Eric G. Blackman Professor of Physics & Astronomy Senior Scientist Laboratory for Laser Energetics Theoretical Astrophysics and Plasma Physics office: phone: Bausch & Lomb 417 (585) 275-0537 fax: email: 273-2813 blackman@pas.rochester.edu home page: http://www.pas.rochester.edu/~blackman/

Biographical Sketch

Prof. Blackman received his S.B. in Physics and in Mathematics (1990) from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. After doing the post-graduate Part 3 Math/Theoretical Physics Tripos program at Cambridge University (1990-1991), he went on to receive his Ph.D. in Theoretical Astrophysics (1995) from Harvard University. He was a Research Fellow at Cambridge University (1995-98) and at the California Institute of Technology (1998-99). Prof. Blackman joined the University as an Assistant Professor of Physics and Astronomy in January 2000. He was promoted to Associate Professor in 2003 and to Professor in 2004, and also is a Senior Scientist at the Laboratory for Laser Energetics.

He received the the 2000-2003 Faculty Development Award in Plasma Physics from the Department of Energy, and elected fellow of the American Physical Society in 2005.

Research

Prof. Blackman's research is in the general area of Theoretical Astrophysics. His work focuses on the problems of plasma astrophysics, jets and active galactic nuclei, accretion disc physics, gamma-ray burts, the origin and dynamics of astrophysical magnetic fields, and particle acceleration.

Prof. Blackman is also a member of the Department's Plasma Physics program, which is part of the University's interdisciplinary program in High Energy Density Plasmas. In collaboration with faculty at the University's Laboratory for Laser Energetics (an Inertial Confinement Fusion facility) he is seeking to bridge the gap between astrophysical and laboratory plasmas.

Recent Publications

1. Planets Rapidly Create Holes in Young Circumstellar Disks
   P. Varniere, E.G. Blackman, A. Frank, A.P. Quillen
   Astrophysical Journal 640, 1110 (2006)
   (abstract | download)
   
   
2. Extracting Rotational Energy in Supernova Progenitors: Transient Poynting Flux Growth vs. Turbulent Dissipation
   Blackman EG. Nordhaus JT. Thomas JH.
   New Astronomy 11, 452 (2006)
   (abstract | download)
   
   
3. Giants of physics found white-dwarf mass limits
   E. Blackman
   Nature 440, 148 (2006)
   (abstract | download)
   
   
4. Protostellar Jet Collisions Reduce the Efficiency of Outflow Driven Turbulence in Molecular Clouds
   Cunningham AJ. Frank A. Blackman EG.
   Astrophysical Journal 646, 1059-69 (2006)
   (abstract | download)
   
   
5. Laboratory Plasma Dynamos, Astrophysical Dynamos, and Magnetic Helicity
   E.G. Blackman, H. Ji
   Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society 369, 1837√1848 (2006)
   (abstract | download)
   
   

For further details, go to Prof. Blackman's home page at: http://www.pas.rochester.edu/~blackman/

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