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
Dullemond C
(2022)
Razor-thin dust layers in protoplanetary disks: Limits on the vertical shear instability
in Astronomy & Astrophysics
Dumusque X
(2017)
Radial-velocity fitting challenge II. First results of the analysis of the data set?
in Astronomy & Astrophysics
Duniya D
(2020)
Probing beyond-Horndeski gravity on ultra-large scales
in Journal of Cosmology and Astroparticle Physics
Duniya D
(2019)
Probing beyond-Horndeski gravity on ultra-large scales
Duniya Didam
(2019)
Probing beyond-Horndeski gravity on ultra-large scales
in arXiv e-prints
Durk J
(2017)
Exact initial data for black hole universes with a cosmological constant
in Classical and Quantum Gravity
Durk J
(2017)
A quasi-static approach to structure formation in black hole universes
in Journal of Cosmology and Astroparticle Physics
Durk J
(2019)
Discrete cosmological models in the Brans-Dicke theory of gravity
in Classical and Quantum Gravity
Ewall-Wice A
(2021)
DAYENU: a simple filter of smooth foregrounds for intensity mapping power spectra
in Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society
Fagnoni N
(2021)
Understanding the HERA Phase I receiver system with simulations and its impact on the detectability of the EoR delay power spectrum
in Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society
Feng F
(2017)
Color Difference Makes a Difference: Four Planet Candidates around t Ceti
in The Astronomical Journal
Feng F
(2019)
Detection of the nearest Jupiter analogue in radial velocity and astrometry data
in Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society
Feng F
(2019)
PEXO: A Global Modeling Framework for Nanosecond Timing, Microarcsecond Astrometry, and µm s -1 Radial Velocities
in The Astrophysical Journal Supplement Series
Feng Fabo
(2019)
PEXO: Precise EXOplanetology
in Astrophysics Source Code Library
Fernandes P
(2021)
Black holes in the scalar-tensor formulation of 4D Einstein-Gauss-Bonnet gravity: Uniqueness of solutions, and a new candidate for dark matter
in Physical Review D
Fernandes P
(2022)
The 4D Einstein-Gauss-Bonnet Theory of Gravity: A Review
Fernandes P
(2020)
Derivation of regularized field equations for the Einstein-Gauss-Bonnet theory in four dimensions
in Physical Review D
Fernandes P
(2022)
The 4D Einstein-Gauss-Bonnet theory of gravity: a review
in Classical and Quantum Gravity
Fernandes Pedro G. S.
(2022)
The 4D Einstein-Gauss-Bonnet Theory of Gravity: A Review
in arXiv e-prints
Flock M
(2017)
Radiation Hydrodynamical Turbulence in Protoplanetary Disks: Numerical Models and Observational Constraints
in The Astrophysical Journal
Flock M
(2019)
Planet formation and migration near the silicate sublimation front in protoplanetary disks
in Astronomy & Astrophysics
Flock M
(2020)
Gas and Dust Dynamics in Starlight-heated Protoplanetary Disks
in The Astrophysical Journal
Fonseca J
(2023)
The observed number counts in luminosity distance space
Fonseca J
(2021)
Measuring ultralarge scale effects in the presence of 21 cm intensity mapping foregrounds
in Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society
Fonseca J
(2021)
Anti-symmetric clustering signals in the observed power spectrum
in Journal of Cosmology and Astroparticle Physics
Fonseca J
(2023)
The observed number counts in luminosity distance space
in Journal of Cosmology and Astroparticle Physics
Franco F
(2020)
A null test to probe the scale dependence of the growth of structure as a test of general relativity
in Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society: Letters
Fuentes J
(2021)
Galaxy number counts at second order: an independent approach
in Classical and Quantum Gravity
Fuentes J
(2021)
Galaxy number counts at second order in perturbation theory: a leading-order term comparison
in Classical and Quantum Gravity
Fuentes Jorge L.
(2018)
Linear cosmological perturbations in almost scale-invariant fourth-order gravity
in arXiv e-prints
Fuentes Jorge L.
(2019)
Galaxy number counts at second order: an independent approach
in arXiv e-prints
Gallagher C
(2021)
Multi-scale perturbation theory II: Solutions and leading-order bispectrum in the ?CDM universe
in Journal of Cosmology and Astroparticle Physics
Gallagher C
(2018)
Relativistic Euler equations in cosmologies with nonlinear structures
in Physical Review D
Gallagher Christopher
(2019)
Multi-Scale Perturbation Theory I: Methodology and Leading-Order Bispectrum Corrections in the Matter-Dominated Era
in arXiv e-prints
Gehlot B
(2021)
Effects of model incompleteness on the drift-scan calibration of radio telescopes
in Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society
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
Goldberg S
(2017)
Perturbation theory for cosmologies with nonlinear structure
in Physical Review D
Goldberg S
(2017)
Perturbation theory for cosmologies with non-linear structure
Goldberg S
(2017)
Cosmology on all scales: A two-parameter perturbation expansion
in Physical Review D
Gorce A
(2023)
Impact of instrument and data characteristics in the interferometric reconstruction of the 21 cm power spectrum
in Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society
Gressel O
(2020)
Low-mass planet migration in three-dimensional wind-driven inviscid discs: a negative corotation torque
in Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society
Guandalin C
(2021)
Observing relativistic features in large-scale structure surveys - I. Multipoles of the power spectrum
in Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society
Guandalin C
(2023)
Theoretical Systematics in Testing the Cosmological Principle with the Kinematic Quasar Dipole
in The Astrophysical Journal
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 |