Open University Rolling Grant 2009 - 2014
Lead Research Organisation:
The Open University
Department Name: Physical Sciences
Abstract
The OU Astronomy Group seeks continuation of its Rolling Grant to support a program of observational, theoretical, laboratory and space based astronomical research and instrumentation development. Theme 1 Star formation: This theme aims to understand star formation of our Galaxy and the local universe, focussing on near and far infrared studies. We will pursue four interlinked projects working within our access to the Guaranteed Time data from the AKARI space infrared telescope, the LOFAR radio telescope, and ESO facilities. The projects lie at the heart of star formation astrophysics, building on past work on molecular cloud structure, far-IR astronomy and triggered and high mass star formation. Project 1.1 ASTRO-F Galactic Plane Survey Project 1.2 Massive star and starburst cluster formation Project 1.3 HERSCHEL Survey exploitation Project 1.4 LOFAR Galactic Plane Survey Theme 2 Planetary Astrophysics: This area includes observational searches for Exoplanets; exoplanet characterisation with HST and Spitzer, modelling Exoplanet atmospheres; the interior structure of Exoplanets; and the dynamics and migration physics involved in various planetary architectures; and models and exploitation of data from solar system terrestrial planetary atmospheres. Project 2.1 Exoplanet Dynamics Project 2.2 Exoplanet Structure and Evolution Project 2.3 Solar System terrestrial planetary atmospheres Theme 3 Extragalactic Infrared astronomy & Cosmology: This is an integrated research programme to trace the cosmic evolution of star-forming galaxies using major international far-infrared and submm-wave legacy surveys / key projects. Project 3.1 SCUBA-2 and AKARI Legacy Surveys Project 3.2 The HERSCHEL ATLAS Key Project Project 3.3 The Cosmic Near-Infrared Background Theme 4 Extreme Environment astrophysics: This program explores the interrelation between galactic environment and relativistic object content in nearby galaxies, to provide insights into high-mass star formation, relativistic object formation and high-energy phenomena that cannot be gained from observations in our own Galaxy alone; to study the counterparts of high-energy sources we identify in our X-ray surveys of nearby galaxies; and conduct numerical simulations to model the nature of the accretion flows and the nature of their X-ray populations Project 4.1 Relativistic accretors in nearby galaxies Project 4.2 Characterising compact accreting systems Project 4.3 Magnetic Cataclysmic Variable Populations Theme 5 Laboratory Astrochemistry; Exploring Chemical Complexity: The research is targeted at simulating chemical and physical processes within star and planet formation regions and planetary atmospheres and surfaces; The research programme is focused on two projects (i) exploring the nature of chemical complexity in the ISM and (ii) identification of biomarkers that will be used to exploit extant data, and lead to the identification of robust biogenic biomarker signals in Exoplanet atmospheres and surfaces. Project 5.1 The Chemistry of Star and Planet Formation. Project 5.2 Identifying biosignatures for Exoplanetary studies; Theme 6 Astronomical Instrumentation Development for Space Missions: This proposal aims to promote radiation damage studies for future space missions which are within the STFC programme. The activity includes: a) Laboratory study of radiation damage and other environmental factors affecting scientific instrumentation on space missions, b) To provide low-level support to our collaboration with China on their first national X-ray astronomy mission, HXMT, c) To provide support at the early stage of future project studies, for both space and ground based instrumentation Project 6.1 Laboratory Studies of Radiation Damage (1 PDRA) Project 6.2 Radiation Damage support for the HXMT project
Publications
Fridlund M
(2010)
The search for worlds like our own.
in Astrobiology
Goto T
(2010)
Environmental dependence of 8 µ m luminosity functions of galaxies at z ~ 0.8 Comparison between RXJ1716.4+6708 and the AKARI NEP-deep field
in Astronomy and Astrophysics
Nilsson R
(2010)
Kuiper belts around nearby stars
in Astronomy and Astrophysics
Fossati L
(2010)
METALS IN THE EXOSPHERE OF THE HIGHLY IRRADIATED PLANET WASP-12b
in The Astrophysical Journal
Di Francesco J
(2010)
Small-scale structure in the Rosette molecular cloud revealed by Herschel
in Astronomy and Astrophysics
Fridlund M
(2010)
A roadmap for the detection and characterization of other Earths.
in Astrobiology
Motte F
(2010)
Initial highlights of the HOBYS key program, the Herschel imaging survey of OB young stellar objects
in Astronomy and Astrophysics
Davis P
(2010)
A comprehensive population synthesis study of post-common envelope binaries
in Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society
Negueruela I
(2010)
The population of OB supergiants in the starburst cluster Westerlund 1
in Astronomy and Astrophysics
Könyves V
(2010)
The Aquila prestellar core population revealed by Herschel
in Astronomy and Astrophysics
Alibert Y
(2010)
Origin and formation of planetary systems.
in Astrobiology
Serjeant S
(2010)
The Dark and Dusty Side of Galaxy Evolution
Pinte C
(2010)
The Herschel view of GAS in Protoplanetary Systems (GASPS) First comparisons with a large grid of models
in Astronomy and Astrophysics
Pearson C
(2010)
The AKARI FU-HYU galaxy evolution program: first results from the GOODS-N field
in Astronomy and Astrophysics
Eales S
(2010)
The Herschel ATLAS
in Publications of the Astronomical Society of the Pacific
Miville-Deschênes M
(2010)
Herschel -SPIRE observations of the Polaris flare: Structure of the diffuse interstellar medium at the sub-parsec scale
in Astronomy and Astrophysics
Schneider N
(2010)
The Herschel view of star formation in the Rosette molecular cloud under the influence of NGC 2244
in Astronomy and Astrophysics
Ward-Thompson D
(2010)
A Herschel study of the properties of starless cores in the Polaris Flare dark cloud region using PACS and SPIRE
in Astronomy and Astrophysics
Hindson L
(2010)
The G305 star-forming complex: wide-area molecular mapping of NH3 and H2O masers The G305 star-forming complex
in Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society
Habart E
(2010)
SPIRE spectroscopy of the prototypical Orion Bar photodissociation region
in Astronomy and Astrophysics
White G
(2010)
Herschel -SPIRE spectroscopy of the DR21 molecular cloud core
in Astronomy and Astrophysics
Anderson L
(2010)
The physical properties of the dust in the RCW 120 H ii region as seen by Herschel
in Astronomy and Astrophysics
Grenfell JL
(2010)
Co-evolution of atmospheres, life, and climate.
in Astrobiology
Davis C
(2010)
The JCMT Legacy Survey of the Gould Belt: a first look at Taurus with HARP
in Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society
Hebb L
(2010)
WASP-19b: THE SHORTEST PERIOD TRANSITING EXOPLANET YET DISCOVERED
in The Astrophysical Journal
Lammer H
(2010)
Geophysical and atmospheric evolution of habitable planets.
in Astrobiology
Spiga A
(2010)
Structure and dynamics of the convective boundary layer on Mars as inferred from large-eddy simulations and remote-sensing measurements
in Quarterly Journal of the Royal Meteorological Society
Naylor D
(2010)
First detection of the methylidyne cation (CH + ) fundamental rotational line with the Herschel /SPIRE FTS
in Astronomy and Astrophysics
Spiga A
(2010)
Correction to: 'Structure and dynamics of the convective boundary layer on Mars as inferred from large-eddy simulations and remote-sensing measurements'
in Quarterly Journal of the Royal Meteorological Society
McCleese D
(2010)
Structure and dynamics of the Martian lower and middle atmosphere as observed by the Mars Climate Sounder: Seasonal variations in zonal mean temperature, dust, and water ice aerosols
in Journal of Geophysical Research: Planets
Serjeant S
(2010)
Herschel ATLAS: The cosmic star formation history of quasar host galaxies
in Astronomy and Astrophysics
Austermann J
(2010)
AzTEC half square degree survey of the SHADES fields â?? I. Maps, catalogues and source counts
in Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society
Pearson C
(2010)
Source counts at 15 microns from the AKARI NEP survey
in Astronomy and Astrophysics
Clark J
(2010)
A serendipitous survey for variability amongst the massive stellar population of Westerlund 1
in Astronomy and Astrophysics
Oyabu S
(2010)
AKARI infrared bright source catalogues
Hennemann M
(2010)
Herschel observations of embedded protostellar clusters in the Rosette molecular cloud
in Astronomy and Astrophysics
White G
(2010)
A deep survey of the AKARI north ecliptic pole field I. WSRT 20 cm radio survey description, observations and data reduction
in Astronomy and Astrophysics
Kirk J
(2010)
Herschel -SPIRE spectroscopy of G29.96-0.02: Fitting the full SED
in Astronomy and Astrophysics
Men'shchikov A
(2010)
Filamentary structures and compact objects in the Aquila and Polaris clouds observed by Herschel
in Astronomy and Astrophysics
Molinari S
(2010)
Hi-GAL: The Herschel Infrared Galactic Plane Survey
in Publications of the Astronomical Society of the Pacific
Fossati L
(2010)
A DETAILED SPECTROPOLARIMETRIC ANALYSIS OF THE PLANET-HOSTING STAR WASP-12 ,
in The Astrophysical Journal
Baes M
(2010)
Herschel -ATLAS: The dust energy balance in the edge-on spiral galaxy UGC 4754
in Astronomy and Astrophysics
González-Nuevo J
(2010)
Herschel -ATLAS: Blazars in the science demonstration phase field
in Astronomy and Astrophysics
Hopwood R
(2010)
ULTRA DEEP AKARI OBSERVATIONS OF ABELL 2218: RESOLVING THE 15 µm EXTRAGALACTIC BACKGROUND LIGHT
in The Astrophysical Journal
Wijesinghe D
(2011)
GAMA/H-ATLAS: the ultraviolet spectral slope and obscuration in galaxies UV spectral slope and obscuration
in Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society
Delorme P
(2011)
Stellar rotation in the Hyades and Praesepe: gyrochronology and braking time-scale Stellar rotation in the Hyades and Praesepe: gyrochronology and braking time-scale
in Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society
Simpson E
(2011)
WASP-37b: A 1.8 M J EXOPLANET TRANSITING A METAL-POOR STAR
in The Astronomical Journal
Takagi T
(2011)
The AKARI NEP-Deep survey: a mid-infrared source catalogue
in Astronomy & Astrophysics
Llama J
(2011)
The shocking transit of WASP-12b: modelling the observed early ingress in the near-ultraviolet
in Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society: Letters
Holmes S
(2011)
PIRATE: A Remotely Operable Telescope Facility for Research and Education
in Publications of the Astronomical Society of the Pacific
| Description | This supported a varied programme of astronomical research at the Open University. Outputs have been published in peer-reviewed, and unrefereed papers and catalogues. |
| Exploitation Route | These results were rolled into the next Consolidated Grant that was awarded. |
| Sectors | Education |
| Description | As a basis for a number of Television News interviews on different astronomical subjects As part of Open University Teaching material |
| First Year Of Impact | 2009 |
| Sector | Education |
| Impact Types | Societal |
| Description | Edinburgh |
| Organisation | University of Edinburgh |
| Department | Theoretical Particle Physics (PPT) Research Group |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Sector | Academic/University |
| PI Contribution | Contribution of expertise; also some travel funds for visits of the collaborator to Durham and Glasgow. |
| Collaborator Contribution | A member of Edinburgh University joined an existing project looking at properties of soft gluons in multiparton scattering. This has led to new developments, aided by the combination of complementary expertise. Edinburgh have also contributed with some financial assistance (e.g. accommodation for visits). |
| Impact | So far there have been two published research papers (see publications). |
| Start Year | 2010 |