About
Andras Gaspar is an Assistant Research Professor at Steward Observatory, University of Arizona, specializing in debris disks, stellar-ISM interactions, and planetary system formation. He is an active member of the JWST MIRI and NIRcam instrument teams, having participated in MIRI commissioning, and recently led groundbreaking observations of the Fomalhaut debris disk system with JWST.
Gaspar earned his Ph.D. from the University of Arizona in 2011, with dissertation research focused on theoretical modeling of debris disks. His doctoral work developed novel numerical algorithms for modeling collisional cascades in debris disks, addressing the large dynamical range in particle masses through particle-in-a-box approaches combined with approximate orbital dynamics.
His primary research focuses on debris disk evolution across different stellar environments. He has conducted extensive studies on debris disks in open clusters, revealing how solar-type stars lose their debris disk excesses on shorter timescales than early-type stars. His work on stellar-ISM interactions includes the discovery of a bow shock shaped mid-infrared excess region in front of δ Velorum, challenging previous classifications of some stars as having debris disks. His research combines theoretical modeling with observational data from Hubble, Spitzer, and now JWST.
Analysis of Gaspar's publication record shows consistent contributions to debris disk research since 2003, with a significant concentration of work between 2008-2014. His recent JWST work on Fomalhaut has revealed unprecedented complexity in debris disk structures, including multiple asteroid belts and an intermediate gap likely created by an ice giant planet. His research bridges theoretical modeling with cutting-edge observational capabilities.
Gaspar has collaborated extensively with researchers at Steward Observatory, Space Telescope Science Institute, Goddard Space Flight Center, and international institutions. His current work involves analyzing JWST data to probe the inner regions of debris disks that were previously inaccessible, opening new windows into planetary system formation and evolution.
At Steward Observatory, Gaspar participates in the Monday Night Lecture Series and engages with both academic and public astronomy communities. His recent social media activity shows active dissemination of results from the JWST Fomalhaut observations, which were featured in NASA press releases and astronomy media outlets.
