Research Interests


My research focuses on the study of the stellar populations and physics/chemistry of the emission line gas of Active Galaxies, from optical up to mid-infrared data. The instrumentation used in these studies goes from optical (GMOS-IFU), near-infrared (SpeX/NIFS/GNIRS) long-slit and integral field units (IFUs) to mid-infrared (Spitzer/MICHELE/T-ReCS) data. These instruments are attached on the GEMINI 8m telescopes and on Nasa Infrared Telescope Facility (IRTF) 3m telescope. The observations with these instruments have been used mostly to:

i) study in detail the spectral energy distribution of Active Galactic Nuclei (AGN), therefore, we have recently developed a new technique to disentangle the main components that contribute to the near-infrared SED of AGNs. Our method allows for the study of each one of the components, that dominate the near-infrared emission of AGNs, namely: stellar populations, hot dust and non-thermal radiation, that dominates the near-infrared emission of AGNs. This method was successfully applied to long slit data and in detailed studies of central region of AGNs using IFU data.

ii) study the excitation mechanisms of emission line gas. We have studied the excitation mechanisms of molecular gas (H2) and forbidden lines of low to moderate (e. g. [Fe II], H I, [S III], etc...) and high ionization (also known as coronal lines) emission lines in AGNs and star forming galaxies. The gas and stellar metallicities where also studied. We have also investigated the behavior of the mid-infrared Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons (PAHs) emission lines with the hardness of the radiation field.


Currently, my main research interests are the following:

  • Investigate the stellar kinematics and stellar populations of active galaxies, from optical and near-infrared data.

  • Study the excitation mechanisms of coronal lines in AGNs and normal galaxies.

  • Investigate the AGN in the context of galaxy evolution.

  • Analyze the physical properties of circumnuclear star forming regions in active galaxies and the AGN/Starburst connection.

  • Access the excitation mechanisms of the Narrow Line Region (NLR) emitting gas, in particular for the molecular hydrogen and [Fe II] emission in the near-infrared bands.

  • Investigate the near-infrared nuclear continuum from active galaxies using adaptive optics high spatial resolution spectroscopy.

  • Study the excitation mechanisms of the Narrow Line Region (NLR) emitting gas, in particular for the molecular hydrogen and [Fe II] emission in the near-IR bands.

    • Selected Publications - NASA ADS