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 Chapter

    • 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.

    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

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

    Conferences Organized

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

    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) “, 2014-2018
    • Chair, International Astronomical Union-Working Group on Active B Stars”, 2008-2012
    • Co-Chair, International Astronomical Union-Working Group on Active B Stars”, 2005-2009
    • US National Committee-IAU,Category I, American Astronomical Society”, 2003-2007
    • Board of Directors, Astronomical Society of the Pacific”, 1984-1988