Fundamental questions confronting observational cosmology lie at the heart of my research interests.
- When was the main epoch of galaxy cluster formation?
- How rapidly do clusters evolve, and what are the resulting constraints on cosmological parameters?
- How prevalent are fossil groups and where do they fit into the evolutionary sequence of galaxy groups and the formation history of massive elliptical galaxies?
- What are the defining properties of the filamentary network of structure surrounding clusters?
- When, where and how are galaxies transformed during the transition from the field to the cluster environment along these filamentary conduits?
I am pursuing answers to these challenging questions, primarily targeting massive galaxy clusters and their immediate surroundings.
Current & recent projects include:
- 160 Square Degree ROSAT Survey
[cluster catalog]- Clusters in the Zone of Avoidance
[cluster catalog]- ROSAT North Ecliptic Pole Survey
[AGN/cluster/source catalog]
[PhD dissertation]- Southern Cluster Survey
Recent results:
Spatial Correlation Function of X-ray Selected AGN
XMM Observations of CIZA J1324.7-5736
Chandra
X-ray image + optical image of NEP
J1716.6+1708,
a galaxy cluster (z=0.81) discovered in the ROSAT
NEP Survey
(click here for a better
view)
For a gentle
introduction to the basic aspects of this research, please see the background
information and these photographs.