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
Martinez-Carrillo R
(2021)
Contributions from primordial non-Gaussianity and General Relativity to the galaxy power spectrum
Clifton T
(2019)
Cosmological backreaction in spherical and plane symmetric dust-filled space-times
in Classical and Quantum Gravity
Bibi R
(2017)
Cosmological solutions with charged black holes
in General Relativity and Gravitation
Goldberg S
(2017)
Cosmology on all scales: A two-parameter perturbation expansion
in Physical Review D
Ewall-Wice A
(2021)
DAYENU: a simple filter of smooth foregrounds for intensity mapping power spectra
in Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society
Fernandes P
(2020)
Derivation of regularized field equations for the Einstein-Gauss-Bonnet theory in four dimensions
in Physical Review D
Snellen I
(2017)
Detecting Proxima b's Atmosphere with JWST Targeting CO 2 at 15 µ m Using a High-pass Spectral Filtering Technique
in The Astronomical Journal
Jolicoeur S
(2020)
Detecting the relativistic bispectrum in 21cm intensity maps
Jolicoeur S
(2021)
Detecting the relativistic bispectrum in 21cm intensity maps
in Journal of Cosmology and Astroparticle Physics
Maartens Roy
(2019)
Detecting the relativistic galaxy bispectrum
in arXiv e-prints
Maartens R
(2020)
Detecting the relativistic galaxy bispectrum
in Journal of Cosmology and Astroparticle Physics
Maartens R
(2019)
Detecting the relativistic galaxy bispectrum
Feng F
(2019)
Detection of the nearest Jupiter analogue in radial velocity and astrometry data
in Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society
Xu Z
(2022)
Direct Optimal Mapping for 21 cm Cosmology: A Demonstration with the Hydrogen Epoch of Reionization Array
in The Astrophysical Journal
Durk J
(2019)
Discrete cosmological models in the Brans-Dicke theory of gravity
in Classical and Quantum Gravity
Haswell Carole A.
(2019)
Dispersed Matter Planet Project discoveries of ablating planets orbiting nearby bright stars
in Nature Astronomy
Haswell C
(2019)
Dispersed Matter Planet Project discoveries of ablating planets orbiting nearby bright stars
in Nature Astronomy
Carrilho P
(2019)
Dissecting the growth of the power spectrum for primordial black holes
in Physical Review D
Carrilho P
(2019)
Dissecting the growth of the power spectrum for primordial black holes
Berdi
(2019)
Do M dwarfs pulsate? The search with the Beating Red Dots project using HARPS
in Highlights on Spanish Astrophysics X
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
Wren A
(2017)
Double power series method for approximating cosmological perturbations
in Physical Review D
Coleman G
(2022)
Dusty circumbinary discs: inner cavity structures and stopping locations of migrating planets
in Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society
Dieterich S
(2018)
Dynamical Masses of e Indi B and C: Two Massive Brown Dwarfs at the Edge of the Stellar-substellar Boundary
in The Astrophysical Journal
Lovascio F
(2019)
Dynamics of dusty vortices - I. Extensions and limitations of the terminal velocity approximation
in Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society
Gehlot B
(2021)
Effects of model incompleteness on the drift-scan calibration of radio telescopes
in Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society
Snellen Ignas
(2019)
ESA Voyage 2050 White Paper: Detecting life outside our solar system with a large high-contrast-imaging mission
in arXiv e-prints
Nesseris S
(2022)
Euclid : Forecast constraints on consistency tests of the ?CDM model
in Astronomy & Astrophysics
Camarena D
(2023)
Euclid : Testing the Copernican principle with next-generation surveys
in Astronomy & Astrophysics
Nesseris S.
(2021)
Euclid: Forecast constraints on consistency tests of the $\Lambda$CDM model
in arXiv e-prints
Durk J
(2017)
Exact initial data for black hole universes with a cosmological constant
in Classical and Quantum Gravity
Kawinkij A
(2019)
EXOhSPEC collimator mechanical design
Abdurashidova Z
(2022)
First Results from HERA Phase I: Upper Limits on the Epoch of Reionization 21 cm Power Spectrum
in The Astrophysical Journal
Changeat Q
(2022)
Five Key Exoplanet Questions Answered via the Analysis of 25 Hot-Jupiter Atmospheres in Eclipse
in The Astrophysical Journal Supplement Series
Poon Sanson
(2019)
Formation of compact system of super-Earth via dynamical instabilities and giant impacts
in AAS/Division for Extreme Solar Systems Abstracts
Poon S
(2020)
Formation of compact systems of super-Earths via dynamical instabilities and giant impacts
in Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society
Bull P.
(2018)
Fundamental Physics with the Square Kilometer Array
in arXiv e-prints
Weltman A
(2020)
Fundamental physics with the Square Kilometre Array
in Publications of the Astronomical Society of Australia
Fuentes J
(2021)
Galaxy number counts at second order in perturbation theory: a leading-order term comparison
in Classical and Quantum Gravity
Fuentes J
(2021)
Galaxy number counts at second order: an independent approach
in Classical and Quantum Gravity
Fuentes Jorge L.
(2019)
Galaxy number counts at second order: an independent approach
in arXiv e-prints
Nelson R
(2023)
Gas accretion onto Jupiter mass planets in discs with laminar accretion flows
in Astronomy & Astrophysics
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 | 03/2024 |