Almudena Alonso-Herrero

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Almudena Alonso-Herrero (born 1968)[ citation needed ] is a Spanish astronomer whose research includes the use of infrared astronomy to study star formation and dust emission in Seyfert galaxies and other galaxies with active nuclei. She is a researcher for the Spanish National Research Council, affiliated with the astrophysics department in the Spanish Astrobiology Center of the Instituto Nacional de Técnica Aeroespacial. [1] [2]

Contents

Education and career

Alonso-Herrero studied physics and cosmology at the Complutense University of Madrid, earning a licenciate in 1991 and completing her Ph.D. in 1995. She was a postdoctoral researcher at the University of Oxford, University of Arizona, and University of Hertfordshire, and took her present position with the Spanish National Research Council in 2016. [2]

She was part of the instrument teams of NICMOS for the Hubble Space Telescope and MIPS for the Spitzer Space Telescope. She is a Spanish co-investigator of the James Webb MIRI European Consortium. She has served on several international committees, including the ESO Science and Technology Committee and the ESA Astronomy Working Group.[ citation needed ]

Recognition

Alonso-Herrero is a Fellow of the Royal Astronomical Society, and was elected as a corresponding member of the Spanish Royal Academy of Sciences in 2022. [2]

Selected publications

Popularization

Research papers

Related Research Articles

An active galactic nucleus (AGN) is a compact region at the center of a galaxy that emits a significant amount of energy across the electromagnetic spectrum, with characteristics indicating that the luminosity is not produced by stars. Such excess, non-stellar emissions have been observed in the radio, microwave, infrared, optical, ultra-violet, X-ray and gamma ray wavebands. A galaxy hosting an AGN is called an active galaxy. The non-stellar radiation from an AGN is theorized to result from the accretion of matter by a supermassive black hole at the center of its host galaxy.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Seyfert galaxy</span> Class of active galaxies with very bright nuclei

Seyfert galaxies are one of the two largest groups of active galaxies, along with quasars. They have quasar-like nuclei with very high surface brightnesses whose spectra reveal strong, high-ionisation emission lines, but unlike quasars, their host galaxies are clearly detectable.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">NGC 185</span> Galaxy in the constellation Cassiopeia

NGC 185 is a dwarf spheroidal galaxy located 2.08 million light-years from Earth, appearing in the constellation Cassiopeia. It is a member of the Local Group, and is a satellite of the Andromeda Galaxy (M31). NGC 185 was discovered by William Herschel on November 30, 1787, and he cataloged it "H II.707". John Herschel observed the object again in 1833 when he cataloged it as "h 35", and then in 1864 when he cataloged it as "GC 90" within his General Catalogue of Nebulae and Clusters. NGC 185 was first photographed between 1898 and 1900 by James Edward Keeler with the Crossley Reflector of Lick Observatory. Unlike most dwarf elliptical galaxies, NGC 185 contains young stellar clusters, and star formation proceeded at a low rate until the recent past. NGC 185 has an active galactic nucleus (AGN) and is usually classified as a type 2 Seyfert galaxy, though its status as a Seyfert is questioned. It is possibly the closest Seyfert galaxy to Earth, and is the only known Seyfert in the Local Group.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Low-ionization nuclear emission-line region</span> Type of galactic nucleus

A low-ionization nuclear emission-line region (LINER) is a type of galactic nucleus that is defined by its spectral line emission. The spectra typically include line emission from weakly ionized or neutral atoms, such as O, O+, N+, and S+. Conversely, the spectral line emission from strongly ionized atoms, such as O++, Ne++, and He+, is relatively weak. The class of galactic nuclei was first identified by Timothy Heckman in the third of a series of papers on the spectra of galactic nuclei that were published in 1980.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ionization cone</span> Astronomical phenomenon

Ionization cones are cones of ionized material extending from active galactic nuclei, predominantly observed in type II Seyfert galaxies. They are detected through their emission of electromagnetic radiation in the visible and infrared parts of the spectrum. The main method of observation is through spectroscopy, using spectral line analysis to measure the shape of the ionized region and the condition of the material such as temperature, density, composition, and degree of ionization.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">NGC 3783</span> Galaxy in the constellation Centaurus

NGC 3783 is a barred spiral galaxy located about 135 million light years away in the constellation Centaurus. It is inclined by an angle of 23° to the line of sight from the Earth along a position angle of about 163°. The morphological classification of SBa indicates a bar structure across the center (B) and tightly-wound spiral arms (a). Although not shown by this classification, observers note the galaxy has a luminous inner ring surrounding the bar structure. The bright compact nucleus is active and categorized as a Seyfert 1 type. This nucleus is a strong source of X-ray emission and undergoes variations in emission across the electromagnetic spectrum.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">NGC 7469</span> Galaxy located in the constellation Pegasus

NGC 7469 is an intermediate spiral galaxy in the constellation of Pegasus. NGC 7469 is located about 200 million light-years away from Earth, which means, given its apparent dimensions, that NGC 7469 is approximately 90,000 light-years across. It was discovered by William Herschel on November 12, 1784.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">NGC 3367</span> Spiral galaxy in the constellation Leo

NGC 3367 is a barred spiral galaxy located in the constellation Leo. It is located at a distance of about 120 million light years from Earth, which, given its apparent dimensions, means that NGC 3367 is about 85,000 light years across. It was discovered by William Herschel on March 19, 1784.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">NGC 4939</span> Spiral galaxy in the constellation Virgo

NGC 4939 is a spiral galaxy located in the constellation Virgo. It is located at a distance of about 120 million light years from Earth, which, given its apparent dimensions, means that NGC 4939 is about 190,000 light years across. It was discovered by William Herschel on March 25, 1786.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">NGC 7130</span> Galaxy in the constellation Piscis Austrinus

NGC 7130 is a spiral galaxy located in the constellation Piscis Austrinus. It is located at a distance of about 220 million light years from Earth, which, given its apparent dimensions, means that NGC 7130 is about 100,000 light years across. It was discovered by John Herschel on September 25, 1834, and discovered independently by Lewis Swift on September 17, 1897. The location of the galaxy given in the New General Catalogue was off by 30 arcminutes in declination from the location of the galaxy.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">NGC 985</span> Ring galaxy in the constellation Cetus

NGC 985 is a ring galaxy in the constellation of Cetus. It is located about 550 million light years away from Earth, which means, given its apparent dimensions, that NGC 985 is approximately 160,000 light years across. It was discovered by Francis Leavenworth in 1886. It is a type 1 Seyfert galaxy.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">NGC 1386</span> Galaxy in the constellation Eridanus

NGC 1386 is a spiral galaxy located in the constellation Eridanus. It is located at a distance of circa 53 million light years from Earth, which, given its apparent dimensions, means that NGC 1386 is about 50,000 light years across. It is a Seyfert galaxy, the only one in Fornax Cluster.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">NGC 877</span> Galaxy located in the constellation Aries

NGC 877 is an intermediate spiral galaxy located in the constellation Aries. It is located at a distance of circa 160 million light years from Earth, which, given its apparent dimensions, means that NGC 877 is about 115,000 light years across. It was discovered by William Herschel on October 14, 1784. It interacts with NGC 876.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">NGC 1241</span> Galaxy in the constellation Eridanus

NGC 1241 is a spiral galaxy located in the constellation Eridanus. It is located at a distance of circa 150 million light years from Earth, which, given its apparent dimensions, means that NGC 1241 is about 140,000 light years across. It was discovered by William Herschel on January 10, 1785. It is classified as a Seyfert galaxy.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">NGC 1142</span> Interacting and distorted spiral galaxy in the constellation Cetus

NGC 1142 is a distorted spiral galaxy in the constellation of Cetus. It is located about 370 million light years away from Earth, which means, given its apparent dimensions, that NGC 1142 is approximately 170,000 light years across. It is a type 2 Seyfert galaxy. It interacts with the elliptical galaxy NGC 1141.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">NGC 3393</span> Galaxy in the constellation Hydra

NGC 3393 is a barred spiral galaxy located in the constellation Hydra. It is located at a distance of circa 180 million light-years from Earth, which, given its apparent dimensions, means that NGC 3393 is about 140,000 light-years across. It was discovered by John Herschel on March 24, 1835. It is a Type II Seyfert galaxy. The galaxy is known to host two supermassive black holes, which are the nearest known pair of supermassive black holes to Earth.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">NGC 7592</span> Interacting galaxy system in the constellation Aquarius

NGC 7592 is an interacting galaxy system located 300 million light years away in the constellation Aquarius. It was discovered by William Herschel on September 20, 1784. The total infrared luminosity is 1011.33 L, and thus it is categorised as a luminous infrared galaxy. One of the galaxies hosts a type 2 Seyfert nucleus.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">NGC 7679</span> Galaxy in the constellation Pisces

NGC 7679 is a lenticular galaxy with a peculiar morphology in the constellation Pisces. It is located at a distance of circa 200 million light years from Earth, which, given its apparent dimensions, means that NGC 7679 is about 60,000 light years across. It was discovered by Heinrich d'Arrest on September 23, 1864. The total infrared luminosity is 1011.05 L, and thus it is categorised as a luminous infrared galaxy. NGC 7679 is both a starburst galaxy and a Seyfert galaxy.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">UGC 5101</span> Galaxy in the constellation of Ursa Major

UGC 5101 is a galaxy merger located in the constellation Ursa Major. It is located at a distance of about 530 million light years from Earth. It is an ultraluminous infrared galaxy. The total infrared luminosity of the galaxy is estimated to be 1011.95 L and the galaxy has a total star formation rate of 105 M per year.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">NGC 5135</span>

NGC 5135 is a barred spiral galaxy located in the constellation Hydra. It is located at a distance of about 200 million light years from Earth. It was discovered by John Herschel on May 8, 1834. It is a Seyfert galaxy.

References

  1. "Alonso Herrero, Almudena", Astrophysics department, Spanish Astrobiology Center, retrieved 2023-04-02
  2. 1 2 3 "Ilustrísima Señora Doña Almudena Alonso Herrero", Miembros de la Academia (in Spanish), Spanish Royal Academy of Sciences, retrieved 2023-04-02