Tom Abel (cosmologist)
Tom Abel | |
|---|---|
| Born | 1970 Lower Bavaria, Germany |
| Alma mater | Ludwig Maximilian University of Munich |
| Occupation(s) | Cosmologist, Professor of Physics |
| Employer(s) | Stanford University, SLAC National Accelerator Laboratory |
| Known for | Groundbreaking simulations of the collapse of a massive, metal-free star from the Universe's first stellar generation |
| Notable work | Simulation research published in Science (2002) |
Tom Abel (born 1970) is a German-born cosmologist recognized for his groundbreaking simulations of the collapse of a massive, metal-free star from the Universe's first stellar generation. This seminal research, carried out alongside Greg L. Bryan and Michael L. Norman, appeared in Science in 2002. He completed his doctoral studies at Ludwig Maximilian University of Munich in 2000.
Currently, Abel holds the position of Professor of Physics at Stanford University and is affiliated with Particle Physics and Astrophysics at SLAC National Accelerator Laboratory. Between 2013 and 2018, he was the Director of the Kavli Institute for Particle Astrophysics and Cosmology.
In partnership with visualization specialist Ralf Kaehler, Abel has contributed to planetarium productions such as "The Dark Universe" (2013).
Background
Abel's origins trace back to a rural area in Lower Bavaria, Germany.
Work
His main scientific focus encompasses:
- Formation of the earliest stars
- Development of cosmological structures and the process of reionization
- Dynamics of astrophysical fluids
- Transfer of radiation