University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign

Department of Astronomy

Hélène R. Dickel


Emerita Research Professor of Astronomy 
B.A. Mount Holyoke College 1959
Ph.D. University of Michigan, 1964 

Research Interests

My primary interest is in the physical conditions and evolution of dense cores of giant molecular clouds from which massive stars form and in the subsequent interactions of these newly-formed stars and attendant HII regions on the remaining molecular gas. These regions are studied via radio observations with the Very Large Array and the Berkeley-Illinois-Maryland-Association Array coupled with a non-LTE, multi-level radiative transfer code.

IAU Sympsium 221 Poster July 2003, pdf file:     W49A North -- Global, Local, or No Collapse


Chicago AAS Poster June 1999, postscript file:    W 49 A North: J=2-1 Lines of CS and C18O


Radiative Transfer Code - now available

References

Modeling Radiative Transfer in Molecular Clouds I. HCO+ in the 
Star-Forming Region W 49 A North. H. R. Dickel and L. H. Auer
Astrophys. J. 437, 222-238, 1994.

W 49 A North - Global, Local, or No Collapse",  
John A. Williams, Hélène R. Dickel, and Lawrence H. Auer,    
Astrophysical J. Suppl. 153  (August) 463-499, 2004

Preprints available at:
     astro-ph/0405085  
  or  
    pdf file   (size 528217)  
  or  
    postscript file   (size 1565212; 42 pages, 27 figures)

Documents

Radiative Transfer Notes             this document describes how to run the code and includes examples (postscript file)

Radiative Transfer Figures         = output from sample runs (postscript file)

List of Directories/Files             that are in the "primer_dir" = contents of the anonymous rt_ftp area (txt file)

Instructions for anonymous ftp   to download files (txt file)


Professional Service Activities

Scheduler for observations with the BIMA Array from 1994 through 1998 and compiler of BIMA Array
Statistics from 1994 to through 2000.
BIMA AIPS++ USERS GROUP during 2000-2001

Chair of the Working Group of Commission 5 of the International Astronomical Union, dealing with problems of astronomical designations
from August 1994 through July 2003. [New Chair is Marion Schmitz at IPAC.]

          Also view the following related topics:

Facts About Naming Stars        = a formal statement from the IAU

IAU and the naming of stars     = the letter HRD sends in response
                                                      to inquiries about naming stars

Chair of the SOC for the Multi-Commission Meeting on Designations of Stellar Companions which was held 11 August 2000 at the IAU General Assembly in Manchester, UK. The resulting C-type IAU resolution and the follow up by the WDS may be found at New WDS Designation Scheme     = WMC (Washington Multiplicity Catalog)

Member of the Scientific Organizing Committee of IAU Commission 40 on Radio Astronomy and Commission 5 on Documentation and Astronomical Data

Education Interests and Public Service

Faculty Friends Program at the University of Illinois
John and Hélène Dickel are Faculty Friends of the undergraduates living in the Snyder residence hall. This includes twice monthly dinners, participating in hall activities such as Dial-a-Carol program, and going canoeing, skating, having pizza parties, attending sporting and cultural events with the students.
Host and Mentor for January Term Career Interns in Astronomy
From 1974 to 1991 John and Hélène Dickel hosted and supervised visiting undergraduate students from Mt. Holyoke College, Wheaton College, Oberlin College, and Carroll College during their January short term. [This preceded the current NSF program of Research Experiences for Undergraduates.]
Lecturer for
American Astronomical Society - Shapley Visiting Lecturer
American Chemical Society Tour Speaker
American Physical Society
Society of Physics Students
Sigma Xi

Retirement interests

Illini Ice Dance - photos

Leader of the Communiweb group; also responsible for updating some of the
Community United Church of Christ   webpages.


Info ré Talks

Titles and Abstracts of Talks

Brief Biography

Click here for a complete vitae and publication list for the last ~10 years.

Selected Publications:

Modeling Radiative Transfer in Molecular Clouds I. HCO+ in the Star-Forming Region W 49 A North. H. R. Dickel and L. H. Auer Astrophys. J. 437, 222-238, 1994. Recombination Line Observations of the 30 Dor Nebula with the Australia Telescope. A. Peck, W. M. Goss, H. R. Dickel, M. Kestiven, J.R. Dickel, D. Milne, and S. Points Astrophys. J. 486, 329, 1997. Measurements of the J=2-1 Lines of CS and C18O toward the Star-Forming Region W 49 A North. Hélène R. Dickel, John A. Williams, David E. Upham, William J. Welch, Melvyn C. H. Wright,T. L. Wilson, and Rainer Mauersberger, Astrophys. J. Suppl. 125 , 413-416, 1999 reprint is available. Data are on the WWW at http://adil.ncsa.uiuc.edu/document/99.HD.01 W49_files_description.txt WSRT and VLA Observations of the 6 cm and 2 cm lines of H2CO in the direction of W 58 C1(ON3) and W 58 C2", Hélène R. Dickel, W. M. Goss, and C. G. DePree AJ 121, 391-398, 2001 reprint is available. Data are on the WWW at http://adil.ncsa.uiuc.edu/document/00.HD.01 W58_files_description.txt W 49 A North - Global, Local, or No Collapse", John A. Williams, Hélène R. Dickel, and Lawrence H. Auer, ApJS 153 (August) 463-499 2004 Preprints available at:   astro-ph/0405085   or     pdf file (size 528217)   or     postscript file (size 1565212; 42 pages, 27 figures) "The Naming Game" series, Special to IAU Daily Newspaper "Northern Lights" Ed. J. Mason (XXIV IAU General Assembly in Manchester UK) in issues Nos. 2-10, 2000, H. R. Dickel (Chair, WG on Designations) "Common Causes of Confusion" series, Special to IAU Daily Newspaper "The Magellanic Times" Ed. S. Shostak (XXV IAU General Assembly in Sydney Australia) for Days 2, 7, 10, 2003, H. Dickel (out-going Chair) & M. Schmitz (in-coming Chair) [WG on Designations]

For further information or comments please contact lanie@astro.uiuc.edu