Curriculum Vita for Andrew Ptak
The Johns Hopkins University
Department of Physics and Astronomy
3400 N. Charles St.
Baltimore, MD 21218
ptak@pha.jhu.edu
http://www.pha.jhu.edu/~ptak
Degrees
 Ph.D. in Physics from the University of Maryland, 1997
 B.A. in Physics from the Johns Hopkins University, 1992
Current Position
 Associate Research Scientist
Previous Positions
 Associate Research Scientist, CMU, 11/2000-6/2001
 Postdoctoral Research Associate, CMU, 11/1997-11/2000
Scientific Interests
 The X-ray properties of starburst, LINER, low-luminosity AGN, and AGN
galaxies. The evolution of these types of galaxies over time, and the contribution
of galaxies to the X-ray background. The physics of the accretion and starburst
processes driving the X-ray emission from galaxies. Pipeline-processing of large
data sets, with emphasis on detecting and determining the nature of ultraluminous
X-ray sources in galaxies.
 Scientific software development, with emphasis on advanced analysis techniques
such as automation for use by the Virtual Observatory. Advanced statistical
methods for source classification and machine learning.
Press Releases
 1999, New Type of Black Hole Found in M82
 2000, Chandra X-Ray Observatory Images the Seething Cauldron of the Nearest
Starburst Galaxy
 2001, Dozens of Exotic Black Holes Detected
Proposal Review Panels
 1998, Chandra Review
 1998, ASCA Review
 2001, Chandra Review
 2003, Chandra Review
Journal Review
 The Astronomical Journal
 The Astrophysical Journal
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The Astrophysical Journal Letters
The Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society
Astronomy & Astrophysics
Astronomy & Astrophysics Letters
Grants
 NASA AISRP 1999
 NASA Chandra & XMM GO
 NASA LTSA 2001 (co-I)
 HST Archival 2001
Professional Societies
 The American Astronomical Society
Honors
 1992 Kerr Memorial Prize (awarded to most outstanding Physics major)
 1992-1993 NASA GSFC Laboratory for High-Energy Astrophyics graduate
fellowship
 1995-1997 NASA Graduate Student Research Program fellowship
References
Prof. Tim Heckman, JHU, (410) 516-7369, heckman@pha.jhu.edu
Prof. Colin Norman, JHU, (410) 516-7329, norman@pha.jhu.edu
Prof. Richard Griffiths, CMU, (412) 268-1886, griffith@astro.phys.cmu.edu
Prof. Robert Nichol, CMU, (412) 268-8068, nichol@ranger.phys.cmu.edu
Dr. Peter Serlemitsos, NASA/GSFC, (301) 286-5255, serlemitsos@gsfc.nasa.gov
Dr. Richard Mushotzky, NASA/GSFC, (301) 286-7579, richard@xray-5.gsfc.nasa.gov
Refereed Publications
1. Ptak, A. & Colbert, E. 2004, ApJ, The Statistical Properties of Galaxies
Containing ULXs, submitted
2. Ptak, A., Tershima, Y., Ho, L.C., & Quataert, E., Testing Radiatively-Inefficient
Accretion Flow Theory: an XMM-Newton Observation of NGC 3998, 2004, ApJ,
submitted
3. Colbert, E., Heckman, T., Ptak, A., & Strickland, D., Old and Young X-ray Point
Source Populations in Nearby Galaxies, 2003, ApJ, in press (astro-ph/0305476)
4. Ptak, A., Heckman, T., Levenson, N., Weaver, K. & Strickland, D., A Chandra
Survey of the Nearest ULIRGs, 2003, ApJ, 592, 782
5. Turnshek, D., Rao, S., Ptak, A., Griffiths, R., & Monier, E, Chandra ACIS-S
Observations of Three Quasars with Low-Redshift Damped Lyα Absorption:
Constraints on the Cosmic Neutral Gas-Phase Metallicity at Redshift z~0.4, 2003,
ApJ, 590, 730
6. Nandra, K., Georgantopoulos, I., Ptak, A., Turner, T., SHEEP: The Search for the
High-Energy Extragalactic Population, 2003, ApJ, 582, 615
7. Colbert, E. & Ptak, A., A Catalog of Intermediate-Luminosity X-ray Objects,
2002, ApJS, 143, 25
8. A. Moffat et al., Galactic Starburst NGC 3603 from X-Rays to Radio, 2002, ApJ,
573, 191
9. Y. Terashima, N. Iyomoto, L. Ho, & A. Ptak, X-Ray Properties of LINERs and
Low-Luminosity Seyfert Galaxies Observed with ASCA. I. Observations and
Results, 2002, ApJS, 139, 1
10. A. Ptak, R. Griffiths, N. White, & P. Ghosh, The Consequences of the Cosmic
Star Formation Rate: X-Ray Number Counts, 2001, ApJ, 559, 91L
11. L. Ho et al., Detection of Nuclear X-ray Sources in Nearby Galaxies with
Chandra, 2001, ApJ, 549, 51L
12. W. Pietsch et al., XMM-Newton observations of NGC 253: Resolving the emission
components in the disk and nuclear area, 2001, A&A, 365, 51L
13. G. Hasinger et al., XMM-Newton observation of the Lockman Hole; I. The X-ray
Data, 2001, A&A, 365, 45L
14. I. George et al., X-Ray Emission from the Nucleus of the Dwarf Elliptical Galaxy
NGC 3226, ApJ, 559, 167
15. R. Griffiths et al., Discovery of Hot Gas in the Core of M82, Science, Nov 17
2000: 1325-1328
16. Y. Terashima, L. Ho, A. Ptak, T. Yaqoob, H. Kunieda, K. Misaki, & P.
Serlemitsos, Iron K Line Variability in the Low-Luminosity AGN NGC 4579,
2000, ApJ, 535, 79L
17. Y. Terashima, L. Ho, & A. Ptak, Hard X-ray Emission and the Ionizing Source in
LINERs, 2000, ApJ, 539, 161
18. A. Ptak, Low-luminosity AGN and Normal Galaxies, 2000, Astrophysical Letters
and Communications (astro-ph/0008459)
19. R. Griffiths & A. Ptak, Deep Survey Sources, and Predictions for XMM and
AXAF, 2000, Adv. Space Res., 25, 853
20. Y. Terashima, L. Ho, A. Ptak, Mushotzky, R., Serlemitsos, P., Yaqoob, T., &
Kunieda, H., ASCA Observations of "Type 2" LINERs: Evidence for a Stellar
Source of Ionization, 2000, ApJ, 533, 729
21. Y. Terashima, L. Ho, H. Kunieda, A. Ptak, P. Serlemitsos, ASCA observations of
LINERs without broad H emission, 1999, AN, 320, 4, 305
22. L. Ho, A. Ptak, Terashima, Y., Kunieda, H., Serlemitsos, P., Yaqoob, T., &
Koratkar, A., X-Ray Properties of the Weak Seyfert 1 Nucleus in NGC 4639,
1999, ApJ, 525, 168
23. A. Ptak & R. Griffiths, Rapid X-ray Variability in M82: Evidence or a Nascent
AGN?, 1999, ApJL, 517, 85
24. A. Ptak, P. Serlemitsos, T. Yaqoob, & R. Mushotzky, X-ray Constraints on
Accretion and Starburst Processes in Galactic Nuclei I. Spectral Results, 1999,
ApJS, 120, 179
25. I. George, R. Mushotzky, T. Turner, T. Yaqoob, A. Ptak, K. Nandra, & H.
Netzer, The X-ray Spectral Variability of the Seyfert Galaxy NGC 3227, 1998,
ApJ, 509, 146
26. T. Yaqoob, I. George, T. Turner, K. Nandra, A. Ptak, P. Serlemitsos, A Peculiar
Emission Line Feature in the X-ray Spectrum of the Quasar PKS 0637-752, 1998,
ApJ, 505, 87L
27. Y. Terashima, H. Kunieda, K. Misaki, R. Mushotzky, A. Ptak, & G. Reichert,
Detection of an Iron K Emission Line from the LINER NGC 4579, 1998, ApJ,
503, 212
28. A. Ptak, T. Yaqoob, R. Mushotzky, P. Serlemitsos, & R. Griffiths, X-ray
Variability as a Probe of Advection-Dominated Accretion in Low-Luminosity
AGN, 1998, ApJ, 501, L37
29. Y. Terashima, A. Ptak, R. Fujimoto, M. Itoh, H. Kunieda, K. Makishima, & P.
Serlemitsos, An ASCA Observation of M51 (NGC 5194): Iron K Emission from an
Obscured Active Galactic Nucleus, 1998, ApJ, 496, 210
30. A. Ptak, P. Serlemitsos, T. Yaqoob, R. Mushotzky, & T. Tsuru, The Complex Xray Spectra of M82 and NGC 253, 1997, AJ, 113, 1286
31. T. Tsuru, H. Awaki, K Koyama, & A. Ptak, Wide-Band X-Ray Spectra and
Images of the Starburst Galaxy M82, 1998, PASJ, 49, 619
32. T. Yaqoob, B. Mckernan, A. Ptak, K. Nandra, & P. Serlemitsos, A Simple New
Method for Analyzing Gapped Time Series: Search for a High-frequency Cutoff in
the X-Ray Power Spectrum of the Seyfert Galaxy MCG-6-30-15, 1997, ApJ, 490,
L25
33. A. Ptak, P. Serlemitsos, T. Yaqoob, H. Kunieda, & Y. Terashima, The Nature of
the Low-Luminosity Active Galactic Nuclei in NGC 3147, 1996, ApJ, 459, 542
34. T. Yaqoob, P. Serlemitsos, A. Ptak, H. Kunieda, & Y. Terashima, The Hard XRay Emission of NGC 3628 and the Contribution of Low-Luminosity Spiral
Galaxies to the Cosmic X-Ray Background, 1995, ApJ, 455, 508
35. A. Ptak, T. Yaqoob, P. Serlemitsos, R. Mushotzky, & C. Otani, Rapid X-ray
spectral variability in NGC 3227, 1994, ApJ, 436, L31
Selected Conference Presentations
1. A. Ptak, Terashima, Y., Ho, L., & Quataert, E. A XMM-Newton and Chandra
Survey of Very Low Accretion Rate AGN, 2003, AAS HEAD, 35, 04.03
2. A. Ptak & R. Griffiths, XAssist: A System for the Automation of X-ray
Astrophysics Analysis, 2003, ADASS XII, ASP Conference Series, 295,
3. A. Ptak et al., A Chandra Survey of ULIRGs, 2002, AAS HEAD, J11.004
4. R. Griffiths, T. Miyaji, & A. Ptak, Chandra/XMM Observations of Galaxies and
their Evolution, 2002, Galaxy evolution, theory and observations. Cozumel April
8- 12, 26
5. A. Ptak, XAssist: A Tool For Automated Analysis of Automated X-ray Data
Analysis Data, 2001, BAAS, 199, 14508
6. E. Colbert et al. X-ray Point Source Populations in Spiral and Elliptical Galaxies,
2001, BAAS, 199, 14105
7. A. Ptak, IXO Populations in Starburst and Low-Luminosity AGN Galaxies, 2001,
BAAS 198, 7203
8. A. Ptak et al., XMM-Newton Observations of NGC 253: Resolving the Soft and
Hard X-ray Emission, 2001, BAAS 197, 9204
9. A. Ptak et al., Chandra Snapshot Survey of Nearby Galaxies, AAS HEAD 32,
#15.16
10. M. Cappi et al., The origin of the soft and hard X-ray emission in NGC253:
Results from an XMM PV observation, 2000, AAS HEAD 32, #15.15
11. M. Corcoran et al., Resolving X-ray Emission in the Galactic ``Starburst'' NGC
3603 with Chandra, 2000, AAS HEAD 32, #42.18
12. W. Brandner, et al., Physical Properties of visual counterparts to X-ray sources in
the giant HII region NGC 3603, 2000, AAS HEAD 32, #42.07
13. R. Shirey, et al. X-ray Binaries in the Nearby Galaxies M31 and NGC 253
Observed with XMM-Newton, 2000, AAS HEAD 32, #28.02
14. E. Feigelson, et al. Some Data Analysis Techniques for Chandra ACIS, 2000,
AAS HEAD 32, #27.02
15. Georgantopoulos, K. Nandra, & A. Ptak, SHEEP: the ASCA 5-10 keV survey,
2000, X-ray Astronomy 2000 Meeting, astro-ph/0101077
16. R. Sambruna, et al., Chandra Survey for AGNs in Nearby Galaxies, 2000, BASS
196, #37.03
17. R. Griffiths, A. Ptak, E. Feigelson, N. Brandt, J. Bregman, L. Townsley, G.
Garmire, & R. Sambruna, Hot gas in the core of M82: Observations with the
ACIS Imager Array, 2000, BAAS 195, #90.06
18. Ptak, Low-Luminosity AGN and Normal Galaxies, 1999, invited talk, X-ray
Astronomy 1999 meeting in Bologna, It.
19. Ptak & T. Yaqoob, Spectral Variability in NGC 3227 Observed by RXTE, 1998,
BAAS, 192, #41.01
20. Ptak, X-Ray Constraints on Starburst and Accretion Activity in the Nuclear
Regions of Galaxies, 1997, IAUS, 184, 55
21. Y. Terashima, H. Kunieda, P. Serlemitsos, & A. Ptak, X-ray emission from
LINERs observed with ASCA, 1997, IAUS, 184, 248
22. Y. Terashima, H. Kunieda, P. Serlemitsos, & A. Ptak, X-ray properties of
LINERs and low luminosity Seyfert galaxies observed with ASCA, 1997, IAUS,
188, 260
23. Ptak, P. Serlemitsos, T. Yaqoob, & R. Mushotzky, ASCA X-ray Observations of
LINERs and Low-luminosity AGN, 1996, BAAS, 189, #36.04
24. Ptak, P. Serlemitsos, & T. Yaqoob, ASCA Observations of M82 and NGC 253,
1996, 3rd Anniversary ASCA Symposium
25. P. Serlemitsos, A. Ptak & T. Yaqoob, X-ray Observations of LINERs and
Starbursts in The Physics of LINERs in View of Recent Observations, eds. M.
Eraculeous, A. Koratkar, C. Leitherer, and L. Ho, p. 70