Infrared Astronomical Satellite (IRAS) Scientific Data Analysis System

The Jet Propulsion Laboratory's Scientific Data Analysis System will process Infrared Astronomical Satellite data and produce a catalog of perhaps a million infrared sources in the sky, as well as other vital information for astronomical research

Research in planetary Astronomy

The focus was on the study, via near infrared observations, of the outer planets and their satellites. In the last year, these observations have emphasized imaging observations using the Cassegrain infrared camera at the f/70 focus of the 200 inch Hale telescope

Research at Palomar Observatory in planetary astronomy

A wide range of observational studies are carried out to improve our understanding of the bodies of the outer solar system. Using the 200-inch Hale telescope, near-infrared observations are made of Uranus, Neptune, and the Pluto-Charon system. High time resolution occultation observations of the Uranus Ring system are used to study in detail the dynamics of this system. Occultation studies of Neptune are probing this intriguing ring-arc system. Occulation observations of the Pluto-Charon system probe the surface properties of these distant bodies. In addition, the plate material of the PSSII servey is being used to search for new comets and asteroids. Researchers observed one Neptune stellar occultation in July 1987 and completed the analysis of a series of seven separate Neptune occultation observations in conjunction with Nicholson et al., of Cornell. The analysis has shown that minimum of three ring arcs, at radii ranging from 54,000 km - 67,000 km are required to account for the high quality ring events. Current theoretical models can account for these data. Of two observations scheduled of Pluto-Charon mutual occulations scheduled for the 200-inch, the Charon eclipse event was successfully observed (the other was clouded out)

High Resolution WFPC2 Imaging of IRAS 09104+4109

With a infrared luminosity of nearly 10^13 Lsuns, IRAS 09104+4109 is the most luminous galaxy with z<0.5 in the IRAS All Sky Survey. A radio-loud Seyfert 2 type optical spectrum, a cD host galaxy in a rich cluster, and a massive cooling flow make IRAS 09104+4109 unique among ultraluminous infrared galaxies. Cannibalized cluster members and the cooling intercluster medium may contribute both the fuel and the dust needed to re-radiate the power of IRAS 09104+4109 into the far-infrared. We have imaged IRAS 09104+4109 in the WFPC2 F622W, F814W, and FR680N filters on the HST to obtain rest frame 4300A, 5700A, and [OIII] emission line images on sub-kpc scales. IRAS 09104+4109 displays a complex morphology on the smallest scales, with radiating filaments, an asymmetric [OIII] nebula, and a number of very faint, irregular blue objects surrounding the cD galaxy. We discuss the nature and possible interplay between the enshrouded QSO nucleus, the cD host galaxy and the irregular cluster.Comment: LaTex, 6 pages with 2 postscript and 1 jpg figure. To appear in the proc. of the Ringberg workshop "Ultraluminous Galaxies: Monsters or Babies" (Ringberg castle, Sept. 1998), Ap&SS, in pres

Gerry Neugebauer: Pioneer of infrared astronomy

Sometime near the end of 2018, National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) will launch the James Webb Space Telescope (JWST). This “mega” space infrared observatory builds on decades of extremely successful space infrared astronomy missions and infrared instruments for ground-based telescopes that have provided new insights into an otherwise hidden universe. None of this would have been possible if not for the groundbreaking efforts of the handful of physicists who created the field of infrared astronomy and convinced the astronomical community of its promise. Standing as the leader of this pioneering group was Gerry Neugebauer (1932–2014)

Gerry Neugebauer - 1932–2014

Gerry Neugebauer was one of a small band of experimental physicists who used their perspectives to create a new discipline within astrophysics. Together they founded what is now known as infrared astronomy. Gerry’s commitment to innovative instruments and sky surveys exploring the unknown universe was matched by his commitment to the highest quality of published and archived data, which were vital to the creation of a dominant discipline in modern observational astrophysics. His discovery of many new kinds of celestial objects and phenomena, studies of which have remained vibrant subfields of astrophysics to this day, brought many others into the field that he helped invent. Neugebauer did his undergraduate study at Cornell University and earned a Ph.D. from the California Institute of Technology (Caltech). After receiving his doctorate, he spent two years at the Jet Propulsion Laboratory in performance of his military obligation as a reserve officer, working on the Mariner 2 Spacecraft project. He then joined the Caltech faculty and remained there in successively higher positions, eventually becoming chairman of the Division of Physics, Mathematics and Astronomy, as well as director of the Palomar Observatory

Near Infrared Observations of a Redshift 5.34 Galaxy: Further Evidence for Dust Absorption in the Early Universe

Imaging at 1.25 and 2.20 microns has been obtained of the field containing the galaxy (RD1) found at redshift 5.34 by Dey et al.(1998). This galaxy has been detected at 1.25 microns, while the lower redshift (z=4.02) galaxy also found in the same field by Dey et al. was detected at both 1.25 and 2.20 microns. Comparison to stellar population synthesis models indicates that if RD1 is a young ( 0.5 mag) is indicated. Combined with observations of other high redshift systems, these data show that dust is likely to be an important component of young galaxies even at redshifts of z > 5. The extinction-corrected monochromatic luminosity of RD1 at 1500 angstroms is then a factor of about three larger than L(1500)* as determined by Dickinson (1998) for z ~ 3 starburst galaxies. The implied star formation rate in RD1, corrected for extinction, is ~ 50-100 solar masses per year.Comment: plain LaTex with 1 postscript figure. ApJ Letters, accepte

Infrared Astronomy

Several observational programs in infrared astronomy are described and significant findings are briefly discussed. The near infrared work concentrates largely on the use of the 5 m Hale telescope in spectroscopic and photometric studies of extragalactic sources. Observations of the P alpha line profile in a low redshift quasar, X-ray bursters, reflection nebula, and cataclysmic variables are included. Millimeter continuum observations of dust emission from quasars and galactic molecular clouds are also discussed. Finally, improvements to instrumentation are reported

Infrared properties of serendipitous X-ray quasars

Near infrared measurements were obtained of 30 quasars originally found serendipitously as X-ray sources in fields of other objects. The observations show that the infrared characteristics of these quasars do not differ significantly from those of quasars selected by other criteria. Because this X-ray selected sample is subject to different selection biases than previous radio and optical surveys, this conclusion is useful in validating previous inferences regarding the infrared colors of 'typical' quasars

Infrared astronomy research and high altitude observations

Highlights are presented of studies of the emission mechanisms in the 4 to 8 micron region of the spectrum using a circular variable filter wheel spectrometer with a PbSnTe photovoltaic detector. Investigations covered include the spectroscopy of planets, stellar atmospheres, highly obscured objects in molecular clouds, planetary nebulae, H2 regions, and extragalactic objects