Peter T. Gallagher
Peter T. Gallagher FTCD MInstP | |
---|---|
Born | Clontarf, Dublin, Ireland |
Nationality | Irish |
Alma mater | University College Dublin (BSc), Queen's University Belfast (MSc, PhD) |
Known for | Solar studies, Ireland's first research-grade radio-telescope |
Spouse | Emma Teeling |
Children | 2 |
Awards | Chevalier in the Ordre des Palmes académiques |
Scientific career | |
Fields | Astrophysics, Astronomy |
Institutions | Dublin Institute for Advanced Studies (and Trinity College Dublin) |
Thesis | Optical and EUV observations of the solar atmosphere (2000) |
Peter Thomas Gallagher
Gallagher is also Senior Professor, and Head of Astronomy and Astrophysics, at the Dublin Institute for Advanced Studies, and an adjunct professor at Trinity College Dublin.[1] He is also the head of the radio-telescope project I-LOFAR, at Birr Castle. He is widely cited in his field and often quoted in the media.[2][3][4]
Early life and education
Peter T. Gallagher was born to Peter (died 2003) and Patricia Gallagher, of
He was the first member of his family to attend college, pursuing a Bachelor of Science at
Career
Gallagher worked as a postdoctoral research fellow at two astronomical facilities of the New Jersey Institute of Technology, the Owens Valley Solar Array and the Big Bear Solar Observatory, both in California, and at NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center near Washington, D.C.[10] Among other works he was able to take measurements with NASA's SOHO spacecraft.[8] Having reached the level of Senior Scientist, he was offered a long-term NASA job, but wanted to return to Ireland, and when his wife was offered a post at University College Dublin (UCD) in 2005, they decided to move back together, even at significant reduction in pay, and he secured an initial job teaching Space Science at UCD before receiving an opportunity to head the Solar Physics & Space Weather Research Group[10] at Trinity College Dublin (TCD) from the beginning of 2006.[8][4] He worked on observations of the Sun, space weather[11][10][12] including disruptive solar storms, and solar physics, and has been quoted by the media on these[13] and related topics, such as the International Heliophysical Year,[14] and certain space expeditions.[15]
Shortly after returning to Ireland he was asked to take a key role in twin NASA solar observation flights back in the US, designed to study the massively higher temperature of the Sun's corona compared to its actual upper layers. This was due to his experience in coordinating solar observations and developing specialised image interpretation software.[16] In 2009 he and his team participated, with the Royal Observatory of Belgium, in a satellite project, PROBA-2, to study solar storms; they wrote software for two elements.[17] The launch was successful, and was marked by a launch party in Trinity College's Science Gallery, attended by diplomatic representatives of Belgium, and of the Russian Federation, from where the launch was made.[18]
In 2012 he was one of the lead signatories of a letter by a group of active scientists to the Irish Times which expressed concern as to the Irish government's lack of commitment to basic research, and the implications this could have for the country and the avoidance or risk of
In 2018 Gallagher was appointed as Senior Professor and Head of Astronomy and Astrophysics by the
Radio telescope projects in Ireland
Visiting Birr Castle and demesne, site of what was for decades the world's largest telescope, the Leviathan of Parsonstown, in search of a suitable site for radio-telescopy, Gallagher made an agreement with the Earl of Rosse to build a solar observatory. An initial simple vertical antenna site was made, and later elaborated and Gallagher remains director of what became the Rosse Solar Terrestrial Observatory.[22][4] Birr, almost in the centre of the island and as a small town with no radio-intensive industry, was a good "quiet site" for sensitive radio-telescope instruments.[26]
There followed a proposal by Gallagher for a major project, namely to build and integrate the Irish site of the
Outreach and popular media
Gallagher has expressed a personal interest in science promotion, and has described a special interest in schools from which fewer pupils progress to the sciences.[30][4] He was involved with the first exhibition of the Science Gallery at Trinity College Dublin, LIGHTWAVE, co-producing with artist Anita Hill an exhibit entitled In the Heliosphere, which allowed visitors to feel an impression of the effect of solar flares.[31] He remains a member of the advisory and creative panel at the Science Gallery, the Leonardo Group.[32] His team were involved with, and he commented on, the sunspotter.org public "participative science" initiative.[33]
Gallagher featured in episode 8, related to space, of the radio series "Bright Sparks", as broadcast on RTÉ Radio 1; his wife featured in episode 2 of the same series.[34][35] As Director of I-LOFAR, Gallagher also co-presented a programme, "13 Billion Miles from Birr" on RTE TV, in 2017, to mark its launch and planned work.[36]
Academic and professional bodies
Gallagher is a Fellow of the Royal Astronomical Society and a member of the Institute of Physics. He has been chairperson of the Astronomical Sciences Group of Ireland and vice-chairperson of the Royal Irish Academy's Astronomy and Space Research Committee.[note 1][22]
He was elected as a member of the Solar System Working Group of the European Space Agency (ESA), dealing with mission evaluations for 2015–2025,[22] and of the ESA's 12-member Space Science Advisory Committee from 2017[22] to 2019.[37]
Recognition
In 2017, he was awarded the rank of Chevalier in the Ordre des Palmes académiques for his scientific work; this award, established by Napoleon and known as "the purple", is the oldest civilian decoration in France. His wife was made a Chevalier at the same ceremony, for her work in phylogenetics and genomics.[38][39]
Publication
Gallagher has published a wide range of articles, and is, according to Scopus as of October 2020, highly cited, with a h-index of 37.[40] His most-cited paper is "An observational overview of solar flares" in Space Science Reviews (2011), of which he was a co-author. He most-cited first-author paper is "Rapid acceleration of a coronal mass ejection in the low corona and implications for propagation" in the Astrophysical Journal Letters (2003).[41]
Personal life
Gallagher met his future wife,
Footnotes
- ^ This committee consists of both members of the Academy and non-members such as Prof. Gallagher
References
- ^ "Professor Peter Thomas Gallagher". Trinity Research. Trinity College Dublin. Retrieved 9 October 2020.
... Adjunct Professor, Physics ... nearly Eur4M in funding ... Prof. Gallagher's group are world-leaders in solar physics and space weather research ... elected to Fellowship of Trinity College Dublin in 2012
- ^ a b "Irish Astronomical Association (Home)". Irish Astronomical Association. Retrieved 30 September 2020.
- ^ "Solar Physics and Space Weather". Trinity College Dublin. Retrieved 9 October 2020.
- ^ a b c d e f g h i j Shaw (producer), Helen. "The Family of Things – E13 – Peter Gallagher". soundcloud.com. Athena Media via Soundcloud. Retrieved 24 September 2020.
- ^ a b Goodbody, Will. "Out of This World". No. Spring 2017. p. 15.
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(help) - ^ "Gallagher (Clontarf, Dublin)". Evening Herald. 10 March 2003. p. 52.
- March 7, 2003 ... Peter .. husband of Patricia .. father of Peter, David and Anne-Marie ...
- ^ "Keynote Address: Tuning in to the Radio Universe from Birr Castle". Irish Science Teachers' Association / Eol-Oidí na hÉireann 57th Annual Conference. Dublin, Ireland: Irish Science Teachers’ Association. April 2019. p. 11.
- ^ a b c Duke, Seán (1 September 2010). "Ireland's sun-worshipper". Science Spin. No. Sept–Oct 2010. Dublin, Ireland.
- ^ "Optical and EUV observations of the solar atmosphere". Queen's University Belfast – Library. Retrieved 2 October 2020.
- ^ a b c Gallagher, Peter T. "Prof. Peter T. Gallagher". Dublin Institute for Advanced Studies. Retrieved 9 October 2020.
- ^ Gallagher, Peter. "Lecture 18 – Space Weather" (PDF). Trinity College Dublin. Retrieved 14 October 2020.
- S2CID 119517107. Retrieved 14 October 2020.
- ^ O'Connell, Claire (10 March 2012). "Give me a crash course in . . . solar storms". Irish Times. Retrieved 1 October 2020.
- ^ Barron, Danielle (21 December 2006). "Sun comes into play for Year of the Pig". Irish Times. Retrieved 30 September 2020.
- ^ O'Sullivan, Kevin (26 November 2018). "Mars landing: Nasa probe arrives on planet after 'terror descent'". Irish Times. Retrieved 3 October 2020.
- ^ Dick, Ahlstrom (9 February 2006). "Hot project for Irish scientist". Irish Times. Retrieved 30 September 2020.
- ^ Ahlstrom, Dick (28 October 2009). "Trinity team joins satellite solar study". Irish Times. Retrieved 30 September 2020.
- ^ Ahlstrom, Dick (3 November 2009). "TCD celebrates input in twin satellites launch". Irish Times. Retrieved 30 September 2020.
- ^ Ahlstrom, Dick (22 August 2012). "Research funding at risk, warn scientists". Irish Times. Retrieved 30 September 2020.
- ^ McCrea, Jonathan (20 March 2015). "Chasing the eclipse with a €40,000 scientific camera". Irish Times. Retrieved 30 September 2020.
Perhaps Prof Gallagher felt a sense of destiny. Not only did the solar eclipse fall on the 20th, but so too did the spring equinox and also his birthday.
- ^ Gorey, Colm (6 July 2015). "Irish physicists develop advanced solar flare warning system". Silicon Republic. Retrieved 29 September 2020.
- ^ a b c d e "Prof. Peter T. Gallagher, MInstP, FRAS, FTCD". Trinity College Dublin. Retrieved 3 October 2020.
Professor in Astrophysics and Associate Dean of Research / Prof. Gallagher leads solar physics and space weather research at Trinity College Dublin. His research is primarily concerned with understanding the fundamental physics of solar storms and their impacts on Earth.
- ^ Gorey, Colm (4 October 2018). "DIAS appoints Prof Peter Gallagher as head of astronomy and astrophysics". Silicon Republic. Dublin, Ireland. Retrieved 29 September 2020.
A leading figure in the Irish astronomical community, Prof Peter Gallagher will now lead DIAS's astronomy and astrophysics division...
- ^ "Open nights – early 2019". Dublin Institute for Advanced Studies. Dublin, Ireland.
Prof. Peter Gallagher (DIAS) ... the new Senior Professor of the Astronomy and Astrophysics Section and Observatory Director...
- ^ O'Callaghan, Gavin (11 February 2020). "Treasured historical observatory in Dunsink picking up pieces after joyriders smash into entrance". Dublin Live. Retrieved 26 October 2020.
- ^ "Clear Skies in Birr for Radio Astronomy". I-LOFAR. 9 April 2017. Retrieved 26 October 2020.
- ^ a b Ahlstrom, Dick (11 February 2016). "Lofar telescope is a 'major step forward for Irish astronomy'". Irish Times. Retrieved 3 October 2020.
- ^ a b McGreevy, Ronan (27 July 2017). "After a century, world-class astronomy returns to Birr Castle". Irish Times. Retrieved 3 October 2020.
- ^ Purcell, Conor (16 November 2017). "A new age of radio astronomy at Birr Castle". Irish Times. Retrieved 3 October 2020.
- ^ Kearins, Aoife (4 January 2019). "Dunsink Observatory's Newest Scientific Enigma". Retrieved 3 October 2020.
Science outreach is more than important – I think it's vital.
- ^ Meany, Helen (26 January 2008). "Bright Spark (section: Trip the Light Fantastic)". Irish Times. Retrieved 30 September 2020.
- ^ "Leonardo Group". Science Gallery Dublin. Trinity College Dublin. Retrieved 2 October 2020.
- ^ O'Connell, Claire (8 January 2015). "Access Science: Learn how to forecast solar flares in your spare time". Irish Times. Retrieved 30 September 2020.
- ^ "New RTÉ Radio series "Bright Sparks" starts this Sunday". Irish Tech News. 19 May 2015. Retrieved 25 September 2020.
- ^ "The Series". Bright Sparks Radio. Athena Media for RTÉ Radio 1. Retrieved 30 September 2020.
- ^ "13 BILLION LIGHT YEARS FROM BIRR". RTE.ie. RTE. 19 October 2017. Retrieved 14 October 2020.
... a cutting-edge technological adventure film set in rural Ireland in the company of presenter Jonathan McCrea and professor Peter Gallagher of Trinity College Dublin.
- ^ Gorey, Colm (10 March 2017). "Trinity's Peter Gallagher joins ESA science committee for future space missions". Silicon Republic. Retrieved 29 September 2020.
- ^ a b "Husband-and-wife scientists awarded Chevalier (Knight) of the Ordre des Palmes Académiques". University College Dublin. 19 May 2017. Retrieved 13 September 2020.
- ^ "Husband and wife scientists made Chevaliers by French government". Trinity College Dublin. 16 May 2017. Retrieved 13 September 2020.
- ^ "Peter T. Gallagher". Scopus. Reed-Elsevier. Retrieved 14 October 2020.
- ^ "Peter T Gallagher". Google Scholar. Retrieved 26 October 2020.
- ^ "LOFAR Minecraft – LOFAR Enters the Virtual Universe". Astron (The Netherlands Institute for Astronomy). Retrieved 4 October 2020.