Gorlova, N., Balog, Z., Rieke, G. H., Muzerolle, Su, K. Y. L., Ivanov, V. D., and Young, E. T. 2007 "Debris Disks in NGC254" ApJ 670, 516 Currie, T., Kenyon, S. J., Balog, Z., Bragg, A., Tokarz, S. 2007 "Discovery of Gas Accretion onto Stars in 13 Myr Old H and Chi Persei" ApJ 669, L33 Stutz, A.M., Bieging, J.H., Rieke, G.H., Shirley, Y.L., Balog, Z., Green, E.M., Keene, J., Kelly, C.B., Rubin, M., Werner, M. W. 2007 "Spitzer observations of a 24 micron shadow: Bok Globule CB190" ApJ 665, 466 Currie, T., Kenyon, S., Rieke, G. H., Balog, Z. and Bromley, B. 2007 "Terrestrial Zone Debris Disk Candidates in H and Chi Persei" ApJ 663, L105 Gordon, K. D., Engelbracht, C. W., ... Balog, Z., ...et. al. 2007 "Absolute Calibration and Characterization of the Multiband Imaging Photometer for Spitzer. II. 70 Micron Imaging" PASP, 119, 1019 Balog, Z., Muzerolle J., Rieke G.H., Su, K.Y.L., Young, E.T. and Megeath, S.T. 2007 "SPITZER/IRAC-MIPS Survey of NGC2244: Protostellar Disk Survival in the Vicinity of Hot Stars" ApJ, 660, 1532 Currie, T., Balog, Z., Kenyon, S. J., Rieke, G. et al. 2007 "Spitzer/IRAC and JHKs Observations of H & Chi Persei: Constraints on Protoplanetary Disk and Massive Cluster Evolution at 10 million Years" ApJ, 659, 599 J. Bouvier, S.H.P. Alecnar, T. Boutelier, C. Dougados, Z. Balog, K. Grankin, S.T. Hodgkin, M.A. Ibrahimov, M. Kun, T.Yu. Magakian, and C. Pinte 2007 "Magnetospheric accretion-ejection processes in the classical T Tauri star AA Tau" A&A, 463, 1017
Z. Balog, in collaboration with J. Bally (Colorado) G. Rieke and K. Su (Arizona) isinvestigating the nature of "cometary" structures detected near O-type stars in 24 micron MIPS images. Using SPITZER/IRS and HST/NICMOS observations we found that the structures are composed of pure dust. It implies that the objects are photoevaporating debris disk system where the UV radiation has photoablated most of the disks down to the gravitational radius in ionized gas so these cometary structures are produced by a highly processed disk that has lost most of its gas, and that has wandered too close to the O-star. Radiation pressure from this central O-star and dynamical processes in the circumstellar disk might expell dust from the disk, and this dust is being pushed back by the radiation pressure of the close-by massive star. This flow may be gas free since it may originate from an evolved disk. Z. Balog in collaboration with S. Kenyon and T. Currie (SAO) G. Rieke (Arizona) is invetigating young open clusters in the age range of 10-20 Myr (H and Chi Per, NGC6871, NGC1960) which are at a key stage in terrestrial planet formation. Our proposed and existing SPITZER observations will yield robust constraints on the frequency of debris/transition disks as a function of spectral type, age, and cluster environment at a critical age range for planet formation. This study will provide a benchmark study of the observable signatures of terrestrial planet formation that will inform James Webb Space Telescope observations of planet-forming disks a decade from now. Z. Balog in collaboration with E. Lada (Florida), C. Roman-Zuniga (SAO) and G. Rieke (Arizona) is investigating the star formation in the Rosette Nebula which is one of the nearest high-mass star forming regions. Combination of the near to mid IR photometric data and high resolution spectroscopy of young stars embedded in the nebula helps us answer fundamental questions regarding the star formation history and the propagation of star formation in the cloud. By comparing our results with those for less violent star forming regions, we will be able to study the effect of high mass stars on the surrounding star formation environment