Dr. Esteban D. Araya

Dr. Esteban D. ArayaAssistant Professor, Department of Physics
Office Location: Currens Hall 305
Office Location: Currens Hall 402
Phone Number: (309) 298-1359
E-mail: ED-Araya@wiu.edu
Personal Web Page: http://www.wiu.edu/astrolab

Education

  • Ph.D. – New Mexico Tech, Socorro, New Mexico, USA, 2008
  • M.S.  – University of Puerto Rico, San Juan, Puerto Rico, 2004
  • B.A.  – Universidad de Costa Rica, San Jose, Costa Rica, 2000

Courses

  • Introductory Astronomy - Phys 101

Research Interests

My main research interest is the study of star formation and the interstellar medium, in particular the formation of stars ten times or more massive than the Sun - commonly known as massive stars. I conduct observations at radio frequencies with some of the most sensitive radio telescopes available, including the 305m Arecibo Telescope in Puerto Rico and the Very Large Array (VLA) in New Mexico.

Current research interests:

My current research projects can be divided in four broad areas:

  • Identification and high angular resolution observations of young massive stellar objects.
  • Studies of molecular clouds and their distribution throughout the Galaxy.
  • Non-thermal phenomena associated with star formation, particularly astrophysical masers.
  • Megamasers and molecular absorption in starburst galaxies.

Selected Publications

  • "Radio Continuum and Methanol Observations ofDR21(OH)", E. D. Araya, S. Kurtz, P. Hofner, & H. Linz, 2009, ApJ, 698, 1321.
  • "A Search for H2CO 6 cm Emission toward Young Stellar Objects III. VLA Observations", E. D. Araya, P. Hofner, W. M. Goss, H. Linz, S. Kurtz,   2008, ApJS, 178, 330.
  • "Thermal Methanol Observations of the Outflow from the G31.41+0.31 Hot Molecular Core", E. Araya, P. Hofner,   S. Kurtz, 2008, ApJ, 675, 420
  • "Haystack Observations of CS and CH3OH Toward Star Forming Regions", E. Jordan, E. Araya, P. Hofner, M. Mateen,   S. Kurtz, 2008, RevMexA A, 44, 45.
  • "An H2CO 6 cm Maser Pinpointing a Possible Circumstellar Torus in IRAS 18566+0408", E. D. Araya et al., 2007, ApJ, 669, 1050.
  • "A Search for Formaldehyde 6 cm Emission toward Young Stellar Objects II. H2CO and H110a Observations", E. Araya, P. Hofner, W. M. Goss, H. Linz, S. Kurtz,   L. Olmi, 2007, ApJS, 170, 152.
  • "ub-arcsecond Resolution Radio Continuum Observations of IRAS 20126+4104", P. Hofner, R. Cesaroni, L. Olmi, L. F. Rodriguez, J. Marti,   E. Araya, 2007, A&A, 465, 197.