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Dr. Emmanuel Momjian
National Radio Astronomy Observatory 1003 Lopezville Rd. P. O. Box O Socorro, NM 87801 USA |
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I am a scientist/astronomer at the National Radio Astronomy Observatory (NRAO) working primarily on the Expanded Very Large Array (EVLA) project. When completed, the EVLA will be the world's best radio telescope and most sensitive interferometer operating between 1 and 50 GHz. Before joining NRAO, I was an astronomer at the world's largest single dish radio telescope: The 305-m (1000 ft) Arecibo Radio Telescope of the National Astronomy and Ionosphere Center (NAIC).
My research is focused on high angular resolution radio observations of extragalactic objects known as LIRGs (Luminous Infrared Galaxies) and ULIRGs (Ultra Luminous Infrared Galaxies), to study both the structure and the kinematics of the central regions in these galaxies. This research includes imaging of these galaxies in radio continuum, in HI 21 cm absorption, as well as OH 18 cm megamaser emission.
For this research, and in order to study the nuclear active regions of these galaxies at very high spatial resolution, I mainly use the Very Long Baseline Array (VLBA) of the NRAO. However, the radio emission from these IR galaxies is very weak. So, in order to have successful observations, the Very Large Array (VLA) of the NRAO, with its twenty seven 25-meter antennas, participates in these sensitivity limited observations. In some of these observations, the giant 305-meter Arecibo radio telescope of the NAIC is used along with both the VLBA and the VLA. Click here to visit the VLBI page of the Arecibo Observatory
I am also actively involved in sensitive VLBI imaging of the radio continuum from very high redshift quasars, both radio-loud and radio-quiet. These quasars are believed to be near the epoch of re-ionization (i.e. when the universe was very young and when the first stars and galaxies were starting to form).
I also continue to be involved in the various ALFA (Arecibo L-Band Feed Array) surveys that target extragalactic sources. These surveys are ALFALFA (The Arecibo Legacy Fast ALFA Survey), AGES (Arecibo Galaxy Environment Study), AUDS (ALFA Ultra Deep Survey), and ZOA (Zone of Avoidance). These are all extragalactic HI surveys that make-up the E-ALFA consortium. I am also a member of the GALFACTS (GALFA Continuum Transit Survey), which is a spectro-polarimetric survey that targets both galactic and extragalactic sources.
My CV (pdf or ps version)
Check out some of my pictures (New pictures from Puerto Rico, Hawaii, and Australia, uploaded on June. 25, 2007)
Astronomy and Astrophysics Links: (select one from the menu)