Astrophysics

Research Interests

The goal of my research is to understand the physical processes that shape galaxies and govern their evolution. I approach this on a large scale by determining the relationship between star formation and active galactic nuclei. On a smaller scale, within the Galaxy, I examine the interplay of stellar evolution and the interstellar medium in detail. While currently I am emphasizing high-energy observations, I utilize multi-wavelength data to account more completely for the underlying physics.

(picture: X-ray image of the Seyfert-starburst galaxy NGC 5135)

Education

• A.B., Astronomy and Astrophysics, Harvard University (1989)
• B.A., Physics and Philosophy, University of Oxford (1991)
• M.A., Astronomy, University of California, Berkeley (1994)
• Ph.D., Astronomy, University of California, Berkeley (1997)

• Penetrating the Deep Cover of Compton Thick Active Galactic Nuclei, N. A. Levenson, T. M. Heckman, J. H. Krolik, K. A. Weaver, and P. T. Zycki (2006), submitted to Astrophys. Journ.
• Environmental Impact on the Southeast Limb of the Cygnus Loop, N. A. Levenson and J. R. Graham (2005) Astrophys. Journ. 622, 366.
• Deconstructing NGC 7130, N. A. Levenson, K. A. Weaver, T. M. Heckman, H. Awaki, and Y. Terashima (2005) Astrophys. Journ. 618, 167.
• Accretion and Outflow in the Active Galactic Nucleus and Starburst of NGC 5135, N. A. Levenson. K. A. Weaver, T. M. Heckman, H. Awaki, and Y. Terashima, Astrophys Jour., 602, 135 (2004)
• Extreme X-ray Iron Lines in Active Galactic Nuclei N. A. Levenson, J. H. Krolik, P. T. Zycki, T. M. Heckman, K. A. Weaver, H. Awaki, and Y. Terashima, Astrophys. Journ. Lett. 573 , L81 (2002).
• The Obscuring Starburst of NGC 6221 and Implications for the Hard X-Ray Background N. A. Levenson, K. A. Weaver, T. M. Heckman, R. Cid Fernandes, Jr., and T. Storchi-Bergmann, Astrophys. Journ. 557, 54 (2001).