Astrophysics Research at Liverpool John Moores University
Lead Research Organisation:
Liverpool John Moores University
Department Name: Astrophysics Research Institute
Abstract
We propose to carry out a programme of research tackling cutting-edge astrophysical problems on a wide range of scales. Our work, which addresses several of PPARC's key scientific priorities, will be conducted under two main and interlinked themes: (i) Tme Domain Astrophysics (ii) Galaxies and Active Galactic Nuclei. In particular we wish to explore: the origin and wider importance of Gamma Ray Bursts, the most powerful explosions in the Universe; the fundamental properties of novae from observations of their explosions in our own and other galaxies; the structure of the Milky Way through microlensing studies; the environmental factors that influence galaxy evolution, and the part played in the development of galaxies by supermassive black holes. Our research uses the most advanced ground-based telescopes, space-borne satellites and data analysis tecniques to carry out observations from gamma rays to radio wavelengths and ARI staff are leading players in many of the new generation surveys. A significant fraction of our work involves time-domain studies, now made possible through our own robotic Liverpool Telescope project and our lead in developing global robotic telescope networks such as RoboNet. These projects are technically demanding and are supported at ARI by the latest developments in scheduling and robotic control software through e-Science programmes. The structure and organisation of the ARI is designed to deliver internationally excellent research, with efficient teaching programmes. Staff benefit from a continual programme of investment in research infrastructure and the ARI is a major international player in developing and exploiting outreach opportunities. The Institute in turn enjoys excellent support from the University which has enabled, for example, the recent appointment of several new staff to strenghten further our research work.
Publications
Ouchi M
(2010)
STATISTICS OF 207 Lya EMITTERS AT A REDSHIFT NEAR 7: CONSTRAINTS ON REIONIZATION AND GALAXY FORMATION MODELS
in The Astrophysical Journal
Wesson R
(2008)
A Planetary Nebula around Nova V458 Vulpeculae Undergoing Flash Ionization
in The Astrophysical Journal
Fathi K
(2011)
AN Ha NUCLEAR SPIRAL STRUCTURE IN THE E0 ACTIVE GALAXY Arp 102B
in The Astrophysical Journal
Bachelet E
(2012)
MOA 2010-BLG-477Lb: CONSTRAINING THE MASS OF A MICROLENSING PLANET FROM MICROLENSING PARALLAX, ORBITAL MOTION, AND DETECTION OF BLENDED LIGHT
in The Astrophysical Journal
Shafter A
(2011)
A SPECTROSCOPIC AND PHOTOMETRIC SURVEY OF NOVAE IN M31
in The Astrophysical Journal
Percival S
(2009)
A LARGE STELLAR EVOLUTION DATABASE FOR POPULATION SYNTHESIS STUDIES. IV. INTEGRATED PROPERTIES AND SPECTRA
in The Astrophysical Journal
Shafter A
(2012)
ON THE SPECTROSCOPIC CLASSES OF NOVAE IN M33
in The Astrophysical Journal
Musella I
(2012)
STELLAR ARCHEOLOGY IN THE GALACTIC HALO WITH ULTRA-FAINT DWARFS. VII. HERCULES
in The Astrophysical Journal
Davies B
(2017)
Red Supergiants as Cosmic Abundance Probes: Massive Star Clusters in M83 and the Mass-Metallicity Relation of Nearby Galaxies
in The Astrophysical Journal
Furusawa J
(2011)
THE MASS-DEPENDENT CLUSTERING HISTORY OF K -SELECTED GALAXIES AT z < 4 IN THE SXDS/UDS FIELD
in The Astrophysical Journal
Camero-Arranz A
(2012)
X-RAY AND OPTICAL OBSERVATIONS OF A 0535+26
in The Astrophysical Journal
Gibson N
(2009)
A TRANSIT TIMING ANALYSIS OF NINE RISE LIGHT CURVES OF THE EXOPLANET SYSTEM TrES-3
in The Astrophysical Journal
Harrison C
(2012)
THE XMM CLUSTER SURVEY: THE STELLAR MASS ASSEMBLY OF FOSSIL GALAXIES
in The Astrophysical Journal
Malesani D
(2009)
EARLY SPECTROSCOPIC IDENTIFICATION OF SN 2008D
in The Astrophysical Journal
Heng K
(2008)
A Direct Measurement of the Dust Extinction Curve in an Intermediate-Redshift Galaxy
in The Astrophysical Journal
Bennett D
(2010)
MASSES AND ORBITAL CONSTRAINTS FOR THE OGLE-2006-BLG-109Lb,c JUPITER/SATURN ANALOG PLANETARY SYSTEM
in The Astrophysical Journal
Marinova I
(2012)
THE HST /ACS COMA CLUSTER SURVEY. VIII. BARRED DISK GALAXIES IN THE CORE OF THE COMA CLUSTER
in The Astrophysical Journal
Ryu Y
(2010)
OGLE-2009-BLG-092/MOA-2009-BLG-137: A DRAMATIC REPEATING EVENT WITH THE SECOND PERTURBATION PREDICTED BY REAL-TIME ANALYSIS
in The Astrophysical Journal
Mundell C
(2009)
RADIO VARIABILITY IN SEYFERT NUCLEI
in The Astrophysical Journal
Gould A
(2010)
FREQUENCY OF SOLAR-LIKE SYSTEMS AND OF ICE AND GAS GIANTS BEYOND THE SNOW LINE FROM HIGH-MAGNIFICATION MICROLENSING EVENTS IN 2005-2008
in The Astrophysical Journal
Hounsell R
(2010)
EXQUISITE NOVA LIGHT CURVES FROM THE SOLAR MASS EJECTION IMAGER (SMEI)
in The Astrophysical Journal
Ginsburg A
(2018)
Distributed Star Formation throughout the Galactic Center Cloud Sgr B2
in The Astrophysical Journal
Krieger N
(2017)
The Survey of Water and Ammonia in the Galactic Center (SWAG): Molecular Cloud Evolution in the Central Molecular Zone
in The Astrophysical Journal
Afonso J
(2011)
ULTRA STEEP SPECTRUM RADIO SOURCES IN THE LOCKMAN HOLE: SERVS IDENTIFICATIONS AND REDSHIFT DISTRIBUTION AT THE FAINTEST RADIO FLUXES
in The Astrophysical Journal
Lin Y
(2017)
Cloud Structure of Three Galactic Infrared Dark Star-forming Regions from Combining Ground- and Space-based Bolometric Observations
in The Astrophysical Journal
Coelho P
(2011)
CHEMICAL ABUNDANCE ANTICORRELATIONS IN GLOBULAR CLUSTER STARS: THE EFFECT ON CLUSTER INTEGRATED SPECTRA
in The Astrophysical Journal
Dumas G
(2010)
COLD MOLECULAR GAS IN THE INNER TWO KILOPARSECS OF NGC 4151
in The Astrophysical Journal
Darnley M
(2017)
No Neon, but Jets in the Remarkable Recurrent Nova M31N 2008-12a?-Hubble Space Telescope Spectroscopy of the 2015 Eruption
in The Astrophysical Journal
Wang J
(2011)
A DEEP CHANDRA ACIS STUDY OF NGC 4151. III. THE LINE EMISSION AND SPECTRAL ANALYSIS OF THE IONIZATION CONE
in The Astrophysical Journal
Stott J
(2010)
THE XMM CLUSTER SURVEY: THE BUILD-UP OF STELLAR MASS IN BRIGHTEST CLUSTER GALAXIES AT HIGH REDSHIFT
in The Astrophysical Journal
Abramowski A
(2012)
THE 2010 VERY HIGH ENERGY ?-RAY FLARE AND 10 YEARS OF MULTI-WAVELENGTH OBSERVATIONS OF M 87
in The Astrophysical Journal
Bode M
(2009)
OPTICAL AND X-RAY OBSERVATIONS OF M31N 2007-12b: AN EXTRAGALACTIC RECURRENT NOVA WITH A DETECTED PROGENITOR?
in The Astrophysical Journal
Pandey S
(2010)
GRB 090902B: AFTERGLOW OBSERVATIONS AND IMPLICATIONS
in The Astrophysical Journal
Cano Z
(2011)
XRF 100316D/SN 2010bh AND THE NATURE OF GAMMA-RAY BURST SUPERNOVAE
in The Astrophysical Journal
Drake J
(2009)
X-RAY SPECTROSCOPIC DIAGNOSIS OF A WIND-COLLIMATED BLAST WAVE AND METAL-RICH EJECTA FROM THE 2006 EXPLOSION OF RS OPHIUCHI
in The Astrophysical Journal
Westoby P
(2012)
A MAGELLAN-IMACS-IFU SEARCH FOR DYNAMICAL DRIVERS OF NUCLEAR ACTIVITY. I. REDUCTION PIPELINE AND GALAXY CATALOG
in The Astrophysical Journal Supplement Series
Hammer D
(2010)
THE HST /ACS COMA CLUSTER SURVEY. II. DATA DESCRIPTION AND SOURCE CATALOGS
in The Astrophysical Journal Supplement Series
Purcell C
(2013)
THE COORDINATED RADIO AND INFRARED SURVEY FOR HIGH-MASS STAR FORMATION. II. SOURCE CATALOG
in The Astrophysical Journal Supplement Series
Schwarz G
(2011)
SWIFT X-RAY OBSERVATIONS OF CLASSICAL NOVAE. II. THE SUPER SOFT SOURCE SAMPLE
in The Astrophysical Journal Supplement Series
Windhorst R
(2011)
THE HUBBLE SPACE TELESCOPE WIDE FIELD CAMERA 3 EARLY RELEASE SCIENCE DATA: PANCHROMATIC FAINT OBJECT COUNTS FOR 0.2-2 µm WAVELENGTH
in The Astrophysical Journal Supplement Series
MAGIC Collaboration MAGIC
(2018)
VizieR Online Data Catalog: S5 0716+714 multi-wavelength curves (MAGIC Collaboration+, 2018)
in VizieR Online Data Catalog
Steele I. A.
(2018)
VizieR Online Data Catalog: Polarimetry & photometry of GRB with RINGO2 (Steele+, 2017)
in VizieR Online Data Catalog
Collaboration G
(2018)
VizieR Online Data Catalog: Gaia DR2 sources in GC and dSph (Gaia Collaboration+, 2018)
in VizieR Online Data Catalog
Mehrtens N.
(2018)
VizieR Online Data Catalog: BOSS galaxies in X-ray clusters (Mehrtens+, 2016)
in VizieR Online Data Catalog
Collaboration G
(2018)
VizieR Online Data Catalog: 46 open clusters GaiaDR2 HR diagrams (Gaia Collaboration, 2018)
in VizieR Online Data Catalog
Lam M
(2018)
A bottom-up and top-down approach to cloud detection
Title | Robotic Control Software |
Description | software developed to run the liverpool telescope in an autonomous fashion was licensed under GPL and released to Las Cumbres Observatory in return for 1200 hours guarenteed time on their telesopes. |
IP Reference | |
Protection | Copyrighted (e.g. software) |
Year Protection Granted | 2007 |
Licensed | Yes |
Impact | The robotic software is of course key to the whole operation of the telescope- without it the majority of the scientific papers produced would not have been possible. |
Description | Input to Parliamentary Inquiry |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A formal working group, expert panel or dialogue |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Type Of Presentation | Keynote/Invited Speaker |
Geographic Reach | National |
Primary Audience | Policymakers/politicians |
Results and Impact | Provision of evidence and acting as expert witness for House of Commons S&T Committee Inquiry into astronomy and particle physics. Recommendations in final report supporting the Liverpool Telescope and National Schools' Observatory. |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2011 |
Description | National Schools Observatory |
Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | International |
Primary Audience | Schools |
Results and Impact | Enhanced interest and uptake of STEM subjects Increasing schools registration on NSO - more than 4000 currently |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | Pre-2006,2006,2007,2008,2009,2010,2011,2012,2013,2014 |
URL | http://www.schoolsobservatory.org.uk/ |
Description | National Schools' Observatory in FE Colleges |
Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Type Of Presentation | Workshop Facilitator |
Geographic Reach | National |
Primary Audience | Schools |
Results and Impact | 500 FE College lecturers and their students engaged with astronomical research using the Liverpool Telescope and resources of the NSO website. Over all NSO activity (Primary, Secondary, FE) over the period: 30,000 observing requests were delivered and just under 3,000,000 educational webpages viewed. This is in addition to the engagement activity entered into eVal for the previous period. www.schoolsobservatory.org.uk |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2011,2012,2013 |
Description | National Schools' Observatory in Primary Schools |
Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Type Of Presentation | Workshop Facilitator |
Geographic Reach | National |
Primary Audience | Schools |
Results and Impact | 1000 Primary school teachers and their pupils engaged with astronomical research using the Liverpool Telescope and resources of the NSO website. Over all NSO activity (Primary, Secondary, FE) over the period: 30,000 observing requests were delivered and just under 3,000,000 educational webpages viewed. This is in addition to the engagement activity entered into eVal for the previous period. www.schoolsobservatory.org.uk |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2011,2012,2013 |
Description | National Schools' Observatory in Secondary Schools |
Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Type Of Presentation | Workshop Facilitator |
Geographic Reach | National |
Primary Audience | Schools |
Results and Impact | 2500 Secondary school teachers and their pupils engaged with astronomical research using the Liverpool Telescope and resources of the NSO website. Over all NSO activity (Primary, Secondary, FE) over the period: 30,000 observing requests were delivered and just under 3,000,000 educational webpages viewed. This is in addition to the engagement activity entered into eVal for the previous period www.schoolsobservatory.org.uk |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2011,2012,2013 |
Description | Press coverage relating to the Liverpool Telescope |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A press release, press conference or response to a media enquiry/interview |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Type Of Presentation | Paper Presentation |
Geographic Reach | National |
Primary Audience | Media (as a channel to the public) |
Results and Impact | 12+ significant stories covered by the media through press releases related to the Liverpool Telescope. This is in addition to the outputs reported for the previous period through eVal. |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2011,2012,2013 |
Description | School and Public Talks |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Type Of Presentation | Keynote/Invited Speaker |
Geographic Reach | National |
Primary Audience | Public/other audiences |
Results and Impact | 50+ public talks and 200+ schools talks based around science from the Liverpool Telescope. This is in addition to data entered through eVal for the previous period. |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2011,2012,2013 |
Description | TV and radio coverage |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A press release, press conference or response to a media enquiry/interview |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Type Of Presentation | Keynote/Invited Speaker |
Geographic Reach | International |
Primary Audience | Public/other audiences |
Results and Impact | Contributions to TV and radio broadcasts featuring LIverpool Telescope science. Total 20+ in this reporting period. This is in addition to the outputs reported for the previous period through eVal. |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2011,2012,2013 |