Faculty in Astrophysics

Robert L. Byer
Professor of Applied Physics
Director, Hansen Experimental Physics Laboratory

Advanced laser concepts, diode pumped solid state lasers, nonlinear materials and devices, parametric oscillators. Applications include gravity wave interferometry, remote sensing, quantum optics, optical frequency synthesis.

Vahé Petrosian
Professor of Physics and Applied Physics

The research interests of Professor Petrosian have been in two broad areas of high energy astrophysics and cosmology. The former area includes studies of acceleration, transport and radiation of non-thermal particles, developed primarily for application to solar flares. This works has also found application in variety of other astrophysical sources including accretion disks, Gamma-ray bursts and Clusters of Galaxies. The work in cosmology is focused on evolution of galaxies and quasars (and AGNs in general), and in luminous arcs in clusters of galaxies (of which he is a co-discoverer) and gravitational lensing. Another interest has been in the area of statistical methods relevant to analysis of astronomical data. This work is carried out in collaboration with B. Efron of the Statistics Department at Stanford has been concentrated on development of new non-parametric methods for determination of distribution of astronomical sources from truncated data.

Peter A. Sturrock
Emeritus Professor of Applied Physics
Emeritus Professor of Physics by Courtesy
Member, Center for Space Science and Astrophysics, Kavli Institute for Physics and Cosmology

Plasma physics, solar physics, solar-terrestrial relations and high-energy astrophysics.