G. Costigan
Papers
1
Total Citations
37
H-Index
1
About
G. Costigan is an astrophysicist specializing in the dynamic and often dramatic behavior of young stellar objects, particularly the processes of star formation and the circumstellar environments of pre-main-sequence stars. Their most-cited work, "The disappearing act: a dusty wind eclipsing RW Aur" (2016, 37 citations), provides a compelling analysis of the deep, prolonged dimming events observed in the young binary star RW Aur. Costigan’s key contribution lies in demonstrating that these eclipses are not caused by a simple orbiting body but rather by a dusty, outflowing wind from the inner disk, likely triggered by tidal interactions or disk instabilities. By combining new multi-band photometry and emission-line spectroscopy, they revealed how dust and gas can temporarily obscure a young star, offering critical insights into the chaotic processes of planet formation and disk evolution. This work has become a touchstone for studies of UX Orionis-type variability and episodic accretion. Costigan’s research continues to illuminate the hidden, violent lives of young stars, shaping our understanding of how planetary systems emerge from turbulent clouds of gas and dust.
Research Focus
Key Achievements
Top Papers
- 1The disappearing act: a dusty wind eclipsing RW Aur37 citations · 2016