Imke de Pater is a Professor at the University of California in Berkeley. She is well known for her work on Jupiter’s synchrotron radiation, for which she received the URSI John Howard Dellinger Gold Medal in Aug. 1984. She led a worldwide campaign observing Jupiter’s radio emissions during the impact of comet D/Shoemaker-Levy 9 with Jupiter in 1994. This work has lead to a detailed investigation of the effects of impacts on the magnetospheric environment of the planet.
Her book “Planetary Sciences” was awarded the 2007 Chambliss Award for Writing from the American Astronomical Society.
Professor de Pater’s research interests include: infrared observations using adaptive optics on the Keck, Gemini and VLT telescopes of e.g., the giant planets, their ring systems, and the satellites Titan and Io. She also continues to observe the giant planets at radio wavelengths using the (recently upgraded) Very Large Array, ALMA, and LOFAR.
Many exciting discoveries, including e.g., impacts on Jupiter, volcanism on Io, clouds on Titan and Uranus, and planetary rings are described on her webpages.
Specialty Areas: Adaptive optics and Radio Observations of the giant planets,Astronomy,Planetary Science,Their rings and satellites..
Projects:
- OPAL
Lead: Michael H. Wong
- Breakthrough Listen Initiative
Lead: Andrew Siemion
Books:
- Fundamental Planetary Science: Physics, Chemistry and Habitability
- Planetary Sciences
