Belinda Wilkes
X-ray Astronomy, Center for Astrophysics, Harvard-Smithsonian, Bristol University
Research Focus
About Belinda
My research involves X-ray and multi-wavelength studies of active galaxies (galaxies containing super-massive black holes (SMBH) which are accreting material from their host galaxy). Most recently my work has concentrated on the 3CRR sample of radio galaxies, which are unbiased by the orientation at which they are observed. I observe, model, and disentangle the various emission components leading to estimates of fundamental parameters of the SMBH, and surrounding accretion disk and obscuring material. Given the lack of bias, I also model the emission as a function of orientation to our telescopes and so probe the geometry and properties of obscuring material in and around the nucleus. By obtaining high spatial resolution images and spectra, I also probe the interaction between the SMBH-powered outflows (multi-wavelength jets and winds) and the host galaxy material also known as feedback.
Honors
4 NASA Group Achievement Awards
Fellow AAS
Fellow APS
Fellow RAS
Honorary Fellow, Jesus College Cambridge
NASA MSFC Director's Commendation
Royal Society Wolfson Visiting Fellow, Bristol
Sheepshank Fellow, IoA Cambridge
Smithsonian 30 years of Service
Education
Postdoc
Steward Observatory, University of Arizona, 03/1982 - 03/1984
Ph.D.
Astronomy, University of Cambridge, 03/1982
Bachelor's
Physics and Astronomy, St. Andrews, 07/1978
