Home Page of Patrick Côté

Me, standing inside the entrance aperture of the 11m Southern African Large Telescope (April 2002).

Coordinates

Patrick Côté

Department of Physics and Astronomy

Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey

Piscataway, NJ 08854-8019

 

Office: Room 309W, Physics and Astronomy Building

Phone: (732)445-2544

Fax: (732)445-4343

Email: pcotes[at]physics.rutgers.edu

Course Information

Physics 110	Introduction to Astronomy and Cosmology: Stars and Galaxies	Spring 2004
Physics 109	Introduction to Astronomy and Cosmology: The Solar System	Fall 2003
Physics 110	Introduction to Astronomy and Cosmology: Stars and Galaxies	Spring 2003
Physics 109	Introduction to Astronomy and Cosmology: The Solar System	Fall 2002
Physics 629	Observational Techniques	Spring 2002

Personal Information

I received my B.Sc. degree (Astronomy) in 1988 from the University of Western Ontario, and my M.Sc. (Physics) and Ph.D. (Physics) degrees in 1990 and 1994 from McMaster University. Between 1994 and 2000, I worked as a postdoctoral fellow at the Herzberg Institute of Astrophysics in Victoria, British Columbia and the California Institute of Technology in Pasadena. Since September 2000, I have been an Assistant Professor in the Department of Physics and Astronomy at Rutgers University.

Research Interests

My research interests lie mainly in the areas of stellar populations, stellar and galactic dynamics, and galaxy formation. Specific areas of active research are shown below. Click on the links or images below to see a complete list of my refereed publications in each of these fields. I use a variety of ground- and space-based observing facilities in my research, including

• Hubble Space Telescope
• Chandra X-ray Observatory
• W.M. Keck Observatory
• Canada-France-Hawaii Telescope
• Kitt Peak National Observatory
• Cerro-Tololo National Observatory
• Very Large Telescopes, Paranal and European Southern Observatory
• Subaru Telescope, National Astronomical Observatory of Japan
• Palomar Observatory

and, beginning in 2005,

• Southern African Large Telescope

If you are a prospective graduate student looking for potential research projects, then please send me email!

I am also the Principal Investigator on a large Hubble Space Telescope project to survey early-type galaxies in the Virgo Cluster. For details on this survey, see the official webpage for the ACS Virgo Cluster Survey.

Globular Cluster Systems	Dwarf Galaxies	Halo Formation Models
Variable Stars, Distance Scale	Galactic Globular Clusters	Cosmology, etc.

Latest Results from the ACS Virgo Cluster Survey

• P. Côté et al. 2004, The ACS Virgo Cluster Survey I. Introduction to the Survey, Astrophysical Journal Supplement Series, 153, 223.
  
  
• A. Jordán et al. 2004, The ACS Virgo Cluster Survey II. Data Reduction Procedures, Astrophysical Journal Supplement Series, in press
  
  
• A. Jordán et al. 2004, The ACS Virgo Cluster Survey III. Chandra and HST Observations of Low-Mass X-ray Binaries and Globular Clusters in M87, Astrophysical Journal, in press.
  
  
• S. Mei et al. 2004, The ACS Virgo Cluster Survey IV. Data Reduction Procedures for Surface Brightness Fluctuation Measurements with the Advanced Camera for Surveys, Astrophysical Journal Supplement Series, submitted.
  
  

Publications

Globular Cluster Systems:

• M.J. West, P. Côté, R.O. Marzke and A. Jordán 2004, Reconstructing Galaxy Histories from Globular Clusters, Nature, 427, 31.
  
  
• A. Jordán, P. Côté, M.J. West, R.O. Marzke, D. Minniti and M. Rejkuba 2004, Hubble Space Telescope Observations of cD Galaxies and their Globular Cluster Systems, Astronomical Journal, 127, 24.
  
  
• J.G. Cohen , J.P. Blakeslee and P. Côté 2003, The Ages and Abundances of a Sample of Globular Clusters in M49 (NGC4472), Astrophysical Journal, 592, 866.
  
  
• P. Côté, D.E. McLaughlin, J.G. Cohen and J.P. Blakeslee 2003, Dynamics of the Globular Cluster System Associated with M49 (NGC4472): Cluster Orbital Properties and the Distribution of Dark Matter, Astrophysical Journal, 591, 850.
  
  
• A. Jordán, M.J. West , P. Côté and R.O. Marzke 2002, A Point Source Excess in Abell 1185: Intergalactic Globular Clusters?, Astronomical Journal, 125, 1642.
  
  
• A. Jordán, P. Côté, M.J. West and R.O. Marzke 2002, The Relative Ages of the Globular Cluster Subpopulations in M87, Astrophysical Journal, 576, L113.
  
  
• P. Côté, D.E. McLaughlin, D.A. Hanes, T.J. Bridges, D. Geisler, D. Merritt, J.E. Hesser, G.L.H. Harris and M.G. Lee 2001, The Dynamics of the Globular Cluster System Associated with NGC 4486 (M87). II. Analysis, Astrophysical Journal, 559, 828.
  
  
• D.A. Hanes, P. Côté, T.J. Bridges, D.E. McLaughlin, D. Geisler, G.L.H. Harris, J.E. Hesser and M.G. Lee 2001, The Dynamics of the Globular Cluster System Associated with NGC 4486 (M87). I. New CFHT MOS Spectroscopy and the Composite Database, Astrophysical Journal, 559, 812.
  
  
• S. Holland, P. Côté and J. Hesser 1999, Globular Clusters in NGC 5128, Astronomy and Astrophysics, 348, 418.
  
  
• P. Fischer, D.L. Welch, P Côté, M. Mateo and B.F. Madore 1992, Dynamics of the Young LMC Cluster NGC 1866, Astronomical Journal, 103, 857.
  

Dwarf Galaxies:

• M. Shetrone, P. Côté and P.B. Stetson 2001, The Nature of the Red Giant Branches in the Draco and Ursa Minor Dwarf Spheroidal Galaxies, Publications of the Astronomical Society of the Pacific,113, 1122.
  
  
• M. Shetrone, P. Côté and W.L.W. Sargent 2001, Abundance Patterns in the Draco, Sextans and Ursa Minor Dwarf Spheroidal Galaxies, Astrophysical Journal, 548, 592.
  
  
• P. Côté, M. Mateo, W.L.W. Sargent and E.W. Olszewski 2000, An Improved Mass Determination for M31 from its Satellite Galaxies, Astrophysical Journal Letters, 537, L91.
  
  
• P. Côté, J.B. Oke and J.G. Cohen 1999, Abundances of Red Giants in the Andromeda II Dwarf Spheroidal Galaxy, Astronomical Journal, 118, 1645.
  
  
• P. Côté, M. Mateo, K. Cook and E. Olszewski 1999, Internal Kinematics of the Andromeda II Dwarf Spheroidal Galaxy, Astrophysical Journal, 526, 147.
  

Halo Formation Models:

• P. Côté, M.J. West, and R.O. Marzke 2001, Globular Cluster Systems and the Missing Satellite Problem: Implications for Cold Dark Matter Models, Astrophysical Journal, 567,853.
  
  
• P. Côté, R. Marzke, M. West and D. Minniti 2000, Evidence for the Hierarchical Formation of the Galactic Spheroid, Astrophysical Journal, 533, 869.
  
  
• P. Côté, R.O. Marzke and M.J. West, 1998, The Formation of Giant Elliptical Galaxies and Their Globular Cluster Systems, Astrophysical Journal, 501, 554.
  
  
• M.J. West, P. Côté, C. Jones, W. Forman and R.O. Marzke 1995, Intracluster Globular Clusters, Astrophysical Journal Letters, 453, L77.
  

Variable Stars and the Distance Scale:

• L. Ferrarese, P. Côté and A. Jordán 2003, Hubble Space Telescope Observations of Novae in M49 (NGC 4472), Astrophysical Journal, 599, 1302.
  
  
• P. Côté, D.L. Welch, M. Mateo, P. Fischer and B.F. Madore 1991, Baade-Wesselink Radii for NGC 1866 Cepheids, Astronomical Journal, 101, 1681.
  
  
• D.L. Welch, M. Mateo, P. Côté, P. Fischer and B.F. Madore 1991, The Variable Stars of NGC 1866, Astronomical Journal, 101, 490.

Galactic Globular Clusters:

• P. Côté, S.G. Djorgovski, G. Meylan, S. Castro and J.K. McCarthy 2001, Palomar 13: An Unusual Stellar System in the Galactic Halo, Astrophysical Journal, 574, 783.
  
  
• B. Behr, S. Djorgovski, J. Cohen, J. McCarthy, P. Côté, G. Piotto and M. Zoccali 2000, A New Spin on the Problem of HB Gaps: Stellar Rotation along the Blue Horizontal Branch of the Globular Cluster M13, Astrophysical Journal, 528, 849.
  
  
• P. Côté 1999, Kinematics of the Galactic Globular Cluster System: New Radial Velocities for Clusters in the Direction of the Inner Galaxy, Astronomical Journal,118, 406.
  
  
• P. Côté, D.A. Hanes, D.E. McLaughlin, T.J. Bridges, J.E. Hesser and G.L.H. Harris, 1997, Discovery of a Probable CH Star in the Globular Cluster M14 and Implications for the Evolution of Binaries in Clusters, Astrophysical Journal Letters,476, L15.
  
  
• P. Côté and P. Fischer 1996, Spectroscopic Binaries in Globular Clusters. I. A Search for Ultra-Hard Binaries on the Main Sequence in M4, Astronomical Journal, 112, 565.
  
  
• P. Côté, C. Pryor, R.D. McClure, J.M. Fletcher and J.E. Hesser 1996, Spectroscopic Binaries in Globular Clusters. II. A Search for Long-Period Binaries in M22, Astronomical Journal, 112, 574.
  
  
• T.J. Davidge, P. Côté and W.E. Harris 1996, Deep Infrared Array Photometry of Globular Clusters. V. M28 (NGC 6626), Astrophysical Journal, 468, 641.
  
  
• P. Côté, D.L. Welch, P. Fischer and K. Gebhardt 1995, Dynamics of the Galactic Globular Cluster NGC 3201, Astrophysical Journal,454, 788.
  
  
• P. Côté, D.L. Welch, P. Fischer, G.S. Da Costa, P. Tamblyn, P. Seitzer and M.J. Irwin 1994, A Search for Binaries in the Globular Cluster NGC 3201 , Astrophysical Journal Supplement Seriess, 90, 83.
  
  
• P. Fischer, D.L. Welch, M. Mateo and P. Côté 1993, The Dynamics of the Globular Cluster NGC 362, Astronomical Journal,106, 1508.
  
  
• P. Côté, D.L. Welch, P. Fischer and M.J. Irwin 1993, Detection of an Extended Moving Group Near the Galactic Disk, Astrophysical Journal, 406, L59.
  
  
• P. Côté, H.B. Richer and G.G. Fahlman 1991, Star Counts, Blue Stragglers and Mass Segregation in NGC 7492, Astronomical Journal, 102, 1358.
  
  

Cosmology, Gamma-Ray Bursts, Gravitational Lensing, Intracluster Gas:

• W.B Sparks, M. Donahue, A. Jordán, L. Ferrarese, and P. Côté 2004, X-ray and Optical Filaments in M87, Astrophysical Journal, 607, 294.
  
  
• J. Blakeslee, M.R. Metzger, H. Kuntschner and P. Côté 2001, Lensing in the Hercules Supercluster, Astronomical Journal, 121, 1.
  
  
• J. Bloom, S. Kulkarni, S. Djorgovski, A. Eichelberger, P. Côté et al. 1999, The Unusual Afterglow of GRB 980326: Evidence for the Gamma-Ray Burst/Hypernova Connection, 1999, Nature, 401, 453.

SALT

Rutgers University is a partner institution in the consortium that is building the 11m Southern African Astronomical Telescope (SALT), and I am a member of the SALT Science Working Group. When completed in December 2004, SALT will be the world's largest optical telescope in the southern hemisphere. For more information on SALT, see the project's official website.

Travel Schedule (2003/2004)

2003	Feb 25 - Feb 26		Keck observing run, Hawaii
2003	Mar 20 - Mar 27		Kitt Peak observing run, Arizona
2003	Apr 28 - May 2		SALT Meetings, Cape Town, South Africa
2003	Aug 18 - Aug 28		Nova Scotia and Newfoundland, Canada
2003	Sep 26 - Sep 29		Penetanguishene, Ontario, Canada
2003	Oct 24 - Nov 2		SALT Meetings, Cape Town, South Africa
2003	Nov 17 - Nov 21		Young Star Clusters Workshop, Cancun, Mexico
2003	Dec 3 - Dec 3		University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia
2004	Feb 22 - Feb 24		Washington, D.C.
2004	Apr 20 - Apr 20		Colloquium, Princeton University
2004	May 17- May 21		SALT Meetings, Dartmouth College, Hanover NH
2004	May 29 - Jun 8		CTIO observing run, Chile

Astronomy Links

Astronomy:

• Astrophysics Group, Rutgers University
• Department of Physics and Astronomy, Rutgers University
• Rutgers Astrophysics Seminar Schedule, Spring 2003
• University of Pennsylvannia Astronomy Group
• Astrophysics at Columbia
• Department of Astronomy, Princeton University
• Insitute for Advanced Study
• Hubble Space Telescope
• W.M. Keck Observatory
• Southern African Large Telescope
• Chandra X-Ray Observatory
• Canada-France-Hawaii Telelscope
• Subaru Telescope
• National Optical Astronomy Observatories
• Associations of Universities for Research in Astronomy (AURA)
• Astrophysical Journal
• Astronomical Journal
• Annual Reviews of Astronomy and Astrophysics
• Nature
• International Astronomy Meetings
• NASA
• National Science Foundation
• American Astronomical Society
• NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)
• arXiv e-print archive (astro-ph)
• AstrophysicsJob Rumor Mill
• AAS Job Register

Other Links

News:

• CNN (Corporate Propaganda)
• Canadian Broadcasting Corporation (CBC)
• Globe and Mail
• The Times
• Toronto Star
• Z Magazine
• LA Weekly

Media, Environment, and Human Rights:

• Amnesty International
• Greenpeace
• World Wildlife Fund
• Corporate Watch
• Rocky Mountain Media Watch
• Multinational Monitor On-Line
• Public Information Network

Movies

• Shadow Culture's Mr. Cranky Rates the Movies
• Roger Ebert Movie Files
• Greatest Films
• Cinepad's Best Movies of All Time
• ScriptCrawler
• Internet Movie Database
• Carl Theodor Dreyer
• Ingmar Bergman
• Stanley Kubrick
• Koyaanistqatsi
• Woody Allen

Books/Reference:

• Amazon.com
• Merriam-Webster OnLine - Dictionary - Thesaurus
• BookFinder.com: Search for New, Out of Print and Used Books
• The Complete Works of William Shakespeare
• The On-Line Books Page
• The Works of Andrew Marvell
• J.D. Salinger
• Henry Miller
• Fyodor Dostoevsky
• Thomas Hardy
• Knut Hamsun

Music

• Pink Floyd
• Pearl Jam
• Dead Kennedys
• Smashing Pumpkins
• Jackson Browne
• Bruce Springsteen
• Billy Bragg
• Bob Dylan
• Rush
• Bruce Cockburn
• Bob Marley

Parks and Travel:

• Parks Canada
• National Parks Service
• UNESCO World Heritage Sites
• Lonely Planet
• Italy
• Iceland
• Canada
• Scotland
• India

Cool Cars:

• BMW M Coupe
• Mazda RX7

Art:

• Dosso Dossi
• Pieter Bruegel the Elder
• Max Ernst
• Giorgione
• Charles Renni Mackintosh
• Douglas Cardinal
• Bill Reid

Sports:

• ESPN
• CBC Sports Online
• Montreal Canadiens
• New Jersey Devils

Philosophy:

• Krishnamurti
• Soren Kiekegaard
• Jack Haas
• Ernest Becker
• Otto Rank
• Antonin Artaud
• Bertrand Russell
• Arthur Shopenhauer

Then had I been at rest, with kings and counsellors of the earth, who build desolate places for themselves. Job 3:13-14