Dr. Kenneth Carpenter is currently the Hubble Space Telescope (HST) Operations Project Scientist and the Ground System Scientist for the Roman Space Telescope. He leads the Stellar Imager (SI) Vision Mission concept development and was selected as a NIAC Fellow to develop a lunar-based variant of SI called Artemis-enabled Stellar Imager (AeSI). He also provided scientific guidance to the OpTIIX ISS-based technology demonstration project. His scientific interests include studies of the chromospheres, transition regions, winds and circumstellar shells of cool stars, as well as the calculation of model atmospheres and synthetic spectra and investigations of line fluorescence processes; hardware interests include development and operations of UV spectroscopic instruments and large baseline space interferometers. He is currently a member of the "Exoplanets and Stellar Astrophysics Laboratory" at NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center.
Kenneth G Carpenter
((AST,STELLAR,GALACTIC,EXTRAGALACTIC))
| Email: | kenneth.g.carpenter@nasa.gov |
| Phone: | 301.286.3453 |
| Org Code: | 667 |
| Address: |
NASA/GSFC Mail Code 667 Greenbelt, MD 20771 |
| Employer: |
Missions & Projects
Brief Bio
Positions/Employment
Astrophysicist
NASA Goddard Space Flight Center - Greenbelt, MD
August 1988 - Present
Currently:
Operations Project Scientist for Hubble Space Telescope
Ground System Scientist for Roman Space Telescope
NIAC Fellow, Artemis-enabled Stellar Imager (AeSI)
Principal Investigator, Stellar Imager (SI) Vision Mission Concept
Lead Scientist for OpTIIX ISS-based technology demonstration mission
Research Interests
Stellar Astrophysics and Space Instrument/Mission Development
Astrophysics: StarsUltraviolet spectroscopy. Chromospheres, transition regions and winds of cool stars. Stellar activity. Model atmospheres and synthetic spectra. Line fluorescence processes. Chemically peculiar stars. Instrument development, in particular development and calibration of UV spectrographs. Long-Baseline Imaging Interferometry.
Carpenter is the lead scientist/architect for a long-term study of the outer atmospheres and winds of stars cooler than the sun, utilizing IUE, HST, ground-based and other space-based facilities. Core HST/GHRS results, based on combined GTO and GO programs, have been published in an ApJ series: ``GHRS Observations of Cool, Low-Gravity Stars. I-V''. He has collaborated in studies of stellar activity/chromospheric heating in Hyades F stars and of the origin of Ba-star abundances anomalies with E. Bohm-Vitense (U. Washington) and shared leadership (with H. Johnson/Univ. of Indiana) of large, international consortium study of carbon stars with HST. He has been involved in a multiple-cycle HST program to determine masses of Cepheid variables, published frequently-cited UV reference spectra for cool stars, obtained first measurements of turbulence and plasma downflows in the chromosphere of a cool giant star, and published a definitive summary of fluorescence in cool giant atmospheres (in collaboration with C. Jordan/Oxford U., England and S. Johansson/U. Lund, Sweden). He has also computed detailed, line-blanketed model atmospheres, including magnetic pressure, for upper main sequence stars to study effect of magnetic-field on structure and emergent spectrum and the degree to which line strength peculiarities in chemically peculiar stars can be explained without recourse to anomalous abundances.
Current Projects
HST Operations Project Scientist
Technology & Missions
Carpenter is currently the Operations Project Scientist for Hubble Space Telescope and provides scientific leadership, advice, guidance, and oversight to the Operations Project Manager and Staff, monitors budgeting activities as related to HST mission scientific requirements and participates in tradeoff decisions, monitors in-orbit performance of flight instruments & other spacecraft systems, provides scientific guidance in the assessment and resolution of spacecraft anomalies, supports the development of future science operations concepts, and oversees current STScI science operations.
Ground System Scientist for Roman Space Telescope
Technology & Missions
Carpenter is the Ground System Scientist for the Roman Space Telescope and supports mission concept and ground system design and implementation efforts via the GSFC Roman Project Science Office.
NIAC Fellow, leading the Artemis-enabled Stellar Imager (AeSI) Concept Study
Technology & Missions
Selected as a NIAC (NASA Innovative Advanced Concepts) Fellow 2024 to develop a mission concept for a lunar-based variant of Stellar Imager called the Artemis-enabled Stellar Imager (AeSI).
GSFC Lead Scientist for OpTIIX
Technology & Missions
Carpenter provides scientific guidance to the JPL/GSFC/JSC/STScI Optical Testbed and Integration on ISS eXperiment (OpTIIX) Team.
Principal Investigator, Stellar Imager (SI) Vision Mission
Technology & Missions
He is the Principal Investigator of the Stellar Imager (SI) Vision Mission Study - a concept for a large, space-based UV-optical interferometer designed to image the surfaces of nearby stars, probe their subsurface layers through asteroseismology (acoustic imaging), and improve our understanding of solar and stellar dynamos and thus our ability to predict solar/stellar activity and its effect on the habitability of planets, planetary climates, and life.
Principal Investigator, Fizeau Interferometer Testbed (FIT)
Technology & Missions
Carpenter led the Fizeau Interferometer Testbed (FIT) experiment, a ground-based laboratory testbed located at GSFC. This testbed developed and tested algorithms for closed-loop control of actuated multi-element (7-20) sparse aperture systems, using feedback from Phase Diversity analysis of the combined beams - a critical technology for future long-baseline Fizeau Interferometers and Sparse Aperture Telescopes.
GHRS Investigation Definition Team Co-I for Science Operations
Technology & Missions
Previously, Carpenter was GHRS (Goddard High Resolution Spectrograph) Investigation Definition Team Co-Investigator for Science Operations and guided GHRS Operations Development, Science Verification/Guaranteed Time Observer science program implementation, and helped ensure the high science productivity of the GHRS when it was installed on HST.
Education
M.A. (Astronomy) Wesleyan university - 1977
Ph.D. (Astronomy) Ohio State University - 1983
Ph.D. Thesis: "A Study of Magnetic, Line-Blanketed, Model Atmospheres"
Professional Societies
International Astronomical Union
Member of IAU Commission 29 (Stellar Spectra), Organizing Committee - Commission 29, Commission 44 (Space & High Energy Astrophyics), and Commission 54 (Optical & Infrared Interferometry)
1988 - Present
American Astronomical Society
Member.
1977 - Present
Awards
NASA Awards:
Selected as a NASA Innovative Advanced Concepts (NIAC) Fellow, Jan. 2024
GSFC Astrophysics Science Division Peer Award 2012: For demonstrating timely and dedicated professionalism to both the Astrophysics Science Division and Goddard Space Flight Center (by providing Scientific Leadership and Guidance to the OpTIIX Project)
Special Act Award-Individual (Outstanding Oversight of HST
Operations Project, leading to the success of SM4), August 2009
Performance Award, August 2009
JSC Group Achievement Award/STS-125 STOCC Team, July 2009
Special Act Award-Individual (HST SM4 Prep.), August 2008
Twenty Year Service Award, August 2008
Special Act Award (Stellar Imager/Fizeau Interf. Testbed Dev.), May 2006
Outstanding Teamwork--HST Robotic Serv./De-Orbit Mission Team, 2005
Fifteen Year Service Award, August 2003
Performance Award, March 2002
JSC Group Achievement Award HST SM3b, March 2002
Group Achievement Award--HST SM3a Team, Sept. 2000
National Resource Award--HST SM2, Feb. 1999
Special Act Award, Sept. 1998
Ten Year Service Award, August 1998
Performance Award, June 1998
Performance Award, 1996
Group Achievement Award--SL9 Jupiter Impact Observation Team, 1996
Quality Increase Award, 1995
Performance Award, 1994
Special Act Grp. Award--HST Continuous Process Improvement Team, 1994
Group Achievement Award--HST First Servicing Mission Science Team, 1994
Quality Increase Award, 1992
Certificate of Outstanding Performance, 1992
Special Act Award (GHRS/MAMA), April 1992
Certificate of Outstanding Performance 1991, Oct. 1991
Group Achievement Award (GHRS Development Team), March 1991
Performance Award, March 1991
Special Act or Service Award (GHRS Development Team), Sept. 1990
Viking (Mission to Mars) Internship, 1976
Other Awards:
Certificate of Appreciation, Smithsonian Folklife Festival, 2008
The Ohio State University Presidential Fellowship, 1982-83
Franklin B. Littell Prize for Astronomy, Wesleyan University 1976
National Merit Scholarship, 1972-76
State of Connecticut Scholar, 1972
Other Professional Information
Publications:
70 Refereed Papers
93 Other Major Publications and Review Talks
80 Abstracts of Meeting Presentations
Selected Publications
Refereed
2024. "Artemis-enabled stellar imager (AeSI): a Lunar long-baseline UV/optical imaging interferometer." Optical and Infrared Interferometry and Imaging IX 13095 54 [10.1117/12.3028797] [Proceedings]
2023. "The Advanced Spectral Library: The Evolution of Chromospheric Wind Characteristics from Noncoronal to Hybrid Giant Stars*." The Astrophysical Journal 953 (1): 16 [10.3847/1538-4357/acdcf1] [Journal Article/Letter]
2020. "The Advanced Spectral Library (ASTRAL): Abundance Analysis of the Chemically Peculiar Star HR 465*." The Astrophysical Journal 899 (2): 166 [10.3847/1538-4357/aba361] [Journal Article/Letter]
2019. "Constraining stellar parameters and atmospheric dynamics of the carbon AGB star V Oph." ApJ 882 (37): 16 [10.3847/1538-4357/ab3419] [Journal Article/Letter]
2018. "The Advanced Spectral Library (ASTRAL): Reference Spectra for Evolved M Stars∗." The Astrophysical Journal 869 (2): 157 [10.3847/1538-4357/aaf164] [Journal Article/Letter]
2018. "HST/GHRS Observations of Cool, Low-gravity Stars. VI. Mass-loss Rates and Wind Parameters for M Giants." The Astrophysical Journal 869 (1): 1 [10.3847/1538-4357/aaf0a0] [Journal Article/Letter]
2014. "ANHSTCOS “SNAPSHOT” SPECTRUM OF THE K SUPERGIANT λ Vel (K4Ib-II)." The Astrophysical Journal 794 (1): 41 [10.1088/0004-637x/794/1/41] [Journal Article/Letter]
2011. "The Stellar Imager (SI) - A Mission to Resolve Stellar Surfaces, Interiors, and Magnetic Activity." Journal of Physics: Conference Series 271 2085 [Full Text] [10.1088/1742-6596/271/1/012085] [Journal Article/Letter]
2010. "Stellar Imager (SI): developing and testing a predictive dynamo model for the Sun by imaging other stars." eprint arXiv:10115214 1011 5214 [Full Text] [Journal Article/Letter]
2010. "Winds from Luminous Late-type Stars II Broadband Frequency Distribution of Alfvén Waves." The Astrophysical Journal 723 1210 [Full Text] [10.1088/0004-637X/723/2/1210] [Journal Article/Letter]
2009. "Technology Development for Future Sparse Aperture Telescopes and Interferometers in Space." Astro2010: The Astronomy and Astrophysics Decadal Survey, Technology Development Papers, no 47 2010 47 [Full Text] [Journal Article/Letter]
2009. "Stellar imager (SI): enhancements to the mission enabled by the constellation architecture (Ares I/Ares V)." UV/Optical/IR Space Telescopes: Innovative Technologies and Concepts IV Edited by MacEwen, Howard A; Breckinridge, James B Proceedings of the SPIE 7436 9 [Full Text] [10.1117/12.825393] [Journal Article/Letter]
2009. "The Stellar Imager (SI) project: a deep space UV/Optical Interferometer (UVOI) to observe the Universe at 01 milli-arcsec angular resolution." Astrophysics and Space Science 320 217 [Full Text] [10.1007/s10509-008-9815-6] [Journal Article/Letter]
2009. "Luciola hypertelescope space observatory: versatile, upgradable high-resolution imaging, from stars to deep-field cosmology." Experimental Astronomy 23 463 [Full Text] [10.1007/s10686-008-9123-8] [Journal Article/Letter]
2008. "The Stellar Imager." NASA Space Science Vision Missions 224 191-227 [Full Text] [Article in Book]
2008. "Stellar Imager: wavefront control." Space Telescopes and Instrumentation 2008: Ultraviolet to Gamma Ray Edited by Turner, Martin J L; Flanagan, Kathryn A Proceedings of the SPIE 7011 89 [Full Text] [10.1117/12.789758] [Journal Article/Letter]
2007. "Beam combination for Stellar Imager and its application to full-aperture imaging." UV/Optical/IR Space Telescopes: Innovative Technologies and Concepts III Edited by MacEwen, Howard A; Breckinridge, James B Proceedings of the SPIE 6687 19 [Full Text] [10.1117/12.732833] [Journal Article/Letter]
2007. "Wavefront sensing and closed-loop control for the Fizeau interferometry testbed." UV/Optical/IR Space Telescopes: Innovative Technologies and Concepts III 6687H [Full Text] [10.1117/12.731761] [Journal Article/Letter]
2007. "Direct UV/optical imaging of stellar surfaces: the Stellar Imager Vision Mission." UV/Optical/IR Space Telescopes: Innovative Technologies and Concepts III Edited by MacEwen, Howard A; Breckinridge, James B Proceedings of the SPIE 6687 15 [Full Text] [10.1117/12.732440] [Journal Article/Letter]
2007. "Dynamos, Asteroseismology, and the Stellar Imager." Communications in Astroseismology 150 364 [10.1553/cia150s364] [Journal Article/Letter]
2006. "Steps Toward a UV/Optical Interferometer in Space: FIT & SIFFT." 2007 AAS/AAPT Joint Meeting, American Astronomical Society Meeting 209, #16401; Bulletin of the American Astronomical Society, Vol 38, p1129 209 1129 [Full Text] [Journal Article/Letter]
2005. "High-Mass Triple Systems: The Classical Cepheid Y Carinae." The Astronomical Journal 130 789 [Full Text] [10.1086/430458] [Journal Article/Letter]
2004. "Fizeau interferometry testbed: wavefront control." Optical, Infrared, and Millimeter Space Telescopes Edited by Mather, John C Proceedings of the SPIE 5487 963 [Full Text] [10.1117/12.552198] [Journal Article/Letter]
2004. "Imaging Terrestrial Planets." THE SEARCH FOR OTHER WORLDS: Fourteenth Astrophysics Conference AIP Conference Proceedings 713 223 [Full Text] [10.1063/1.1774528] [Journal Article/Letter]
2004. "Apodized square aperture plus occulter concept for TPF." Optical, Infrared, and Millimeter Space Telescopes Edited by Mather, John C Proceedings of the SPIE 5487 1391 [Full Text] [Journal Article/Letter]
2004. "Fabrication and characterization of the Fizeau interferometer testbed." New Frontiers in Stellar Interferometry, Proceedings of SPIE Volume 5491 Edited by Wesley A Traub Bellingham, WA: The International Society for Optical Engineering, 2004, p1776 5491 1776 [Full Text] [Journal Article/Letter]
2004. "The Stellar Imager (SI): a revolutionary large-baseline imaging interferometer at the Sun-Earth L2 point." New Frontiers in Stellar Interferometry, Proceedings of SPIE Volume 5491 Edited by Wesley A Traub Bellingham, WA: The International Society for Optical Engineering, 2004, p243 5491 243 [Full Text] [Journal Article/Letter]
2004. "The Fizeau interferometer testbed (FIT): developing and testing the technologies needed for space-based interferometric imaging systems." New Frontiers in Stellar Interferometry, Proceedings of SPIE Volume 5491 Edited by Wesley A Traub Bellingham, WA: The International Society for Optical Engineering, 2004, p1034 204 791 [Full Text] [Journal Article/Letter]
2004. "The O VI and C III Lines at 1032 and 977 Å in Hyades F Stars." The Astrophysical Journal 606 1174 [Full Text] [10.1086/383021] [Journal Article/Letter]
2003. "The Stellar Imager (SI): An Ultra-High Angular Resolution Ultraviolet/Optical Observatory." Hubble's Science Legacy: Future Optical/Ultraviolet Astronomy from Space, ASP Conference Proceedings, Vol 291, held 2-5 April 2002 at University of Chicago, Chicago, Illinois, USA Edited by Kenneth R Sembach, J Chris Blades, Garth D Illingworth and Robert C Kennicutt, Jr ISBN: 1-58381-136-2, 2003, p355 291 355 [Full Text] [Journal Article/Letter]
2003. "Stellar Imager (SI) mission concept." Proc. SPIE 4854, Future EUV/UV and Visible Space Astrophysics Missions and Instrumentation 4854 293 [Full Text] [10.1117/12.459776] [Journal Article/Letter]
2003. "UMBRAS: a matched occulter and telescope for imaging extrasolar planets." High-Contrast Imaging for Exo-Planet Detection Edited by Alfred B Schultz Proceedings of the SPIE 4860 54 [Full Text] [Journal Article/Letter]
2003. "Imaging the Surfaces and Interiors of Other Stars: The Stellar Imager (SI) Mission Concept." The Future of Cool-Star Astrophysics: 12th Cambridge Workshop on Cool Stars, Stellar Systems, and the Sun (2001 July 30 - August 3), eds A Brown, GM Harper, and TR Ayres, (University of Colorado), 2003, p 1091-1096 12 1091 [Full Text] [Journal Article/Letter]
2003. "Imaging terrestrial planets with a free-flying occulter and space telescope: an optical simulation." Techniques and Instrumentation for Detection of Exoplanets Edited by Coulter, Daniel R Proceedings of the SPIE 5170 262 [Full Text] [10.1117/12.506192] [Journal Article/Letter]
2002. "The Fizeau Interferometer Testbed." eprint arXiv:astro-ph/0212439 12439 [Full Text] [Journal Article/Letter]
2002. "What Is Happening at Spectral Type F5 in Hyades F Stars?." The Astrophysical Journal 569 941 [Full Text] [10.1086/339395] [Journal Article/Letter]
2001. "Mg II Emission Lines of Hyades F Stars." The Astrophysical Journal 550 457 [Full Text] [10.1086/319723] [Journal Article/Letter]
2001. "AB Dor in ’94. I. Hubble Space Telescope Goddard High Resolution Spectrogaph Observations of the Quiescent Chromosphere of an Active Star." The Astronomical Journal 121 (4): 2173-2184 [Full Text] [10.1086/319958] [Journal Article/Letter]
2001. "Goddard High Resolution Spectrograph Observations of NGC 4151." The Astronomical Journal 121 2999 [Full Text] [10.1086/321070] [Journal Article/Letter]
2000. "Winds from Luminous Late-Type Stars I The Effects of Nonlinear Alfvén Waves." The Astrophysical Journal 528 965 [Full Text] [10.1086/308198] [Journal Article/Letter]
2000. "Do All BA II Stars Have White Dwarf Companions?." The Astrophysical Journal 533 969 [Full Text] [10.1086/308678] [Journal Article/Letter]
2000. "Ultraviolet Emission Lines in BA and Non-BA Giants." The Astrophysical Journal 545 992 [Full Text] [10.1086/317850] [Journal Article/Letter]