiIX coronal emission line.
• - First measurement of a coronal "magnetogram".
• - Discovery of Rossby waves on the Sun.
• - Discovery of the relationship between helioseismic and photometric variability during the solar cycle.
• - Discovery of H2 molecule dynamics on the structure of the cool solar photosphere.
• - Developed a "delayed oscillator model" to account for solar activity phase stability.

Circumstellar Environment:

Tools we developed for the circumsolar environment are being applied to learn about nearby stellar environments

• - First high-sensitivity dual-beam polarimetric circumstellar disk detection
• - Discovered the low-temperature diffuse neutral helium halo in the solar corona.
• - Discovered and explained "absorptive linear polarization" in circumstellar absorption lines.
• - Demonstrated a theory for optical-pumping-circumstellar-imaging in imbedded stellar environments.

Exo-biology:

We're on the verge of applying astrophysical tools to answer existential questions

• - Developed remote sensing algorithms for detecting advanced exo-life
• - Developed optical concepts for exoplanet optical biomarker detection