Sukanya Chakrabarti

Associate Professor

School of Physics and Astronomy

College of Science

sxcsps@rit.edu

585-475-5352

Office Location

CAR-3128

Sukanya Chakrabarti

Associate Professor

School of Physics and Astronomy

College of Science

Education

B.Sc., North Carolina State University; MS, Georgia Institute of Technology; Ph.D., University of California at Berkeley

sxcsps@rit.edu

585-475-5352

Areas of Expertise

Astronomy

Astrophysics

Computational Relativity and Gravitation

Gravitational Waves

Currently Teaching

ASTP-791

Continuation of Thesis

0 Credits

Continuation of Thesis

ASTP-790

Research & Thesis

1 - 3 Credits

Masters-level research by the candidate on an appropriate topic as arranged between the candidate and the research advisor.

ASTP-890

Research & Thesis

1 - 6 Credits

Dissertation research by the candidate for an appropriate topic as arranged between the candidate and the research advisor.

PHYS-104

Stars and Galaxies

2 Credits

This course provides an introduction to the basic concepts of stellar astronomy including the celestial sphere, constellations, nomenclature, physical properties of stars, principles of spectroscopy as applied to astronomy, double stars, variable stars, star clusters, stellar evolution, gaseous nebulae, stellar motions and distribution, the Milky Way system, external galaxies, and cosmology.

ASTP-851

Cosmology

3 Credits

This course will cover the evolution of the universe from the big bang to the present, with an emphasis on the synergy between theory and observations. Topics will fall under three general headings: classical and relativistic cosmology, the early universe, and structure formation.

In the News

June 19, 2019

The Milky Way Has Battle Scars from Colliding With a Ghostly Galaxy

Discover magazine features Sukanya Chakrabarti, associate professor in the School of Physics and Astronomy, and her research on the recently-discovered dwarf galaxy Antlia 2.
June 18, 2019

A 'Ghost Galaxy' May Have Given the Milky Way Its Signature Swirl

Though direct observational evidence of Antlia 2 was not obtained until last year, one scientist has had a decade-long hunch that it was there. Sukanya Chakrabarti, an astrophysicist at RIT predicted in 2009 that an object packed with dark matter was causing tidal effects at the edge of the Milky Way.
June 18, 2019

Milky Way Collided with Dark-Matter Dominated Galaxy Less Than Billion Years Ago

Sci-News features new research, led by RIT, that shows the collision of the recently-discovered dwarf galaxy Antlia 2 with the Milky Way Galaxy hundreds of millions of years ago is responsible for ripples in the Milky Way’s outer gas disk.

More News

October 10, 2019

Assistant professor to extend map of the universe

More News

Select Scholarship

Journal Paper

Chakrabarti, Sukanya and Andrew Lipnicky. "Is the Vast Polar Structure of Dwarf Galaxies A Serious Problem For Cold Dark Matter?" MNRAS. (2016): 1-14. Web.

Chakrabarti, Sukanya. "The AGORA High-resolution Galaxy Simulations Comparison Project. II. Isolated Disk Test." ApJ 833. (2016): 1-28. Web.

Chakrabarti, Sukanya, et al. "Galactoseismology: Discovery of a Cluster of Receding, Variable Halo Stars." ApJ. (2016): 1-5. Web.

Chakrabarti, Sukanya. "A New Probe of the Distribution of Dark Matter in Galaxies." Astrophysical Journal 771. 2 (2013): 98-107. Print.

Chakrabarti, Sukanya, et al. "Photometric Redshifts of Submillimeter Galaxies." Astrophysical Journal 773. 2 (2013): 113-123. Print.

Chakrabarti, Sukanya, et al. "The Void of NGC 247." Astrophysical Journal. (2013) Print.

Published Conference Proceedings

Chakrabarti, Sukanya. "Galactoseismology in the GAIA Era." Proceedings of the Galaxy Outskirts. IAU, 2016. Print.

Invited Keynote/Presentation

Chakrabarti, Sukanya. "Strongly Lensed Spirals in HI." Probes of Dark Matter on Galaxy Scales. American Astronomical Society. Monterey, CA. 14 Jul. 2013. Conference Presentation.

Chakrabarti, Sukanya. "Characterizing the Dark Matter Distribution in Spirals Using Extended HI Disks." UC Berkeley Theoretical Astrophysics Seminar. UC Berkeley. Berkeley, CA. 16 Dec. 2013. Lecture.

Chakrabarti, Sukanya. "A New Probe of the Distribution of Dark Matter in Galaxies." Rutgers Astrophysics Seminar. Rutgers University. Newark, NJ. 3 Oct. 2013. Lecture.

Chakrabarti, Sukanya. "A New Probe of Dark Matter in Spirals." Astronomy Colloquium. Royal Military College. Kingston, Canada. 6 Nov. 2013. Lecture.

Chakrabarti, Sukanya. "Analyzing the Dark Matter Distribution in Spirals." Queen's University Astronomy Colloquium. Queen's University. Kingston, Canada. 7 Nov. 2013. Lecture.

Chakrabarti, Sukanya. "The Role of Gas in Spiral Galaxies." Lin-Shu Spiral Structure Symposium. Zou Pei Yuan Center for Applied Mathematics. Beijin, China. 24 Jun. 2013. Lecture.

Chakrabarti, Sukanya. "Deciphering the Dynamical Echoes of Dwarf Galaxies on the Milky Way Disk." American Astronomical Society, AAS Meeting #222. AAS. Indianapolis, IN. 2 Jun. 2013. Lecture.

Chakrabarti, Sukanya. "Characterizing the Dark Matter Distribution in Spirals Using Extended HI Disks." Ohio State University CCAP Seminar. Ohio State Univ. Columbus, Ohio. 12 Mar. 2013. Lecture.

Book Chapter

Chakrabarti, Sukanya and Ari Maller. "The Unsolved Problem of Galaxy Formation." Green Book for NYSE 10-m Telescope. : , 2013. Print.