Astrophysics and Cosmology Research at the Jodrell Bank Centre for Astrophysics 2023-2026
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.
Pulsars and Time Domain Astrophysics: The focus of this group is astrophysical signatures that are changing with time - signals which go on and off, often with some kind of regularity. These include Pulsars which are a non-standard star type, 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.
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.
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.
Pulsars and Time Domain Astrophysics: The focus of this group is astrophysical signatures that are changing with time - signals which go on and off, often with some kind of regularity. These include Pulsars which are a non-standard star type, 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.
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.
Organisations
Publications
Bhat S
(2023)
Investigation of a Machine learning methodology for the SKA pulsar search pipeline
in Journal of Astrophysics and Astronomy
Shah P
(2025)
It is not s8: constraining the non-linear matter power spectrum with the Dark Energy Survey Year-5 supernova sample
in Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society
Bunker A
(2024)
JADES NIRSpec initial data release for the Hubble Ultra Deep Field Redshifts and line fluxes of distant galaxies from the deepest JWST Cycle 1 NIRSpec multi-object spectroscopy
in Astronomy & Astrophysics
Bunker A
(2023)
JADES NIRSpec Spectroscopy of GN-z11: Lyman- a emission and possible enhanced nitrogen abundance in a z = 10.60 luminous galaxy
in Astronomy & Astrophysics
Saxena A
(2023)
JADES: Discovery of extremely high equivalent width Lyman- a emission from a faint galaxy within an ionized bubble at z = 7.3
in Astronomy & Astrophysics
Cameron A
(2023)
JADES: Probing interstellar medium conditions at z ~ 5.5-9.5 with ultra-deep JWST/NIRSpec spectroscopy
in Astronomy & Astrophysics
Jones G
(2024)
JADES: The emergence and evolution of Ly a emission and constraints on the intergalactic medium neutral fraction
in Astronomy & Astrophysics
Saxena A
(2024)
JADES: The production and escape of ionizing photons from faint Lyman-alpha emitters in the epoch of reionization
in Astronomy & Astrophysics
Shen X
(2024)
JCMT 850 µm Continuum Observations of Density Structures in the G35 Molecular Complex
in The Astrophysical Journal
Hsiao T
(2024)
JWST MIRI Detections of Ha and [O iii] and a Direct Metallicity Measurement of the z = 10.17 Lensed Galaxy MACS0647-JD
in The Astrophysical Journal
Berkheimer J
(2024)
JWST NIRCam Photometry: A Study of Globular Clusters Surrounding Bright Elliptical Galaxy VV 191a at z = 0.0513
in The Astrophysical Journal Letters
Tacchella S
(2023)
JWST NIRCam + NIRSpec: interstellar medium and stellar populations of young galaxies with rising star formation and evolving gas reservoirs
in Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society
Abdurro'uf
(2024)
JWST NIRSpec High-resolution Spectroscopy of MACS0647-JD at z = 10.167: Resolved [O ii] Doublet and Electron Density in an Early Galaxy
in The Astrophysical Journal
Hsiao T
(2024)
JWST NIRSpec Spectroscopy of the Triply Lensed z = 10.17 Galaxy MACS0647-JD
in The Astrophysical Journal
Pierel J
(2024)
JWST Photometric Time-delay and Magnification Measurements for the Triply Imaged Type Ia "SN H0pe" at z = 1.78
in The Astrophysical Journal
Donnan C
(2024)
JWST PRIMER: a new multifield determination of the evolving galaxy UV luminosity function at redshifts z ? 9 - 15
in Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society
Hsiao T
(2023)
JWST Reveals a Possible z ~ 11 Galaxy Merger in Triply Lensed MACS0647-JD
in The Astrophysical Journal Letters
Chen W
(2024)
JWST Spectroscopy of SN H0pe: Classification and Time Delays of a Triply Imaged Type Ia Supernova at z = 1.78
in The Astrophysical Journal
Ma Z
(2024)
JWST View of Four Infant Galaxies at z = 8.31-8.49 in the MACS J0416.1-2403 Field and Implications for Reionization
in The Astrophysical Journal
Diego J
(2023)
JWST's PEARLS: A new lens model for ACT-CL J0102-4915, "El Gordo," and the first red supergiant star at cosmological distances discovered by JWST
in Astronomy & Astrophysics
Keel W
(2023)
JWST's PEARLS: Dust Attenuation and Gravitational Lensing in the Backlit-galaxy System VV 191
in The Astronomical Journal
Ma Z
(2024)
JWST's PEARLS: Improved Flux Calibration for NIRCam
in Publications of the Astronomical Society of the Pacific
Diego J
(2023)
JWST's PEARLS: Mothra, a new kaiju star at z = 2.091 extremely magnified by MACS0416, and implications for dark matter models
in Astronomy & Astrophysics
Polletta M
(2024)
JWST's PEARLS: Resolved study of the stellar and dust components in starburst galaxies at cosmic noon
in Astronomy & Astrophysics
Duncan K
(2023)
JWST's PEARLS: TN J1338-1942 - I. Extreme jet-triggered star formation in a z = 4.11 luminous radio galaxy
in Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society
Yan H
(2023)
JWST's PEARLS: Transients in the MACS J0416.1-2403 Field
in The Astrophysical Journal Supplement Series
Birkin J
(2024)
KAOSS: turbulent, but disc-like kinematics in dust-obscured star-forming galaxies at z ~ 1.3-2.6
in Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society
Killestein T
(2024)
Kilonova Seekers : the GOTO project for real-time citizen science in time-domain astrophysics
in Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society
Dullo B
(2024)
LeMMINGs. Multiwavelength constraints on the co-existence of nuclear star clusters and AGN in nucleated galaxies
in Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society
Dullo B
(2023)
LeMMINGs. VI. Connecting nuclear activity to bulge properties of active and inactive galaxies: radio scaling relations and galaxy environment
in Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society
Kongsathitporn N
(2024)
Leveraging Movement Representation from Contrastive Learning for Asteroid Detection
in Publications of the Astronomical Society of the Pacific
Trussler J
(2025)
Like a candle in the wind: the embers of once aflame, now smouldering galaxies at 5 < z < 8
in Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society
Lower M
(2024)
Linear to circular conversion in the polarized radio emission of a magnetar
in Nature Astronomy
Remazeilles M
(2024)
LiteBIRD science goals and forecasts. Mapping the hot gas in the Universe
in Journal of Cosmology and Astroparticle Physics
Paoletti D
(2024)
LiteBIRD science goals and forecasts: primordial magnetic fields
in Journal of Cosmology and Astroparticle Physics
De Ruiter I
(2023)
Low-frequency radio observations of recurrent nova RS Ophiuchi with MeerKAT and LOFAR
in Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society
Gesicki K
(2024)
Low-velocity streams inside the planetary nebula H2-18 A 3D photoionisation and kinematical reconstruction
in Astronomy & Astrophysics
Smith B
(2024)
Lyman Continuum Emission from Active Galactic Nuclei at 2.3 ? z ? 3.7 in the UVCANDELS Fields
in The Astrophysical Journal
Summers J
(2023)
Magellanic System Stars Identified in SMACS J0723.3-7327 James Webb Space Telescope Early Release Observations Images
in The Astrophysical Journal
Dodge O
(2024)
Mass estimates from optical modelling of the new TRAPUM redback PSR J1910-5320
in Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society
Geyer M
(2023)
Mass measurements and 3D orbital geometry of PSR J1933-6211
in Astronomy & Astrophysics
Kittiwisit P
(2025)
matvis : a matrix-based visibility simulator for fast forward modelling of many-element 21 cm arrays
in RAS Techniques and Instruments
Williams T
(2024)
McFine : python -based Monte Carlo multicomponent hyperfine structure fitting
in Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society
Liu Y
(2024)
Measuring glitch recoveries and braking indices with Bayesian model selection
in Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society
Mennella A
(2024)
Measuring the CMB primordial B-modes with Bolometric Interferometry Status and future prospects of the QUBIC experiment
in EPJ Web of Conferences
Seidu M
(2024)
MeerKAT and ALMA view of the AGAL045.804 - 0.356 clump
in Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society
Motta S
(2023)
MeerKAT caught a Mini Mouse: serendipitous detection of a young radio pulsar escaping its birth site
in Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society