Zaven Arzoumanian

Astrophysics Science Division
NASA/GSFC
Code 662, X-ray Astrophysics
Greenbelt, MD 20771

tel: 301-286-2547
fax: 301-286-1684
e-mail: zaven.arzoumanian @ nasa.gov

Present Position

Research Scientist, CRESST/USRA

Brief Bio

Dec '04--             Research Scientist                     USRA, NASA GSFC
2001--2004         Research Associate                   USRA, NASA GSFC
1999--2001         Natl Res. Council Associate       NASA GSFC
1994--1999         Research Associate                   Cornell University
1992--1994         Graduate Teaching Assistant     Princeton University
1989--1994         Graduate Research Assistant    Princeton University
1988--1989         Summer Engineering Assitant    McGill University

Educational Background

1995         PhD, Physics Princeton University
                     Thesis: "Radio Observations of Binary Pulsars: Clues to Binary Evolution and Tests of General Relativity". Advisor: J. H. Taylor
1991         MA, Physics Princeton University
1989         BSc, Physics (Highest Honours) McGill University

Research Interests

High-energy and radio astronomy of compact objects
Gravitation
Astronomical instrumentation
Interferometry
Diffractometry
Signal processing

Current Projects

X-ray and radio studies of pulsars and associated phenomena: thermal and nonthermal emission properties, wind nebulae, tests of relativity, binary evolution, etc.

Technology development:

X-ray diffractometry using CCDs, for Earth and planetary exploration
Modulated X-ray sources, for detector calibration and X-ray communications
X-ray "concentrator" optics, for telescopes with large effective-area to mass ratios

Selected Publications

Arzoumanian, Z., et al. 2008, Chandra Confirmation of a Pulsar Wind Nebula in DA 495, ApJ 687, 505

Gendreau, K.C., Arzoumanian, Z., & Martins, J.V., 2007, Instrument and Method for X-ray Diffraction, Fluorescence, and Crystal Texture Analysis Without Sample Preparation, U.S. Patent application

Arzoumanian, Z., Holmberg, J., & Norman, B., 2005, An Astronomical Pattern-Matching Algorithm for Computer-Aided Identification of Whale Sharks, Journal of Applied Ecology, 42, 999

Arzoumanian, Z., Gendreau, K. C., Cash, W. C., Shipley, A. F., Queen, S. Z. 2004, Laboratory Testbeds for Broadband X-ray Interferometry, SPIE 5488, 623

Stairs, I. H.; Thorsett, S. E.; Arzoumanian, Z. 2004, Measurement of Spin-Orbit Coupling in a Binary Pulsar System, Phys. Rev. Lett. 93, 1101

Becker, W. et al. 2003, A Multi-wavelength Search for a Counterpart of the Unidentified Gamma-ray Source 3EG J2020+4017 (2CG078+2), ApJ, 615, 897

Arzoumanian, Z. 2003, A Stalwart Control Experiment: New Bounds on Violation of the Strong Equivalence Principle from PSR B0655+64, in Radio Pulsars, Bailes et al. eds., ASP Conf. Series, 302, 69

Publications at the ADS website.