Welcome to Marshall's Physics and Astronomy Division

The Sciences

Gamma-Ray Astronomy studies at Marshall are conducted primarily with an instrument called the Burst and Transient Source Experiment. BATSE is a high energy astrophysics experiment in orbit around Earth on NASA's Compton Gamma-Ray Observatory. The primary objective of BATSE is to study the phenomenon of gamma-ray bursts, although the detectors also record data from pulsars, black holes, and other exotic astrophysical objects.

X-Ray Astronomy One of the primary activities of this group is to provide scientific and technical support for CXO (AXAF) Project Science. As part of that effort, the members of our group conduct research in various fields of X-ray astronomy, such as Balloon-Borne X-Ray Astronomy & Detector Development, Microwave-Interferometry of the Sunyaev-Zeldovich Effect, Theoretical X-Ray Spectroscopy, and Applied X-ray Optics

Cosmic Ray Astronomy includes planning and design of an advanced cosmic-ray composition experiment for the Space Station.

Space Plasma Physics Our principal objective is to develop an understanding of the physical processes that control the geospace plasma environment and its interaction with both natural and man-made bodies in space. Our unique emphases are on the plasma that originates in the ionosphere, and its heating in auroral light displays. The heating causes plasma to escape from Earth's gravity, producing a plasma fountain, which in turn has been found to supply plasma to the acceleration regions that generate disruptive space plasma storms. The basic physics of moving plasmas, and their interactions with bodies in space, provide the fundamental basis for our research.

Solar Physics studies involve the nature of solar flares, the coronal heating process, and sunspot cycles. Projects include the MSFC Vector Magnetograph, the Experimental Vector Magnetograph, the GOES Soft X-Ray Imager, the Yohkoh Mission, the Multi-Spectral Solar Telescope Array, the Ulysses Mission, the Solar and Heliospheric Observatory Mission (ESA/NASA)
The Global Oscillations Network Group (NSF/National Solar Observatory)
The ISAS/NASA Solar-B Mission and continued work on data from several completed projects.

Science@NASA - the latest science news from NASA.