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
Organisations
Publications
Smith M
(2021)
WISDOM project - VI. Exploring the relation between supermassive black hole mass and galaxy rotation with molecular gas
in Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society
Smith M
(2021)
WISDOM project - VII. Molecular gas measurement of the supermassive black hole mass in the elliptical galaxy NGC 7052
in Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society
Smith M
(2021)
WISDOM project - VII. Molecular gas measurement of the supermassive black hole mass in the elliptical galaxy NGC 7052
in Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society
North E
(2021)
WISDOM project - VIII. Multiscale feedback cycles in the brightest cluster galaxy NGC 0708
in Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society
North E
(2021)
WISDOM project - VIII. Multiscale feedback cycles in the brightest cluster galaxy NGC 0708
in Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society
Davis T
(2022)
WISDOM Project - X. The morphology of the molecular ISM in galaxy centres and its dependence on galaxy structure
in Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society
Lu A
(2022)
WISDOM project - XI. Star formation efficiency in the bulge of the AGN-host Galaxy NGC 3169 with SITELLE and ALMA
in Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society
Liu L
(2022)
WISDOM Project - XII. Clump properties and turbulence regulated by clump-clump collisions in the dwarf galaxy NGC 404
in Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society
Liu L
(2022)
WISDOM Project - XII. Clump properties and turbulence regulated by clump-clump collisions in the dwarf galaxy NGC 404
in Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society
Lelli F
(2022)
WISDOM Project - XIII. Feeding molecular gas to the supermassive black hole in the starburst AGN-host galaxy Fairall 49
in Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society
Ruffa I
(2023)
WISDOM project - XIV. SMBH mass in the early-type galaxies NGC 0612, NGC 1574, and NGC 4261 from CO dynamical modelling
in Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society
Zhang H
(2024)
WISDOM Project - XIX. Figures of merit for supermassive black hole mass measurements using molecular gas and/or megamaser kinematics
in Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society
Choi W
(2023)
WISDOM Project - XV. Giant molecular clouds in the central region of the barred spiral galaxy NGC 5806
in Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society
Elford J
(2024)
WISDOM Project - XVI. The link between circumnuclear molecular gas reservoirs and active galactic nucleus fuelling
in Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society
Choi W
(2024)
WISDOM Project - XXI. Giant molecular clouds in the central region of the barred spiral galaxy NGC 613: a steep size-linewidth relation
in Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society
Zhang H
(2025)
WISDOM Project - XXII. A 5 per cent precision CO-dynamical supermassive black hole mass measurement in the galaxy NGC 383
in Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society
Lu A
(2024)
WISDOM project XX. - Strong shear tearing molecular clouds apart in NGC 524
in Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society
Pettitt A
(2019)
Young stars as tracers of a barred-spiral Milky Way
in Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society
Pettitt A
(2019)
Young stars as tracers of a barred-spiral Milky Way
in Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society
| Title | CO in the ALMA Radio-source Catalogue (ARC) |
| Description | VizieR online Data Catalogue associated with article published in journal Astronomy & Astrophysics with title 'CO in the ALMA Radio-source Catalogue (ARC): The molecular gas content of radio galaxies as a function of redshift.' (bibcode: 2022A&A...668A..67A) |
| Type Of Material | Database/Collection of data |
| Year Produced | 2022 |
| Provided To Others? | Yes |
| URL | https://cdsarc.cds.unistra.fr/viz-bin/cat/J/A+A/668/A67 |
| Title | SDC G335.579-0.292 ALMA images and datacubes |
| Description | VizieR online Data Catalogue associated with article published in journal Astronomy & Astrophysics with title 'Continuity of accretion from clumps to Class 0 high-mass protostars in SDC335.' (bibcode: 2021A&A...645A.142A) |
| Type Of Material | Database/Collection of data |
| Year Produced | 2021 |
| Provided To Others? | Yes |
| URL | https://cdsarc.cds.unistra.fr/viz-bin/cat/J/A+A/645/A142 |
| Title | Sunyaev-Zel'dovich galaxy clusters surveyed by ACT |
| Description | VizieR online Data Catalogue associated with article published in journal Astronomical Journal (AAS) with title 'The Atacama Cosmology Telescope: a catalog of >4000 Sunyaev-Zel'dovich galaxy clusters.' (bibcode: 2021ApJS..253....3H) |
| Type Of Material | Database/Collection of data |
| Year Produced | 2021 |
| Provided To Others? | Yes |
| URL | https://cdsarc.cds.unistra.fr/viz-bin/cat/J/ApJS/253/3 |