UMBC Center for Space Sciences and Technology (CSST) / Center for Research and Exploration in Space Sciences & Technology II (CRSST II)
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The Center for Space Sciences and Technology (CSST) is the administrative unit for UMBC’s participation in the CRESST consortium. The NASA Goddard Space Flight Center (NASA/GSFC), The University of Maryland College Park (UMCP), Catholic University, Howard University and Southeastern Universities Research Association (SURA) are our partners in the consortium.
The Center for Research and Exploration in Space Science & Technology (CRESST), is a cooperative agreement between the partner institutions. The CRESST consortium currently has over 120 PhD astronomers and astrophysicists working within the Astrophysics Science Division at GSFC.
CSST was formed in 2006 and currently has over 20 UMBC research faculty, several of which are affiliated to the physics department. The research conducted by the members of CSST focuses on (i) Astrophysical Data Reduction, Interpretation & Archiving, (ii) Space Science Technology: Development & Calibration, and (iii) Theoretical Astrophysics: Simulations & Software.
CSST maintains close relations with (and is housed within) the Physics Department at UMBC. Combined, UMBC astrophysics faculty and CSST scientists contribute to the Undergraduate & Graduate activities (including the Undergrad & Grad internships) by teaching & mentoring students.
Recent Submissions
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Direct Measurement of the Cosmic-Ray Helium Spectrum from 40 GeV to 250 TeV with the Calorimetric Electron Telescope on the International Space Station
(APS, 2023-04-27)We present the results of a direct measurement of the cosmic-ray helium spectrum with the CALET instrument in operation on the International Space Station since 2015. The observation period covered by this analysis spans ... -
Spatial Coincidence between Ultra-high Energy Cosmic Rays and TeV Gamma Rays in the Direction of GRB 980425/SN 1998bw
(AAS, 2023-04)Gamma-ray bursts (GRBs) have long been suspected as possible ultra-high energy cosmic ray (UHECR) accelerators. In this brief note, I report that GRB 980425/SN 1998bw falls within the region of interest (ROI) with the ... -
Gravitational Redshift Detection from the Magnetic White Dwarf Harbored in RX J1712.6-2414
(2023-04-28)Gravitational redshift is a fundamental parameter that allows us to determine the mass-to-radius ratio of compact stellar objects, such as black holes, neutron stars, and white dwarfs (WDs). In the X-ray spectra of the ... -
Advancing Atmospheric Thermodynamic Sounding from Space using Hyperspectral Microwave Measurements
(IEEE, 2023-04-25)We present a comprehensive sensitivity analysis and geophysical retrieval product demonstration to assess the enhanced information content in atmospheric temperature and water vapor, harnessed in hyperspectral microwave ... -
A Cross-correlation Study between IceCube Neutrino Events and the Fermi Unresolved Gamma-ray Sky
(2023-04-21)With the coincident detections of electromagnetic radiation together with gravitational waves (GW170817) or neutrinos (TXS 0506+056), the new era of multimessenger astrophysics has begun. Of particular interest are the ... -
A Sensitive Search for Supernova Emission Associated with the Extremely Energetic and Nearby GRB 221009A
(2023-04-23)We report observations of the optical counterpart of the long gamma-ray burst (LGRB) GRB 221009A. Due to the extreme rarity of being both nearby (z = 0.151) and highly energetic (E ᵧ,ᵢₛₒ ≥ 10⁵⁴ erg), GRB 221009A offers a ... -
Lightning: An X-ray to Submillimeter Galaxy SED Fitting Code With Physically-Motivated Stellar, Dust, and AGN Models
(2023-04-13)We present an updated version of Lightning, a galaxy spectral energy distribution (SED) fitting code that can model X-ray to submillimeter observations. The models in Lightning include the options to contain contributions ... -
Optimizing the Resolution of Hydrodynamic Simulations for MCRaT Radiative Transfer Calculations
(2023-04-14)Despite their discovery about half a century ago, the Gamma-ray burst (GRB) prompt emission mechanism is still not well understood. Theoretical modeling of the prompt emission has advanced considerably due to new computational ... -
Constraining the Venus Interior Structure with Future VERITAS Measurements of the Gravitational Atmospheric Loading
(IOP, 2023-04-12)The complex dynamics of the Venus atmosphere produces a periodic mass redistribution pattern that creates a time-variable modulation of the gravity field of Venus. This gravity signal depends on the net transport of mass ... -
Effect of Space Radiation on Transition-Edge Sensor Detectors Performance
(IEEE, 2023-04-07)The Athena mission and its X-ray Integral Field Unit (X-IFU) instrument will be positioned at the Sun-Earth Lagrange point L1, where it will be subject to particles from the solar wind with energy below 0.1 MeV, and from ... -
Long Term Performance Stability of Transition-Edge Sensor Detectors
(IEEE, 2023-04-07)We are developing superconducting transition-edge sensor (TES) microcalorimeter arrays for a variety of applications such as ground-based laboratory astrophysics experiments and next generation space-based X-ray missions. ... -
Fermi-GBM Discovery of GRB 221009A: An Extraordinarily Bright GRB from Onset to Afterglow
(2023-03-24)We report the discovery of GRB 221009A, the highest flux gamma-ray burst ever observed by the Fermi Gamma-ray Burst Monitor (Fermi-GBM). This GRB has continuous prompt emission lasting more than 600 seconds, afterglow ... -
Reflexive Memory Authenticator: A Proposal for Effortless Renewable Biometrics
(Springer, 2020-01-25)Today’s biometric authentication systems are still struggling with replay attacks and irrevocable stolen credentials. This paper introduces a biometric protocol that addresses such vulnerabilities. The approach prevents ... -
NGC 4388: A test case for relativistic disk reflection and fe k fluorescence features
(Royal Astronomical Society, 2023-03-16)We present a new analysis of the Suzaku X-ray spectrum of the Compton-thin Seyfert 2 galaxy NGC 4388. The spectrum above ∼2 keV can be described by a remarkably simple and rather mundane model, consisting of a uniform, ... -
Characterizing Thermal Background Events for Athena X-IFU
(IEEE, 2023-03-14)The X-ray Integral Field Unit on Athena will be subject to a cosmic-ray induced thermal background on orbit, with energy depositions into the detector wafer leading to thermal bath fluctuations. Such fluctuations have the ... -
BatAnalysis -- A Comprehensive Python Pipeline for Swift BAT Survey Analysis
(2023-03-11)The Swift Burst Alert Telescope (BAT) is a coded aperture gamma-ray instrument with a large field of view that primarily operates in survey mode when it is not triggering on transient events. The survey data consists of ... -
Testing the gravitational redshift with an inner Solar System probe: The VERITAS case
(APS, 2023-03-13)The NASA Discovery-class mission VERITAS, selected in June 2021, will be launched toward Venus after 2027. In addition to the science instrumentation that will build global foundational geophysical datasets, VERITAS ... -
A Transiting, Temperate Mini-Neptune Orbiting the M Dwarf TOI-1759 Unveiled by TESS
(AAS, 2022-02-16)We report the discovery and characterization of TOI-1759 b, a temperate (400 K) sub-Neptune-sized exoplanet orbiting the M dwarf TOI-1759 (TIC 408636441). TOI-1759 b was observed by TESS to transit in Sectors 16, 17, and ... -
Orbit Determination and Time Transfer for a Lunar Radio Navigation System
(EGU, 2023-02-26)Within the pre-phase A of the Moonlight project proposed and funded by the European Space Agency (ESA), the ATLAS consortium has proposed an architecture to support a Lunar Radio Navigation System (LRNS) capable of ... -
MAVEN Observations of Steepened Ultra-Low Frequency Waves in the Upstream Martian Foreshock Region
(EGU, 2023-04-03)In this study, we present the analysis of steepened ultra-low frequency (ULF) waves in the foreshock region upstream of Mars’ bow shock observed by the Mars Atmosphere and Volatile EvolutioN (MAVEN) spacecraft at Mars. ...
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