Amy Jean Lovell

Associate Professor of Physics & Astronomy

Agnes Scott College, 141 E College Avenue, Decatur, GA  30030

alovell@agnesscott.edu, (404) 471-6265

 

Education

Ph.D. in Astronomy, University of Massachusetts Amherst, February, 1999. 

Dissertation title: “Millimeter-wave Molecular Mapping of Comets Hyakutake and

Hale-Bopp," Thesis Advisor: F.P. Schloerb.

 

Bachelor of Arts (Physics and Astronomy) with High Honor, May 1990.  Agnes Scott College, Decatur, Georgia.

 

Employment History        

Agnes Scott College, Associate Professor of Physics & Astronomy, 2006-present.

Arecibo Observatory, Visiting Scientist 2006-2007.

Agnes Scott College, Assistant Professor of Physics and Astronomy, 2000-2006.

Instituto Nacional de Astrofísica Óptica y Electrónica (INAOE), Visiting Scientist, 2004

Amherst College, Five College Astronomy Science Education Fellow, 1998-2000.

University of Massachusetts Amherst and FCRAO, Graduate Assistant, 1990-1998.

Cornell University Research Experiences for Undergraduates, 1989.

Agnes Scott College Bradley Observatory Undergraduate Assistant, 1988-90.

Maria Mitchell Observatory, Summer Undergraduate Assistant, 1988.

 

Teaching Experience

Astronomy 400:  Advanced Seminar in Astrophysics

Astronomy 301:  Dynamical Astrophysics

Astronomy 150:  Special Topic, Archaeoastronomy

Astronomy 150:  Special Topic, Unseen Matter in the Universe

Astronomy 121:  Galaxies & Cosmology (with laboratory)

Astronomy 120:  The Solar System (with laboratory)

Physics 210:  Modern Physics

Physics 110L and 111L: Introductory Physics Laboratories

Physics 321:  Classical Mechanics

First-year Seminar 190:  Power to the People:  Energy in the 21st century

 

Student Advising and Mentoring

Faculty Advisor for Dual Degree in Engineering with Georgia Tech

Funded & supervised students participating in research on asteroids and comets

Traveled with students to national observatory facilities (FCRAO, HHSMT, GBT)

Encouraged undergraduate student interest in research, local & national

Mentored students in summer research

 

 

Other training

            Workshop for New Physics & Astronomy Faculty, AAPT, 2001

BIMA Summer School, Hat Creek, CA, 1996

            Earth and Venus, Planetary Summer School, NASA/JPL, 1992

Technical editing for Explorations: an Introduction to Astronomy by T. Arny

 

Research

Astronomical observations using Arecibo, GBT, NRAO 140ft, VLA, FCRAO, HHSMT, IRTF

            Centimeter-wave radio observations and mapping of OH spectra in comets

            Millimeter-wave spectroscopic mapping of molecules in cometary atmospheres

            Support observations for NASA’s Deep Impact and Dawn missions

Millimeter-wave mapping of molecules in dark clouds

Sub-millimeter to centimeter-wave observations of asteroid thermal lightcurves

Thermal infrared and optical lightcurve observations of asteroids

 

Modeling and analysis

Modeling of neutral and ionized molecular spectra in cometary comae

Investigations of realistic cometary gas outflow velocity and coma asymmetry

Calculation of molecular excitation in comets by electron collisions

Asteroid surface heat transfer modeling

            Venus (Magellan) radar echo modeling

 

Honors, Service and Society Memberships

 Arecibo Users & Scientific Advisory Committee (AUSAC), 2005-2007 (chair 2007)

 American Astronomical Society (AAS), Division for Planetary Sciences (DPS)

 Astronomical Society of the Pacific

 ASC Liason to Atlanta Astronomy Club

 DPS Federal Relations Subcommittee, 2007-2010

 NASA Discovery Data Analysis (DDAP) Review Panel, 2006

 NSF Small Bodies Review Panel, 2001, 2006

 NSF URO Visiting Committee (CARMA), 2002

 NASA Planetary Atmospheres Review Panel 1999, 2000

 NSF POWRE Astronomy Review Panel, 2000

 NRAO Proposal Reviewer, VLA 2001-2003, VLA/GBT 2004-2006

 NRAO Users’ Committee 2008-2011

 GA Assessments for Certification of Educators Physics Advisory Committee, 2005-2006

 Faculty Mentor with MentorNet

 Asteroid (9274) Amylovell

 

Grants Received

"Mapping the Surface Thermophysical Properties of Surviving Protoplanets,"
         NASA Planetary Astronomy  $37,913 subcontract (2005-08), with M. Sykes, PSI

"A Multiwavelength Approach to Gas Dynamics and Coma Chemistry in Comets,"
         NASA Planetary Astronomy  $35,421 subcontract (2005-08), with L. Woodney, UCF and CSUSB

 “Engaging Middle School Girls in Astronomy,” NASA IDEAS, $49,948 (2004-05), with K. Flammer, Imaginary Lines

 “A Quantitative Analysis of Gas & Dust Jets in Comets Hyakutake, Tempel 2, and Encke from Narrowband Imaging,” NASA Planetary Atmospheres, $26,706 subcontract (2002-05), with D. Schleicher, Lowell Observatory

“Millimeter-wave and Radio Studies of Solar System Bodies,” NASA Planetary Astronomy, $40,470 subcontract, (2001-04), with F.P. Schloerb, UMass

 

Other Skills

Programming, including C, C++, Java, FORTRAN, perl, HTML, shell scripts

Spoken languages:  Spanish and some French

Private Pilot, Single and Multi-engine

Certified Open Water SCUBA Diver

 

Publications

“Observations and Modeling of 18cm OH Lines in Twelve Comets, “  Lovell, A.J., Howell, E.S., Schloerb, F.P.  refereed, resubmitted to Astrophysical Journal

 

“Observations of asteroids with ALMA,” Lovell, A.J., Astrophysics and Space Science 313, 191, 2008

 

“Submillimeter Lightcurves of Vesta,” Chamberlain, M.A., Lovell, A.J. and Sykes, M.V., Icarus 192, 448. 2007

 

“Radio OH Observations of 9P/Tempel 1 Before and After Deep Impact,” Howell, E.S., Lovell, A.J., Butler, B. J., Schloerb, F.P.  Deep Impact issue of Icarus, 187, 228. 2007

 

 Deep Impact: Observations from a Worldwide Earth-Based Campaign,” Meech, K.J. and 208 co-authors, Science, 310, 265-269, 2005

 

"Asteroid and Minor Bodies Science with the Large Millimetric Telescope," Barrera-Pineda, P.S., Lovell, A.J., Schloerb, F.P., and Carrasco, L., Reviews of Mexican Astronomy and Astrophysics, 24, 188-191, 2005.

 

"On the Effect of Electron Collisions in the Excitation of Cometary HCN," Lovell, A.J., Kallivayalil, N., Schloerb, F.P., Combi, M.R., Hansen, K.C. and Gombosi, T.I., Astrophys. J. 613, 615, 2004

 

"Using an Active Primary Surface to Correct for Low-order Manufacturing Errors in Secondary Mirrors of Large Reflector Antennas," Cortes, G., Lovell, A.J., Enriquez, R., and Smith, D.R., Astronomical Structures and Mechanisms Technology, Ed. J. Antebi and D. Lemke; 5495, 2004.

 

“Comet C/2002 T7 (LINEAR),” Howell, E.S., Lovell, A.J., Schloerb, F.P., IAU Circular No. 8329, 23 April 2004.

 

“Arecibo Observations of the 18cm OH Lines of six Comets,” Lovell, A.J., Howell, E.S., Schloerb, F.P., Lewis, B.M., Hine, A.A., in Proceedings of Asteroids, Comets, Meteors (ACM 2002), ESA-SP-500, 681, 2002.

 

“Measurements of dynamic pointing variations of a large radio telescope,” Smith, D.R., Paglione, T.A., Lovell, A.J.; Ukita, N., Matsuo, H., in Radio Telescopes, Harvey R. Butcher, ed., Proceedings of SPIE, 4015, 467-475, 2000.

 

“Detection of Nitrogen Sulfide in Comet Hale-Bopp,” Irvine, W.M., Senay, M., Lovell, A.J., Matthews, H.E., McGonagle, D., and Meier, R. Icarus 143, 412--414, 2000.

 

“Millimeter-Wave Molecular Mapping of Comets Hyakutake and Hale-Bopp.” Lovell, A.J., Ph.D. Thesis, University of Massachusetts, 1999.

 

“The HNC/HCN Ratio in Comets,” Irvine, W.M., Dickens, J.E., Lovell, A.J., Schloerb, F.P., Senay, M., Bergin, E.A., Jewitt, D., and Matthews, H.E. Earth, Moon and Planets, 78, 29--35, 1999.

 

“Collisional Quenching of OH Radio Emission from Comet Hale-Bopp," Schloerb, F.P., DeVries, C.H., Lovell, A.J., Irvine, W.M., Senay, M., and Wootten, H.A. Earth, Moon Planets, 78, 45--51, 1999.

 

“HCO+ in the Coma of Comet C/Hale-Bopp,” Lovell, A.J., Schloerb, F.P., Bergin, E.A., Dickens, J.E., DeVries, C.H., Senay, M.C., and Irvine, W.M. Earth, Moon and Planets 77, 253--258, 1999.

 

“Mosaicked Images and Spectra of J=1-0 HCN and HCO+ Emission from Comet Hale-Bopp (1995 O1)", Wright, M.C.H., De Pater, I., Forster, J.R.,  Palmer, P., Snyder, L.E., Veal, J.M., A'Hearn, M.F., Woodney, L.M., Jackson,  W.M., Kuan, Y.-J.; Lovell, A.J.,  Astron. J. 116, 3018--3028, 1998.

 

“HCO+ Imaging of Comet C/1995 O1 Hale-Bopp,” Lovell, A.J., Schloerb, F.P., Dickens, J.E., DeVries, C.H., Senay, M.C., and Irvine, W.M.  Astrophys. J. Lett. 497, L117--L121, 1998

                                                                                                              

“Chemistry in Cometary Comae,” Irvine, W.M., Dickens, J.E., Lovell, A.J., Schloerb, F.P., Senay, M., Bergin, E.A., Jewitt, D., and Matthews, H.E.  Faraday Discuss. 109, 475--492, 1998.

 

“The Origin of Cometary HNC,” Irvine, W.M., Bergin, E.A., Dickens, J.E., Jewitt, D., Lovell, A.J., Matthews, H.E., Schloerb, F.P., and Senay, M.   Nature, 393, 547, 1998.

 

“Comet C/1995 O1 (Hale-Bopp),” Lovell, A., Schloerb, P., DeVries, C., Dickens, J., Irvine, W., Senay, M., IAU Circular No. 6590, 17 March 1997.

 

“Interstellar and Cometary Ices: Molecular Emission from Comet Hale-Bopp,” Irvine, W.M., DeVries, C.H., Dickens, J.E., Lovell, A.J., Schloerb, F.P., Senay, M., Jewitt, D., and Matthews, H.E., in The Far Infrared and Submillimetre Universe, ESA SP-401, 277--280, 1997.

 

“Spectroscopic evidence for interstellar ices in comet Hyakutake."  Irvine, W. M., Bockelée-Morvan, D., Lis, D.C., Matthews, H.E., Biver, N., Crovisier, J., Davies, J.K., Dent, W.R.F., Gautier, D., Godfrey, P.D., Keene, J., Lovell, A.J., Owen, T.C., Phillips, T.G., Rauer, H., Schloerb, F. P., Senay, M., and Young, K.  Nature, 383, 418--420, 1996.

 

“V794 Sagittarii, an RV Tauri star with unequal maxima," Lovell, A.J., Journal of the American Association of Variable Star Obs., 18, 45--48, 1989.

 

Conference Presentations

Arecibo OH Mapping Observations of Comet C/2006 M4 SWAN,” Lovell, A.J. and Howell E.S., Bull. of the Amer. Astron. Soc., 39, 53.07, October, 2007

 

Radar and Radio Observations of the Fragmented Comet 73P/Schwassmann-Wachmann 3,” Howell, E.S., Nolan, M.C., Harmon, J. K., Lovell, A. J., Benner, L. A., Ostro, S. J., Campbell, D. B., Margot, J. Bull. of the Amer. Astron. Soc., 39, 36.05, October, 2007

 

OH Radio Mapping Observations of comet 73P/Schwassmann-Wachmann 3,”  Lovell, A.J., Howell, E.S., Marine, H., Butler, B.J., Schloerb, F.P. Bull. of the Amer. Astron. Soc., 38, 06.04, October, 2006

 

“Observations of Asteroids with ALMA.”  Lovell, A.J., Invited talk in “Science with ALMA:  A New Era for Astrophysics,”  Madrid, Spain, November, 2006

 

Radio OH Observations of comet 9P/Tempel 1 before and after Deep Impact,”  Howell, E.S., Lovell, A.J., Butler, B., Schloerb, F.P. Bull. of the Amer. Astron. Soc., 37, 43.07, 2005

 

Radio OH Observations of comet 9P/Tempel 1 before and after Deep Impact,”  Lovell, A., Howell, E., Butler, B., Schloerb, F.P. Asteroids, Comets, Meteors 2005,  Brazil, August 2005.

 

“Observations of the 18-cm OH lines in Comet 2P/Encke at Arecibo Observatory,” Howell, E.S., and Lovell, A. J.  Asteroids, Comets, Meteors 2005,  Brazil, August 2005.

 

“Observational constraints on excitation of the 18-cm OH lines in comets,” Lovell, A.J., Howell, E.S., Schloerb, F.P. Bull. of the Amer. Astron. Soc., 36, 1121, 2004

 

”Recent observations of the 18-cm OH lines in bright comets with the Arecibo ALFA receiver,”., Howell, E.S., Lovell, A.J., Nolan, M.C., Schloerb, F.P. Bull. of the Amer. Astron. Soc., 36, 1121-2, 2004

 

"Using an Active Primary Surface to Correct for Low-order Manufacturing Errors in Secondary Mirrors of Large Reflector Antennas," Cortes, G., Lovell, A.J., Enriquez, R., and Smith, D.R., Astronomical Structures and Mechanisms Technology, Glasgow, Scotland, 21-25 June, 2004.

 

“Asteroid and minor bodies science with the LMT”, Barrera-Pineda, P.S., Lovell, A.J., Schloerb, F.P., and Carrasco, L.  II Conferencia Internacional sobre Ciencia con el GTC: Ciencia con los instrumentos de 1a Luz y con el GTM, 16-18 February 2004.

 

"Spectral Line Mapping Observations of 18-cm OH Lines in Comets,"  Lovell, A.J., Howell, E.S., Schloerb, F.P., Bull. of the Amer. Astron. Soc., 34, 1608, 2002

 

"Variability of the thermal emission of Vesta at 870 µm," Barrera-Pineda, P.S., Lovell, A.J., ; Carrasco, L., Bull. of the Amer. Astron. Soc., 34, 1403, 2002.

 

“Arecibo Observations of the 18-cm OH Lines of six Comets,” Lovell, A.J., Howell, E.S., Schloerb, F.P., Lewis, B.M, and Hine, A.A., Asteroids, Comets, Meteors 2002, 21-14, p. 190, July 2002.

 

"An investigation of thermal emission from asteroids at radio wavelengths," Barrera-Pineda P.S., Lovell A.J. and Schloerb, F.P., Bull. of the Amer. Astron. Soc., 33, 1119, 2001.

 

"Observations of the 18-cm OH lines in Comet C/1999 S4 LINEAR and Comet C/2000 T1 McNaught-Hartley," Howell, E.S., Lovell, A.J., Schloerb, F.P, American Astronomical Society Meeting 198, #75.03, 2001.

 

“Operating Data and Pointing Measurements of a Large Radio Telescope,” Smith, D.R., Weech, K., Blough J., Gwaltney G., van Karsen, C., DeVries, C., Lovell, A., Ukita, N., Matsuo, H., Ezawa, H., Proceedings of the 19th International Modal Analysis Conference, Kissimmee, FL, February, 2001.

 

“Collisional Excitation of HCN by Electrons in Comets Hyakutake and Hale-Bopp,” Lovell, A. J., Kallivayalil, N., Schloerb, F. P., Combi, M. R., Hansen, K. C., Gombosi, T. I., Bull. of the Amer. Astron. Soc., 32, 1081, 2000.

 

“A New Cometary Molecule: Nitrogen Sulfide,” Irvine, W.M., Lovell, A.J., Senay, M., Matthews, H.E., Metz, R.B., Meier, R., and McGonagle, D., Bull. of the Amer. Astron. Soc., 31, 1123, 1999.

 

“HCO+ in Comet Hale-Bopp: A Comparison of Observations and MHD Models,” Lovell, A.J., Iler, A.L, Schloerb, F.P., Hansen, K.C., Combi, M.R., Häberli, R.M., an Gombosi, T.I., Bull. of the Amer. Astron. Soc., 31, 1101, 1999.

 

“Modelling of OH Radio Emission from Comet Hale-Bopp," Schloerb, F.P., Lovell, A.J., DeVries, C.H., Chander, A., Bull. of the Amer. Astron. Soc.,31, 1097, 1999.

 

 “An Inquiry-based Undergraduate Course Investigating Unseen Matter in the Universe,” Lovell, A.J. and Greenstein, G.S., Bull. of the Amer. Astron. Soc.,31, 938, 1999.

 

 “Molecular Line Mapping of Comets Hyakutake and Hale-Bopp," Lovell, A.J., Schloerb, F.P., Dickens, J.E., DeVries, C.H., Irvine, W.M., and Senay, M.C., Bull. of the Amer. Astron. Soc.,30, 1073, 1998.

 

“Modelling of HCN Emission from Comets Hyakutake and Hale-Bopp," Schloerb, F.P. and Lovell, A.J., Bull. of the Amer. Astron. Soc.,30, 1073, 1998.

 

“Molecular Line Imaging of HCO+ in Comet C/1995 O1,” Lovell, A.J., Bergin, E.A, Schloerb, F.P., Dickens, J.E., DeVries, C.H., Senay, M.C., and Irvine, W.M., First International Conference on Comet Hale-Bopp, Puerto de la Cruz, Tenerife, Spain, Feb., 1998.

 

“The HNC/HCN Ratio in Comets,” Irvine, W.M, Schloerb, F.P., Dickens, J.E., Lovell, A.J., Senay, M.C., Bergin, E.A, Matthews, H.E., and Jewitt, D.  First International Conference on Comet Hale-Bopp, Puerto de la Cruz, Tenerife, Spain, February 2-5, 1998.

 

“Collisional Quenching of OH Radio Emission from Comet Hale-Bopp," Schloerb, F.P., DeVries, C.H., Lovell, A.J., Dickens, J.E., Irvine, W.M., Senay, M., and Wootten, H.A., First International

Conference on Comet Hale-Bopp, Puerto de la Cruz, Tenerife, Spain, February 2-5, 1998.

 

 “Neutral and Ionized Molecular Line Imaging of Comet C/1995 O1 Hale-Bopp,” Lovell, A.J., Schloerb, F.P., Dickens, J.E., DeVries, C.H., and Senay, M.C., and Irvine, W.M., Bull. of the Amer. Astron. Soc., 29, 1319, 1998.

 

“Thermal Emission of Ceres and Vesta in the Mid-Infrared,” Deutsch, L.K., Wargo, C.J., Williams, L.P., Lovell, A., Hora, J.L, Fazio, G.G., Hoffmann, W.F., and Dayal, A., Bull. of the Amer. Astron. Soc., 29, 1317, 1998.

 

“HCO+ Imaging of Comet C/1995 O1 Hale-Bopp,” Lovell, A.J., Schloerb, F.P., DeVries, C.H., Dickens, J.E., Irvine, W.M, Senay, M.C.,  Bull. of the Amer. Astron. Soc., 29, 1041, 1997.

 

“Collisional Quenching  of OH  Radio Emission from Comet Hale-Bopp," DeVries, C.H., Lovell, A.J., Schloerb, F.P., Dickens, J.E., Irvine, W.M., Senay, M., Wootten, H.A.,  Bull. of the Amer. Astron. Soc., 29, 1049, 1997.

 

“Molecular Line Imaging of Comet Hale-Bopp,” Dickens, J.E., Lovell, A.J., DeVries, C.H., Irvine, W.M., Schloerb, F.P., Senay, M.C.,  Bull. of the Amer. Astron. Soc., 29, 1049, 1997.

 

 

“Searches for Heavy Molecules in Comet C/1995 O1 Hale-Bopp," Pratap, P., Lovell, A., DeVries, C., Dickens, J., Irvine, W., Schloerb, P., Senay, M.,  Bull. of the Amer. Astron. Soc., 29, 1049, 1997.

 

“FCRAO Millimeter Continuum Observations of Comet Hale-Bopp (C/1995 O1),” Senay, M., Rownd, B., Lovell, A., Dickens, J., DeVries, C., Schloerb, F.P., Mayhew, L., Yuen, L.M., Mauskopf, P., Bull. of the Amer. Astron. Soc.,29, 1034, 1997.

 

“Interstellar and Cometary Ices: Molecular Emission from Comet 1996 B2,” Irvine, W.M., Bockelée-Morvan, D., Matthews, H.E., Biver, N., Crovisier, J., Gautier, D., Lovell, A.J.,  Owen, T.C., Rauer, H., Schloerb, F.P., and Senay, M., Origins Life Evol. Biosphere, 26, 325, 1996.

 

“Mapping molecular emission in the coma of C/1996 B2,” Lovell, A.J., Schloerb, F.P., Irvine, W.M., Dickens, J.E., DeVries, C., Heyer, M., Pratap, P., Miralles, M., Brunt, C., and Rosenberg, J., ACM 96, Cospar Colloquium 10, Versailles, France, July, 1996.

 

“Continuum thermal emission from asteroids at 3 mm wavelength."  Lovell, A.J. and Schloerb, F.P.,  ACM 96, Cospar Colloquium 10, Versailles, France, July, 1996.

 

“Nitriles and Isonitriles in Comet 1996 B2: An Interstellar Connection?” Irvine, W.M., Lovell, A.J., Schloerb, F.P., Biver, N., Bockelée-Morvan, D., Crovisier, J., Gautier, D., Rauer, H., Senay, M.,

Jewitt, D., Owen, T.C., Matthews, H.E., Molecules in Astrophysics: Probes and Processes, Proc. 178th Symposium of the IAU, 145 Leiden, the Netherlands, July, 1996.

 

“Mapping of HCN in the Coma of Comet C/1996 B2 Hyakutake," Schloerb, F.P., Lovell, A.J., Dickens, J.E., DeVries, C.H., Irvine, W.M., Bull. of the Amer. Astron. Soc., 28, 1091, 1996.

 

“Molecular Observations of Comet C/1996 B2 Hyakutake," Lovell, A.J., Schloerb, F.P., Dickens, J.E., DeVries, C.H., Irvine, W.M., Bull. of the Amer. Astron. Soc., 28, 1091, 1996.

 

“Millimeter-wave Observations of Large Main-Belt Asteroids,” Lovell, A.J., Schloerb, F.P., de Pater, I., Lagerros, J.S.V., Lagerkvist, C.-I.  Bull. of the Amer. Astron. Soc., 27, 5, 1995.

 

“Observations of Ceres at 3.0 mm Wavelength," Lovell, A. J., Schloerb, F. P., Lagerkvist, C.-I.,

Lagerros, J.S.V., Lumme, K.,  Bull. of the Amer. Astron. Soc., 26, 1171, 1994.

 

“A Method for Determining Impact Crater Depths on Venus",  Lovell, A.J., Schloerb, F.P., McGill, G.E.  Bull. of the Amer. Astron. Soc., 25, 1085, 1993.

 

“Resolving topographic detail on Venus by modeling complex Magellan altimetry echoes,” Lovell, A.J., Schloerb, F.P., McGill, G.E., Proc. Twenty-Fourth Lunar and Planetary Science Conference, pp 903-4, 1993.

 

“Derivation of surface properties from Magellan altimetry data," Lovell, A.J., Schloerb, F.P., McGill, G.E., Papers Presented to the International Colloquium on Venus, pp 64-65, 1992.

 

“Chemical Gradients in the Orion Molecular Cloud,” Ungerechts, H., Bergin, E.A., Carpenter, J., Goldsmith, P.F., Irvine, W.M., Lovell, A., McGonagle, D., Schloerb, F.P., and Snell, R.L.  in  IAU Colloquium 150, Astrochemistry of Cosmic Phenomena, ed. P.D. Singh, 271, 1992.