Gerard Kriss

Jerry Kriss is a tenured astronomer at STScI who also currently serves as the Associate Director for Operations.  His current primary research interest is in studying outflows from active galactic nuclei using ultraviolet and X-ray spectroscopy. Using multiwavelength monitoring campaigns to obtain absorption spectra of these winds supplies wealth of information on their physical characteristics, including their density, range of ionization states, velocity, location, mass flux, and kinetic luminosity. These outflows powered by accretion onto central black holes may influence the evolution of the host galaxies and link black hole growth to its host. Jerry also has a strong interest in space instrumentation, and he helped to develop the Faint Object Spectrograph on Hubble, the Hopkins Ultraviolet Telescope, which flew on the Astro-1 and Astro-2 missions aboard the Space Shuttle, and the Far Ultraviolet Spectroscopic Explorer. Using HUT and FUSE, he also studied the ionization and distribution of He II in the intergalactic medium.

Science Interests:

• UV and X-ray outflows from active galactic nuclei (AGN)
• Structure of AGN—accretion disk, emission mechanisms, broad-line region (BLR), narrow-line region (NLR), warm absorbers
• Structure and ionization evolution of the intergalactic medium (IGM)

Research Topics: Active Galactic Nuclei, Galaxies, Galaxy Clusters, Galaxy Evolution, Intergalactic Medium, Quasars, Supermassive Black Holes, Space Instrumentation, Ultraviolet Spectroscopy, X-ray Spectroscopy