MARTIN GASKELL
Martin Gaskell
Theory Group and Extragalactic Group
Contact
Information:
E-mail: martin.gaskell.astro@gmail.com Research
Interests
My main area of study is the theory and observations of the violent processes
going on around supermassive black holes in quasars and active galactic nuclei
(AGNs). These black holes have masses of up to 10 billion times the mass
of our sun, and include the most powerful, compact, steady-state energy sources
in the universe. The principle goals of my research are (a)
to understand what AGNs are like and just how they generate their tremendous
energy, and (b) to understand the cosmological evolution of
supermassive black holes and their co-relationships with their host
galaxies. This research involves things ranging from theoretical
calculations on computers to getting data from the Hubble Space
Telescope, a variety of X-ray satellites (such as Chandra, RXTE, and
Swift), and from all sorts of ground-based telescopes. One of
my long-term interests has been using the variability of the radiation
from AGNs to probe what is going on around the supermassive black holes, and in
doing this I work with many astronomers around the world. Other things
I have worked on in addition to supermassive black holes include supernova
explosions, stellar populations in normal galaxies, and astronomical
instrumentation. For
a non-technical description of some of my supermassive black hole research
click here. Education
B.S. - Edinburgh University, Scotland
M.S. & Ph.D. - University of California at Santa Cruz Recent
published and submitted papers (2009-2010): (present
or former student co-authors are followed by an asterisk) Gaskell, C. M. Off-Axis
Energy Generation in Active Galactic Nuclei: Explaining Broad-Line Profiles, Spectropolarimetric
Observations, and Velocity-Resolved Reverberation Mapping, submitted to Astrophysical
Journal. Gaskell, C. M. An Improved [O III]
Line Width to Stellar Velocity Dispersion Calibration: Curvature, Scatter, and
Lack of Evolution in the Black-Hole Mass Versus Stellar Velocity Dispersion
Relationship, submitted to Astrophys. J. Gaskell, C. M. & Goosmann, R. W. Line Shifts,
Broad-Line Region Inflow, and the Feeding of AGNs, submitted to Astrophys.
J. Gaskell, C. M., Klimek, E. S.*, and Nazarova, L. S.
NGC 5548: the AGN Energy
Budget Problem and the Geometry of the Broad-Line Region and Torus,
submitted to Astrophys. J. Gaskell, C. M. and Benker, A. J.* Reddening and
Ultraviolet Extinction Curves from Hubble Space Telescope Spectra,
submitted to Astrophys. J. Gaskell, C. M., Goosmann, R. W., Merkulova, N. I.,
Shakhovskoy, N. M., and Shoji, M.* Discovery of
Polarization Reverberation in NGC 4151 submitted to Astrophys. J. Gaskell, C. M. The origin of the relationship between
black hole mass and host galaxy bulge luminosity in The First Stars and
Galaxies: Challenges for the Next Decade, AIP Conf. Proc. 1294, 261
(2010). Gaskell, C. M. Accurate AGN Black
Hole Masses and the Scatter in the MBH-Lbulge Relationship, in Co-Evolution
of Central Black Holes and Galaxies, IAU Symp., 267, 203 (2010). Denney, K. D.*, . . . Brokofsky, D. J., . . .
Doroshenko, V. T., . . . Efimov, Y. S., . . . Gaskell, C. M., . . . Hedrick, C.
H.*, . . . Klimek, E. S.*, Kruse, A. K.*, . . . Petersen, E. A.*, . . .
Sergeev, S. G. . . . Watkins, A. E.*, et al. Reverberation Mapping
Measurements of Black Hole Masses in Six Local Seyfert Galaxies Astrophys.
J., 721, 7111 (2010). Gaskell, C. M. Close
supermassive binary black holes, Nature, 463, E1 (2010). Gaskell, C. M. What broad-line regions tell us about how
active galactic nuclei work (invited review) New Astron. Rev., 53, 140 (2009) Chatterjee, R.* , Marscher, A. P., . . . Benker A.
J.*, . . . Brokofsky, D. J.*, Campbell, J. S.*, Chonis, T. S.* , Gaskell, C.
M., . . . Hedrick, C. H.*, . . . Klimek, E. S.*, Kruse, A. K.*, Shoji, M.*,
Petersen, E. A.*, Peterson, B. W.* . . . Watkins, A. E.*, and Wheeler, K.* The Disk-Jet Connection in the Radio
Galaxy 3C 120, Astrophys. J.,
704, 1689 (2009). Denney, K. D.*, Peterson, B. M., . . . Brokofsky, D.
J.*, . . . Gaskell, C. M., Hedrick, C. H.*, . . . Klimek, E. S.*, Kruse, A.
K.*, . . . Petersen, E. A., . . . Watkins, A. E.*, et al., Diverse Broad Line Region Kinematic
Signatures From Reverberation Mapping, Astrophys. J. Letts., 704, L80 (2009). Denney, K. S.*, . . . Brokofsky, D. J.*, . . .
Gaskell, C. M., Hedrick, C. H.*, . . . Klimek, E. S.*, Kruse, A. K.*, . . .
Petersen, E. A.*, . . . Watkins, A. E.*, et al. A Revised Broad-Line Region Radius and
Black Hole Mass for the Narrow-Line Seyfert 1 NGC 4051, Astrophys. J., 702, 1353 (2009). Bochkarev, N. G. & Gaskell, C. M. The Accuracy
of Supermassive Black Hole Masses Determined by the Single-Epoch Spectrum
(Dibai) Method Astron. Letts. 35, 287 (2009) Breedt, E.*, Arevalo, P., McHardy, I. M., Uttley,
P., Sergeev, S. G., Minezaki, T., Yoshii,Y., Gaskell, C. M., Cackett, E., Horne,
K., & Koshida, S., Long-Term
Optical and X-ray Variability of the Seyfert Galaxy Markarian 79 Mon.
Not. Roy. Astron. Soc., 394,
427 (2009). For older publications and a more complete listing of recent
publications see: ADS Teaching
- Ast. 301 webpage Miscellaneous -
Fellow of Royal Astronomical Society (RAS). -
Member of Space and High Energy Astrophysics Commission (Commission 44)
of the International Astronomical Union (IAU). -
Member American Astronomical Society (AAS). -
Member High Energy Astrophysics Division (HEAD). -
Five-time finalist for Association of Students of the University of Nebraska
annual Outstanding Educator Award -
Nine-time recipient of University of Nebraska Teaching Council and Parents
Association Certificate of Recognition for Contributions to Students. -
Mortar Board Professor of the Month
(twice) -
Kappa Delta Educator of the Month -
Listed in Who's Who, Who's Who of American Men and Women of Science, and
Who's Who of American Educators NEW! YouTube videos! -
Performance
of "Fantasia for Viola and Orchestra" "O
Haupt voll Blut und Wunden"
"Pi Acres"
Suite (complete)
STOKES Monte Carlo Polarization Code
