Perlman, Eric
Eric Perlman
Professor | COES: Department of Aerospace, Physics and Space Sciences
Contact Information
Expertise
Personal Overview
Dr. Perlman is an observational astrophysicist whose research concentrates on the nuclei of galaxies, their physics and evolution, particularly those in which the central black hole has a large rate of accretion and is abnormally active (the so-called active galactic nuclei). He also specializes in the structure and physics of high-velocity outflows from compact objects and AGN, particularly, jets. He also has a strong interest in clusters of galaxies, galactic activity in clusters and observational cosmology. He also has taken active interest in the intersection of quantum gravity and astrophysics, as well as the habitability of planets in extreme environments in the centers of galaxies. He takes a multiwaveband approach to these subjects, and has worked in virtually every energy range from the radio through gamma-rays. He is also interested in the process of accretion, including events that can temporarily make black holes active (tidal disruption events). He is also pursuing interests in astrobiology, particularly the impact of active black holes on habitable planets.
Dr. Perlman has a strong record of funding that includes two 5-year NASA Long-Term Space Astrophysics grants and two NSF Astronomy & Astrophysics grants, as well as two dozen approved Hubble Space Telescope, James Webb Telescope and Chandra X-ray Observatory grants. He was a member of the AGN science team for CanariCam, a first-light instrument for the Gran Telescopio Canarias, and is now a science team member for MIRADAS, one of the GTC's third-generation instruments. He is an active member of the science community for AXIS, the Advanced X-ray Imaging Satellite, now under development by the University of Maryland and Goddard Space Flight Center. He has a strong record of service to the astronomical community in Florida, nationwide as well as to the academic community at Florida Tech. He oversees the Physics Resource Center, which helps students achieve greater success in physics and space sciences at Florida Tech.
Dr. Perlman came to Florida Tech in 2007 after postdoctoral fellowships at Goddard Space Flight Center and the Space Telescope Science Institute, as well as research staff and research faculty positions at the Johns Hopkins University and the University of Maryland, Baltimore County. He maintains a large research group that includes typically 3-4 graduate students and 10-15 undergraduate research assistants. In his spare time, he enjoys chess, singing, scrabble, reading, photography, bicycling, spending time with his dog and working out.
Educational Background
Ph.D. The University of Colorado 1994
A.B. Occidental College 1989
Professional Experience
Professor, Department of Physics & Space Sciences, Florida Institute of Technology, 2014-Present
Associate Professor, Department of Physics & Space Sciences, Florida Institute of Technology, 2007-2014
Research Associate Professor, Physics Department & Joint Center for Astrophysics, University of Maryland, Baltimore County (2005-2006)
Observatory Coordinator, Physics Department & Joint Center for Astrophysics, University of Maryland, Baltimore County (2003-2006)
Research Assistant Professor, Physics Department & Joint Center for Astrophysics, University of Maryland, Baltimore County (2000-2005)
Visiting Scholar, Center for Astrophysical Sciences, The Johns Hopkins University (2000-2006)
Associate Research Scientist, Center for Astrophysical Sciences, The Johns Hopkins University (1999-2000)
Postdoctoral Research Associate, Space Telescope Science Institute (1996-1999)
Postdoctoral Research Associate, Goddard Space Flight Center (1994-1996)
Professional Service
Member, Science Community and Convener, AGN Jet Science, Advance X-ray Imaging Satellite project (2025-Present)
NASA-Approved member, Athena Observatory Science Team (2016-Present)
Member, MIRADAS Science Team (2016-Present)
Member, International X-ray Observatory Science Associates (2008-2015)
Member, AAS Working Group on Professional-Amateur Collaboration (2007-2013)
Member, AIP White Paper committee on the Future of Ground-Based Gamma-Ray Astronomy (2006-2008)
Member, CanariCam Science Team (2005-present)
Member & Webmaster, American Astronomical Society Committee on Light Pollution, Radio Frequency Interference & Space Debris (2003-2006)
Current Courses
SPS 2010, SPS 3020, SPS 4010, SPS 4020, SPS 5021, SPS 5011, SPS 5010, PHY 3060, PHY 2003, PHY 1001
Selected Publications
Book Chapters
Perlman, E. S., “Physics of Active Galactic Nuclei”, 2013, in Planets, Stars & Stellar Systems, Chapter 7 in vol. 6, ed. W. Keel and T. Oswalt, Springer-Verlag, 2013, ISBN: 978-94-007-5609-0
Perlman, E. S., “Optical, Infrared and Optical Observations”, 2012, Chapter 6 in ”Extragalactic Jets,” ed. D. E. Harris, M. Boettcher, H. Krawczynski, Wiley-VCH, 2012, ISBN: 978-94-007-5608-3
Significant Publications
Strolger, L.-G., Bovill, M. S., Perlman, E. S., Kolobow, C., Larison, C., Lane, Z. G., “On the Origins of “Hostless” Supernovae: Testing the Faint-end Galaxy Luminosity Function and Supernova Progenitors with Events in Dwarf Galaxies”, 2025, Astrophysical Journal, in press, arXiv: 2504.05117
Ogle, P. M., et al. (31 authors, including Perlman, E.), “The JWST View of Cygnus A: Jet-Driven Coronal Outflow with a Twist,” 2025, Astrophysical Journal 983, 98
Perlman, E. S., “Do AGN launch jets perpendicular to their hosts?, 2025, Nature Astronomy (Commentary), 9, 180
Breiding, P., et al., (18 authors, including Perlman, E. S.), “Powerful Radio-Loud Quasars are Triggered by Galactic Mergers in the Cosmic Bright Ages,” 2024, Astrophysical Journal 973, 91
Meyer, E. T., et al., (12 authors, including Perlman, E.), “Variability of extragalactic X-ray Jets on kiloparsec scales,” 2023, Nature Astronomy, 7, 967
Sawant, S. M., Kosak, K., Li, K., Avachat, S. S., Perlman, E. S., Mitra, D., “JetCurry I. Reconstructing three- dimensional jet geometry from two-dimensional images,” 2022, Astronomy and Computing, 41, 100653
Knote, M. F., Caballero-Nieves, S. M., Gokhale, V., Johnston, K. B., Perlman, E. S., “Characteristics of Kepler Eclipsing Binaries Displaying a Significant O’Connell Effect”, 2022, Astrophysical Journal Supplements, 262, 10
Ng, Y. J,. Perlman, E. S., “Probing Spacetime Foam with Extragalactic Sources of High-Energy Photons,” 2022, Universe, 8, 382
Ambrifi, A., Balbi, A,. Lingam, M., Tombesi, F,. Perlman, E., “The Impact of AGN Outflows on the Surface Habitability of Terrestrial Planets in the Milky Way,” 2022, Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society, 512, 505
Pacetti, E., Balbi, A., Lingam, M., Tombesi, F., Perlman, E., “The Impact of Tidal Disruption Events on Galactic Habitability,” 2020, Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society, 498, 5153
Perlman, E. S., Clautice, D., et al., “Unraveling the Physics of Quasar Jets: Optical Polarimetry and Implications for the X-ray Emission Processes, 2020, Galaxies, 8, 4: 71
Perlman, E. S., et al., “Relativistic Jets in the Acccretion & Collimation Zone: New Challenges Enabled by New Instruments,” 2019, Bulletin of the American Astronomical Society (Astro 2020), 51, 16
Perlman, E. S., et al., “Kiloparsec-scale Jets: Physics, Emission Processes and Challenges,” 2019, Bulletin of the American Astronomical Society (Astro 2020), 51, 59
Marshall, H. L., et al. (10 authors, including Perlman, E. S.), “An X-ray Imaging Survey of Quasar Jets”, 2018, Astrophysical Journal, 856, 66
Perlman, E. S., et al., “Compact Resolved Ejecta in the Nearest Tidal Disruption Event,” 2017, Astrophysical Journal, 842, 126
Avachat, S., Perlman, E. S., et al., “Multiwavelength Polarimetry and Spectral Study of M87 Jet During 2002-2008”, 2016, Astrophysical Journal, 832, 3
Clautice, D., Perlman, E. S., Georganopoulos, M., Lister, M., Marshall, H. L., Hogan, B., Kazanas, D., “The Spectacular Radio-Near-IR-X-ray Jet of 3C 111,” 2016, Astrophysical Journal, 826, 109
Perlman, E. S., Rappaport, S. A., Christiansen, W. A., et al., “New Constraints on Quantum Gravity from X-ray and Gamma-Ray Observations,” 2015, Astrophysical Journal, 805, 10
Meyer, E. T., Georganopoulos, M., Sparks, W. B., Perlman, E. S., et al. “A Kiloparsec-scale Internal Shock Collision in the Jet of a Nearby Radio Galaxy”, 2015, Nature, 521, 495
Broderick, A. E., Narayan, R., Kormendy, J., Perlman, E. S., Rieke, M. J., Doeleman, S. S., “The Event Horizon of M87”, 2015, Astrophysical Journal, 805, 179
Merlo, M. J., Perlman, E. S., Nikutta, R., et al., ``Subaru Spectroscopy and Spectral Modeling of Cygnus A’’, 2014, Astrophysical Journal, 788, 6
Cara, M., Perlman, E. S., et al., “Polarimetry and the High-Energy Emission Mechanisms in Quasar Jets: The Case of PKS 1136-135,” 2013, Astrophysical Journal, 773, 186
Perlman, E. S., Ng, J. Y., Floyd, D. J. E., Christiansen, W. A., “Using Observations of Distant Quasars to Constrain Quantum Gravity,” 2011, Astronomy & Astrophysics, 535, L9
Perlman, E. S., Georganopoulos, M., Marshall, H. L., et al., “Deep Multiwaveband Observations of the Jets of PKS 0208-512 and PKS 1202-262”, 2011, Astrophysical Journal, 739, 65
Abramowski, A., + Perlman, E. S., et al. (436 co-authors), “The 2010 Very High Energy Gamma-Ray Flare of M87 and 10 Years of Multi-Wavelength Observations,” 2012, Astrophysical Journal, 746, 151
Perlman, E. S., Adams, C. A., Cara, M., Bourque, M., Cheung, C. C., Harris, D. E., Madrid, J., Massaro, F., Sparks, W. B., Biretta, J. A., “Polarization and Spectral Variability in the M87 Jet”, 2011, Astrophysical Journal, 743, 119
Stocke, J. T., Danforth, C. A., Perlman, E. S., “Broad Ly Alpha Emission From Three Nearby BL Lacertae Objects”, 2011, Astrophysical Journal, 732, 113
Christiansen, W. A., Floyd, D. J. E., Ng, Y. J., Perlman, E. S., “Limits on Spacetime Foam”, 2011, Physical Review D, 83, 084003
Marshall, H. L., Gelbord, J. M., Schwartz, D. A., Murphy, D. W., Lovell, J. E. J., Worrall, D. M., Birkinshaw, M., Perlman, E. S., Godfrey, L., Jauncey, D. L., “An X-ray Imaging Survey of Quasar Jets: Testing the Inverse Compton Model”, 2011, Astrophysical Journal Supplements, 193, 15
Willett, K. W., Stocke, J. T., Darling, J., Perlman, E. S., “Spitzer Mid-Infrared Spectroscopy of Compact Symmetric Objects: What Powers Radio-Loud Active Galactic Nuclei?”, 2010, Astrophysical Journal, 713, 1393
Perlman, E. S., Padgett, C. A., Georganopoulos, M,. Worrall D. M, Kastner, J. H., Franz, G., Birkinshaw, M., Dulwich, F., O’Dea, C. P., Baum, S. A., Sparks, W. B., Biretta, J. A., Lara, L., Jester, S., Martel, A., “A Multi-Wavelength Spectral and Polarimetric Study of the Jet of 3C 264,” 2010, Astrophysical Journal, 708, 171
Perlman, E. S., Georganopoulos, M., May, E. M., Kazanas, D., “Chandra Observations of the Radio Galaxy 3C 445 and the Hot Spot X-ray Emission Mechanism,” 2010, Astrophysical Journal, 708, 1
Dulwich, F., Worrall, D. M., Birkinshaw, M., Padgett, C. A., Perlman, E. S., “The Magnetic Field and Geometry of the Oblique Shock in the Jet of 3C 346”, 2009, Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society, 398, 1207
Harris, D. E., Cheung C. C., Stawarz, L., Biretta, J. A., Perlman, E. S., “Variability Timescales in the M87 Jet: Signatures of E2 Losses, Discovery of a Quasi Period in HST-1 and the Site of TeV Flaring”, 2009, Astrophysical Journal, 699, 305
Mehta, K. T., Georganopoulos, M., Perlman, E. S., Padgett, C. A., Chartas, G., “Hubble Space Telescope Observations of the Quasar PKS 0637-752: Equipartition Electron-Proton Jet from the Most Complete Spectral Coverage to Date”, 2009, Astrophysical Journal, 690, 1706
Levenson, N. A., Packham, C. C., Alonso-Herrero, A., Aretxaga, I., Colina, L., Diaz-Santos, T., Elitzur, M., Mason, R. E., Perlman, E. S., Radomski, J. T., Roche, P. F., Rodriguez Espinosa, J. M., Young, S., Telesco, C. M., “Science of Active Galactic Nuclei with the GTC and CanariCam”, 2008, Proc. SPIE, 7014, 70142I
Horner, D. J., Perlman, E. S., Ebeling, H., Jones, L. R., Scharf, C. A., Wegner, G., Malkan, M., Maughan, B., “The WARPS Survey. VII. The WARPS-II Cluster Catalog”, 2008, Astrophysical Journal Supplements, 176, 374
Jester, S., Meisenheimer, K., Martel, A., Perlman, E., Sparks, W. B., “Hubble Space Telescope Far-UV Imaging of the Jet in 3C 273: A Common Emission Component From Optical to X-ray”, 2007, Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society, 380, 828
Albert, J., et al. (MAGIC collaboration), inc. Perlman, E. S., “Discovery of Very High Energy gamma-rays from 1ES1011+496 at z=0.212”, 2007, Astrophysical Journal Letters, 667, L21
Perlman, E. S., Mason, R. E., Packham, C., Levenson, N. A., Elitzur, M., Schaefer, J. J., Imanishi, M., Sparks, W. B., Radomski, J., “The Mid-Infrared Emission of M87,” 2007, Astrophysical Journal, 663, 808
Padovani, P., Giommi, P., Landt, H., Perlman, E. S., “The Deep X-ray Radio Blazar Survey. III. Radio Number Counts, Evolutionary Properties and Luminosity Fuction of Blazars,” 2007, Astrophysical Journal, 662, 182
Dulwich, F., Worrall, D. M., Birkinshaw, M., Padgett, C. A., Perlman, E. S., “The Structure of the Jet in 3C 15 From Multi-band Polarimetry”, 2007, Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society, 374, 1216
Georganopoulos, M,. Perlman, E. S., Kazanas, D., McEnery, J., “Quasar X-ray Jets: Gamma-ray Diagnos-tics of the Synchrotron and Inverse-Compton Hypotheses”, 2006, Astrophysical Journal Letters, 653, L5
Perlman, E. S., Padgett, C. A., Georganopoulos, M., Sparks, W. B., Biretta, J. A., O’Dea, C. P., Baum, S. A., Birkinshaw, M., Worrall, D. M., Dulwich, F., Jester, S., Martel, A., Capetti, A., Leahy, J. P., “Optical Polarimetry of the Jets of Nearby Radio Galaxies: I. The Data”, 2006, Astrophysical Journal, 651, 735
Harris, D. E., Cheung, C. C., Biretta, J. A., Sparks, W. B., Junor, W., Perlman, E. S., Wilson, A. S., “The Outburst of Knot HST-1 in the M87 Jet”, 2006, Astrophysical Journal, 640, 211
Floyd, D. J. E., Perlman, E. S., Leahy, J. P., Beswick, R. J., Jackson, N. J. F., Sparks, W. B., Axon, D., O’Dea, C. P., Baum, S. A., “The Jet and Circumnuclear Environment in 3C 293”, 2006, Astrophysical Journal, 639, 23
Landt, H., Perlman, E. S., Padovani, P., “VLA Observations of a New Population of Blazars”, 2006, Astrophysical Journal, 637, 183
Georganopoulos, M., Perlman, E. S., Kazanas, D., “Is the Core of M87 the Source of the TeV Emission?”, 2005, Astrophysical Journal Letters, 634, L33
Perlman, E. S. & Wilson, A. S., “The X-ray Emissions From the Jet of M87: Diagnostics and Physical Interpretation”, 2005, Astrophysical Journal, 627, 140
Perlman, E. S., Madejski, G., Daugherty, T., Andersson, K., Georganopoulos, M., Krolik, J. H., Rector, T., Stocke, J. T., Koratkar, A., Wagner, S., Aller, M., Aller, H., Allen, G., “Intrinsic Curvature in the X-ray Spectra of BL Lac Objects,” 2005, Astrophysical Journal, 625, 727
Georganopoulos, M., Perlman, E. S.,Kazanas, D., Stecker, F. W., “Bulk Comptonization of the Cosmic Microwave Background by Extragalactic Jets as a Probe of their Matter Content”, 2005, Astrophysical Journal, 625, 656
Landt, H., Padovani, P., Perlman, E. S., Giommi, P., “A Physical Classification System for Blazars,” 2004, Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society, 351, 83
Perlman, E. S., Harris, D. E., Biretta, J. A., Sparks, W. B., “Month-Timescale Optical Variability in the M87 Jet,” 2003, Astrophysical Journal Letters, 599, L65
Perlman, E. S., Stocke, J. T., Carilli, C. L., Sugiho, M., Tashiro, M., Madejski, G., Wang, Q. D., & Conway, J., “The Apparent Host Galaxy of PKS 1413+135: HST, ASCA and VLBA Observations,” 2002, Astronomical Journal, 124, 2401
Perlman, E. S., Horner, D. J., Jones, L. R., Scharf, C. A., Ebeling, H., Wegner, G., & Malkan, M., “The WARPS Survey: VI. Galaxy Cluster and Source Identifications from Phase I,” 2002, Astrophysical Journal Supplements, 140, 265
Marshall, H. L., Miller, B. P., Davis, D. S., Perlman, E. S., Canizares, C. R., Harris, D. E., & Biretta, J. A., “The First High Resolution X-ray Image of the Jet in M87”, 2002, Astrophysical Journal, 564, 683
Perlman, E. S., Sparks, W. B., Radomski, J., Packham, C., Biretta, J., & Fisher, R. S., “A Deep 10 Micron Image of M87”, 2001, Astrophysical Journal Letters, 561, L51
Perlman, E. S., Stocke, J. T., Conway, J. & Reynolds, C., “Host Galaxies, Obscuration and Nuclear Structure of The Youngest Radio Galaxies,” 2001, Astronomical Journal, 122, 536
Perlman, E. S., Biretta, J. A., Sparks, W. B., Macchetto, F. D., & Leahy, J. P., “The Optical to Near-Infrared Spectrum of the M87 Jet from HST Observations,” 2001, Astrophysical Journal, 551, 206
Landt, H., Padovani, P., Perlman, E., Giommi, P., Tzioumis, A., & Bignall, H., “The Deep X-ray Radio Blazar Survey: II. Updated Identifications,” 2001, Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society, 323, 757
Ebeling, H., Jones, L. R., Fairley, B. W., Perlman, E., Scharf, C., & Horner, D., “Discovery of a Very X-ray Luminous Galaxy Cluster at z=0.89 in the WARPS Survey,” 2001, Astrophysical Journal, 548, L23
Carilli, C. L., Menten, K. M., Stocke, J. T., Perlman, E., Vermeulen, R., Briggs, F., de Bruyn, A. G., Conway, J., & Moore, C. P., “Astronomical Constraints on the Cosmic Evolution of the Fine Structure Constant and Possible Quantum Dimensions,” 2000, Physical Review Letters, 85, 5511
Ebeling, H., Jones, L., Perlman, E., Scharf, C., Mullis, C., Wegner, G., & Malkan, M., “The WARPS Survey III. Discovery of two X-ray Selected Clusters of Galaxies at z=0.83,” 2000, Astrophysical Journal, 534, 133
Perlman, E. S., Madejski, G., Stocke, J. T., & Rector, T. A., “The X-ray Spectral Evolution of PKS 2005-489 During the Spectacular November 1998 Flare,” 1999, Astrophysical Journal Letters, 523, L11
Perlman, E. S., Biretta, J. A., Zhou, F., Sparks, W. B., & Macchetto, F. D., “Optical and Radio Polarimetry of the M87 Jet at 0.2” Resolution,” 1999, Astronomical Journal, 117, 2185
Stocke, J. T., Perlman, E. S., Gioia, I. M., & Harvanek, M., “The Evolution of Cluster Radio Galaxies from z=0 to z=0.8,” 1999, Astronomical Journal, 117, 1967
Perlman, E. S., Padovani, P., Giommi, P., Jones, L., Sambruna, R., Tzioumis, A., & Reynolds, J., “The Deep X-ray Radio Blazar Survey (DXRBS): I. Methods and First Results,” 1998, Astronomical Journal 115, 1253
Kazanas, D. & Perlman, E. S., “Low-State Gamma-Ray Emission From Blazars and the Gamma-Ray Background,” 1997, Astrophysical Journal, 476, 7
Perlman, E. S., Stocke, J. T., Schachter, J. F., Elvis, M., Ellingson, E., Impey, C., Urry, C. M., Potter, M., & Kolchinsky, P., “The Einstein Slew Survey Sample of BL Lacertae Objects,” 1996, Astrophysical Journal Supplements, 104, 251
Perlman, E. S., Carilli, C. L., Stocke, J. T., & Conway, J., “Multi-Frequency VLBI Observations of PKS 1413+135: A Very Young Radio Galaxy,” 1996, Astronomical Journal, 111, 1839
Perlman, E. S., Stocke, J. T., Wang, Q. D., & Morris, S. L., “Soft X-ray Observations of a Complete Sample of X-ray Selected BL Lacertae Objects,” 1996, Astrophysical Journal, 456, 451
Perlman, E. S. & Stocke, J. T., “New VLA Maps of Highly Core-dominated BL Lacs: Testing Unified Schemes,” 1994, Astronomical Journal, 108, 56
Perlman, E. S., Stocke, J. T., Shaffer, D. B., Carilli, C. L., & Ma, C., “High Dynamic Range Radio Observations of PKS 1413+135: A BL Lacertae Object with a Parsec-scale Counterjet”, 1994, Astrophysical Journal Letters, 424, L69
Schachter, J. F., Stocke, J. T., Perlman, E. S., Elvis, M., Granados, A., Luu, J., Huchra, J. P., Humphreys, R., Remillard, R., Urry, C. M., & Wallin, J., “Ten New BL Lacertae Objects Discovered by an Efficient X-ray/Radio/Optical Technique,” 1993, Astrophysical Journal, 412, 541
Perlman, E. S., & Stocke, J. T., “The Radio Structure of X-ray Selected BL Lacertae Objects,” 1993, Astrophysical Journal, 406, 430
Research
My research spans several areas of astrophysics, and my contributions in each have been strong, well cited and diverse. His main area of expertise is in the field of high-energy astrophysics, specifically the physics of active galaxies, where I have made important contributions to our knowledge of jets, the high-energy, relativistic flows that emerge from the central regions of the most powerful AGN. I have made critical contributions to the physical processes responsible for their emission, their response to stimuli and variability, and also made available a database of these objects on the WWW. I have in the process received over $2,000,000 in grants, including two 5-year NASA Long-Term Space Astrophysics Program grant, a 3-year NSF grant, and multiple smaller grants for observations with the Hubble Space Telescope and Chandra X-ray
Observatory. I have also done ground-breaking work on cosmology, including work at the very edge of physics and astrophysics, laying out the geometry and framework for tests of quantum gravity using astronomical observations of the most distant quasars, and on the distribution of clusters of galaxies in the local and distant universe. I have parlayed these important accomplishments into two large chapters in graduate-level textbooks on extragalactic astrophysics, published during the last two years.