USC.edu

Geraldine Peters

Professor (Research) of Physics and Astronomy
Email gpeters@usc.edu Office SHS 271 Office Phone (213) 740-6336

Research & Practice Areas

Stellar Astrophysics, including Binary Stars, Stellar Abundances, Circumstellar Material About Hot Stars

Center, Institute & Lab Affiliations

  • Hubble Space Telescope, Guest Observer
  • NASA, Kepler Guest Observer Program
  • NASA, GALEX Guest Investigator Program
  • NASA, FUSE Guest Investigator Program
  • Space Sciences Center, Research Professor

Education

  • Ph.D. Astronomy, University of California – Los Angeles, 3/1974
  • M.A. Astronomy, University of California – Los Angeles, 9/1966
  • B.S. Physics, California State University – Long Beach, 9/1964

  • Conference Presentations

    • Quasi-Periodic Long-Term Quadrature Light Variability in Early-Type Interacting Binary Systems , International Astronomical Union, 29th General AssemblyTalk/Oral Presentation, International Astronomical Union, Honolulu, HI, 2015 , 08/07/2015 –
    • Close Binary Stars: What Spacecraft Observations have Revealed about their Interaction , Harlow Shapley Lecture, presented twiceTalk/Oral Presentation, American Astronomical Society, Invited, Okanagan College, Vernon & Kelowna Campuses, Kelowna, BC, 03/26/2015 –
    • Investigating the Physics of Mass Transfer in Algol Binaries from Spacecraft Data Lecture/Seminar, Dept. of Physics & Astronomy, CSULB, Invited, Long Beach, CA, 10/21/2013 –
    • Hot Accretion Spots and Nitrogen Enhancement in Algol-Type Interacting Binary Systems , American Astronomical Society Topical Conference Series 3: Giants of EclipseTalk/Oral Presentation, American Astronomical Society, Monterey, CA, 08/01/2013 –
    • Accretion Structures in Algol-Type and Related Binary Stars Lecture/Seminar, University of Denver, Invited, Denver, CO, 04/24/2013 –
    • Detection of the Spectrum of the Suspected Hot Subdwarf Companion to the Be Star 59 Cygni , 221st Meeting of American Astronomical SocietyTalk/Oral Presentation, American Astronomical Society, Long Beach, CA, 01/07/2013 –
    • Evidence for Hot Spot Migration in Interacting Binaries Observed with the Kepler Spacecraft , AL-FEST: Current Insights and Future Prospects in Close Binary ResearchTalk/Oral Presentation, University of Washington, Invited, University of Washington, 2011-2012
    • Spot Migration and Pulsation in the Interacting Binary WX Draconis , 220th Meeting of American Astronomical Society Talk/Oral Presentation, American Astronomical Society , Anchorage, AK, 2011-2012
    • Working Group on Active B Stars: History & Prospects , XXVIII IAU General Assembly, Beijing, China Talk/Oral Presentation, International Astronomical Union, Invited, Beijing, China, 2011-2012
    • Activity in B-Type Stars , USC Conference for Undergraduate Women in PhysicsTalk/Oral Presentation, USC WiSE Program, NSF, Invited, University of Southern California, 2010-2011
    • The Abundances of Carbon and Nitrogen in the Photospheres of Active B Stars , 217th Meeting of American Astronomical SocietyTalk/Oral Presentation, American Astronomical Society, Invited, Seattle, WA, 2010-2011
    • The Use of Virtual Observatory Databases in Binary Star Research , From Interacting Binaries to Exoplanets: Essential Modeling ToolsTalk/Oral Presentation, International Astronomical Union, Invited, Tatranska Lomnica, Slovakia, 2010-2011

  • Book

    • Coralie Neiner, Gregg Wade, Georges Meynet, Geraldine Peters (Ed.). (2011). Proceedings of IAU Symposium 272 (Active OB Stars: Structure, Evolution, Mass-Loss, and Critical Limits). Cambridge University Press.

    Book Chapters

    • Peters, G. J., Hirschi, R. (2013). Evolution of High Mass Stars, in Vol. 4 “Stellar Structure and Evolution” for a compendium entitled “Planets, Stars, and Stellar Systems”. Planets, Stars, and Stellar Systems (Vol. 4) pp. 38. Springer.

    Journal Article

    • Peters, G. J., Pewett, T. D., Gies, D. R., Touhami, Y. N., Grundstrom, E. D. (2013). FUV Detection of a Hot Subdwarf Companion to the Be Star 59 Cygni. Astrophysical Journal. Vol. 765 (2), pp. 8.
    • Mennickent, R. E., Kolaczkowski,, Z., Djurasevic, G., Niemczura, E., Diaz,, M., Cure, M., Araya, I., Peters, G. J. (2012). A Cyclic Bipolar Wind in the Interacting Binary V393 Scorpii. Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society. Vol. 427, pp. 607-624.
    • Atwood-Stone, C., Miller, B. P., Richards, M. T., Budaj, J., Peters, G. J. (2012). Modeling the Accretion Structure of AU Monocerotis. Astrophysical Journal. Vol. 760, pp. A134/16pp.
    • Gies, D. R., Williams, S. J., Matson, R. A., Guo, Z., Thomas, S. M., Orosz, J. A., Peters, G. J. (2012). A Search for Hierarchical Triples using Kepler Eclipse Timing. Astronomical Journal. Vol. 143:137, pp. 9 pp.
    • Peters, G. J., Gies, D. R., Grundstrom, E. D., McSwain, M. V. (2008). Detection of a Hot Subdwarf Companion to the Be Star FY Canis Majoris. Astrophysical Journal. Vol. 686, pp. 1280-1291.

    Proceedings

    • Peters, G. J. (2012). The Use of Virtual Observatory Databases in Binary Star Research. In M.T. Richards, I. Hubeny (Ed.), pp. 47-52. Cambridge.
    • Peters, G. J. (2011). The Nitrogen Abundance in Be Stars Determined from UV Spectra. In C. Neiner, G. Wade, G. Meynet, G. Peters (Ed.), pp. 101-102. United Kingdom. Cambridge University Press.
    • Peters, G. J. (2007). Bipolar Flows, Hot Interaction Regions, and Colliding Winds in OB Interacting Binaries/in Proceedings from IAU S240. In W. I. Hartkopf, E. F. Guinan, P. Harmanec (Ed.), pp. 148-153. Cambridge. International Astronomical Union/Cambridge University Press.

  • Committees

    • Member, Academic Senate Committee on Non-Tenure Track Faculty Affairs, 2011-2012
    • Member, USC Dornsife WiSE Committee, 2011-2012
    • Member, USC Academic Senate, 09/01/2009 – 05/15/2012
    • Member, Dornsife Faculty Council/Research Caucus, 09/01/2008 – 05/15/2012
    • Member, USC Dornsife College of Letters, Arts, and Sciences Faculty Council, 09/01/2008 – 05/15/2012
    • Member, WiSE Advisory Board, 09/01/2003 – 05/15/2011

  • Committees

    • Member, Steering Committee for Division G (Stars & Stellar Physics) of the International Astronomical Union (elected by the Division G membership of 3227 astronomers) 2015-18, 2014-2015
    • Chair, Working Group on Active B Stars, an inter-divisional working group of Divisions IV (Stars) & V (Variable Stars) of the International Astronomical Union.
      , 08/15/2009 – 08/30/2012
    • Member, Scientific Organizing Committee for IAU Symposium No.282 “From Interacting Binaries to Exoplanets: Essential Modeling Tools”, Tatranska Lomnica, Slovakia, 2011 July 18-22., 08/01/2009 – 09/15/2011
    • Member, Scientific Organizing Committee for IAU Symposium 272: “Active OB Stars: Structure, Evolution, Mass Loss, and Critical Limits”,
      Paris, France, July 19-23, 2010, 08/15/2008 – 12/31/2010
    • Co-Chair, Working Group on Active B Stars, an inter-divisional working group of Divisions IV (Stars) & V (Variable Stars) of the International Astronomical Union.
      , 09/01/2006 – 08/31/2009

    Conferences Organized

    • Member, Scientific Organizing Committee, AL-FEST: Current Insights and Future Prospects in Close Binary Research, Seattle, WA, 2011-2012
    • Member, Scientific Organizing Committee, IAU Symposium No.282 “From Interacting Binaries to Exoplanets: Essential Modeling Tools”, Tatranska Lomnica, Slovakia, 08/15/2009 – 08/15/2011
    • Member, Scientific Organizing Committee, IAU Symposium 272: “Active OB Stars: Structure, Evolution, Mass Loss, and Critical Limits”, Paris, France, 2009-2010

    Editorships and Editorial Boards

    • Editor-in-chief of this mini-journal that is published for the Working Group on Active B Stars for the International Astronomical Union, Be Star Newsletter, 01/01/1987 –

    Professional Offices

    • Elected Member, International Astronomical Union – Steering Committee for Division G (Stars & Stellar Physics) , 08/15/2015 – 08/15/2018
    • Chair, International Astronomical Union-Working Group on Active B Stars, 08/15/2009 – 08/15/2012
    • Co-Chair, International Astronomical Union-Working Group on Active B Stars, 08/01/2006 – 08/15/2009
    • US National Committee-IAU,Category I, American Astronomical Society, 01/01/2004 – 12/31/2006
    • Board of Directors, Astronomical Society of the Pacific, 09/01/1984 – 08/31/1987

    Professional Memberships

    • International Astronomical Union, 08/01/1979 –
    • Sigma Xi, 04/01/1970 –
    • Astronomical Society of the Pacific, 01/01/1969 –
    • American Astronomical Society, 01/01/1966 –

    Other Service to the Profession

    • California State Science Fair Board,
    • Director of Judging, California State Science Fair,