Nancy S. Brickhouse

Associate Director
Solar, Stellar, and Planetary Sciences Division
Harvard-Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics MS 15
Cambridge, MA 02138

617-495-7438
617-495-7049 (Fax)

Table of Contents

Biographical Information

 Current Positions:

Associate Director, Solar, Stellar, and Planetary Sciences Division, Harvard-Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics

Astrophysicist, Chandra X-ray Center, Smithsonian Astrophysical Observatory

Education:

Ph.D., Physics, University of Wisconsin-Madison (1984)
Thesis: Experimental Study of Impurity Production in the Tokapole II Tokamak

B.S., Physics, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill (1977)

Research Interests
  • Solar and Stellar Coronal Physics
  • Plasma Spectral Modeling
  • Atomic Data for Astrophysics
  • UV to X-ray Spectroscopy of Diverse Objects: from the Solar Corona to Cataclysmic Variables to Active Galactic Nuclei
  • Physical Processes in Astrophysical Plasmas

    The ATOMDB Project: Astrophysical Plasma Emission Code (APEC) and Database (APED)

    The ATOMDB Project is a collaboration with Priya Desai, Ronnie Hoogerwerf, Duane Liedahl, John Raymond, and Randall Smith. We have created a database (Astrophysical Plasma Emission Database) consisting of collisional and radiative atomic data needed for high energy astrophysics. We are also developing models for plasma spectroscopy (the Astrophysical Plasma Emission Code), particularly for collisionally ionized plamsas.

    With a growing interest in the International Virtual Observatory and the atomic and molecular data needs for astronomy, we are interested in developing standards and formats for such data. A publicly available, standardized database, with uncertainty estimates on the data values and as assessment of completeness, would allow the astronomy community to focus on the astrophysics, rather than on the atomic physics. Small steps toward understanding how to develop a global database include our interactive web-based tool WebGUIDE for X-ray line identification. Also, we have recently expanded our database to address problems of winds in AGN, through the PHASE (Photoionization and Absorption Spectral Engine) code, in collaboration with Yair Krongold, Fabrizio Nicastro, and Martin Elvis. This work has forced us to generalize our formats, add new kinds of atomic data, and think about tools to maintain the database while increasing its utility.

    The Emission Line Project

     In order to ensure that the atomic data in the ATOMDB are accurate and complete, we conduct numerous benchmarking tests. We directly compare various theoretical calculations, when possible, to get some idea of the accuracy one can expect from different methods and codes. Laboratory measurements provide the crucial tests of theory, but are only feasible for a limited number of cross sections and line ratios, and must be prioritized for the most important diagnostics. Ultimately, the astrophysical observations themselves probably provide the best test of completeness, and often also give hints when diagnostics might not be accurate. The Emission Line Project is our collaboration's effort to test the models against the brightest stellar coronal sources, Capella, HR 1099, and Procyon. Jeremy Drake is co-leader on this project with me.

    Selected Publications

     Warm Absorbers in Active Galactic Nuclei are Compact, Thin, Conical Accretion-Disk Winds Possibly Playing an Important Role in the IGM-Galaxy Feedback Processes,
    Krongold, Y., Nicastro, F., Elvis, M., Brickhouse, N., Binette, L., Mathur, S., and Jimenez-Bailon, E. 2006, Astrophysical Journal, submitted

    The 3C/3D Line Ratio in Ni XIX: New AbInitio Theory and Experimental Results ,
    Chen, G. X., Kirby, K., Silver, E., Brickhouse, N. S., Gillaspy, J. D., Tan, J. N., Pomeroy, J. M., Laming, J. M. 2006, Physical Review Letters 97, 3201 ADS

    Fully relativistic R -matrix calculation of electron impact excitation of NeIX ,
    Chen, G. X., Smith, R. K., Kirby, K., Brickhouse, N. S., Wargelin, B. J. 2006, Physical Review A 74, 2709 ADS

    Soft X-Ray Emission Lines of Fe XV in Solar Flare Observations and the Chandra Spectrum of Capella ,
    Keenan, F. P., Drake, J. J., Chung, S., Brickhouse, N. S., Aggarwal, K. M., Msezane, A. Z., Ryans, R. S. I., Bloomfield, D. S. 2006, Astrophysical Journal 645, 597 ADS

    Accretion Column Structure of Magnetic Cataclysmic Variables from X-Ray Spectroscopy ,
    Hoogerwerf, R., Brickhouse, N. S., Mauche, C. W. 2006 643, L45 ADS

    Dirac R -matrix calculation of electron-impact excitation of NiXIX ,
    Chen, G. X., Kirby, K., Brickhouse, N. S. 2006, Physical Review A 73, 2708 ADS

    The Transparency of Solar Coronal Active Regions,
    Brickhouse, N. S., and Schmelz, J. T. 2006, Astrophysical Journal, 636, L53 ADS

    A Hot Wind from the Classical T Tauri Stars: TW Hydrae and T Tauri,
    Dupree, A. K., Brickhouse, N. S., Smith, G. H., and Strader, J. 2005, Astrophysical Journal, 625, L131 ADS

    An Assessment of the Fe~XVIII and Fe~XIX Line Ratios from the Chandra Grating Observations of Capella,
    Desai, P., Brickhouse, N. S., Drake, J. J., Dupree, A. K., Edgar, R. J., Hoogerwerf, R., Kashyap, V., Smith, R. K., Wargelin, B. J., Huenemoerder, D. P., and Liedahl, D. A. 2005, Astrophysical Journal, 625, L59 ADS

    X-Ray Light Curves and Accretion Disk Structure of EX Hydrae with Chandra,
    Hoogerwerf, R., Brickhouse, N. S., and Mauche, C. W. 2005, Astrophysical Journal, 622, 842, ADS

    Opacity Variations in the Ionized Absorption in NGC 3783: A Compact Absorber,
    Krongold, Y., Nicatro, F., Brickhouse, N. S., Elvis, M., and Mathur, S. 2005, Astrophysical Journal, 622, 842, ADS

    Inferring Coronal Structure from X-Ray Light Curves and Doppler Shifts: A Chandra Study of AB Doradus,
    Hussain, G. A. J., Brickhouse, N. S., Dupree, A. K., Jardine, M. M., van Ballegooijen, A. A., Hoogerwerf, R., Collier Cameron, A., Donati, J.-F., and Favata, F. 2005, Astrophysical Journal, 621, 999 ADS

    The Ionized Nuclear Environment in NGC 985 as seen by Chandra and BeppoSAX,
    Krongold, Y., Nicastro, F., Elvis, M., Brickhouse, N. S., Mathur, S., and Zezas, A. 2005, Astrophysical Journal, 620, 165 ADS

    The Radial Velocity and Mass of the White Dwarf of EX Hydrae Measured with Chandra,
    Hoogerwerf, R., Brickhouse, N. S., and Mauche, C. W. 2004, Astrophysical Journal, 610, 411 ADS

    Modeling the Ne IX Triplet Spectral Region of Capella with the Chandra and XMM-Newton Gratings,
    Ness, J.-U., Brickhouse, N. S., Drake, J. J., and Huenemoerder, D. P. 2003, Astrophysical Journal, 598, 1277 ADS

    Toward a Self-Consistent Model of the Ionized Absorber in NGC 3783,
    Krongold, Y., Nicastro, F., Brickhouse, N. S., Elvis, M., Liedahl, D. A., and Mathur, S. 2003, Astrophysical Journal, 597, 832 ADS

    The Structure of Stellar Coronae in Active Binary Systems,
    Sanz-Forcada, J., Brickhouse, N. S., and Dupree, A. K. 2003, Astrophysical Journal Supplement, 145, 147 ADS

    X-Ray Doppler Imaging of 44i Bootis with Chandra, Brickhouse, N. S.,
    Dupree, A. K., and Young, P. R. 2001, Astrophysical Journal, 562, L75 ADS

    Collisional Plasma Models with APEC/APED: Emission-Line Diagnostics of Hydrogen-like and Helium-like Ions,
    Smith, R. K., Brickhouse, N. S., Liedahl, D. A., and Raymond, J. C. 2001, Astrophysical Journal, 556, L91 ADS

    Enhanced Noble Gases in the Coronae of Active Stars,
    Drake, J. J., Brickhouse, N. S., Kashyap, V., Laming, J. M., Huenemoerder, D. P., Smith, R., and Wargelin, B. J. 2001, Astrophysical Journal, 548, L81 ADS

    Emission-Line Intensity Ratios in Fe XVII Observed with a Microsclorimeter on an Electron Beam Ion Trap,
    Laming, J. M. et al. 2000, Astrophysical Journal, 545, L161 ADS

    Coronal Structure and Abundances of Capella from Simultaneous EUVE and ASCA Spectroscopy,
    Brickhouse, N. S., Dupree, A. K., Edgar, R. J., Liedahl, D. A., Drake, S. A., White, N. E., and Singh, K. P. 2000, Astrophysical Journal, 530, 387 ADS

    Extreme Ultraviolet Explorer Observations of the W Ursa Majoris Contact Binary 44i Bootis: Coronal Structure and Variability,
    Brickhouse, N. S., and Dupree, A. K. 1998, Astrophyscial Journal, 502, 918 ADS

    New Model of Iron Spectra in the Extreme Ultraviolet and Application to SERTS and EUVE Observations: A Solar Active Region and Capella,
    Brickhouse, N. S., Raymond, J. C., and Smith, B. W. 1995, Astrophysical Journal Supplement, 97, 551 ADS