Martin Elvis - Home Page

Martin S. Elvis

Astrophysicist

Phone: +1 (617) 495-7442

Fax: +1 (617) 495-7356

Harvard-Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics
60 Garden St., Cambridge, Massachusetts 02138 USA.

Martin Elvis, with sketch of quasar structure (copyright: Smithsonian Institution. from SI Research Reports.)

Quasi.Stellae.In.Perpetuas.Aeternitates

Vita & Bibliography Brief Bio.

[Handy for colloquium introductions, prize committees :-) etc...]

Astro2010: Active Galaxies and Quasars, 2010-2020

Astrophysics Research

Students

Martin Elvis has supervised numerous students from many institutions. Students interested in working with Dr. Elvis should consult the CfA Predoc page, or send him an email (address below)

http://planet4589.org/sci/qed/med

A Structure for Quasars	Quasar Energy Distributions	21cm HI Map of the North Ecliptic Pole (NEP)

A model which combines all the main spectral features of AGN/quasars into a single structure. The structure is formed by an accretion disk wind. (Elvis M. 2000, Astrophysical Journal, 545, 63 (Dec 10) (astro-ph/0008064)) Quick Summary of Model	The Radio-Infrared-Optical-Ultraviolet-X-ray spectra (`Spectral Energy Distributions', SEDs) of quasars. ( Elvis M. B.J. Wilkes, J.C. McDowell R.F. Green, J.Bechtold, S.P. Willner, M.S. Oey, E. Polomski and R. Cutri, 1994, Ap J Supp., 95, 1.)	21cm HI Map of the North Ecliptic Pole (NEP). Digital version at the NCSA Astronomy Digital Image Library. Published in M. Elvis, F. J. Lockman, C. Fassnacht 1994 ApJS, 95, 413.
The Warm-Hot InterGalactic Medium Home of the 'Missing Baryons'

Nicastro et al. 2003, Nature 421, 719 (astro-ph/0208012)) Nicastro et al. 2005, Nature 433, 495 (astro-ph/0412378)) Commentary by M. Shull from Nature 'News and Views' `Physics Today' Search and Discovery commentary by Bertram Schwartzchild

Quasar Figures

Annotated Quasar Spectral Energy Distribution (pdf)

The radio to X-ray continuum shape of quasars (gif), (Elvis et al., 1994, ApJS, 1. Plotted in log nufnu vs log nu (nu=frequency) space. Solid line = radio-quiet; dashed line = radio-loud. More details.

A Quasar Primer

A brief guide to the many optical, ultraviolet and X-ray features in quasar/AGN spectra.

Quasar Scales (pdf)

The scales a quasar nucleus: locating the many spectral features. (gif image)

Reviews

Quasar Continuum Emission

G. Risaliti & M. Elvis 2004, astro-ph/0403618. 37 pages, 15 figures; 'Supermassive Black Holes in the Distant Universe' ed. A.J. Barger [Dordrecht:Kluwer]

Doubting the Torus

(PowerPoint) M. Elvis, 11 May 2005 talk at CfA.
Is there really a 'parsec-scale' donut in all AGNs?

Quasar Structure and Cosmological Feedback (Castel Gandolfo 2005, .ps)

Eclipses in AGNs

(PowerPoint, MIT 2008)

Missions

Generation-X: Active X-ray Optics (Orlando SPIE May 2006, .pdf)

Active X-ray Optics for the Next High Resolution X-ray Observatory (Soleil Workshop Dec 2006, .pdf) also in Powerpoint (Mac)

The Extreme Physics Explorer (SPIE paper, 2006, .pdf) Powerpoint presentation

Pharos: a High Resolution X-ray Spectroscopy Mission

The Thermal Limit as a Goal for X-ray Spectroscopy (2000)

Science Driven Arguments for a 10 sq.meter, 1 arcsecond X-ray Telescope (1996)

Constellation-X: A Wider Focal Plane? (Presented at GSFC/SAO August 2006, .pdf), also in Powerpoint

Constellation-X Options (Con-X FST 2004, .pdf)

Grazing Incidence Imaging from 10 to 40 keV (pdf)(1988, Applied Optics, 27, 1481)

Imaging Quasars with Interferometry (pdf) (2006 November, NOAO Interferometry Workshop, Tucson); also in Powerpoint

Astronomy is Moving. A compilation of astronomy sites with (little) movies of moving things in space. These are NOT simulations. [Propaganda for high spatial resolution.]

etc.

Handy Items

1 Megaton TNT = 2.977 * 10^(15)Joules ~ 3 * 10^(22)ergs.
(1g TNT = 700 calories = 2930.76 J, Encyclopedia Brittanica.)
Sun ~ 3 * 10^(33) erg/s = 10^(11) Megatons/sec.
Quasar ~ 3 * 10^(45) erg/s = 10^(23) Megatons/sec.

Optical Depth -----------------------------------------------------------------

last update: 3 April 2013