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
Abdurashidova Z
(2022)
First Results from HERA Phase I: Upper Limits on the Epoch of Reionization 21 cm Power Spectrum
in The Astrophysical Journal
Abdurashidova Z
(2022)
HERA Phase I Limits on the Cosmic 21 cm Signal: Constraints on Astrophysics and Cosmology during the Epoch of Reionization
in The Astrophysical Journal
Acton J
(2021)
NGTS-19b: a high-mass transiting brown dwarf in a 17-d eccentric orbit
in Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society
Adamek J
(2020)
Ray tracing the integrated Sachs-Wolfe effect through the light cones of the dark energy universe simulation-full universe runs
in Physical Review D
Adamek J
(2019)
Safely smoothing spacetime: backreaction in relativistic cosmological simulations
in Classical and Quantum Gravity
Adamek J
(2019)
Bias and scatter in the Hubble diagram from cosmological large-scale structure
in Physical Review D
Adamek J
(2019)
WIMPs and stellar-mass primordial black holes are incompatible
in Physical Review D
Adamek Julian
(2018)
Bias and scatter in the Hubble diagram from cosmological large-scale structure
in arXiv e-prints
Aguirre J
(2022)
Validation of the HERA Phase I Epoch of Reionization 21 cm Power Spectrum Software Pipeline
in The Astrophysical Journal
Alonso-Floriano F
(2019)
He I ? 10 830 Å in the transmission spectrum of HD209458 b
in Astronomy & Astrophysics
Alonso-Floriano F
(2019)
Multiple water band detections in the CARMENES near-infrared transmission spectrum of HD 189733 b
in Astronomy & Astrophysics
Andrianomena S
(2019)
Testing general relativity with the Doppler magnification effect
in Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society
Andrianomena Sambatra
(2018)
Testing General Relativity with the Doppler magnification effect
in arXiv e-prints
Anglada G
(2017)
ALMA Discovery of Dust Belts around Proxima Centauri
in The Astrophysical Journal
Anglada-Escudé G
(2018)
Handbook of Exoplanets
Anglada-Escudé G
(2020)
Doppler shifts and spectral line profile changes in the starlight scattered from an exoplanet
in Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society
Anglada-Escudé G
(2020)
RedDots: a temperate 1.5 Earth-mass planet candidate in a compact multiterrestrial planet system around GJ 1061
in Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society
Anton T
(2022)
The momentum constraint equation in parameterised post-Newtonian cosmology
in Classical and Quantum Gravity
Anton T
(2023)
Modelling the emergence of cosmic anisotropy from non-linear structures
in Classical and Quantum Gravity
Anton Theodore
(2023)
Modelling the emergence of cosmic anisotropy from non-linear structures
in arXiv e-prints
Anton Theodore
(2021)
The Momentum Constraint Equation in Parameterised Post-Newtonian Cosmology
in arXiv e-prints
Barnes J
(2017)
Recovering planet radial velocity signals in the presence of starspot activity in fully convective stars
in Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society
Barnes J
(2019)
An ablating 2.6 M? planet in an eccentric binary from the Dispersed Matter Planet Project
in Nature Astronomy
Barnes John R.
(2019)
An ablating 2.6 M
? planet in an eccentric binary from the Dispersed Matter Planet Project
in Nature Astronomy
Bengaly C
(2021)
Null tests of the concordance model in the era of Euclid and the SKA
in Physics of the Dark Universe
Bentivegna E
(2018)
Black-hole lattices as cosmological models
in Classical and Quantum Gravity
Berdi
(2019)
Do M dwarfs pulsate? The search with the Beating Red Dots project using HARPS
in Highlights on Spanish Astrophysics X
Berdiñas Z
(2017)
High-cadence spectroscopy of M-dwarfs - II. Searching for stellar pulsations with HARPS
in Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society
Bibi R
(2017)
Cosmological solutions with charged black holes
in General Relativity and Gravitation
Boss A
(2017)
Astrometric Constraints on the Masses of Long-period Gas Giant Planets in the TRAPPIST-1 Planetary System
in The Astronomical Journal
Bull P
(2021)
Searching for dark energy in the matter-dominated era
in Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society
Bull P.
(2018)
Fundamental Physics with the Square Kilometer Array
in arXiv e-prints
Butler R
(2019)
A Reanalysis of the UVES M Dwarf Planet Search Program
in The Astronomical Journal
Camarena D
(2022)
A void in the Hubble tension? The end of the line for the Hubble bubble
in Classical and Quantum Gravity
Camarena D
(2023)
Euclid : Testing the Copernican principle with next-generation surveys
in Astronomy & Astrophysics
Camarena D
(2022)
The Copernican principle in light of the latest cosmological data
in Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society
Carrilho P
(2019)
Magnetogenesis from isocurvature initial conditions
in Journal of Cosmology and Astroparticle Physics
Carrilho P
(2018)
Isocurvature initial conditions for second order Boltzmann solvers
in Journal of Cosmology and Astroparticle Physics
Carrilho P
(2021)
The intrinsic bispectrum of the CMB from isocurvature initial conditions
in Journal of Cosmology and Astroparticle Physics
Carrilho P
(2021)
Non-Gaussianity after many-field reheating
in Physical Review D
Carrilho P
(2019)
Dissecting the growth of the power spectrum for primordial black holes
in Physical Review D
Carrilho P
(2018)
Attractor behaviour in multifield inflation
in Journal of Cosmology and Astroparticle Physics
Carrilho Pedro
(2019)
Magnetogenesis from isocurvature initial conditions
in arXiv e-prints
Challener Ryan C.
(2018)
Improved Methods for Spitzer Systematic Identification and Removal
in AAS/Division for Planetary Sciences Meeting Abstracts #50
Changeat Q
(2022)
Five Key Exoplanet Questions Answered via the Analysis of 25 Hot-Jupiter Atmospheres in Eclipse
in The Astrophysical Journal Supplement Series
Choudhuri S
(2021)
Patterns of primary beam non-redundancy in close-packed 21 cm array observations
in Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society
Clarkson C
(2019)
The dipole of the galaxy bispectrum
in Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society: Letters
Clarkson Chris
(2018)
The dipole of the galaxy bispectrum
in arXiv e-prints
Clifton T
(2019)
Parametrizing Theories of Gravity on Large and Small Scales in Cosmology.
in Physical review letters
Clifton T
(2017)
Persistent black holes in bouncing cosmologies
in Classical and Quantum Gravity
| Description | Astronomy Research at Queen Mary 2020 - 2023 |
| Amount | £1,868,746 (GBP) |
| Funding ID | ST/T000341/1 |
| Organisation | Science and Technologies Facilities Council (STFC) |
| Sector | Public |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Start | 04/2020 |
| End | 03/2023 |