NASA Postdoctoral Program: Astrophysics - Advanced Techniques for X-Ray Spectroscopy

The NASA Postdoctoral Program (NPP) offers unique research opportunities to highly-talented scientists to engage in ongoing NASA research projects at a NASA Center, NASA Headquarters, or at a NASA-affiliated research institute. These one- to three-year fellowships are competitive and are designed to advance NASA's missions in space science, Earth science, aeronautics, space operations, exploration systems, and astrobiology. This specific opportunity focuses on pioneering the development of cryogenic microcalorimeters for high resolution, non-dispersive x-ray spectroscopy at Goddard Space Flight Center. The research involves fabricating arrays with many more pixels (100-1000) and higher spectral resolution (2 eV), using technologies including doped silicon, superconducting transition edge sensors, and magnetic calorimeters. The technology is being developed principally for space applications, but also supports a vigorous program in laboratory astrophysics using an electron beam ion trap to simulate astrophysical plasmas, providing atomic physics data needed for modelling celestial spectra and valuable operational and calibration experience with these very sensitive spectrometers.