Astrophysics and Cosmology Research within the JBCA 2017-2020
Lead Research Organisation:
University of Manchester
Department Name: Physics and Astronomy
Abstract
This grant supports the research of the Jodrell Bank Centre for Astrophysics at the University of Manchester. Our research is a divided into 3 groups. There are too many specific proposals to describe in detail, do below we have given a brief layman's explanation of the work being carried out by the three groups.
Cosmology: This is the study of the Universe as a whole. The main aim is to understand the processes by which the large scale feature of the Universe formed and to constrain the various different kinds of matter that existed within it. These include dark matter and dark energy which are thought to constitute more than 95% of the total. We do this by comparison to observations of weak and strong gravitational lensing which is the distortion of light predicted to be caused by massive objects in Einstein' Theory of General Relativity, the cosmic microwave background which is the faint emission of radiation created at the time when protons and electrons come together to form hydrogen and the emission given off by neutral hydrogen atoms in galaxies. The research we propose here involves both theory and observation as well as the development of the technology necessary to make the observations possible.
Sun, Stars and Galaxies: The researchers in this group study a wide range of astrophysical processes that are reasonable for the formation and evolution of the objects in the name of the group. Specific key areas that the group is interested in are the formation of stars much larger than the Sun and the subsequent evolution, the properties of the so-called interstellar medium (ISM) which comprises molecules not bound to stars and the magnetic fields that permeate space.
Pulsars and Time Domain Astrophysics: The focus of this group is astrophysical signatures that are change with time: things which come on and off, often with some kind of regularity. These include Pulsars which are non-standard star time, known as a neutron star, which is a dead star supported by the quantum pressure of neutrons. The radio emission from these objects pulses on an off with extraordinary regularity allowing them to acts cosmic clocks. The constantly measuring these clocks as the neutron stars spin and move through space, often impacted on by a companion star, allows the most precise constraints on the nature of gravity outside the solar system. Other phenomena studied by this group include Nova explosions, other variable stars, and variability induced by the lensing effects of one star passing in front of another, called microlensing.
Cosmology: This is the study of the Universe as a whole. The main aim is to understand the processes by which the large scale feature of the Universe formed and to constrain the various different kinds of matter that existed within it. These include dark matter and dark energy which are thought to constitute more than 95% of the total. We do this by comparison to observations of weak and strong gravitational lensing which is the distortion of light predicted to be caused by massive objects in Einstein' Theory of General Relativity, the cosmic microwave background which is the faint emission of radiation created at the time when protons and electrons come together to form hydrogen and the emission given off by neutral hydrogen atoms in galaxies. The research we propose here involves both theory and observation as well as the development of the technology necessary to make the observations possible.
Sun, Stars and Galaxies: The researchers in this group study a wide range of astrophysical processes that are reasonable for the formation and evolution of the objects in the name of the group. Specific key areas that the group is interested in are the formation of stars much larger than the Sun and the subsequent evolution, the properties of the so-called interstellar medium (ISM) which comprises molecules not bound to stars and the magnetic fields that permeate space.
Pulsars and Time Domain Astrophysics: The focus of this group is astrophysical signatures that are change with time: things which come on and off, often with some kind of regularity. These include Pulsars which are non-standard star time, known as a neutron star, which is a dead star supported by the quantum pressure of neutrons. The radio emission from these objects pulses on an off with extraordinary regularity allowing them to acts cosmic clocks. The constantly measuring these clocks as the neutron stars spin and move through space, often impacted on by a companion star, allows the most precise constraints on the nature of gravity outside the solar system. Other phenomena studied by this group include Nova explosions, other variable stars, and variability induced by the lensing effects of one star passing in front of another, called microlensing.
Planned Impact
The range of research we undertake and the world-class facilities within and in close association with JBCA (the Jodrell Bank Discovery Centre, e-MERLIN, the Lovell Telescope, the ALMA ARC and the SKA HQ) will provide key pathways to increasing our already strong impact on UK and global industry, the next generation of scientists and engineers, and the general public. The University's investment in the Jodrell Bank site combined with significant external funding (e.g. from Heritage Lottery Fund) will enable us to expand its use as an iconic venue for public and industrial engagement. The programme described here formed a key part of the School's submission for REF2014, helping it to be ranked highest in the REF for physics impact with 83% at 4* and 17% at 3*. Our outreach \& public engagement programme is extremely strong and continues to grow, particularly through its work with the University's award-winning Jodrell Bank Discovery Centre and the BBC. With the recent decision on SKA HQ location and our strong research work in this area, there is also growing impact in both outreach and industrial engagement in this area.
Our "Pathways to Impact" statement in the case for support outlines things that we have done in recent times under the headings of "Outreach and Public Engagement" and "Industrial and economic impact". We list some highlights below.
- Jodcast: Podcast run by students with 7000 regular listeners.
- 230000 Twitter followers
- Stargazing live
- JB Discovery centre with 150000 visitors per year
- Award winning "Live from Jodrell Bank" rock concerts
- Industry contracts for SKA work including CISCO, AASL, NPL, GEANT
- Newton programme for Radio Astronomy in Africa.
Our "Pathways to Impact" statement in the case for support outlines things that we have done in recent times under the headings of "Outreach and Public Engagement" and "Industrial and economic impact". We list some highlights below.
- Jodcast: Podcast run by students with 7000 regular listeners.
- 230000 Twitter followers
- Stargazing live
- JB Discovery centre with 150000 visitors per year
- Award winning "Live from Jodrell Bank" rock concerts
- Industry contracts for SKA work including CISCO, AASL, NPL, GEANT
- Newton programme for Radio Astronomy in Africa.
Organisations
Publications
Potter M
(2019)
Forced magnetic reconnection and plasmoid coalescence I. Magnetohydrodynamic simulations
in Astronomy & Astrophysics
Reid J
(2018)
Coronal energy release by MHD avalanches: continuous driving
in Astronomy & Astrophysics
Homan W
(2018)
An unusual face-on spiral in the wind of the M-type AGB star EP Aquarii
in Astronomy & Astrophysics
Kervella P
(2018)
The close circumstellar environment of Betelgeuse V. Rotation velocity and molecular envelope properties from ALMA
in Astronomy & Astrophysics
Aghanim N
(2019)
PACT I. Combining ACT and Planck data for improved extraction of tSZ signal
in Astronomy & Astrophysics
Homan W
(2021)
ATOMIUM: The astounding complexity of the near circumstellar environment of the M-type AGB star R Hydrae I. Morpho-kinematical interpretation of CO and SiO emission
in Astronomy & Astrophysics
Decin L
(2017)
Study of the aluminium content in AGB winds using ALMA Indications for the presence of gas-phase (Al 2 O 3 ) n clusters
in Astronomy & Astrophysics
Reid J
(2020)
Determining whether the squashing factor, Q , would be a good indicator of reconnection in a resistive MHD experiment devoid of null points
in Astronomy & Astrophysics
Tafoya D
(2017)
(sub)Millimeter Emission Lines of Molecules in Born-again Stars?.
in Astronomy and astrophysics
Skipper C
(2019)
Cleaning radio interferometric images using a spherical wavelet decomposition
in Astronomy and Computing
Smits R
(2017)
The beamformer and correlator for the Large European Array for Pulsars
in Astronomy and Computing
Cendes Y
(2018)
RFI flagging implications for short-duration transients
in Astronomy and Computing
Lucas L
(2019)
Efficient source finding for radio interferometric images
in Astronomy and Computing
Lyon R
(2019)
A processing pipeline for high volume pulsar candidate data streams
in Astronomy and Computing
Grainge K
(2017)
Square Kilometre Array: The radio telescope of the XXI century
in Astronomy Reports
Patra N
(2017)
Bandpass calibration of a wideband spectrometer using coherent pulse injection
in Experimental Astronomy
White D
(2019)
125 - 211 GHz low noise MMIC amplifier design for radio astronomy
in Experimental Astronomy
Alachkar B
(2018)
Frequency Reference Stability and Coherence Loss in Radio Astronomy Interferometers Application to the SKA
in Journal of Astronomical Instrumentation
Peel M
(2019)
Baryon Acoustic Oscillations from Integrated Neutral Gas Observations: Radio Frequency Interference Measurements and Telescope Site Selection
in Journal of Astronomical Instrumentation
Delabrouille J
(2018)
Exploring cosmic origins with CORE: Survey requirements and mission design
in Journal of Cosmology and Astroparticle Physics
Burigana C
(2018)
Exploring cosmic origins with CORE: Effects of observer peculiar motion
in Journal of Cosmology and Astroparticle Physics
Pace F
(2017)
On the implementation of the spherical collapse model for dark energy models
in Journal of Cosmology and Astroparticle Physics
Remazeilles M
(2018)
Exploring cosmic origins with CORE: B -mode component separation
in Journal of Cosmology and Astroparticle Physics
Finelli F
(2018)
Exploring cosmic origins with CORE: Inflation
in Journal of Cosmology and Astroparticle Physics
Pace F
(2019)
Halo collapse: virialization by shear and rotation in dynamical dark-energy models. Effects on weak-lensing peaks
in Journal of Cosmology and Astroparticle Physics
Valentino E
(2018)
Exploring cosmic origins with CORE: Cosmological parameters
in Journal of Cosmology and Astroparticle Physics
De Bernardis P
(2018)
Exploring cosmic origins with CORE: The instrument
in Journal of Cosmology and Astroparticle Physics
Melin J
(2018)
Exploring cosmic origins with CORE: Cluster science
in Journal of Cosmology and Astroparticle Physics
Natoli P
(2018)
Exploring cosmic origins with CORE: Mitigation of systematic effects
in Journal of Cosmology and Astroparticle Physics
Williams J
(2021)
Blind map level systematics cleaning: a quadratic estimator approach
in Journal of Cosmology and Astroparticle Physics
Zotti G
(2018)
Exploring cosmic origins with CORE: Extragalactic sources in cosmic microwave background maps
in Journal of Cosmology and Astroparticle Physics
Challinor A
(2018)
Exploring cosmic origins with CORE: Gravitational lensing of the CMB
in Journal of Cosmology and Astroparticle Physics
Sugai H
(2020)
Updated Design of the CMB Polarization Experiment Satellite LiteBIRD
in Journal of Low Temperature Physics
Chluba J
(2017)
Rethinking CMB foregrounds: systematic extension of foreground parametrizations
in Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society
Michilli D
(2018)
Low-frequency pulse profile variation in PSR B2217+47: evidence for echoes from the interstellar medium
in Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society
Hervías-Caimapo C
(2017)
Impact of modelling foreground uncertainties on future CMB polarization satellite experiments
in Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society
Green J
(2017)
The 6-GHz multibeam maser survey - II. Statistical analysis and Galactic distribution of 6668-MHz methanol masers
in Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society
Arce-Tord C
(2020)
Resolved observations at 31 GHz of spinning dust emissivity variations in ? Oph
in Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society
Parthasarathy A
(2019)
Timing of young radio pulsars - I. Timing noise, periodic modulation, and proper motion
in Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society
Westcott J
(2018)
A spatially resolved radio spectral index study of the dwarf irregular galaxy NGC 1569
in Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society
Crocce M
(2019)
Dark Energy Survey year 1 results: galaxy sample for BAO measurement
in Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society
Polzin E
(2018)
The low-frequency radio eclipses of the black widow pulsar J1810+1744
in Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society
Power C
(2019)
nIFTy galaxy cluster simulations VI: the dynamical imprint of substructure on gaseous cluster outskirts.
in Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society
Rumsey C
(2017)
AMI SZ observation of galaxy-cluster merger CIZA J2242+5301: perpendicular flows of gas and dark matter
in Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society
Perera B
(2017)
Erratum: Evidence for an intermediate-mass black hole in the globular cluster NGC 6624
in Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society
Bahé Y
(2019)
Disruption of satellite galaxies in simulated groups and clusters: the roles of accretion time, baryons, and pre-processing
in Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society
Riseley C
(2018)
AMI-LA observations of the SuperCLASS supercluster
in Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society
Petroff E
(2018)
A fast radio burst with a low dispersion measure
in Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society
Stacey H
(2018)
Gravitational lensing reveals extreme dust-obscured star formation in quasar host galaxies
in Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society
Mancini L
(2019)
Physical properties and transmission spectrum of the WASP-74 planetary system from multiband photometry
in Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society
Description | The consolidated grant supported a wide range of activities in astrophysics and cosmology at the JBCA. This was based around three areas: cosmology - the study of the Universe as a single entity, pulsars - spinning neutron stars which emit pulse of radio waves at regular intervals, astrophysical processes - the study of galaxy and star formation in the universe. Progress was made in all these areas. |
Exploitation Route | The wide range of work produce by the grant has been published in journals. These papers have received significant citations indicating that all the areas have had an impact within the academic research community. |
Sectors | Digital/Communication/Information Technologies (including Software),Education,Other |
Description | The research has been used extensively in the outreach program of the Jodrell Bank Discovery Centre, which attracts 160,000 visitors per annum and focusses on hard-to-reach audiences. |
First Year Of Impact | 2020 |
Sector | Education |
Impact Types | Cultural,Societal |