David Ballantyne, Assistant Professor

Contact Information   Email: david.ballantyne [at] physics.gatech.edu   Phone: (404) 385-3909   Fax: (404) 894-9958   Web: http://www.cra.gatech.edu/people/ballantyne.html   Office: 1-60 Boggs Bldg

Research

My research concentrates on topics in high-energy astrophysics with an emphasis on interpreting existing data and making predictions for future observations. My main interests are: (i) the evolution of galaxies and their central supermassive black holes (ii) astroparticle physics and (iii) the physics of accretion disks around both black holes and neutron stars. My work often involves comparing computer based models with published data from X-ray, TeV, radio and/or infrared telescopes. All of these directions are guided by my underlying research philosophy of using any necessary tool or technique, unlimited by wavelength range or physical process, to make progress in understanding the relevant physics. Students working with me will be exposed to a wide range of astrophysical processes and theories, but will also learn to respect and be guided by observational constraints.

Current Course

• Physics 3123 - Electrodynamics

Previous Courses

• Physics 8803 - High Energy Astrophysics
• Physics 2212 - Intro. Physics II

Some Representative Publications (full publications list in PDF)

• Draper, A.R. & Ballantyne, D.R., 2012, A Tale of Two Populations: The Contribution of Merger and Secular Processes to the Evolution of Active Galactic Nuclei, The Astrophysical Journal, 751, 72
• Ballantyne, D.R., Draper, A.R., Madsen, K.K., Rigby, J.R. & Tresiter, E., 2011, Lifting the Veil on Obscured Accretion: Active Galactic Nuclei Number Counts and Survey Strategies for Imaging Hard X-Ray Missions, The Astrophysical Journal, 736, 56
• Ballantyne, D.R., 2010, The Distribution and Cosmic Density of Relativistic Iron Lines in Active Galactic Nuclei, The Astrophysical Journal, Vol. 708, p. L1.
• Draper, A.R. & Ballantyne, D.R., 2009, Balancing the Cosmic Energy Budget: The Cosmic X-ray Background, Blazars, and the Compton Thick Active Galactic Nucleus Fraction, The Astrophysical Journal, Vol. 707, p. 778.
• Ballantyne, D.R., 2008, Obscuring Active Galactic Nuclei with Nuclear Starburst Disks, The Astrophysical Journal, Vol. 685, p. 787.

Professional Experience (click here for CV)

• 2008 - Assist. Professor of Physics, Georgia Tech
• 2005 - 2008 Prize Postdoctoral Fellowship in Theoretical Astrophysics, The University of Arizona
• 2002 - 2005 Postdoctoral Fellow, Canadian Institute for Theoretical Astrophysics
• 1999 - 2002 Ph.D., Astronomy, Cambridge University, U.K.
• 1998 - 1999 M.Sc., Astronomy & Physics, University of Toronto, Canada
• 1993 - 1998 B.Sc., Honors Physics & Astronomy (Co-op), University of Victoria, Canada