Causes and consequences of the Universe's largest explosions
Lead Research Organisation:
University of Southampton
Department Name: Sch of Physics and Astronomy
Abstract
In this research proposal I seek to understand the most energetic phenomena in the Universe - a newly discovered population of extremely luminous flares that are believed to be caused by supermassive black holes. I recently discovered the most energetic transient ever, but the origin of the energy is a mystery. With the convergence of cutting-edge simulations and data from revolutionary telescopes, I will delve into the mechanisms behind these dramatic outbursts, unveiling their causes and their far-reaching consequences on the galaxies they inhabit. Understanding the triggers and effects of such colossal energy releases is key for galaxy evolution, quasar activation, and studying the effects of general relativity.
To realise these ambitions, I will follow a multi-faceted approach underpinned by a uniquely interconnected suite of simulations and the two most ambitious ground-based optical surveys ever conducted. I will build a robust theoretical framework for understanding extreme black hole flares. By combining simulations of galaxy evolution with stellar population synthesis and detailed accretion and explosion modelling, I endeavour to predict the intricate relationships between observable properties of black hole flares and their host galaxies. Different physical scenarios and explosion mechanisms exist in galaxies with, on average, different ages, dynamics, and chemical enrichment. I will compare these predictions to data as part of a novel forward modelling technique I have pioneered, using revolutionary datasets from the Vera C. Rubin Observatory's Legacy Survey of Space and Time, and the 4-metre Multi-Object Spectrograph Telescope.
I will identify and characterise the first systematic sample of the new class of intensely luminous black hole flares. Using unrivalled access to legacy data from the Dark Energy Survey and the Zwicky Transient Facility, I will develop sophisticated pipelines to systematically detect and differentiate these phenomena from supernovae and active galactic nuclei. Since discovering the brightest long-lived transient ever, I have uncovered several similar events in archival data. We thus expect LSST with its order-of-magnitude increase in depth to provide a sample of a hundred or more, with the years-long durations almost guaranteeing spectroscopic follow-up. This sample, no matter what it comprises, will reveal physical processes never seen before, and highlight how critical these flares may be for the morphology of galactic nuclei and growth of black holes across cosmic time.
The modelling technique is also ideally suited to study the origins of different types of supernovae. By adapting the technique to different input simulations, I aim to distinguish between which progenitor scenario causes them: single or double white dwarf? And if both channels, are they the same brightness? These questions have vital implications for cosmological measurements and provide a fundamental input to models of galaxy enrichment, and ultimately how our own galaxy and solar system formed and evolved.
With a flexible approach that is able to take any detailed transient simulations and connect them to their galaxy environments, I will create a product that can be used across the astrophysics community, which is particularly exciting as the new observatories discover new, exciting and exotic classes of transient phenomena.
To realise these ambitions, I will follow a multi-faceted approach underpinned by a uniquely interconnected suite of simulations and the two most ambitious ground-based optical surveys ever conducted. I will build a robust theoretical framework for understanding extreme black hole flares. By combining simulations of galaxy evolution with stellar population synthesis and detailed accretion and explosion modelling, I endeavour to predict the intricate relationships between observable properties of black hole flares and their host galaxies. Different physical scenarios and explosion mechanisms exist in galaxies with, on average, different ages, dynamics, and chemical enrichment. I will compare these predictions to data as part of a novel forward modelling technique I have pioneered, using revolutionary datasets from the Vera C. Rubin Observatory's Legacy Survey of Space and Time, and the 4-metre Multi-Object Spectrograph Telescope.
I will identify and characterise the first systematic sample of the new class of intensely luminous black hole flares. Using unrivalled access to legacy data from the Dark Energy Survey and the Zwicky Transient Facility, I will develop sophisticated pipelines to systematically detect and differentiate these phenomena from supernovae and active galactic nuclei. Since discovering the brightest long-lived transient ever, I have uncovered several similar events in archival data. We thus expect LSST with its order-of-magnitude increase in depth to provide a sample of a hundred or more, with the years-long durations almost guaranteeing spectroscopic follow-up. This sample, no matter what it comprises, will reveal physical processes never seen before, and highlight how critical these flares may be for the morphology of galactic nuclei and growth of black holes across cosmic time.
The modelling technique is also ideally suited to study the origins of different types of supernovae. By adapting the technique to different input simulations, I aim to distinguish between which progenitor scenario causes them: single or double white dwarf? And if both channels, are they the same brightness? These questions have vital implications for cosmological measurements and provide a fundamental input to models of galaxy enrichment, and ultimately how our own galaxy and solar system formed and evolved.
With a flexible approach that is able to take any detailed transient simulations and connect them to their galaxy environments, I will create a product that can be used across the astrophysics community, which is particularly exciting as the new observatories discover new, exciting and exotic classes of transient phenomena.
