Astrophysics Research at the University of Leicester
Lead Research Organisation:
University of Leicester
Department Name: Physics and Astronomy
Abstract
Our research aims to investigate a range of high-priority science topics in these areas:
i. studying high-energy and high-redshift transients and the relation of transients to gravitational wave events
ii. investigating the growth and evolution of the first stars and black holes in galaxies
iii. determining the properties of powerful active galactic nuclei including the Broad Line Region
iv. measuring the fundamental properties of white dwarf stars
v. investigating the properties of exoplanets, brown dwarfs and low mass stars
vi. investigating accretion processes
vii exploring the formation of planets
We will deliver this programme by carrying out observations using a broad range of ground and space based observing facilities, including XMM-Newton, HST, Swift, GAIA, JWST, ALMA, VLT, WHT, INT, LT, NGTS, GOTO and SAAO, and by conducting numerical simulations using major High Performance Computer facilities such as DiRAC.
i. studying high-energy and high-redshift transients and the relation of transients to gravitational wave events
ii. investigating the growth and evolution of the first stars and black holes in galaxies
iii. determining the properties of powerful active galactic nuclei including the Broad Line Region
iv. measuring the fundamental properties of white dwarf stars
v. investigating the properties of exoplanets, brown dwarfs and low mass stars
vi. investigating accretion processes
vii exploring the formation of planets
We will deliver this programme by carrying out observations using a broad range of ground and space based observing facilities, including XMM-Newton, HST, Swift, GAIA, JWST, ALMA, VLT, WHT, INT, LT, NGTS, GOTO and SAAO, and by conducting numerical simulations using major High Performance Computer facilities such as DiRAC.
Publications
Zhang C
(2022)
First Wide Field-of-view X-Ray Observations by a Lobster-eye Focusing Telescope in Orbit
in The Astrophysical Journal Letters
Zagaria F
(2023)
Dust dynamics in planet-forming discs in binary systems.
in European physical journal plus
Wu Y
(2023)
Distinguishing magnetized disc winds from turbulent viscosity through substructure morphology in planet-forming discs
in Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society
Williams M
(2023)
GRB 221009A: Discovery of an Exceptionally Rare Nearby and Energetic Gamma-Ray Burst
in The Astrophysical Journal Letters
Warwick B
(2025)
SN 2023tsz: a helium-interaction-driven supernova in a very low-mass galaxy
in Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society
Tong S
(2024)
A question of personalities: evolution of viscous and wind-driven protoplanetary discs in the presence of dead zones
in Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society
Stratta G
(2022)
Breakthrough Multi-Messenger Astrophysics with the THESEUS Space Mission
in Galaxies
Steeghs D
(2022)
The Gravitational-wave Optical Transient Observer (GOTO): prototype performance and prospects for transient science
in Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society
Sellek A
(2024)
Modeling JWST MIRI-MRS Observations of T Cha: Mid-IR Noble Gas Emission Tracing a Dense Disk Wind
in The Astronomical Journal
Scardoni C
(2022)
Inward and outward migration of massive planets: moving towards a stalling radius
in Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society
Salyk C
(2022)
An Unusual Reservoir of Water Emission in the VV CrA A Protoplanetary Disk
in The Astronomical Journal
Saccardi A
(2023)
Dissecting the interstellar medium of a z = 6.3 galaxy X-shooter spectroscopy and HST imaging of the afterglow and environment of the Swift GRB 210905A
in Astronomy & Astrophysics
Rowther S
(2023)
Continuing to hide signatures of gravitational instability in protoplanetary discs with planets
in Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society
Rowther S
(2024)
The role of drag and gravity on dust concentration in a gravitationally unstable disc
in Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society
Rastinejad J
(2022)
A Kilonova Following a Long-Duration Gamma-Ray Burst at 350 Mpc
Pritchard M
(2024)
Sandwiched planet formation: restricting the mass of a middle planet
in Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society
Pritchard M
(2023)
Sandwiched planet formation: restricting the mass of a middle planet
Piro L
(2022)
Athena synergies in the multi-messenger and transient universe
in Experimental Astronomy
Patel M
(2023)
GRB 201015A and the nature of low-luminosity soft gamma-ray bursts
in Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society
Nowak M
(2024)
The orbit of HD 142527 B is too compact to explain many of the disc features
in Astronomy & Astrophysics
Nayakshin S
(2022)
ALMA constraints on assembly of core accretion planets
in Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society
Mong Y
(2023)
Self-supervised clustering on image-subtracted data with deep-embedded self-organizing map
in Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society
Mandhai S
(2022)
Exploring compact binary merger host galaxies and environments with zELDA
in Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society
Levan A
(2023)
A long-duration gamma-ray burst of dynamical origin from the nucleus of an ancient galaxy
in Nature Astronomy
Levan A
(2023)
Heavy-element production in a compact object merger observed by JWST
in Nature
Le Duigou J
(2022)
Stability and assembly precision of MXT line of sight
Lamb G
(2022)
Inhomogeneous Jets from Neutron Star Mergers: One Jet to Rule Them All
in Universe
Kundu S
(2022)
Stars Crushed by Black Holes. III. Mild Compression of Radiative Stars by Supermassive Black Holes
in The Astrophysical Journal
Joyce S
(2023)
X-ray and UV radiation in the planet-forming T-Tauri system PDS 70. Signs of accretion and coronal activity
in Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society
Gompertz B
(2022)
The case for a minute-long merger-driven gamma-ray burst from fast-cooling synchrotron emission
in Nature Astronomy
Giarratana S
(2022)
VLBI observations of GRB 201015A, a relatively faint GRB with a hint of very high-energy gamma-ray emission
in Astronomy & Astrophysics
Feldman C
(2022)
Calibration of the flight model lobster eye optic for SVOM
Eyles-Ferris R
(2022)
Simulated optical light curves of super-Eddington tidal disruption events with ZEBRA flows
in Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society
Eyles-Ferris R
(2024)
The Gravitational Wave AfterglowPy Analysis (GWAPA) webtool
in Research Notes of the AAS
Eyles-Ferris R
(2022)
Extragalactic transient candidates in the second Swift -XRT point source catalogue
in Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society
Eyles-Ferris R
(2024)
Ultradeep Cover: An Exotic and Jetted Tidal Disruption Event Candidate Disguised as a Gamma-Ray Burst
in The Astrophysical Journal Letters
| Description | ENGRAVE |
| Organisation | European Southern Observatory (ESO) |
| Country | Germany |
| Sector | Charity/Non Profit |
| PI Contribution | Our Leicester team is part of a large international collaboration to use ESO telescopes and others, for follow-up of the electromagnetic counterparts of gravitational wave events. Tanvir is a member of the governing council of ENGRAVE. |
| Collaborator Contribution | The collaboration has over 250 members, who bring diverse expertise. In particular, real time duties are the responsibility of a core group of about 40 people currently. |
| Impact | One paper submitted so far. |
| Start Year | 2018 |
| Description | STARGATE |
| Organisation | European Southern Observatory (ESO) |
| Country | Germany |
| Sector | Charity/Non Profit |
| PI Contribution | Tanvir is PI of a large collaboration whose goal is to obtain optical/nIR follow-up observations of gamma-ray bursts using ESO facilities. |
| Collaborator Contribution | The collaboration consists of a (geographically spread) core group who trigger and analyse the rapid target-of-opportunity observations, plus a wider group who contribute to planning, interpretation and analysis for at least some of the specialised sub-projects. (the number of partner institutions in this sense is large and fluid, and they are not individually listed. Similarly the value of the in-kind contributions is not well defined; except for ESO for which the value recorded here is a rough estimate) |
| Impact | About 15 papers written to date. |
| Start Year | 2016 |