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
Cooke E
(2019)
The submillimetre view of massive clusters at z ~ 0.8-1.6
in Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society
Cooke E
(2018)
An ALMA Survey of the SCUBA-2 Cosmology Legacy Survey UKIDSS/UDS Field: Identifying Candidate z ~ 4.5 [C II] Emitters
in The Astrophysical Journal
Cognard I
(2017)
A Massive-born Neutron Star with a Massive White Dwarf Companion
in The Astrophysical Journal
Coe M
(2019)
The semicentennial binary system PSR J2032+4127 at periastron: X-ray photometry, optical spectroscopy and SPH modelling.
in Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society
Cleary K
(2022)
COMAP Early Science. I. Overview
in The Astrophysical Journal
Cleary K
(2021)
COMAP Early Science: I. Overview
Clarke A
(2017)
LOFAR MSSS: Discovery of a 2.56 Mpc giant radio galaxy associated with a disturbed galaxy group
in Astronomy & Astrophysics
Chyzy K
(2018)
LOFAR MSSS: Flattening low-frequency radio continuum spectra of nearby galaxies
in Astronomy & Astrophysics
Chung D
(2019)
Cross-correlating Carbon Monoxide Line-intensity Maps with Spectroscopic and Photometric Galaxy Surveys
in The Astrophysical Journal
Chung D
(2022)
COMAP Early Science. V. Constraints and Forecasts at z ~ 3
in The Astrophysical Journal
Chluba J
(2020)
Improved calculations of electron-ion bremsstrahlung Gaunt factors for astrophysical applications
in Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society
Chluba J
(2020)
Updated fundamental constant constraints from Planck 2018 data and possible relations to the Hubble tension
in Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society
Chluba J
(2017)
Evolution of CMB spectral distortion anisotropies and tests of primordial non-Gaussianity
in Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society
Chluba J
(2017)
Rethinking CMB foregrounds: systematic extension of foreground parametrizations
in Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society
Chen T
(2018)
Impact of SZ cluster residuals in CMB maps and CMB-LSS cross-correlations
in Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society
Chen T
(2020)
Impact of 1/f noise on cosmological parameter constraints for SKA intensity mapping
in Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society
Charnock T
(2017)
Planck data versus large scale structure: Methods to quantify discordance
in Physical Review D
Chang C
(2018)
Dark Energy Survey Year 1 results: curved-sky weak lensing mass map
in Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society
Chan K
(2018)
BAO from angular clustering: optimization and mitigation of theoretical systematics
in Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society
Challinor A
(2018)
Exploring cosmic origins with CORE: Gravitational lensing of the CMB
in Journal of Cosmology and Astroparticle Physics
Cesaroni R
(2017)
Chasing discs around O-type (proto)stars: Evidence from ALMA observations
in Astronomy & Astrophysics
Cendes Y
(2018)
RFI flagging implications for short-duration transients
in Astronomy and Computing
Cameron A
(2018)
The High Time Resolution Universe Pulsar Survey - XIII. PSR J1757-1854, the most accelerated binary pulsar
in Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society: Letters
Caleb M
(2019)
Polarization studies of rotating radio transients
in Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society
Caleb M
(2019)
Constraining the era of helium reionization using fast radio bursts
in Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society
Caleb M
(2018)
The SUrvey for Pulsars and Extragalactic Radio Bursts - III. Polarization properties of FRBs 160102 and 151230
in Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society
Caleb M
(2019)
Are all fast radio bursts repeating sources?
in Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society
Caballero R
(2018)
Studying the Solar system with the International Pulsar Timing Array
in Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society
Burigana C
(2018)
Exploring cosmic origins with CORE: Effects of observer peculiar motion
in Journal of Cosmology and Astroparticle Physics
Burgay M
(2019)
The High Time Resolution Universe Pulsar Survey - XV. Completion of the intermediate-latitude survey with the discovery and timing of 25 further pulsars
in Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society
Buckley D
(2019)
Targeted search for young radio pulsars in the SMC: discovery of two new pulsars
in Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society
Buchs R
(2019)
Phenotypic redshifts with self-organizing maps: A novel method to characterize redshift distributions of source galaxies for weak lensing
in Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society
Broekhoven-Fiene H
(2018)
The JCMT Gould Belt Survey: A First Look at the Auriga-California Molecular Cloud with SCUBA-2
in The Astrophysical Journal
Broderick J
(2018)
LOFAR 150-MHz observations of SS 433 and W 50
in Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society
Bright J
(2018)
Long-term radio and X-ray evolution of the tidal disruption event ASASSN-14li
in Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society
Breysse P
(2022)
COMAP Early Science. VII. Prospects for CO Intensity Mapping at Reionization
in The Astrophysical Journal
Breen S
(2018)
The 6-GHz Multibeam Maser Survey - III. Comparison between the MMB and HOPS
in Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society
Bray J
(2018)
An Upper Limit on the Strength of the Extragalactic Magnetic Field from Ultra-high-energy Cosmic-Ray Anisotropy
in The Astrophysical Journal
Boyer M
(2017)
An Infrared Census of DUST in Nearby Galaxies with Spitzer (DUSTiNGS). IV. Discovery of High-redshift AGB Analogs *
in The Astrophysical Journal
Boyce M
(2023)
Hydra II: Characterisation of Aegean, Caesar, ProFound, PyBDSF, and Selavy source finders
in Publications of the Astronomical Society of Australia
Boyce M
(2023)
Hydra I: An extensible multi-source-finder comparison and cataloguing tool
in Publications of the Astronomical Society of Australia
Bowles M
(2023)
Radio galaxy zoo EMU: towards a semantic radio galaxy morphology taxonomy
in Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society
Bose S
(2018)
Gaia17biu/SN 2017egm in NGC 3191: The Closest Hydrogen-poor Superluminous Supernova to Date Is in a "Normal," Massive, Metal-rich Spiral Galaxy
in The Astrophysical Journal
Bonaldi A
(2019)
The Tiered Radio Extragalactic Continuum Simulation (T-RECS)
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 |