High Energy Astrophysics at Southampton
Lead Research Organisation:
University of Southampton
Department Name: Sch of Physics and Astronomy
Abstract
On the smallest scales we are interested in why pulsars seem to favour the low neutral hydrogen environments in the SMC. We are also interested in the products of stellar collisions and near misses in the high density environment of globular clusters, and in studying the compact objects (ie black holes, neutron stars, or white dwarfs) in our Galaxy which are strong emitter of optical light from hydgrogen atoms. Some galactic X-ray binary sources, which consist of black hole of similar mass to our sun together with a more normal star have, as well as accretion discs, through which matter spirals onto the black hole, strong jets. We want to understand the relationship between the emission from jets and from the hot X-ray emitting coronae and to find out how the jet might emerge from the corona. In some cases the disappearance of the inner disc is followed by ejection of material along the jet and we shall determine whether such behaviour is typical in Active Galaxies, ie galaxies whose emission is powered material falling onto (ie being accreted) by a massive black hole. In the 20-100 keV band where absorption of photons by cold gas is unimportant, and so we obtain a very clear view, we are surveying the Galactic Plane with INTEGRAL to determine an unbiased census of compact objects. As time goes on, we will extend that survey to the extragalactic sky. We study the X-ray variability of Active Galaxies to determine how they relate to galactic X-ray binaries sources and whether characteristic timescales reflect only mass or another parameter such as accretion rate. We are interested in the binary populations of nearby galaxies and in the so-called `ultra luminous X-ray sources (ULXs)'. ULXs may be the long sought after black holes with masses intermediate between those of galactic binaries and Active Galaxies and so are very important for testing mass-based scaling relationships. We are interested in how the emission in different wavebands (Gamma-ray, X-ray, optical/IR, radio) in binaries and Active Galaxies is related and what is the dependence on mass. We are interested how the jet emission from Active Galaxies heats clusters of galaxies. On the largest scales, we are interested in whether the different faint source populations which we see in the radio, X-ray and IR bands are just different manifestations of the same underlying phenomenon and how massive black hole growth might be related to growth of the galaxy in which the black hole lives. We are also building detailed theoretical models, using computers, to explain the complicated variability which we see in the sky at high energies.
Organisations
Publications
Barlow E
(2006)
20-100 keV properties of cataclysmic variables detected in the INTEGRAL/IBIS survey
in Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society
Chernyakova M
(2007)
2003-2005 INTEGRAL and XMM-Newton observations of 3C 273
in Astronomy & Astrophysics
Coe M
(2006)
A 0535+26: back in business
in Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society
Knigge C
(2009)
A binary origin for 'blue stragglers' in globular clusters.
in Nature
Knigge C
(2006)
A Blue Straggler Binary with Three Progenitors in the Core of a Globular Cluster?
in The Astrophysical Journal
Molina M
(2008)
A broad-band spectral analysis of eight radio-loud type 1 active galactic nuclei selected in the hard X-ray band
in Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society
Hardcastle M
(2007)
A Chandra Study of Particle Acceleration in the Multiple Hot Spots of Nearby Radio Galaxies
in The Astrophysical Journal
Papadakis I
(2008)
A correlation between the spectral and timing properties of AGN
in Astronomy & Astrophysics
Tudose V
(2008)
A decade of radio imaging the relativistic outflow in the peculiar X-ray binary Circinus X-1
in Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society
Moss D
(2007)
A deep Giant Metre-wave Radio Telescope 610-MHz survey of the 1HXMM-Newton/Chandra survey field
in Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society
Paltani S
(2008)
A deep INTEGRAL hard X-ray survey of the 3C 273/Coma region
in Astronomy & Astrophysics
Cornelisse R
(2007)
A detection of the donor star of Aquila X-1 during its 2004 outburst?? A detection of the donor star of Aql X-1?
in Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society
Brocksopp C
(2007)
A highly polarized radio jet during the 1998 outburst of the black hole transient XTE J1748-288
in Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society
Türler M
(2006)
A historic jet-emission minimum reveals hidden spectral features in 3C 273
in Astronomy & Astrophysics
Galache J
(2008)
A Long Look at the Be/X-Ray Binaries of the Small Magellanic Cloud
in The Astrophysical Journal Supplement Series
Miller J
(2006)
A Long, Hard Look at the Low/Hard State in Accreting Black Holes
in The Astrophysical Journal
Wesson R
(2008)
A Planetary Nebula around Nova V458 Vulpeculae Undergoing Flash Ionization
in The Astrophysical Journal
Kraft R
(2007)
A Radio through X-Ray Study of the Hot Spots, Active Nucleus, and Environment of the Nearby FR II Radio Galaxy 3C 33
in The Astrophysical Journal
Evans D
(2008)
A Radio through X-Ray Study of the Jet/Companion-Galaxy Interaction in 3C 321
in The Astrophysical Journal
Gallo E
(2006)
A radio-emitting outflow in the quiescent state of A0620-00: implications for modelling low-luminosity black hole binaries Radio outflow of A0620-00
in Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society
Cornelisse R
(2007)
A signature of the donor star in the extra-galactic X-ray binary LMC X-2
in Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society
Sivakoff G
(2008)
A Transient Black Hole Low-Mass X-Ray Binary Candidate in Centaurus A
in The Astrophysical Journal
Körding E
(2008)
A transient radio jet in an erupting dwarf nova.
in Science (New York, N.Y.)
Fender R
(2006)
A transient relativistic radio jet from Cygnus X-1 Cygnus X-1 transient jet
in Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society
Kording E
(2006)
Accretion states and radio loudness in active galactic nuclei: analogies with X-ray binaries
in Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society
McHardy IM
(2006)
Active galactic nuclei as scaled-up Galactic black holes.
in Nature
Jetha N
(2007)
Active galactic nuclei heating in the centres of galaxy groups: a statistical study
in Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society
Best P
(2006)
AGN-controlled cooling in elliptical galaxies
in Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society: Letters
Fender R
(2009)
An anticorrelation between X-ray luminosity and Ha equivalent width in X-ray binaries
in Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society
Pretorius M
(2008)
An Ha-selected sample of cataclysmic variables - I. Observations of newly discovered systems
in Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society
Pretorius M
(2008)
An Ha-selected sample of cataclysmic variables - II. Implications for CV evolution
in Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society
Croston J
(2006)
An improved deprojection and PSF-deconvolution technique for galaxy-cluster X-ray surface-brightness profiles
in Astronomy & Astrophysics
Coe M
(2008)
An optical and X-ray study of the counterpart to the Small Magellanic Cloud X-ray binary pulsar system SXP327
in Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society
Soria R
(2006)
An ultraluminous X-ray microquasar in NGC 5408?
in Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society
Hill A
(2007)
An unexpected outburst from A0535+262 An unexpected outburst from A0535+262
in Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society
Coe M
(2009)
An X-ray and optical study of the new SMC X-ray binary pulsar system SXP7.92 and its probable optical counterpart, AzV285
in Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society
De Rosa A
(2008)
An X-ray view of absorbed INTEGRAL AGN
in Astronomy & Astrophysics
Croston J
(2008)
An XMM-Newton study of the environments, particle content and impact of low-power radio galaxies
in Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society
Heinz S
(2008)
Blazing Trails: Microquasars as Head-Tail Sources and the Seeding of Magnetized Plasma into the ISM
in The Astrophysical Journal
Dieball A
(2009)
Blue hook stars in globular clusters
in Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society: Letters
Del Santo M
(2009)
Broad-band X-ray spectral evolution of GX 339-4 during a state transition ?
in Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society
Molina M
(2007)
Broad-band X-ray spectrum of the newly discovered broad-line radio galaxy IGR J21247+5058
in Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society
Tomsick J
(2008)
Broadband X-Ray Spectra of GX 339-4 and the Geometry of Accreting Black Holes in the Hard State
in The Astrophysical Journal
De Rosa A
(2008)
Bulk Compton motion in the luminous quasar 4C04.42
in Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society: Letters
Croston J
(2008)
Chandra Evidence for AGN Feedback in the Spiral Galaxy NGC 6764
in The Astrophysical Journal
Servillat M
(2008)
Combined Chandra, XMM-Newton, and Hubble Space Telescope observations of the Galactic globular cluster NGC 2808
in Astronomy & Astrophysics
Maccarone T
(2009)
Constraints on black hole accretion in V Puppis
in Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society
Chatterjee R
(2008)
Correlated Multi-Wave Band Variability in the Blazar 3C 279 from 1996 to 2007
in The Astrophysical Journal
Arévalo P
(2008)
Correlated X-ray/optical variability in the quasar MR 2251-178
in Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society
Arévalo P
(2009)
Correlation and time delays of the X-ray and optical emission of the Seyfert Galaxy NGC 3783
in Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society