New and exciting activities in the
McDonnell Center for the Space Sciences
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Recent News From McDonnell Center Fellows
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Henric Krawczynski wins the 2026 Bruno Rossi Prize
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Henric Krawczynski, the Wilfred R. and Ann Lee Konneker Distinguished Professor in Physics and chair of the department, has won the 2026 Bruno Rossi Prize, the most prestigious prize from the High Energy Astrophysics division of the American Astronomical Society. The prize was awarded for Krawczynski’s “pioneering contributions to the theory, instrumentation, and scientific interpretation of X-ray polarimetry,” according to the prize announcement.
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The Electrifying Science Behind Martian Dust
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With its thin atmosphere and dusty surface, Mars is an energetic and electrically charged environment where dust storms and dust devils continually stir up the terrain, creating dynamic processes that have intrigued scientists.
Planetary scientist Alian Wang has been shedding light on Mars' electrifying dust activities through a series of papers. Her latest research, published in Earth and Planetary Science Letters, explores the isotopic geochemical consequences of these activities.
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Jupiter’s moon Europa has a seafloor that may be quiet and lifeless
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The giant planet Jupiter has nearly 100 known moons, yet none have captured the interest and imagination of astronomers and space scientists quite like Europa, an ice-shrouded world that is thought to possess a vast ocean of liquid salt water. For decades, scientists have wondered whether that ocean could harbor the right conditions for life, placing Europa near the top of the list of solar system bodies to explore.
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A new study led by Paul Byrne throws cold water on the idea that Europa could support life at the seafloor. Using calculations that consider the moon’s size, the makeup of its rocky core, and the gravitational forces from Jupiter, Byrne and a team of scientists conclude that Europa likely lacks the tectonic motion, warm hydrothermal vents, or any other sort of underwater geologic activity that would presumably be a prerequisite for life.
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Recent Publications by McDonnell Center Fellows
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Sturchio, N. C., Yan, C. Y., Qu, Q. H., et al. (2025). Isotope effects (Cl, O, C) of heterogeneous electrochemistry induced by Martian dust activities. Earth and Planetary Science Letters, 676, 119784.
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Osborn, N., Abarr, Q., Binns, W., Bose, R., Braun, D., Dowkontt, P., Israel, M., Labrador, W., Lisalda, L., Murphy, R., Olevitch, M., Rauch, B., Simburger, G., Walsh, N., Ward, J., West, A., Zober, W., et al. (2025). SuperTIGER ultra-heavy galactic cosmic ray atmospheric corrections using Geant4 simulations. Advances in Space Research.
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Archer, A., Buckley, J. H., Hughes, Z., Rabinowitz, P.L., et al. (2025). Measurement of the Photosphere Oblateness of γ Cassiopeiae via Stellar Intensity Interferometry with the VERITAS Observatory. The Astrophysical Journal, 995(2), 191.
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Acharyya, A., Buckley, J. H., Errando, M., Hughes, Z., Iskakova, M., Rabinowitz, P.L., et al. (2025). Probing a cosmogenic origin of astrophysical neutrinos and cosmic rays using Gamma-Ray observations of TXS 0506+056. The Astrophysical Journal, 996(1), 38.
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Archer, A., Buckley, J. H., Hughes, Z., Rabinowitz, P.L., et al. (2025). Measurement of the Photosphere Oblateness of γ Cassiopeiae via Stellar Intensity Interferometry with the VERITAS Observatory. The Astrophysical Journal, 995(2), 191.
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Critical Links between Trace Element Biogeochemistry and Climate, Resources,
and Public Health
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EEPS Colloquium
Jeffrey Catalano
WashU
Thursday, January 15
11:30am, Rudolph 301
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| Planets with Two Suns: What Eclipsing Binaries Can Tell Us About Their Hidden Worlds
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St. Louis Astronomical Society January Meeting
Ekrem Esmer
WashU McDonnell Center Postdoctoral Fellow
Friday, January 16
7:30pm, McDonnell 162
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Compiled and edited by Alison Verbeck. Please send any contributions to alison@wustl.edu.
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