A Programme of Technology, Astrophysics and Cosmology in Cardiff 2019-22

Lead Research Organisation: CARDIFF UNIVERSITY

Department Name: School of Physics and Astronomy

Abstract

We propose a programme of Astrophysics, Cosmology and Technology development for Astrophysics and Cosmology, to investigate star and planet formation in our own and other galaxies, how galaxies form and evolve and the signals from the very early Universe embedded in the polarisation properties of the Cosmic Microwave background. This programme will combine observational data from world-class ground and space-based observatories, as well as theoretical modelling and simulations of the processes that result in the Universe we observe around us. We will also continue to develop the world's most sensitive detectors for very long infrared wavelengths, along with associated optical components utilising 'metamaterials' the class of materials designed and manufactured by human beings to have the properties best suited to their task, rather than relying on naturally occurring minerals and plastics. Both of these areas of technology development potentially have wide applications outside of Astronomy, in areas such as security scanners and bio-medical imaging for example.

Planned Impact

The technology programme proposed here will have extensive impact outside of astronomy. Firstly in other academic subject areas such as Earth-observing where the technology is used to look downwards or sideways through the atmosphere rather than upwards, but also in bio-medical imaging, where the Far-infrared wavelength range has many spectral features, and is currently being used in collaboration with the School of Optometry in Cardiff to assess corneal damage, for example. Secondly we also plan to exploit the technology commercially, through the spinout company QMCI (www.terahertz.co.uk) which operates from within the School, with broad applications from fast plasma diagnostic systems in use in Fusion experiments, through laboratory spectroscopy across a wide range of chemistry and materials applications, and the new spinout Sequestym, for security cameras. We also plan a very strong Outreach programme across both the technology developments and the observational and theoretical astrophysics and cosmology programme, following on from the skills developed during the very successful Herschel/Planck outreach programme, with web-based and standard media information releases, but also tied in with Open days, school visits, and going out into schools and colleges to give presentations and host workshops

Funded Value:

£2,542,357

Funded Period:

Mar 19 - Mar 22

Funder:

STFC

Project Status:

Closed

Project Category:

Research Grant

Project Reference:

ST/S00033X/1

Principal Investigator:

Walter Kieran Gear

Stephen Eales

Research Subject:

Astronomy - observation (85%)

Astronomy - theory (15%)

Research Topic:

Astron. & Space Sci. Technol. (30%)

Computational Methods & Tools (5%)

Extra-Galactic Astron.&Cosmol. (30%)

Galactic & Interstellar Astron (35%)

Organisations

CARDIFF UNIVERSITY (Lead Research Organisation)

People	ORCID iD
Walter Kieran Gear (Principal Investigator)
Stephen Eales (Principal Investigator)
Paul Clark (Co-Investigator)
Simon Doyle (Co-Investigator)
Nicolas Peretto (Co-Investigator)
Anthony Whitworth (Co-Investigator)
Timothy Davis (Co-Investigator)	http://orcid.org/0000-0003-4932-9379
Giampaolo Pisano (Co-Investigator)
Erminia Calabrese (Co-Investigator)
Peter Barry (Researcher)	http://orcid.org/0000-0001-9103-9354
Matthew Smith (Researcher)	http://orcid.org/0000-0002-3532-6970

Publications

Author Name Title Publication Date Published

|< < 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 > >|

10 25 50

Yang C (2019) The molecular gas properties in the gravitationally lensed merger HATLAS J142935.3-002836 in Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society

Delabrouille J (2019) Microwave Spectro-Polarimetry of Matter and Radiation across Space and Time

The Simons Observatory Collaboration (2019) The Simons Observatory: Astro2020 Decadal Project Whitepaper

Ruffa I (2019) The AGN fuelling/feedback cycle in nearby radio galaxies I. ALMA observations and early results in Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society

Liu J (2019) The JCMT BISTRO Survey: The Magnetic Field in the Starless Core ? Ophiuchus C in The Astrophysical Journal

Wang J (2019) JCMT BISTRO Survey: Magnetic Fields within the Hub-filament Structure in IC 5146 in The Astrophysical Journal

Mangilli A (2019) Inflight performance of the PILOT balloon-borne experiment in Experimental Astronomy

Andr (2019) Probing the cold magnetized Universe with SPICA-POL (B-BOP) in arXiv e-prints

Bevan A (2019) A decade of ejecta dust formation in the Type IIn SN 2005ip in Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society