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Biography

Retired professor of astronomy, University of Denver (1993-2021)
Present affiliation: University of Michigan - Astronomy (2022-present)
More than 500 publications in astronomy, astrophysics, instrumentation, science history and archaeo-astronomy.
For listing, start at: https://ui.adsabs.harvard.edu/
& use search term: author:"stencel, r."

Current research (2024):
Light pollution solutions
Galactic kinematics of various stellar types
Correspondence: restence@umich.edu

Latest papers:
2023, ArXiv, astro-ph, doi 10.3847/2515-5172/acd1ea
"The relation of metal-poor stars to nearby solar analogs"
Cowley, Charles R. ; Stencel, Robert E.
Abstract:
Sunlike dwarf stars in the solar neighborhood reflect ages, an ``average'' chemical evolution, and departures from that average. We show the chemical, and kinematic properties of four groups of Sunlike dwarfs form a continuum related to age. We plot $[Fe/H]$ vs. age, as well as kinematical values for the four groups. The vertical (negative) scatter in $[Fe/H]$ increases with age in a systematic way: as the age increases, $[Fe/H]$ decreases. The sets of Solar and metal-poor stars in the solar neighborhood are related by distributions in $[Fe/H]$ vs. age, as well as in Galactic position (XYZ) and velocity space (UVW). Among the samples there are no clusters of points that set one sample apart from the others. The distributions vary slowly from one set to the next, suggesting a mixture of stellar populations. A plot in Energy vs angular momentum phase space, with coordinate origin moved to the Galactic center, highlights different aspects of the kinematics of the four groups of stars. We finally compare the kinematic properties of these four groups with those of two sets of ultra metal-poor stars.

2022, Research Notes of the AAS, Volume 6, Issue 9, id.198.
"[Eu/Ba]: Clock and r-process Indicator" - doi: 10.3847/2515-5172/ac94d1
Cowley, Charles R. ; Stencel, Robert E.
Abstract:
The europium to barium abundance ratio is both a clock and a measure of galactic chemical evolution of the r- and s-processes. We attribute much of the ratio's vertical scatter to real abundance differences attributable to streams and diffusion into and out of the solar neighborhood.

Activities

Employment (1)

University of Denver: Denver, Colorado, US

1994-07-01 to present | Professor, Emeritus (2021) (Physics & Astronomy)
Employment
Source: Self-asserted source
Robert Stencel

Education and qualifications (2)

University of Michigan: Ann Arbor, MI, US

1977 | PhD (Astronomy)
Education
Source: Self-asserted source
Robert Stencel

University of Wisconsin-Madison: WI, WI, US

1972 | B.Sci. (Physics, Astronomy)
Education
Source: Self-asserted source
Robert Stencel

Professional activities (3)

NASA, NRC & Univ. Colorado: Washington DC, US

various (NRC postdoc, NASA HQ staff scientist, U Colorado researcher)
Invited position
Source: Self-asserted source
Robert Stencel

International Astronomical Union: Paris, FR

Membership
Source: Self-asserted source
Robert Stencel

American Astronomical Society: D.C., D.C., US

Membership
Source: Self-asserted source
Robert Stencel

Funding (3)

Epsilon Aurigae in Total Eclipse, 2010 - Revealing the Transiting Disk

2010-02-15 to 2012-01-31 | Grant
Directorate for Mathematical & Physical Sciences (Alexandria, US)
GRANT_NUMBER: 1016678
Source: Self-asserted source
Robert Stencel via DimensionsWizard

STARS: Science Through Astronomical Research of Stars

2009-09-01 to 2014-08-31 | Grant
Directorate for Education & Human Resources (Alexandria, US)
GRANT_NUMBER: 0840188
Source: Self-asserted source
Robert Stencel via DimensionsWizard

TNTCAM Mark II - A New Mid-Infrared Instrument

1997-09-15 to 2001-08-31 | Grant
Directorate for Mathematical & Physical Sciences (Alexandria, US)
GRANT_NUMBER: 9724506
Source: Self-asserted source
Robert Stencel via DimensionsWizard

Works (2)

A Comparison of Distant and Nearby Solar Twins

Research Notes of the AAS
2023-05-05 | Journal article
Contributors: Charles R. Cowley; Robert E. Stencel
Source: check_circle
Crossref

see bibliography section

Journal article
Contributors: Robert Stencel
Source: Self-asserted source
Robert Stencel