Science Results Archive | SOFIA Science Center

Science results
Spotlight	Image
Disruption of a Planetary System by Jonathan Marshall & Joan Schmelz Paper: Evidence for the Disruption of a Planetary System During the Formation of the Helix Nebula Marshall, Jonathan P., et al., 2023/01, AJ, 165, 22.
The Abundance Discrepancy Factor in Markarian 71 by Yuguang Chen & Joan Schmelz Paper: Accurate Oxygen Abundance of Interstellar Gas in Mrk 71 from Optical and Infrared Spectra Chen, Yuguang, et al., 2023/04, Nature Astronomy, tmp, 87.
Magnetically-Structured Accretion in the Galactic Center’s Circumnuclear Disk by Jordan Guerra and Joan Schmelz Paper: The Strength of the Sheared Magnetic Field in the Circum-Nuclear Disk Guerra, J.A., Lopez-Rodriguez, E., Chuss, D. Butterfield, N., Schmelz, J.T. (2023), Astrophysical Journal, submitted
Mapping Water on the Lunar Surface By Bill Reach and Joan Schmelz For the first time, SOFIA has made a detailed map of water on the surface of the Moon. Comparison with the lunar landscape shows that the water emission is strongest on the shady sides of deep craters and high mountains. Researchers used observations taken on 2022 February 17 as part of a SOFIA Legacy project intended to explore how water is distributed across the lunar surface.
The SOFIA/FORCAST Galactic Center Legacy Program by Matthew Hankins
The Galactic Center Magnetosphere by Natalie Butterfield
The SOFIA Legacy Program FEEDBACK by Nicola Schneider, Alexander Tielens, and Anashe Bandari Paper: FEEDBACK: a SOFIA Legacy Program to Study Stellar Feedback in Regions of Massive Star Formation Schneider, N., et al., 2020/10, Publications of the Astronomical Society of the Pacific, 132j4301S.
The SOFIA/EXES Mid-IR High Spectral Resolution Library By José Pablo Fonfría, Ed Montiel & Joan Schmelz
Water on the Moon 2022 By Anicia Arredondo Paper: Regional Map of Molecular Water at High Southern Latitudes on the Moon Using 6 μm Data From the Stratospheric Observatory for Infrared Astronomy C.I. Honniball, et al., Geophysical Research Letters 2022.
Magnetic Fields - A Ubiquitous Part of Galaxy Ecosystems By Enrique Lopez-Rodriguez and Joan Schmelz Paper: Extragalactic magnetism with SOFIA (SALSA Legacy Program) -- IV: Program overview and first results on the polarization fraction Lopez-Rodriguez, Enrique, et al., 2022-05-00.
Deuterated Hydroxyl as a Star Formation Tracer By Timea Csengeri and Joan Schmelz Paper: SOFIA/GREAT observations of OD and OH rotational lines towards high-mass star forming regions Csengeri, T., et al., 2022/02, A&A, 658A, A193.
The Cygnus X Protostellar Luminosity Function By Yingjie Cheng and Joan Schmelz Paper: Completing the Protostellar Luminosity Function in Cygnus-X with SOFIA/FORCAST Imaging Cheng, Yingjie, et al., 2022/05, MNRAS, 512, 960.
Constraining Magnetic and Gravitational Energies in Star-Forming Clouds By Dennis Lee and Joan Schmelz Paper: HAWC+/SOFIA Polarimetry in L1688: Relative Orientation of Magnetic Field and Elongated Cloud Structure Lee, Dennis, et al., 2021/09, ApJ, 918, 39.
Multi-Phase [C II] Emission in Nearby Galaxies By Elizabeth Tarantino and Joan Schmelz Paper: Characterizing the Multiphase Origin of [C II] Emission in M101 and NGC 6946 with Velocity-resolved Spectroscopy Tarantino, Elizabeth, et al., 2021/07, ApJ, 915, 92.
Magnetically-Driven Flows in NGC 1097 By Enrique Lopez-Rodriguez and Joan Schmelz Paper: Extragalactic Magnetism with SOFIA (Legacy Program) - II: A Magnetically Driven Flow in the Starburst Ring of NGC 1097 Lopez-Rodriguez, Enrique, et al., 2021/12, ApJ, 923, 150. Magnetically-driven flows feed the super massive blackhole at the center of NGC 1097. SOFIA investigated this long-standing problem of the large-scale transfer of matter from the body of the host galaxy to the active nucleus.
Temperature and Density Layers in the Ghost Nebula By Archana Soam and Joan Schmelz Paper: Spatial Variation in Temperature and Density in the IC 63 PDR from H ₂ Spectroscopy Soam, Archana, et al., 2021/12, ApJ, 923, 107.
Role of Magnetic Fields in Cloud Destruction in the Keyhole Nebula By Youngmin Seo and Joan Schmelz Paper: Probing Polarization and the Role of Magnetic Fields in Cloud Destruction in the Keyhole Nebula Seo, Young Min, et al., 2021/08, ApJ, 917, 57.
Evidence of [CII] Shocked Emission in NGC 7479 By Dario Fadda and Joan Schmelz Paper: [C II] and CO Emission along the Bar and Counter-arms of NGC 7479 Fadda, Dario, et al., 2021/03, ApJ, 909, 204. SOFIA observations of the barred spiral galaxy, NGC 7479, were able to separate shock-enhanced ionized carbon [CII] emission from that associated with star formation, reminding us that it is important to consider multiple mechanisms when studying the [CII] emission in galaxies with active nuclei.
Magnetic Chaos Hidden Within the Whirlpool Galaxy By Alejandro Borlaff and Joan Schmelz Paper: Extragalactic Magnetism with SOFIA (Legacy Program). I. The Magnetic Field in the Multiphase Interstellar Medium of M51 Alejandro S. Borlaff et al 2021 ApJ 921 128
Atomic Oxygen in Earth's Upper Atmosphere By Heinz-Wilhelm Hübers and Joan Schmelz Paper: Direct measurements of atomic oxygen in the mesosphere and lower thermosphere using terahertz heterodyne spectroscopy Richter, Heiko, et al., 2021/12, Communications Earth & Environment, 2, 19.