Cosmology & Large Scale Structure
The evolution of the Universe as a whole from the Big Bang to the present day, and the mysteries of dark matter and dark energy
Galaxies & the ISM
Formation and evolution of galaxies, distribution of baryons and dark matter, gas and stellar dynamics, active galactic nuclei, interstellar medium
High Energy Astrophysics
Neutron stars and black holes, stellar coronae, supernova remnants, and clusters of galaxies. Transient and explosive events such as novae, supernova, gamma ray bursts, and mergers of compact objects
Planets & Origins
Modeling of planetary origins, giant and terrestrial planet atomospheric physics, the development and use of intrumentation for direct imaging of exoplanets, and exploration of our own solar system
Stars
Stellar variability and evolution, detection and properties of binary systems featuring compact objects, muli-wavelength observation, and theory of neutron stars and white dwarfs
Instrumentation
Ground and space-based observatories and experimental astrophysics. Project span the E&M spectrum and include the quest to directly detect dark matter and gravitational waves
Observational Astronomy
Observational studies spanning the electromagnetic spectrum: radio, submillimeter, infrared, optical, ultraviolet, soft and hard X-rays, and gamma rays; searches for gravitational waves and dark matter; neutrino astrophysics
Simulations
Computational investigations of X-ray clusters, galaxy formation and evolution, the interstellar medium, star formation at low and high redshifts, force-free electrodynamics, collisionless dynamics, planetary and accretion disks
Theory
Planetary atmospheres, star- and planet-formation, accretion onto compact objects, galactic dynamics, general relativity and black holes, modified gravity theories, and the early universe