Gary J. Melnick
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View article: The Potential of the SPHEREx Mission for Characterizing Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbon 3.3 <i>μ</i>m Emission in Nearby Galaxies
The Potential of the SPHEREx Mission for Characterizing Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbon 3.3 <i>μ</i>m Emission in Nearby Galaxies Open
Together with gas, stars, and supermassive black holes, dust is crucial in stellar and galaxy evolution. Hence, understanding galaxies’ dust properties across cosmic time is critical to studying their evolution. In addition to photometric …
View article: SPHEREx Discovery of Strong Water Ice Absorption and an Extended Carbon Dioxide Coma in 3I/ATLAS
SPHEREx Discovery of Strong Water Ice Absorption and an Extended Carbon Dioxide Coma in 3I/ATLAS Open
In mid-August 2025, 0.75–5.0 μ m SPHEREx imaging spectrophotometric and ancillary NASA-IRTF/SpeX 0.7–2.5 μ m low-resolution spectral observations of 3I/ATLAS were obtained. The combined spectrophotometry is dominated by features due to wat…
View article: The Potential of the SPHEREx Mission for Characterizing Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbon 3.3 μm Emission in Nearby Galaxies
The Potential of the SPHEREx Mission for Characterizing Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbon 3.3 μm Emission in Nearby Galaxies Open
Together with gas, stars, and supermassive black holes, dust is crucial in stellar and galaxy evolution. Hence, understanding galaxies' dust properties across cosmic time is critical to studying their evolution. In addition to photometric …
View article: Ice inventory towards the protostar Ced 110 IRS4 observed with the James Webb Space Telescope. Results from the Early Release Science Ice Age program
Ice inventory towards the protostar Ced 110 IRS4 observed with the James Webb Space Telescope. Results from the Early Release Science Ice Age program Open
Protostars contain icy ingredients necessary for the formation of potential habitable worlds, therefore, it is crucial to understand their chemical and physical environments. This work is focused on the ice features towards the binary prot…
View article: JWST Ice Band Profiles Reveal Mixed Ice Compositions in the HH 48 NE Disk
JWST Ice Band Profiles Reveal Mixed Ice Compositions in the HH 48 NE Disk Open
Planet formation is strongly influenced by the composition and distribution of volatiles within protoplanetary disks. With JWST, it is now possible to obtain direct observational constraints on disk ices, as recently demonstrated by the de…
View article: IR spectra of pure and apolar ice mixtures
IR spectra of pure and apolar ice mixtures Open
This data set corresponds to the publication "JWST ice band profiles reveal mixed ice compositions in the HH 48 NE disk". NASA ADS link Files contain the laboratory-measured IR spectra (wavenumber vs. absorbance) for pure ices and apolar i…
View article: The Black Hole Explorer: motivation and vision
The Black Hole Explorer: motivation and vision Open
Johnson, Michael D. et al.-- Full list of authors: Johnson, Michael D.; Akiyama, Kazunori; Baturin, Rebecca; Bilyeu, Bryan; Blackburn, Lindy; Boroson, Don; Cárdenas-Avendaño, Alejandro; Chael, Andrew; Chan, Chi-kwan; Chang, Dominic; Cheime…
View article: A JWST/MIRI analysis of the ice distribution and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon emission in the protoplanetary disk HH 48 NE
A JWST/MIRI analysis of the ice distribution and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon emission in the protoplanetary disk HH 48 NE Open
Context. Ice-coated dust grains provide the main reservoir of volatiles that play an important role in planet formation processes and may become incorporated into planetary atmospheres. However, due to observational challenges, the ice abu…
View article: A JWST/MIRI analysis of the ice distribution and PAH emission in the protoplanetary disk HH 48 NE
A JWST/MIRI analysis of the ice distribution and PAH emission in the protoplanetary disk HH 48 NE Open
Ice-coated dust grains provide the main reservoir of volatiles that play an important role in planet formation processes and may become incorporated into planetary atmospheres. However, due to observational challenges, the ice abundance di…
View article: Spitzer Resurrector Mission: Advantages for Space Weather Research and Operations
Spitzer Resurrector Mission: Advantages for Space Weather Research and Operations Open
In 1979, NASA established the Great Observatory program, which included four telescopes (Hubble, Compton, Chandra, and Spitzer) to explore the Universe. The Spitzer Space Telescope was launched in 2003 into solar orbit, gradually drifting …
View article: Molecular Oxygen Abundance in Galactic Massive Star Formation Regions Based on SWAS Observations
Molecular Oxygen Abundance in Galactic Massive Star Formation Regions Based on SWAS Observations Open
Molecular oxygen abundance is a key parameter in understanding the chemical network of the interstellar medium. We estimate the molecular oxygen column density and abundance for a sample of Galactic massive star formation regions based on …
View article: The Black Hole Explorer: Motivation and Vision
The Black Hole Explorer: Motivation and Vision Open
We present the Black Hole Explorer (BHEX), a mission that will produce the sharpest images in the history of astronomy by extending submillimeter Very-Long-Baseline Interferometry (VLBI) to space. BHEX will discover and measure the bright …
View article: Long-term Integration Ability of the Submillimeter Wave Astronomy Satellite (SWAS) Spectral Line Receivers
Long-term Integration Ability of the Submillimeter Wave Astronomy Satellite (SWAS) Spectral Line Receivers Open
The Submillimeter Wave Astronomy Satellite (SWAS) was the first space telescope capable of high spectral resolution observations of terahertz spectral lines. We have investigated the integration ability of its two receivers and spectromete…
View article: JWST MIRI MRS Images of Disk Winds, Water, and CO in an Edge-on Protoplanetary Disk
JWST MIRI MRS Images of Disk Winds, Water, and CO in an Edge-on Protoplanetary Disk Open
We present JWST MIRI MRS observations of the edge-on protoplanetary disk around the young subsolar-mass star Tau 042021, acquired as part of the Cycle 1 GO program “Mapping Inclined Disk Astrochemical Signatures.” These data resolve the mi…
View article: JWST MIRI MRS Images Disk Winds, Water, and CO in an Edge-On Protoplanetary Disk
JWST MIRI MRS Images Disk Winds, Water, and CO in an Edge-On Protoplanetary Disk Open
We present JWST MIRI MRS observations of the edge-on protoplanetary disk around the young sub-solar mass star Tau 042021, acquired as part of the Cycle 1 GO program "Mapping Inclined Disk Astrochemical Signatures (MIDAS)." These data resol…
View article: A JWST inventory of protoplanetary disk ices
A JWST inventory of protoplanetary disk ices Open
Ices are the main carriers of volatiles in protoplanetary disks and are crucial to our understanding of the protoplanetary disk chemistry that ultimately sets the organic composition of planets. The Director’s Discretionary-Early Release S…
View article: A JWST inventory of protoplanetary disk ices: The edge-on protoplanetary disk HH 48 NE, seen with the Ice Age ERS program
A JWST inventory of protoplanetary disk ices: The edge-on protoplanetary disk HH 48 NE, seen with the Ice Age ERS program Open
Ices are the main carriers of volatiles in protoplanetary disks and are crucial to our understanding of the chemistry that ultimately sets the organic composition of planets. The ERS program Ice Age on the JWST follows the ice evolution th…
View article: The SPHEREx Target List of Ice Sources (SPLICES)
The SPHEREx Target List of Ice Sources (SPLICES) Open
One of the primary objectives of the SPHEREx mission is to understand the origin of molecules such as H 2 O, CO 2 , and other volatile compounds at the early stages of planetary system formation. Because the vast majority of these compound…
View article: The Scientific Investigation of Unidentified Aerial Phenomena (UAP) Using Multimodal Ground-Based Observatories
The Scientific Investigation of Unidentified Aerial Phenomena (UAP) Using Multimodal Ground-Based Observatories Open
Unidentified Aerial Phenomena (UAP) have resisted explanation and have received little formal scientific attention for 75 years. A primary objective of the Galileo Project is to build an integrated software and instrumentation system desig…
View article: An Ice Age JWST inventory of dense molecular cloud ices
An Ice Age JWST inventory of dense molecular cloud ices Open
This dataset is the first observational data release for the JWST Early Release Science Ice Age program (#1309). More information about this program can be found at our team website (http://jwst-iceage.org/) and the STScI website (https://…
View article: An Ice Age JWST inventory of dense molecular cloud ices
An Ice Age JWST inventory of dense molecular cloud ices Open
This dataset is the first observational data release for the JWST Early Release Science Ice Age program (#1309). More information about this program can be found at our team website (http://jwst-iceage.org/) and the STScI website (https://…
View article: Physical Considerations for an Intercept Mission to a 1I/’Oumuamua-Like Interstellar Object
Physical Considerations for an Intercept Mission to a 1I/’Oumuamua-Like Interstellar Object Open
In this paper, we review some of the extant literature on the study of interstellar objects (ISOs). With the forthcoming Vera C. Rubin Telescope and Legacy Survey of Space and Time (LSST), we find that [Formula: see text] ‘Oumuamua-like in…
View article: Physical Considerations for an Intercept Mission to a 1I/'Oumuamua-like Interstellar Object
Physical Considerations for an Intercept Mission to a 1I/'Oumuamua-like Interstellar Object Open
In this paper, we review some of the extant literature on the study of interstellar objects (ISOs). With the forthcoming Vera C. Rubin Telescope and Legacy Survey of Space and Time (LSST), we find that $0.38 - 84$ `Oumuamua-like interstell…
View article: Origins space telescope: from first light to life
Origins space telescope: from first light to life Open
The Origins Space Telescope (Origins) is one of four science and technology definition studies selected by the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) in preparation of the 2020 Astronomy and Astrophysics Decadal survey in the…
View article: Origins Space Telescope: trades and decisions leading to the baseline mission concept
Origins Space Telescope: trades and decisions leading to the baseline mission concept Open
The Origins Space Telescope will trace the history of our origins from the time dust and heavy elements permanently altered the cosmic landscape to present-day life. How did galaxies evolve from the earliest galactic systems to those found…
View article: Origins Space Telescope science drivers to design traceability
Origins Space Telescope science drivers to design traceability Open
The Origins Space Telescope (Origins) concept is designed to investigate the creation and dispersal of elements essential to life, the formation of planetary systems, and the transport of water to habitable worlds and the atmospheres of ex…
View article: Heterodyne Receiver for Origins
Heterodyne Receiver for Origins Open
The Heterodyne Receiver for Origins (HERO) is the first detailed study of a heterodyne focal plane array receiver for space applications. HERO gives the Origins Space Telescope the capability to observe at very high spectral resolution (R …