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Professor Joss joined the faculty of the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) Department of Physics in 1973. He focuses on theoretical astrophysics, specializing in neutron stars, supernovae, and binary systems. He is currently investigating a promising new model regarding the origin of cosmic gamma-ray bursts, a mysterious phenomenon that has puzzled astrophysicists for the past thirty years. The new model suggests that massive stars in a binary system can merge to form a single, rapidly rotating star. This newly formed star eventually explodes in a rare type of supernova known as a 'hypernova.' During the hypernova explosion, the core of the star collapses into a central black hole, and the rapidly rotating matter forms a massive torus surrounding it. It takes only a fraction of a minute for matter in the torus to fall into the black hole, resulting in the emission of huge amounts of energy, producing an object called a microquasar, which is a miniature version of quasars formed in the nuclei of active galaxies. The energy released from these microquasars is emitted in beams directed along the rotation axis of the infalling material. Professor Joss is currently conducting realistic calculations regarding the processes that lead to the formation of microquasars, tracing the evolution of the original binary system through to the hypernova explosion.
Massachusetts Institute of Technology • Cambridge, MA
Led various research and projects in the field of theoretical astrophysics, with a focus on neutron stars, supernovae, and binary systems.