Astronomy Research at Queen Mary
Lead Research Organisation:
Queen Mary University of London
Department Name: Astronomy Unit
Abstract
We propose to undertake the following research projects.
i) We will use supercomputer simulations to model the gas discs that orbit young stars,
which are believed to be the sites of planet formation.
The aim is to examine the behaviour of the gas as it orbits around the star, and to
examine how planets that form in these discs interact with them. This interaction
may explain the fact that many of the extrasolar planets that have been discovered
outside of our solar system orbit close to their host stars.
ii) We will use supercomputer simulations to model the atmospheres of extrasolar
planets. These atmospheres display interesting patterns of gas flow, and extrasolar planets
often orbit close to their stars and so are strongly heated on one side, causing strong winds
to arise. The simulations will help us better understand these atmospheres.
iii) Using mathematical representations of the laws of physics, we will produce new models
for the early evolution of the Universe, shortly after the big-bang, during which time it
underwent very rapid expansion known as "inflation". The models will be compared with
observations of the Universe to see which ones are compatible with the data.
iv) We will use Einstein's theory of gravity to make detailed predictions about the distribution
of matter in the Universe, and how this matter distribution appears to an observer on Earth.
These predictions will be compared with observational data to test Einstein's gravity on the
largest scales.
v) We will use the access that we have to the next generation of infrared spectrographs to
look for low mass planets around nearby low mass stars, using measurements of the star's
radial velocity as it orbits around the system centre of mass. Low mass stars are the optimal
targets for finding low mass planets in their habitable zone, so this may be an efficient method
of finding the first habitable earth-like planets. We will also use these spectrographs to look
for the signatures of molecules in planet atmospheres.
vi) We will use an observational survey of the Universe being undertaken by the VISTA
telescope to search for very distant quasars - galaxies that have supermassive black holes
at their centres, and which were born when the Universe was less than 10% of its
current age. We have already discovered the 2nd, 3rd and 4th most distant quasars that
are known, and the aim is to increase this number to about 10. We will then be able
to estimate of how many quasars there were when the Universe was very young,
and we will be able to examine the black holes and the structures of their galaxies.
i) We will use supercomputer simulations to model the gas discs that orbit young stars,
which are believed to be the sites of planet formation.
The aim is to examine the behaviour of the gas as it orbits around the star, and to
examine how planets that form in these discs interact with them. This interaction
may explain the fact that many of the extrasolar planets that have been discovered
outside of our solar system orbit close to their host stars.
ii) We will use supercomputer simulations to model the atmospheres of extrasolar
planets. These atmospheres display interesting patterns of gas flow, and extrasolar planets
often orbit close to their stars and so are strongly heated on one side, causing strong winds
to arise. The simulations will help us better understand these atmospheres.
iii) Using mathematical representations of the laws of physics, we will produce new models
for the early evolution of the Universe, shortly after the big-bang, during which time it
underwent very rapid expansion known as "inflation". The models will be compared with
observations of the Universe to see which ones are compatible with the data.
iv) We will use Einstein's theory of gravity to make detailed predictions about the distribution
of matter in the Universe, and how this matter distribution appears to an observer on Earth.
These predictions will be compared with observational data to test Einstein's gravity on the
largest scales.
v) We will use the access that we have to the next generation of infrared spectrographs to
look for low mass planets around nearby low mass stars, using measurements of the star's
radial velocity as it orbits around the system centre of mass. Low mass stars are the optimal
targets for finding low mass planets in their habitable zone, so this may be an efficient method
of finding the first habitable earth-like planets. We will also use these spectrographs to look
for the signatures of molecules in planet atmospheres.
vi) We will use an observational survey of the Universe being undertaken by the VISTA
telescope to search for very distant quasars - galaxies that have supermassive black holes
at their centres, and which were born when the Universe was less than 10% of its
current age. We have already discovered the 2nd, 3rd and 4th most distant quasars that
are known, and the aim is to increase this number to about 10. We will then be able
to estimate of how many quasars there were when the Universe was very young,
and we will be able to examine the black holes and the structures of their galaxies.
Planned Impact
The research proposed in this application is largely concerned with basic
scientific inquiry, and so in general it will not have high potential for
immediate economic or real world impact. The primary impact of the research
will be in the cultural sphere, as the research will increase the sum total of
human knowledge about the Universe and its constituents, and will therefore
enhance the sense of wonder about the world that we live in for the general public.
Our research in areas such as cosmology, extrasolar planets, quasars, black holes,
the Saturn system, space weather, and the origin of the Solar System all have
strong public appeal and interest.
The Astronomy Unit has an active programme of public engagement and
schools outreach, both to inform and engage the general public about our
research, and to also inspire school pupils to become interested in science
and to take STEM subjects post-GCSE. These engagement programmes
include giving public talks, having open days and evenings at the university
(e.g. Stargazing Live! events etc), and a range of media work that includes
TV and radio interviews. Our schools outreach programmes include summer schools,
essay writing competitions, going into schools to give talks and provide hands-on activities.
A recent initiative is a summer school for school students to learn about computer
coding while undertaking hands-on analysis of astronomical data. In doing this we are explicitly
supporting the STEM agenda through our research, which is a key government policy for building
long term economic growth.
Other areas of our research that may have applications outside of the academic sphere
include high performance computing and the development of advanced computer codes
and algorithms, and in advanced techniques in data analysis. Again, we will be alert to any
opportunities that may arise in finding real world or commercial applications of this work.
Finally, the posdoctoral staff that we will employ on the grant will receive training and
experience in a variety of skills that will be of great benefit to the wider economy if
they at some stage leave academia and work in industry or the commercial sector.
These skills include advanced computing and data analysis, independent problem
solving, project management, report writing through authorship of scientific
publications, and presentation skills obtained from conference attendance etc.
scientific inquiry, and so in general it will not have high potential for
immediate economic or real world impact. The primary impact of the research
will be in the cultural sphere, as the research will increase the sum total of
human knowledge about the Universe and its constituents, and will therefore
enhance the sense of wonder about the world that we live in for the general public.
Our research in areas such as cosmology, extrasolar planets, quasars, black holes,
the Saturn system, space weather, and the origin of the Solar System all have
strong public appeal and interest.
The Astronomy Unit has an active programme of public engagement and
schools outreach, both to inform and engage the general public about our
research, and to also inspire school pupils to become interested in science
and to take STEM subjects post-GCSE. These engagement programmes
include giving public talks, having open days and evenings at the university
(e.g. Stargazing Live! events etc), and a range of media work that includes
TV and radio interviews. Our schools outreach programmes include summer schools,
essay writing competitions, going into schools to give talks and provide hands-on activities.
A recent initiative is a summer school for school students to learn about computer
coding while undertaking hands-on analysis of astronomical data. In doing this we are explicitly
supporting the STEM agenda through our research, which is a key government policy for building
long term economic growth.
Other areas of our research that may have applications outside of the academic sphere
include high performance computing and the development of advanced computer codes
and algorithms, and in advanced techniques in data analysis. Again, we will be alert to any
opportunities that may arise in finding real world or commercial applications of this work.
Finally, the posdoctoral staff that we will employ on the grant will receive training and
experience in a variety of skills that will be of great benefit to the wider economy if
they at some stage leave academia and work in industry or the commercial sector.
These skills include advanced computing and data analysis, independent problem
solving, project management, report writing through authorship of scientific
publications, and presentation skills obtained from conference attendance etc.
Publications
McNally C
(2018)
Low-mass planet migration in magnetically torqued dead zones - II. Flow-locked and runaway migration, and a torque prescription
in Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society
Witzemann A
(2018)
Model-independent curvature determination with 21 cm intensity mapping experiments
in Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society: Letters
Koksbang Sofie Marie
(2018)
Accurately computing weak lensing convergence
in arXiv e-prints
Hallam P
(2018)
Investigating the possibility of reversing giant planet migration via gap edge illumination
in Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society
Carrilho P
(2018)
Attractor behaviour in multifield inflation
in Journal of Cosmology and Astroparticle Physics
Clarkson Chris
(2018)
The dipole of the galaxy bispectrum
in arXiv e-prints
McNally C
(2018)
Low mass planet migration in Hall-affected disks
Sarkis P
(2018)
The CARMENES Search for Exoplanets around M Dwarfs: A Low-mass Planet in the Temperate Zone of the Nearby K2-18
in The Astronomical Journal
Pierens A
(2018)
Orbital alignment of circumbinary planets that form in misaligned circumbinary discs: the case of Kepler-413b
in Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society
Reiners A
(2018)
The CARMENES search for exoplanets around M dwarfs HD147379 b: A nearby Neptune in the temperate zone of an early-M dwarf
in Astronomy & Astrophysics
Maartens R
(2018)
The kinematic dipole in galaxy redshift surveys
in Journal of Cosmology and Astroparticle Physics
Tuomi M.
(2018)
VizieR Online Data Catalog: Radial velocities & photometry of AD Leonis & GJ 674 (Tuomi+, 2018)
in VizieR Online Data Catalog
Carrilho P
(2018)
Isocurvature initial conditions for second order Boltzmann solvers
in Journal of Cosmology and Astroparticle Physics
Monnier J
(2018)
Planet formation imager: project update
McNally Colin P.
(2018)
Low mass planet migration in Hall-affected disks
in arXiv e-prints
Koksbang S
(2018)
Accurately computing weak lensing convergence
Nelson R
(2018)
Handbook of Exoplanets
Bull P.
(2018)
Fundamental Physics with the Square Kilometer Array
in arXiv e-prints
Ribas I
(2018)
A candidate super-Earth planet orbiting near the snow line of Barnard's star
in Nature
Paardekooper S
(2018)
Giant Planet Formation and Migration
in Space Science Reviews
Giesers B
(2018)
A detached stellar-mass black hole candidate in the globular cluster NGC 3201
in Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society: Letters
Toledo-Padr
(2018)
Stellar activity analysis of Barnard's Star: Very slow rotation and evidence for long-term activity cycle
in arXiv e-prints
Gallagher C
(2018)
Relativistic Euler equations in cosmologies with nonlinear structures
in Physical Review D
McNally C
(2018)
Low-mass planet migration in magnetically torqued dead zones - II. Flow-locked and runaway migration, and a torque prescription
in Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society
Nagel E.
(2018)
VizieR Online Data Catalog: GJ 4276 radial velocity curve (Nagel+, 2019)
in VizieR Online Data Catalog
Tuomi M
(2018)
AD Leonis: Radial Velocity Signal of Stellar Rotation or Spin-Orbit Resonance?
in The Astronomical Journal
Challener Ryan C.
(2018)
Improved Methods for Spitzer Systematic Identification and Removal
in AAS/Division for Planetary Sciences Meeting Abstracts #50
Anglada-Escudé G
(2018)
Handbook of Exoplanets
Reiners A.
(2018)
VizieR Online Data Catalog: 324 CARMENES M dwarfs velocities (Reiners+, 2018)
in VizieR Online Data Catalog
Carrilho Pedro
(2019)
Magnetogenesis from isocurvature initial conditions
in arXiv e-prints
Schweitzer A.
(2019)
VizieR Online Data Catalog: Radii and masses of the CARMENES targets (Schweitzer+, 2019)
in VizieR Online Data Catalog
Sarkis P.
(2019)
VizieR Online Data Catalog: Photometry & RV follow-up observations of K2-18 (Sarkis+, 2018)
in VizieR Online Data Catalog
Clarkson C
(2019)
The dipole of the galaxy bispectrum
in Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society: Letters
Morales JC
(2019)
A giant exoplanet orbiting a very-low-mass star challenges planet formation models.
in Science (New York, N.Y.)
Andrianomena S
(2019)
Testing general relativity with the Doppler magnification effect
in Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society
Poon Sanson
(2019)
Formation of compact system of super-Earth via dynamical instabilities and giant impacts
in AAS/Division for Extreme Solar Systems Abstracts
Zechmeister M.
(2019)
VizieR Online Data Catalog: Teegarden's Star RV and Ha curves (Zechmeister+, 2019)
in VizieR Online Data Catalog
Butler R
(2019)
A Reanalysis of the UVES M Dwarf Planet Search Program*
in The Astronomical Journal
Gallagher Christopher
(2019)
Multi-Scale Perturbation Theory I: Methodology and Leading-Order Bispectrum Corrections in the Matter-Dominated Era
in arXiv e-prints
Schweitzer A
(2019)
The CARMENES search for exoplanets around M dwarfs Different roads to radii and masses of the target stars
in Astronomy & Astrophysics
Durk J
(2019)
Discrete cosmological models in the Brans-Dicke theory of gravity
in Classical and Quantum Gravity
Jenkins J
(2019)
Proxima Centauri b is not a transiting exoplanet
in Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society
Adamek J
(2019)
Bias and scatter in the Hubble diagram from cosmological large-scale structure
in Physical Review D
Lambrechts M
(2019)
Quasi-static contraction during runaway gas accretion onto giant planets
in Astronomy & Astrophysics
Duniya D
(2019)
Probing beyond-Horndeski gravity on ultra-large scales
Martinez-Carrillo Rebeca
(2019)
Relativistic and non-Gaussianity contributions to the one-loop power spectrum
in arXiv e-prints
| Description | Astronomy Research at Queen Mary 2020 - 2023 |
| Amount | £1,868,598 (GBP) |
| Funding ID | ST/T000341/1 |
| Organisation | Science and Technologies Facilities Council (STFC) |
| Sector | Public |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Start | 03/2020 |
| End | 03/2024 |
| Title | 25 hot-Jupiter properties from HST & Spitzer |
| Description | VizieR online Data Catalogue associated with article published in journal Astronomical Journal (AAS) with title 'Five key exoplanet questions answered via the analysis of 25 hot-Jupiter atmospheres in eclipse.' (bibcode: 2022ApJS..260....3C) |
| Type Of Material | Database/Collection of data |
| Year Produced | 2022 |
| Provided To Others? | Yes |
| URL | https://cdsarc.cds.unistra.fr/viz-bin/cat/J/ApJS/260/3 |
| Title | GJ 4276 radial velocity curve |
| Description | VizieR online Data Catalogue associated with article published in journal Astronomy & Astrophysics with title 'The CARMENES search for exoplanets around M dwarfs. The enigmatic planetary system of GJ 4276: one eccentric planet or two planets in a 2:1 resonance?' (bibcode: 2019A&A...622A.153N) |
| Type Of Material | Database/Collection of data |
| Year Produced | 2019 |
| Provided To Others? | Yes |
| URL | https://cdsarc.cds.unistra.fr/viz-bin/cat/J/A+A/622/A153 |
| Title | LP714-47 (TOI 442) radial velocity curve |
| Description | VizieR online Data Catalogue associated with article published in journal Astronomy & Astrophysics with title 'The CARMENES search for exoplanets around M dwarfs: LP714-47b (TOI442.01): Populating the Neptune desert.' (bibcode: 2020A&A...644A.127D) |
| Type Of Material | Database/Collection of data |
| Year Produced | 2020 |
| Provided To Others? | Yes |
| URL | https://cdsarc.cds.unistra.fr/viz-bin/cat/J/A+A/644/A127 |
| Title | Teegarden's Star RV and H{alpha} curves |
| Description | VizieR online Data Catalogue associated with article published in journal Astronomy & Astrophysics with title 'The CARMENES search for exoplanets around M dwarfs. Two temperate Earth-mass planet candidates around Teegarden's Star.' (bibcode: 2019A&A...627A..49Z) |
| Type Of Material | Database/Collection of data |
| Year Produced | 2019 |
| Provided To Others? | Yes |
| URL | https://cdsarc.cds.unistra.fr/viz-bin/cat/J/A+A/627/A49 |