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Geoffrey Bryden

Photo of Geoffrey Bryden

Address:

4800 Oak Grove Drive
M/S 169-506

Pasadena, CA 91109

Phone:

818.393.4692

Fax:

818.354.8895

Member of:

Exoplanet Discovery and Science

Biography

Dr. Geoffrey Bryden is an astronomer interested in how planetary systems form and evolve. His current focus is on the relationship between planets and debris disks - the asteroidal/cometary rubble left over after planets form. Surveys of nearby stars with the Spitzer Space Telescope and the Herschel Space Observatory have revealed many new belts of orbiting material, in some cases in systems also known to have large planets. As remnants of the process of planet formation, these debris disks provide clues about how planets form. On the other hand, the dust they create can obscure any neighboring planets. In order to prepare for future high-contrast imaging of Earth-like planets, the Large Binocular Telescope Interferometer LBTI.

Education

  • B.A., Physics, Cornell University (1990)
  • PhD, Astrophysics, University of California, Santa Cruz (1999)

Professional Experience

  • Jet Propulsion Laboratory
    • Research Scientist, NASA-JPL (2004-present)
    • National Research Council Fellow, NASA-JPL (2000-2004)
  • Postdoctoral Researcher, University of California, Santa Cruz (1999-2000)

Research Interests

  • Exoplanet microlensing (Roman Space Telescope)
  • Debris disks around planet-bearing stars (Spitzer, Herschel)
  • Dust obscuring the habitable zones of nearby stars (LBTI)

Selected Publications

  1. Bryden, G., Traub, W., Roberts, L., et al. (2011), "Zodiac II: Debris Disk Science from a Balloon," SPIE, 8151, 1E
  2. Bryden, G., Beichman, C., et al. (2009), "Planets and Debris Disks: Results from a Spitzer/MIPS Search," Astrophys. J., 705, 1226 <./li>
  3. Bryden, G., Beichman, C., et al. (2006), "Limits on Asteroidal Dust in the Pulsar Planetary System PSR B1257+12," Astrophys. J., 646, 1038
  4. Bryden, G., Beichman, C., et al. (2006), "Frequency of Debris Disks around Solar-Type Stars: First Results from a Spitzer/MIPS Survey," Astrophys. J., 636, 1098
  5. Beichman, C., Bryden, G., et al. (2005), "An Excess Due to Small Grains around the Nearby K0 V Star HD 69830: Asteroid or Cometary Debris?" Astrophys. J., 626, 1061
  6. Beichman, C., Bryden, G., et al. (2005), "Planets and Infrared Excesses: Preliminary Results from a Spitzer MIPS Survey of Solar-Type Stars", Astrophys. J., 622, 1160
  7. Bryden, G., Lin, D.N.C., & Ida, S. (2000) Protoplanetary Formation I: Neptune, Astrophys. J., 544, 481
  8. Bryden, G., Rozyczka, M., Lin, D.N.C., & Bodenheimer, P. (2000), "On the Interaction between Protoplanets and Protostellar Disks," Astrophys. J., 540, 1091
  9. Bryden, G., Chen, X., Lin, D., Nelson, R., & Papaloizou, J. (1999), "Tidally Induced Gap Formation in Protostellar Disks: Gap Clearing and Suppression of Protoplanetary Growth," Astrophys. J., 514, 344