Luis F. Rodriguez

Universidad Nacional Autonoma de Mexico


Primary Section: 12, Astronomy
Membership Type:
International Member (elected 2008)

Biosketch

Luis Rodriguez is Professor Emeritus of the Institute of Radio Astronomy and Astrophysics of the National University of Mexico. He is a radio astronomer that has made contributions in the field of star formation and in the detection and analysis of the so-called microquasars, X-ray binary systems that mimic in a smaller scale the phenomena seen in quasars (rotating black holes, accretion disks and relativistic jets). In the field of star formation he has been a leader in the new paradigm that reconciles the existence of simultaneous accretion and ejection phenomena.  He was born in Merida, Yucatan, Mexico and did his undergraduate studies in physics at the National University of Mexico. He obtained his Ph. D. in Astronomy at Harvard University. He has received several distinctions, both national and international.

Research Interests

At present, Rodriguez does research in the topic of star formation, trying to understand if the same mechanism that forms low mass stars (accretion via a disk from which later planets will condense), also applies to high mass stars. He hopes to be able to use the next generation of radio interferometers to understand better how are protostellar jets are accelerated and collimated and whether or not they carry out angular momentum, as required for accretion to proceed.

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