Ever wondered about the Sun, and how it affects out lives?

Ever wanted to do astrophysics during the daytime?

If you would like to pursue a Phd in solar astrophysics, please contact Dr McAteer directly at the email or phone number above. There are multiple projects available for study, including data from the new Solar Dynamics Observatory and the STEREO spacecraft. The primary research will be in topic of your choice (see the three main areas below). It is expected that a student will undergo a lot of travel within USA (including Hawaii) and abroad (including Ireland and UK) during their time at NMSU. There are also opportunities in receiving training in advanced image processing, scientific reading, scientific writing, website design, large database management and scientific instrument design

More details on projects and funding are available on the Daytime Astronomer website.

Dr McAteer Bio

Dr McAteer is an assistant professor in the solar research group at New Mexico State University, Prior to this he held fellowships at Trinity College Dublin (where he remains an adjunct lecturer), NASA (where he remains a team member for the Solar Dynamics Observatory and STEREO spacecraft) and Queen's University Belfast (where he remain a visiting scholar). He is a Co-Investigator on the ROSA instrument based at the National Solar Observatory, the Rosse Observatory in Ireland, the Solar Orbiter mission and the Solarmonitor project.

If you would like Dr McAteer to talk to your school class of community group, please contact him at the phone number or email above. Dr McAteer has developed a Wrath of Ra interactive talk which he has presented to elementary school, high schools, and amateur astronomy groups around the world. More details are available on my Outreach page

Research

Dr. McAteer's research covers the entire breadth of solar physics: from his PhD work on the dynamics of the quiet Sun; to studying active region magnetic fields and solar flares; and including the initiation and propagation of coronal mass ejections (CMEs). He uses spectroscopy, imaging, and detailed modeling to analyze data across a vast array of temporal, size and energy scales.

His current research interests can be divided into three broad areas:

(1) Fundamental solar physics , including observational evidence for magnetohydrodynamical (MHD) processes such as waves and magnetic reconnection. Studies of the chromosphere and corona of the Sun and other stars, and inferring plasma properties.

(2) Advancement of solar physics research through the design of high-cadence imaging and high-resolution spectroscopy instruments. Design of new high performance computing and advanced signal processing techniques in interpretation of existing and expected data (from both ground- and space-based instrumentation.

(3) The Sun-Earth connection, including the effects of space weather throughout the solar system, predicting the onset of solar flares, and tracking coronal mass ejections. This includes studies of the magnetic complexity of active regions and searches for signatures of imminent solar flares, general studies of complexity and turbulence in science, and design of risk management performance measures for space weather predictions. This also includes studies of the solar cycle, and the effects on the Earth and the viability of life.

Current Students

Dr. McAteer is working with fourth-year graduate student Greg Taylor on an adaptive optics system for solar physics, and fourth-year graduate student Michael Kirk on solar flare brightenings.
He is leading the SDO oscillations detetction program with student Brandon Calabroa, research in coronal loop detection and sesismology with student Alexander Petvsov., and rapidly growing, flare-producing active regions with Fernando Delgado.
He also is science supervisor for Engineering Masters studeent Amani Al-Ghraibah on automated active region feature detecion, and Meghala Valluri on coronal hole detection
Dr McAteer is also co-supervising two PhD students, Eoin Carley and Pietro Zucca, at Trinity College Dublin on solar radio astrophysics, and coronal mass ejections.

Previous Students

Teaching

During Fall 2011, Dr. McAteer will be teaching teaching ASTR301V: Revolutionary Ideas in Science, and leading the graduate seminar (ASTR500).

Public Outreach

Publications

A full and up-to-date publication list can be obtained via NASA ADS
Selected Publications below...

Propagation of an Earth-Directed Coronal Mass Ejection in Three Dimensions
Bryne, J.P., Maloney, S., McAteer, R.T.J, Refojo, J., Gallagher, P.T., 2010, Nature Communications, 1, doi:10.1038/ncomms107
Associated articles from NASA , Science , and and NPR

Automated Active Region Characterization, Tracking, and Cataloging
Higgins, P.A., Gallagher, P.T., McAteer, R.T.J.
Adv. Space Res., 2010, doi:10.1016/j.asr.2010.06.024

Quantifying the Evolving Magnetic Structure of Active Regions
Conlon, P.A., McAteer, R.T.J., Gallagher, P.T., Fennell, L.
2010, Astrophysical Journal, 722, 577

Automated Detection of Coronal Loops using a Wavelet Transform Modulus Maxima Method
R. T. J. McAteer, P. Kestener, A. Arneodo, & A. Khalil
2009, Solar Physics Topical Issue, 262, 387.

Turbulence, Complexity, and Solar Flares
R. T. J. McAteer, P. T. Gallagher, & P. A. Conlon 2010,
Advances in Space Research, 45, 1067.

The Bursty Nature of Solar Flare X-Ray Emission
R. T. J. McAteer, C. A. young, J. Ireland, & P. T. Gallagher
2007, ApJ, 662, 691.

Twisting Flux Tubes as a Cause of Micro-flaring Activity
D. B. Jess, R. T. J. McAteer, M. Mathioudakis, F. P. Keenan, A. Andic, & D. S. Bloomfield
2007, A&A, 476, 971.

The Influence of Magnetic Field on Oscillations in the Solar Chromosphere
D. S. Bloomfield, R. T. J. McAteer, M. Mathioudakis, & F. P. Keenan
2006, ApJ, 652, 812.

Statistics of Active Region Complexity: A Large-Scale Fractal Dimension Survey
R. T. J. McAteer , P. T. Gallagher, & J. Ireland
2005, ApJ, 631, 628.