:: dimming lights :: astronomy ::

I'm a graduate student at the University of Minnesota. I work under the supervision of Tom Jones at the Minnesota Supercomputing Institute running and analyzing simulations of powerful radio jets in cluster medium.

Research Interests

A few of my research interest are the following:

Numerical Astrophysics
- Hyperbolic Systems
- Magnetohydrodynamics (MHD)
- Relativistic electron dynamics
AGN & Radio Jets
Massive stars
Stellar atmospheres and radiation transfer
Star formation
Stellar winds
Data processing and parallelization

"Chandra Data Processing Relational Database Applications: Metrics to On-the-fly Data Restoration", Morgan, D. L., Anderson, C. S., Nichols, J. S., Mendygral, P. J., Mitschang, A. W., 2007, ASP Conference Series, (submitted)
"X-Atlas: An Online Archive of Chandra's Stellar High Energy Transmission Gratings Observations", Westbrook, O. W., Evans, N. R., Wolk, S. J., Kashyap, V. L., Nichols, J. S., Mendygral, P. J., Slavin, J. D., Spitzbart, B., Waldron, W. L., 2007, ApJ, (accepted)
"Chandra Data Processing: Lessons Learned and Challenges Met", Nichols, J. S., Anderson, C. S., Morgan, D. L., Mendygral, P. J. 2006, SPIE, Volume 6270, pp. 62700P
"Interactive User Interface for Spacecraft Data Processing", Anderson, C. S., Morgan, D. L., Mendygral, P. J., Nichols, J. S. 2005, "Astronomical Data Analysis Software and Systems XV", Vol. 351, p.594
"Fundamental Parameters of the Eclipsing Binary V380 Cyg", Evans, N. R., Mendygral, P. J., Nichols, J., Fullerton, A. W., Massa, D., Guinan, E. F., Fitzpatrick & E., I. Ribas 2005, AAS, 206, #40.09
"FUSE Analysis of the Cyg OB1 Superbubble", Nichols, J. & Mendygral, P. J. 2005, in "Astrophysics in the Far Ultraviolet - Five Years of Discovery With FUSE", ASP Confernece Series, Vol. 348, p.451-453
"The Eddington Limit Upper Boundary for Cool Stars on the HR Diagram", Mendygral, P. J. & Cassinelli, J. P. 2002, "Bulletin of the American Astronomical Society", Vol. 34, p.1126