Abstract:
Have you ever wondered what's happening in the depths of space? The universe is like a giant science lab, where we can uncover the mysteries of our cosmic origins and of physical phenomena like general relativity. The main way we do this is by studying light from distant stars and galaxies. But not just any light-our team uses X-ray light! This high-energy light lets us peek into the hottest and most extreme environments, like those swirling around black holes. In this talk, we will highlight space-based X-ray observatories, like the X-ray Imaging and Spectroscopy Mission (XRISM), their design, and how they help us unlock the secrets of the universe.
Bios:
Megan Eckart received an B. A. in Physics and an B. A. in Astrophysics from the Univeristy of Califronia, Berkeley and a Ph. D. in Physics from Caltech. She works on research and space-flight projects within the Astrophysics and Advanced Diagnostics group at LLNL. Megan also serves as the Director of LLNL's Space Science Institute, an organization that covers the astronomy and planetary science efforts at the Lab.
Natalie Hell received a B. S., M. S., and Ph. D. in Physics from the Friedrich Alexander Universitat Erlangen-Nurnberg, Germany. She is currently a staff scientist in the Astrophysics and Advanced Diagnostics group. Her research focuses on studying atomic physics in the laboratory using an electron beam ion trap, with an application in the interpretation of X-ray emission from astrophysical and fusion plasmas. She also studies high-mass X-ray binaries - binary star systems consisting of a massive star and a black hole or neutron star - with X-ray space telescopes.
Stan Hitomi received a B. S. in Biology from the University of California, Berkeley and a Masters in Athletic Administration from St. Mary's College. He retired in 2020 after 31 years as a teacher, principal and district administrator for the San Ramon Valley Unified School District. He is a Carnegie Scholar, served on the Community Advisory Panel for Station KQED, co-chair for the Teaching and California's Future Task Force, and founding chair for the California Teacher Advisory Council. Stan has served at LLNL as an intern, faculty scholar, and former Director of the Edward Teller Education Center.