Dr. Paul B. Etzel
Research Interests:
Stellar Astronomy: stellar properties, eclipsing binary light-curve
solutions, non-degenerate interacting binaries, active chromosphere binaries,
detached binaries with degenerate components.
Photometry: stellar, optical and Near-infrared, filter design,
reduction methods.
Spectroscopy: stellar, optical and ultraviolet, spectrograph design,
spectrophotometry.
B.S., Physics, Washburn University, Topeka, Kansas, 1971
M.S., Astronomy, San Diego State University, 1975
Thesis Title: "A Comprehensive Analysis of the Eclipsing Binary
WW Aurigae."
Ph.D., Astronomy, University of California, Los Angeles, 1986
Dissertation Title: "A Comparative Study of the Algol-type
Binaries S Cancri and TT Hydrae."
Membership in Professional Societies:
American Astronomical Society (1968 - present)
Astronomical Society of the Pacific (1968 - present)
Golden Key National Honor Society, Honorary Faculty Member
(1991 - present)
International-Amateur and Professional Photoelectric Photometry
(1986 - present)
International Astronomical Union (1991 - present)
International Dark-Sky Association (1991 - present)
Phi Beta Kappa, Honorary SDSU Alumnus Member
(2008 - present)
Sigma Pi Sigma, Society of Physics Students (1971 - present)
Sigma Xi, The Scientific Research Society (1977 - present)
Academic Employment History:
1969 - 1971 Laboratory Assistant, Computer Center,
Washburn University, Topeka, Kansas
1971 - 1972 Teaching Assistant, Department of Astronomy,
San Diego State University, San Diego, California
1971 - 1972 Laboratory Assistant, Computer Center,
San Diego State University, San Diego, California
1972 - 1977 Electronic Data Processing Supervisor,
San Diego State University, San Diego, California
1977 - 1986 Research Assistant, Department of Astronomy,
University of California, Los Angeles, California
1986 - 1990 Assistant Professor, Department of Astronomy,
San Diego State University, San Diego, California
1990 - 1994 Associate Professor, Department of Astronomy,
San Diego State University, San Diego, California
1994 - present Professor, Department of Astronomy,
San Diego State University, San Diego, California
2000 - 2005 Chair, Department of Astronomy,
San Diego State University, San Diego, California
2000 - present Director, Mount Laguna Observatory,
San Diego State University, San Diego, California
Master's Thesis Students Directed as Chair:
Greg R. Crinklaw (1988), James F. Walters (1990),
*Glenn M. Thurman (1991), *Matthew C. Senay (1991), *Jeff W. Robertson (1991),
James R. Crawford (1992), Yoshiko Narasaki (1992), Morrie J. Barembaum (1994),
Marina C.G. Frederik (1995), Mark R. Lane (1996), *Nikolaus H. Volgenau (1997),
Heather L. Garner (1998), *Quyen T. Nguyen (1999), *Erin F.C. De Pietro (2002), Carolyn M. Heffner (2012)
* = Subsequently obtained a Ph.D. degree
Some Selected Publications:
Etzel, P.B. "A Simple Synthesis Method for Solving the Elements of
Well-Detached Eclipsing Systems" 1981, in Photometric and Spectroscopic Binary
Systems, E.B. Carling, & Z. Kopal, eds. (Reidel, Dordrecht), 111-120.
Etzel, P.B. "The Nature of TT Hydrae" 1988, AJ, 95, 1204-1225.
Etzel, P.B., & Olson, E.C. "New Rotational Velocities for Eclipsing
Binaries, and a Comparison of Spectroscopic and Photometric Rotations"
1993, AJ, 106, 1200-1205.
Etzel, P.B., Olson, E.C., & Senay, M.C. "O I l7774 Absorption as a
Tracer of Streams and Disks in Non-Degenerate Binary Stars"
1995, AJ, 109, 1269-1276.
Olson, E.C., & Etzel, P.B. "Rapid Ha Emission Variations in
Accretion Disks in Long-Period Algols" 1995, AJ, 109, 1308.
Linnell, A.P., Etzel, P.B., Hubeny, I., & Olson, E.C. "A Photometric
and Spectrophotometric Study of MR Cygni" 1998, ApJ, 494, 773-782.
Southworth, J., Smalley, B., Maxted, P.F.L., Claret, A., Etzel, P.B.
"Absolute dimensions of detached eclipsing binaries - I.
The metallic-lined system WW Aurigae" 2005, MNRAS, 363, 529-542.
Dolan, J.F., Etzel, Paul B., Boyd, Patricia T.
"Measuring the Mass of 4U 0900-40 Dynamically" 2006, PASP, 118, 392-398.
Misc. Stuff