Virginia Institute of Theoretical Astronomy

Phil Arras

I am a theoretical astrophysicist and my work focuses on issues related to extrasolar planets, including cooling models of gas giants, hot Jupiter's magnetospheres and tidal interaction between planets and their host stars.

Ilse Cleeves

I am jointly appointed in the Department of Astronomy and Chemistry. My work has focused on bringing together and reconciling theoretical models of the chemistry of planet formation with observational constraints from ground and space based observatories. In addition to clues from the astronomical data, our group endeavors to connect all scales by incorporating our knowledge of the primitive solar nebula from the cometary and meteoritic record.

Shane Davis

I study theoretical and computational astrophysics and my work has frequently focused on radiation magnetohydrodynamic applications to accreting compact objects and feedback from star formation. Current research includes applications ranging from Lyman alpha radiation transfer in exoplanet atmospheres, cosmic ray and radiation magnetohydrodynamic driven galactic outflows, black hole accretion and outflows, and many other problems in high energy astrophysics.

Rob Garrod

I have a dual appointment in Astronomy and Chemistry.  My research focuses on computational simulations of chemical kinetics in interstellar clouds and star-forming regions - both in the gas-phase and on interstellar dust grains - and in icy bodies such as comets, and the satellites of Jupiter.

Satya Gontcho A Gontcho

As a physicist and astronomer who specializes in observational cosmology, I am interested in combining data from current and upcoming large scale astronomical surveys to better constrain cosmological parameters, test the Lambda-CDM cosmological model against alternatives, uncover the nature of dark energy, and learn more about fundamental physics.

Zhi-Yun Li

I am a theoretical astrophysicist working on star and planet formation, with a focus on magnetohydrodynamic (MHD) simulations of the dynamics of molecular clouds, star-forming cloud cores, planet-forming circumstellar disks, and associated jets and outflows. I am also actively involved in several ALMA and JWST observational projects. Additionally, I have worked on gamma-ray bursts (GRBs), relativistic jets in active galactic nuclei (AGNs), and hot Jupiter magnetospheres.

Shazrene Mohamed

My research focuses on 3D simulations of stellar interactions and explosions. Current projects include investigating how stars exchange mass, energy and momentum with each other and with their surroundings, both during their lives and their deaths; the formation of  aspherical outflows (e.g., bow shocks, bipolar and spiral outflows), interacting low- and high-mass binary systems (e.g., symbiotic binaries), stellar collisions, novae and supernovae. 

Jonathan Tan

I am a Professor of Astrophysics at the Dept. of Space, Earth & Environment, Chalmers Univ. of Technology, Gothenburg, Sweden. I am also a part-time Research Professor at the Dept. of Astronomy, Univ. of Virginia. My research focuses on theoretical models, including simulations, of the formation of galaxies, stars, planets and supermassive black holes.

Paul Torrey

I am a computational astrophysicist with a research focus on the formation and evolution of our cosmos. I study the origin and evolution of galaxies including the impact of star formation and associated feedback, the growth of supermassive black holes, and the underlying assumptions in our cosmological models including the nature of Dark Matter.

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Roger Chevalier studies supernovae and their interaction with their environment. He has worked on models for neutrino-cooled neutron star accretion in SN1987A. He also studies mechanisms for shock wave emission and instabilities.

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Craig Sarazin and his group study astrophysics of galaxy clusters. Their theoretical work includes central cooling flows in clusters and cluster mergers, and complements their work with data obtained from UV and X-ray observatories.

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Bill Saslaw studies gravitational clustering and the formation of large scale structure in the universe.

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Mojgan Aghakhanloo
 

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Soham Mandal