Christopher C Stark
(Rsch AST, Stlr Galctic&Xtrgltc Astr)
| Email: | christopher.c.stark@nasa.gov |
| Phone: | 301.286.8375 |
| Org Code: | 667 |
| Address: |
NASA/GSFC Mail Code 667 Greenbelt, MD 20771 |
| Employer: |
Missions & Projects
Brief Bio
2024 – present: Exoplanet Theme Lead for the Habitable Worlds Observatory
2023 – 2024: Deputy Observatory Project Scientist for the James Webb Space Telescope
2021 – 2023: Deputy Integration, Test, and Commissioning Project Scientist for the James Webb Space Telescope
2020 – 2021: Large Strategic Mission Scientist
Research Interests
Future Mission Planning
Future mission planning for high contrast imaging of exoplanets. Includes coronagraph simulation, astrophysical scene simulation, exoplanet yield modeling, and survey simulation.
High contrast imaging of exoplanets and debris disks
Observation of debris disks and exoplanets using HST and JWST, data reduction and analysis
Debris disk modeling
Modeling disk dynamics, structures, and composition
Current Projects
Determining the Astrophysical Noise Floor of the Habitable Worlds Observatory’s Coronagraphs
ROSES ADSPS, PI: Christopher Stark
Extending The Habitable Worlds Observatory Preliminary Input Catalog
Goddard SEEC Funded Proposal, PI: Christopher Stark
Catching a cat by the tail: Tracing Dust Dynamics in the Beta Pictoris Debris Disk in the Aftermath of Giant Collisions
JWST GO 5298, PI: Marshall Perrin
Eexoplanet Spectroscopy Technologies Work Package
NASA ISFM Work Package, PI: Mike McElwain
Science Support for the Habitable Worlds Observatory Technical Analysis Group (TAG)
2024 Internal Goddard Proposal, PI: Christopher Stark
Coronagraphy of the Debris Disk Archetype Beta Pictoris
JWST GTO 1411, PI: Christopher Stark
Positions/Employment
Astrophysicist
NASA Goddard Space Flight Center - Greenbelt, MD
2020 - Present
Associate Scientist
Space Telescope Science Institute - Baltimore, MD
2015 - 2020
NASA Postdoctoral Program Fellow
NASA Goddard Space Flight Center - Greenbelt, MD
2013 - 2015
Carnegie Postdoctoral Research Fellow
Carnegie DTM - Washington, DC
2010 - 2013
Education
Thesis Title: "Decoding Images of Debris Disks"
Advisor: Marc Kuchner
2004: B.S., Physics, University of Northern Iowa
Talks, Presentations and Posters
Invited
Public Planetarium Talk, Rochester Museum & Science Center
October 2024
Sagan Summer Workshop
July 2024
START/TAG F2F Meeting, Baltimore, MD
June 2024
ExEP Tech Colloquium
May 2024
Other
Exoplanet Seminar, NASA GSFC
June 2024
Chesapeake Bay Area Exoplanets Meeting, STScI, Baltimore, MD
May 2024
Yield Modeling Splinter Meeting, 243rd AAS Meeting, New Orleans, LA
January 2024
243rd AAS Meeting, New Orleans, LA
January 2024
Selected Publications
Refereed
2024. "Paths to robust exoplanet science yield margin for the Habitable Worlds Observatory.", Journal of Astronomical Telescopes, Instruments, and Systems, 10 (03): 034006 [10.1117/1.jatis.10.3.034006] [Journal Article/Letter]
2024. "Optimized bandpasses for the Habitable Worlds Observatory’s exoEarth survey.", Journal of Astronomical Telescopes, Instruments, and Systems, 10 (01): [10.1117/1.jatis.10.1.014005] [Journal Article/Letter]
2024. "HPIC: The Habitable Worlds Observatory Preliminary Input Catalog.", The Astronomical Journal, 167 (139): 18 [10.3847/1538-3881/ad25ec] [Journal Article/Letter]
2023. "The Science Performance of JWST as Characterized in Commissioning.", Publications of the Astronomical Society of the Pacific, 135 (1046): 048001 [10.1088/1538-3873/acb293] [Journal Article/Letter]
2022. "Simulated design trades for a visible-wavelength integral field spectrograph operating behind a space coronagraph.", Space Telescopes and Instrumentation 2022: Optical, Infrared, and Millimeter Wave, [10.1117/12.2630443] [Proceedings]
2021. "A Layered Debris Disk around M Star TWA 7 in Scattered Light.", The Astrophysical Journal, 914 (2): 95 [10.3847/1538-4357/ac03b9] [Journal Article/Letter]
2021. "Community exoplanet imaging data challenge for Roman CGI and starshade rendezvous.", Journal of Astronomical Telescopes, Instruments, and Systems, 7 (02): [10.1117/1.jatis.7.2.021218] [Journal Article/Letter]
2021. "Starshade rendezvous: exoplanet sensitivity and observing strategy.", Journal of Astronomical Telescopes, Instruments, and Systems, 7 (02): [10.1117/1.jatis.7.2.021210] [Journal Article/Letter]
2021. "Final Report for SAG 22: A Target Star Archive for Exoplanet Science.", arXiv e-prints, [https://doi.org/10.48550/arXiv.2112.04517] [Other]
2020. "ExoSpec project: an exoplanet spectroscopy technology research collaboration based at NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center and Ames Research Center.", Space Telescopes and Instrumentation 2020: Optical, Infrared, and Millimeter Wave, [10.1117/12.2562872] [Proceedings]
2014. "Probing for Exoplanets Hiding in Dusty Debris Disks: Disk Imaging, Characterization, and Exploration with HST/STIS Multi-Roll Coronagraphy.", ArXiv e-prints, arXiv:1406.7303 [Journal Article/Letter]
2014. "Revealing Asymmetries in the HD 181327 Debris Disk: A Recent Massive Collision or Interstellar Medium Warping.", The Astrophysical Journal, 789 58 [10.1088/0004-637X/789/1/58] [Journal Article/Letter]
2013. "A Search for Exozodiacal Clouds with Kepler.", The Astrophysical Journal, 764 195 [10.1088/0004-637X/764/2/195] [Journal Article/Letter]
2013. "A Survey for Very Short-period Planets in the Kepler Data.", The Astrophysical Journal, 779 165 [10.1088/0004-637X/779/2/165] [Journal Article/Letter]
2012. "Direct imaging of exoEarths embedded in clumpy debris disks.", Society of Photo-Optical Instrumentation Engineers (SPIE) Conference Series, 8442 [10.1117/12.926324] [Journal Article/Letter]
2012. "Keck Interferometer Nuller science highlights.", Society of Photo-Optical Instrumentation Engineers (SPIE) Conference Series, 8445 [10.1117/12.926548] [Journal Article/Letter]
2012. "The Link between Planetary Systems, Dusty White Dwarfs, and Metal-polluted White Dwarfs.", The Astrophysical Journal, 747 148 [10.1088/0004-637X/747/2/148] [Journal Article/Letter]
2011. "The cold origin of the warm dust around ε Eridani.", Astronomy and Astrophysics, 527 A57 [10.1051/0004-6361/201015328] [Journal Article/Letter]
2011. "Exozodiacal Dust Levels for Nearby Main-sequence Stars: A Survey with the Keck Interferometer Nuller.", The Astrophysical Journal, 734 67 [10.1088/0004-637X/734/1/67] [Journal Article/Letter]
2011. "The Transit Light Curve of an Exozodiacal Dust Cloud.", , [Journal Article/Letter]
2010. "Nulling interferometry: impact of exozodiacal clouds on the performance of future life-finding space missions.", Astronomy and Astrophysics, 509 A9 [10.1051/0004-6361/200912973] [Journal Article/Letter]
2010. "Influence of Exozodiacal Dust Clouds on Mid-IR Earth-like Planet Detection.", Pathways Towards Habitable Planets, 430 422 [Journal Article/Letter]
2010. "Collisional Grooming Models of the Kuiper Belt Dust Cloud.", The Astronomical Journal, 140 1007 [Full Text] [10.1088/0004-6256/140/4/1007] [Journal Article/Letter]
2009. "51 Ophiuchus: A Possible Beta Pictoris Analog Measured with the Keck Interferometer Nuller.", The Astrophysical Journal, 703 1188 [Full Text] [10.1088/0004-637X/703/2/1188] [Journal Article/Letter]
2009. "A New Algorithm for Self-consistent Three-dimensional Modeling of Collisions in Dusty Debris Disks.", The Astrophysical Journal, 707 543 [Full Text] [10.1088/0004-637X/707/1/543] [Journal Article/Letter]
2008. "The Detectability of Exo-Earths and Super-Earths Via Resonant Signatures in Exozodiacal Clouds.", The Astrophysical Journal, 686 637 [Full Text] [10.1086/591442] [Journal Article/Letter]