Professor Peter Cottrell
Position
Professor of Astronomy and Dean of Science
Qualifications
BSc (Hons)(Adel.)
PhD (A.N.U.)
Room
808, Physics and Astronomy
Contact Details
Phone: +64 3 364-2532
Internal Phone: 6532
Email: peter.cottrell@canterbury.ac.nz
Postal address:
Department of Physics and Astronomy
University of Canterbury,
Private Bag 4800,
Christchurch,
New Zealand
Background
I grew up in Adelaide, South Australia, going to St Morris Primary School and Norwood High School and then to the University of Adelaide, where I majored in physics, with copious sprinklings of applied mathematics. I graduated with an honours degree in Physics in 1973. The graduation ceremony wasn't until May 1974, but by then I had already begun a PhD in astronomy at the Australian National University in Canberra (Australia's capital city in the Australian Capital Territory). I was based at Mount Stromlo Observatory (about 20km from the centre of Canberra), which is one part of the astronomy graduate research school. The other part is their dark sky site at Siding Spring Observatory about 600km north of Canberra. During my PhD study I married Deirdre and we now have 2 children.
After completing my doctorate (1978) we moved to Pasadena, California, where I had a post-doctoral fellowship with Professor Jesse Greenstein. This was an interesting experience for us and I made use of the astronomical facilities at Mount Wilson, Mount Palomar and Cerro Tololo Inter-American Observatory in Chile. Then in 1980, after a brief trip back to Australia, we drove across the United States in our green Volkswagen 'bug', with most of our worldly possessions and our 6 month old baby in the back, to Austin, Texas, which was to be our home for more than 2 years. At Texas I was a McDonald Observatory Postdoctoral Fellow and worked with Professor David Lambert and Dr Chris Sneden among others, using the excellent high resolution spectroscopic facilities that they have available. I also made a couple of trips to Cerro Tololo and to Kitt Peak National Observatory near Tucson, Arizona.
Then in 1982 we moved to Christchurch, New Zealand, where we have been ever since, apart from Study Leave breaks that I have had and the numerous trips to many parts of the world for conferences, observing trips and the like. All in all, I have kept myself pretty busy.
Courses
- SCIE301-09S1 Science and Entrepreneurship in New Zealand, Part 1
- SCIE302-09S2 Science and Entrepreneurship in New Zealand, Part II
Research Interests
Spectroscopic and photometric analyses of stars, including a range
of pulsating stars: Cepheid variables; R Coronae Borealis stars; RV
Tauri stars; post-AGB stars; Extreme He and other rapidly pulsating
stars.
Abundances, particularly s-process elements, in late type stars.
Astronomical instrumentation developments for Mt John Observatory and
the Southern African Large Telescope (SALT http://www.salt.ac.za ):
Adaptive Optics and SCIDAR measurements at Mt John; High Resolution
Spectrograph (SALT HRS) design for SALT.
Department Administration
- UC Director, SALT Foundation Pty Ltd
- Principal Investigator, SALT HRS
Recent Publications
Refereed papers
Wickramasinghe,D.T., Bessell,M.S. & Cottrell,P.L. Subdwarfs or cool DA white dwarfs? Ap.J.(Letters) v217 1977: L65-8.
Cottrell,P.L., Bessell,M.S. & Wickramasinghe,D.T. Spectrum synthesis of the heavily blanketed white dwarf LP701-29. Ap.J.(Letters) v218 1977: L133-5.
Cottrell,P.L. & Norris,J. HD 91805 and the nature of the Bidelman-MacConnell weak-G-band stars. Ap.J. v221 1978: 893- 906.
Cottrell,P.L. Extreme subdwarfs. I Molecular band strengths: A theoretical approach. Ap.J. v223 1978: 544-51.
Norris,J. & Cottrell,P.L. The nitrogen anomaly in 47 Tucanae. Ap.J.(Letters) v229 1979: L69-72.
Da Costa,G.S. & Cottrell,P.L. Carbon and nitrogen abundances on the first giant branch of NGC6752. Ap.J.(Letters) v236 1980: L83-6.
Cottrell,P.L. & Greenstein,J.L. Ultraviolet spectrum synthesis of the helium white dwarf Ross 640. Ap.J. v238 1980: 941-5.
Cottrell,P.L. & Greenstein,J.L. Calcium and magnesium (?) in the helium white dwarf GD401. Ap.J. v242 1980: 195-8.
Norris,J., Cottrell,P.L.,Freeman,K.C. & Da Costa,G.S. The abundance spread in the giants of NGC6752. Ap.J. v244 1980: 205-20.
Cottrell,P.L. & Da Costa,G.S. Correlated cyanogen and sodium anomalies in the globular clusters 47 Tuc and NGC 6752. Ap.J.(Letters) v245 1981: L79-82.
Cottrell,P.L. & Lambert,D.L. The peculiar spectroscopic behaviour of the R Coronae Borealis star RY Sgr. Observatory v102 1982: 149-50.
Cottrell,P.L. & Lambert,D.L. The chemical composition of R CrB and XX Cam. Ap.J. v261 1982: 595-611.
Pilachowski,C., Sneden,C., Dominy,J.F., Cottrell,P. & May,D.C. The equivalent width calibration of the KPNO échelle spectrograph. P.A.S.P. v94 1982: 1029-36.
Tomkin,J., Sneden,C. & Cottrell,P.L. A search for duplicity in the weak G-band stars. P.A.S.P. v96 1984: 609-12.
Noordanus,B., Cottrell,P.L. & Ake,T.B. HR 5637: The unveiling of a binary. M.N.R.A.S. v212 1985: 931-8.
Cottrell,P.L. & Sneden,C. A detailed kinematic and abundance analysis of old disk giants. Astron. & Ap. v161 1986: 314-26.
Lawson,W.A. & Cottrell,P.L. The R Coronae Borealis star RY Sgr: Shock wave phenomenon. Observatory v106 1986: 169-70.
Begley,M.J. & Cottrell,P.L. Evidence for departures from LTE in Na and Al in late type giants. M.N.R.A.S. v224 1987: 633-40.
Lawson,W.A. & Cottrell,P.L. RY Sgr : Pulsational period variations reinterpreted. M.N.R.A.S. v231 1988: 609-15.
Reynolds,S., Hearnshaw,J.B. & Cottrell,P.L. Canopus IV : The r- and s-process elements. M.N.R.A.S. v235 1988: 1423-38.
Lawson,W.A., Cottrell,P.L., Gilmore,A.C. & Kilmartin,P.M. The reclassification of the suspected R Coronae Borealis star SY Hyi as a semiregular variable. J. Ap. & Astron. v10 1989: 151-5.
Lawson,W.A. & Cottrell,P.L. The R Coronae Borealis star NSV 6708. M.N.R.A.S. v240 1989: 689-700.
Lawson,W.A. & Cottrell,P.L. A change in the pulsation period of the R Coronae Borealis star RY Sgr. M.N.R.A.S. v242 1990: 259-61.
Böhm-Vitense,E., Clark,M., Cottrell,P.L. & Wallerstein,G. The Dynamical Mass of S Mus. Astron. J. v99 1990: 353-72.
Cottrell,P.L., Lawson,W.A. & Buchhorn,M. The 1988 decline of R Coronae Borealis. M.N.R.A.S. v244 1990: 149-67.
Lawson,W.A., Cottrell,P.L., Kilmartin,P.M. & Gilmore,A.C. The photometric characteristics of cool hydrogen deficient carbon stars. M.N.R.A.S. v247 1990: 91-117.
Cottrell,P.L. New Zealand Astronomy in the 1990's. Proc. Astron. Soc. Australia v9 1991: 64-8.
Lawson,W.A., Cottrell,P.L. & Clark,M. Radial velocity variations of the RCB star RY Sgr. M.N.R.A.S. v251 1991: 687-92.
Lawson,W.A., Cottrell,P.L., Gilmore,A.C. & Kilmartin,P.M. Predicting mass-loss events in RCB stars: declines of V854 Cen. M.N.R.A.S. v256 1992: 339-48.
Wallerstein,G., Jacobsen,T., Cottrell,P.L., Clark,M. & Albrow,M. Metallic line and H[[alpha]] radial velocities of seven southern Cepheids: a comparative analysis. M.N.R.A.S. v259 1992: 474-88.
Lawson,W.A., Clark,M. & Cottrell,P.L. HD 183133: a new Be interacting binary. M.N.R.A.S. v266 1994: 740-4.
Albrow,M.D. & Cottrell,P.L. Line profiles of Cepheid variables: projection factors and metallic line asymmetries. M.N.R.A.S. v267 1994: 548- 56.
Pollard,K.R., Cottrell,P.L. & Lawson,W.A. An abundance analysis of R Coronae Borealis stars in the Galaxy and the LMC. M.N.R.A.S. v268 1994: 544-60.
Clayton,G., Lawson,W.A., Cottrell,P.L., de Ruyter,F., Whitney,B.A. & Stanford,S.A. An ultraviolet and visible spectroscopic study of a pulsational cycle of RY Sgr Ap.J. v432 1994: 785-92
Lawson,W.A., Cottrell,P.L. and 6 others. The variablility of the R Coronae Borealis star UX Antliae at maximum light. M.N.R.A.S. v271 1994: 919-23.
Frame,D.J., Cottrell,P.L., Gilmore,A.C., Kilmartin,P.M. & Lawson,W.A. Hydrogen-deficient binaries: photometry and orbits. M.N.R.A.S. v276 1995: 383-96.
Cottrell,P.L. Yellow supergiants and RCB stars. PASP Conf. Series v83 1995: 143-54.
Albrow,M.D. & Cottrell,P.L. Contribution functions and line formation depths in Cepheids. M.N.R.A.S. v278 1996: 337-44.
Pollard,K.R., Cottrell,P.L., Kilmartin,P.M. & Gilmore,A.C. RV Tauri stars I: a long term photometric survey. M.N.R.A.S. v279 1996: 949-77.
Cottrell,P.L. R Coronae Borealis stars: current status of the observational data. PASP Conf. Series v96 1996: 13-25.
Albrow,M.D. & Cottrell,P.L. The binary Cepheid W Sgr. M.N.R.A.S. v280 1996: 917-23.
Pollard,K.R., Cottrell,P.L. & Lawson,W.A. RV Tauri stars II: a high resolution spectroscopic study. M.N.R.A.S. 1996 in press.
Pollard,K.R. & Cottrell,P.L. RV Tauri stars III: U Mon - an interacting binary star? M.N.R.A.S. 1996 in press.
Albrow,M.D., Cottrell,P.L. & Stappers,B.W. The orbits and masses of Cepheids with blue companions. in preparation.
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Conference papers, minor journals
Bessell,M.S., Wickramasinghe,D.T. & Cottrell,P.L. The spectra and colours of cool white dwarfs.in IAU Colloquium No. 53, 'White dwarfs and variable degenerate stars' eds H.M. Van Horn & V. Weidemann, 1979: p179-83.
Cottrell,P.L. Globular clusters - homogeneous entities? Southern Stars v31 1985: 142-52.
Begley,M.J. & Cottrell,P.L. Stellar spectrum synthesis. Southern Stars v31 1985: 161-72.
Cottrell,P.L. Abundance analysis: Methods, results and implications in IAU Symposium No. 118, 'Instrumentation and research programmes for small telescopes' eds J.B.Hearnshaw & P.L. Cottrell 1986: p413-24.
Cottrell,P.L., Lawson,W.A. & Smith,S.M. High time resolution spectroscopic observations of stellar shock waves in IAU Symposium No.132, 'The impact of very high S/N ratio spectroscopy on stellar physics' eds G.Cayrel de Strobel & M.Spite 1988: p205-8.
Lawson,W.A., Cottrell,P.L. & Bateson,F.M. Observations of R Coronae Borealis (RCB) stars I: RY Sgr, Y Mus & U Aqr. P. var. Star Section R.A.S.N.Z. v14 1988: 28-38.
Lawson,W.A. & Cottrell,P.L. Photometric observations of RCB stars in the LMC in IAU Colloquium No. 106, Bloomington, Indiana, July 1988, 57.
Lawson,W.A., Cottrell,P.L. & Bateson,F.M. Observations of R Coronae Borealis (RCB) stars II: 5 more RCBs. P. var. Star Section R.A.S.N.Z. v15 1989: 1-15.
Lawson,W.A. & Cottrell,P.L. Evidence for evolution of R Coronae Borealis stars and related objects. Astr. Soc. Pacif. Conference Series. v9 1990: 401-3.
Cottrell,P.L., Lawson,W.A. & Buchhorn,M. R Coronae Borealis stars: declines, chromospheres and dust shells. Astr. Soc. Pacif. Conference Series. v9 1990: 456-8.
Cottrell,P.L., Clark,M., Albrow,M.D. & Wallerstein,G. Line profile variations in some southern Cepheids. Astr. Soc. Pacif. Conference Series. v11 1990: 123.
Lawson,W.A. & Cottrell,P.L. Pulsations of cool H-deficient carbon stars and their galactic population. Astr. Soc. Pacif. Conference Series. v11 1990: 566-9.
Cottrell,P.L. & Lawson,W.A. H-deficient stars: declines of R Coronae Borealis stars. Astr. Soc. Pacif. Conference Series. v11 1990: 570- 3.
Cottrell,P.L. Astronomy at the University of Canterbury Physics Department and Mount John University Obs. (Annual Report 1989). Q. J. R. A. S. v31 1990: 607-11.
Lawson,W.A., Cottrell,P.L. & Bateson,F.M. The light curve of the RCB star NSV6708 (V854 Cen) and the accuracy of visual estimates J.A.A.V.S.O. v19 1990: 33-6.
Lawson,W.A., Cottrell,P.L. & Pollard,K.R. A photometric and spectroscopic study of RCB stars in the LMC. Proceedings of IAU Symposium 148 `The Magellanic Clouds' (ed. R.Hayes & D. Milne) 1991: 351-2.
Cottrell,P.L. Tertiary Astronomy Programs in New Zealand. Proc. Astron. Soc. Australia v9 1991: 172-3
Cottrell,P.L. & Lawson,W.A. Photometric and spectroscopic analyses of cool HdC stars. Proc. Astron. Soc. Australia v9 1991:135-6.
Albrow,M.D. & Cottrell,P.L. Line asymmetries and projection factors in Cepheid variables. In IAU Symposium No. 149, Brazil, July 1991, 384.
Cottrell,P.L. & Lawson,W.A. Pulsations and declines of R Coronae Borealis stars. In IAU Colloquium No. 139, Victoria, British Columbia, July 1992, 212-3.
Pollard,K.R., Cottrell,P.L. & Lawson,W.A. A spectroscopic study of R Coronae Borealis stars in the Galaxy and the LMC. In IAU Colloquium No. 139, Victoria, British Columbia, July 1992, 215.
Pollard,K.R., Kilmartin,P.M., Gilmore,A.C. & Cottrell,P.L. A photometric and spectroscopic study of southern RV Tauri stars. In IAU Colloquium No. 139, Victoria, British Columbia, July 1992, 216.
Albrow,M.D. & Cottrell,P.L. Asymmetry of metallic spectral lines in Cepheids. In IAU Colloquium No. 139, Victoria, British Columbia, July 1992, 375.
Pollard,K.R., Kilmartin,P.M., Gilmore,A.C.& Cottrell,P.L. A photometric and spectroscopic study of southern RV Tauri stars. Southern Stars v35 1993: 53-61.
Albrow,M.D. & Cottrell,P.L. Asymmetry of metallic spectral lines in Cepheids. Southern Stars, v35 1993: 84-92.
Cottrell,P.L. & Easther,R. Joint editors, Proceedings of First Joint Meeting of the Royal Astronomical Society of New Zealand and the Astronomical Society of Australia, July 1993.Southern Stars, v35 1994: 161- 288.
Cottrell,P.L. The Future of New Zealand Astronomy. Southern Stars, v36 1994: 43-9.
Cottrell,P.L. Long-term photometric programmes at Mount John University Observatory. Experimental Astronomy, v5 1994: 99.
Cottrell,P.L. Astronomical Research in New Zealand: a brief look back (and forward) in time and space. Carter Observatory Astronomical Handbook, 1995: 38-47.
Cottrell,P.L. Astronomy at the University of Canterbury Physics Department and Mount John University Obs. (Annual Report 1993). Q. J. R. A. S. v36 1995:153-60.
Cottrell,P.L. Astronomy at the University of Canterbury Physics Department and Mount John University Obs. (Annual Report 1994). Southern Stars v36 1995: 211-218.
Cottrell,P.L., Gilmore,A.C., Kilmartin,P.M. & Lawson,W.A. Long-term photometric monitoring of cool hydrogen-deficient carbon stars. PASP Conf. Series v83 1995: 431-2.
Pollard,K.R. & Cottrell,P.L. The long-term variation in the RV Tauri star U Mon. PASP Conf. Series v83 1995: 409-10.
Albrow,M.D. & Cottrell,P.L. Formation depths of spectral lines in Cepheids. PASP Conf. Series v83 1995: 373-4.
Cottrell,P.L. Astronomy at the University of Canterbury Physics Department and Mount John University Obs. (Annual Report 1994). Southern Stars v36 1995: 218-224.
Cottrell,P.L., Gilmore,A.C., Kilmartin,P.M., Pooley, D.J. & Lawson,W.A. Long-term photometry of cool HdC stars. PASP Conf. Series v96 1996: 95.
Cottrell,P.L. Astronomy at the University of Canterbury Physics Department and Mount John University Obs. (Annual Report 1994). Q. J. R. A. S. v37 1996: 235-40.