Zaven Arzoumanian
(Research AST, Fields and Particles)
| Email: | zaven.arzoumanian-1@nasa.gov |
| Phone: | 301.286.2547 |
| Org Code: | 662 |
| Address: |
NASA/GSFC Mail Code 662 Greenbelt, MD 20771 |
| Employer: |
Missions & Projects
Research Interests
X-ray Astrophysics and Instrumentation
High-energy and radio astronomy of neutron stars and black holes
Gravitation
Astronomical instrumentation
X-ray fluorescence and diffraction
Interferometry
Signal processing
Current Projects
NICER (Neutron Star Interior Composition Explorer) mission: Astrophysics from the International Space Station
Deputy Principal Investigator and Science Lead
X-ray and radio studies of neutron stars and associated phenomena
Structure and energetics of pulsars; binary systems, tests of relativity, and gravitational-wave studies. Founding member, North American Nanohertz Observatory for Gravitational Waves (NANOGrav)
X-ray technology development
- Modulated X-ray sources, for detector calibration, communication, material science, and medical applications
- X-ray optics, for astronomical telescopes
- X-ray fluorescence and diffraction instrumentation, for Earth and planetary exploration.
Positions/Employment
Research Astrophysicist
NASA GSFC - Greenbelt, MD
January 2017 - Present
Senior Research Scientist
USRA - NASA GSFC, Greenbelt, MD
September 2011 - January 2017
Director of Astronomy
USRA - Arecibo Observatory, Arecibo, PR
October 2011 - July 2012
Research Scientist
USRA - NASA GSFC, Greenbelt, MD
2004 - 2011
Research Associate
USRA - NASA GSFC, Greenbelt, MD
2001 - 2004
National Research Council Postdoctoral Fellow
NASA GSFC - Greenbelt, MD
1999 - 2001
Research Associate
Cornell University - Ithaca, NY
1994 - 1999
Education
1995 PhD (Physics) Princeton University
Thesis: "Radio Observations of Binary Pulsars: Clues to Binary Evolution and Tests of General Relativity".
Advisor: J. H. Taylor
1991 MA (Physics) Princeton University
1989 BSc (Physics, Highest Honours) McGill University
Other Professional Information
Patents
Gupta, R., Krull, W., Hecla, J., Cramer, A., Kenyon, S., Arzoumanian, Z. & Gendreau, K. C. 2021, Tomographic Imaging System, U.S. Patent #10,895,540
Gendreau, K. C., Arzoumanian, Z., Baker, R., Dobson, N. & Koenecke, R. 2016, Multiplexing X-ray Fluorescence System and Method, U.S. Patent #10,393,682
Sheikh, S. I., Hisamoto, C. & Arzoumanian, Z. 2015, Method and system for gamma-ray localization induced spacecraft navigation using celestial gamma-ray sources, U.S. Patent #9,140,556
Gendreau, K.C., Kenyon, S.J., Arzoumanian, Z., & Spartana, N. 2015, Miniaturized High-Speed Modulated X-ray Source, U.S. Patent #9,117,622
Gendreau, K.C., Arzoumanian, Z., & Martins, J.V., 2007, Instrument and Method for X-ray Diffraction, Fluorescence, and Crystal Texture Analysis Without Sample Preparation, U.S. Patent #7,796,726
Special Experience
Founding Director & past President, Wild Me Conservation, 501(c)(3) scientific charitable organization — www.wildme.org and www.sharkbook.ai, NASA technology transfer success story at http://spinoff.nasa.gov/Spinoff2009/er_1.html
Selected Publications
Refereed
2011. "Discovery of an Energetic Pulsar Associated with SNR G769+10.", Astrophysical Journal, 739 (1): 39 [10.1088/0004-637X/739/1/39] [Journal Article/Letter]
2008. "Chandra Confirmation of a Pulsar Wind Nebula in DA 495.", The Astrophysical Journal, 687 505 [Full Text] [10.1086/591654] [Journal Article/Letter]
2005. "An Astronomical Pattern-Matching Algorithm for Computer-Aided Identification of Whale Sharks.", Journal of Applied Ecology, 42 999 [Journal Article/Letter]
2004. "Measurement of Spin-Orbit Coupling in a Binary Pulsar System.", Physics Review Letters, 93 101 [Journal Article/Letter]
2004. "Laboratory Testbeds for Broadband X-ray Interferometry.", SPIE, 5488 623 [Journal Article/Letter]