Gamma-Ray Bursts: their Nature and use as Cosmological Probes
Lead Research Organisation:
University of Leicester
Department Name: Physics and Astronomy
Abstract
Gamma-ray bursts, usually known as GRBs, were originally discovered in the 1960s by orbiting military satellites, but only in 1997 was the distance to one first measured. To many astronomers' surprise it turned out to be about half way across the observable universe, which meant that GRBs are by far the most luminous objects known to science. This breakthrough was made possible by the detection of the faint, fading remnant of the GRB, a so-called afterglow, in optical light. GRBs themselves are characterised by the intense bursts of high-energy gamma-rays they produce, which only last typically a few seconds or minutes. By contrast, the afterglows, fade away over a period of days and weeks. Optical detection turned out to be critical because it provided a very accurate position for the GRB, and ultimately a spectroscopic redshift, which astronomers can easily translate into a measurement of distance. Since 1997, further research has shown that GRBs are produced when certain rare kinds of star, much more massive than the Sun, collapse at the end of their lives to form black-holes. In the process, by means we still don't understand, jets of material are ejected at velocities very close to the speed of light. These jets are the source of the flashes of gamma-rays we see, and when they crash into the tenuous gas surrounding the star, the afterglow light is produced. My research is aimed at better understanding these astonishing events, and using these ultimate cosmic light-houses to probe distant regions of the universe. The next few years promise to be a very exciting time in the GRB field thanks to the new US/UK/Italian satellite called Swift. This satellite detects around 100 GRBs per year, and rapidly transmits their positions to the ground. My own programs are largely concerned with following up these positions, to find and monitor afterglows, and to search for rare exciting types of GRBs. To do this I use the UK's RoboNet network of 3 large robotic telescopes sited at various locations around the world, along with many other powerful facilities, including the VLT and Gemini 8 m telescopes, the Hubble Space Telescope. A particularly exciting possibility is that with Swift we will discover GRBs at distances greater than any previous galaxy or quasar has been found. Since when we look across the universe we are looking backward in time, such a discovery would open a new window on the very earliest times, shortly after the Big Bang. At these distances galaxies and even quasars are expected to be rare and faint. GRBs by contrast should be bright enough to detect, and providing we can observe them quickly enough, should provide a great deal of information about the regions they occur in, and the state of matter in the universe at that time. My programmes have already contributed to discovering the two most distant GRBs to date, and have followed up one that has been tentatively claimed may be the most distant of them all. Another prime goal is to investigate the nature of so-called 'short duration' bursts. These events are very similar to the standard GRBs, but their gamma-ray flashes are briefer, often much less than a second. Only in the last year have afterglows been found for these bursts, and they seem to be a surpringly diverse population. A favourite idea is that they might be produced when two neutron-stars, extremely dense objects with masses similar to that of the Sun, but sizes only a few miles across, collide and merge with each other releasing enormous reservoirs of energy. However, it is increasingly clear that some GRBs must come from different sources, in particular giant flares from highly magnetic neutron stars in nearby galaxies. Observing GRBs is intensive and time-critical, and requires observers to be available 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. This grant would pay for a dedicated PDRA to share the burden of this effort and ensure the PI is able to effectively coordinate the followup.
Organisations
- University of Leicester (Lead Research Organisation)
- University of California, Berkeley (Collaboration)
- Max Planck Society (Collaboration)
- University of Copenhagen (Collaboration)
- Reykjavík University (Collaboration)
- Liverpool John Moores University (Collaboration)
- University of Hertfordshire (Collaboration)
- Space Telescope Science Institute (Collaboration)
- University of Warwick (Collaboration)
- University of Amsterdam (Collaboration)
- University of Bristol (Collaboration)
People |
ORCID iD |
Nial Tanvir (Principal Investigator) |
Publications
![publication icon](/resources/img/placeholder-60x60.png)
Troja E
(2012)
BROADBAND STUDY OF GRB 091127: A SUB-ENERGETIC BURST AT HIGHER REDSHIFT?
in The Astrophysical Journal
![publication icon](/resources/img/placeholder-60x60.png)
Laskar T
(2013)
GRB 120521C AT z ~ 6 AND THE PROPERTIES OF HIGH-REDSHIFT ?-RAY BURSTS
in The Astrophysical Journal
![publication icon](/resources/img/placeholder-60x60.png)
Gögüs E
(2010)
DISCOVERY OF A NEW SOFT GAMMA REPEATER, SGR J1833-0832
in The Astrophysical Journal
![publication icon](/resources/img/placeholder-60x60.png)
Bufano F
(2012)
THE HIGHLY ENERGETIC EXPANSION OF SN 2010bh ASSOCIATED WITH GRB 100316D
in The Astrophysical Journal
![publication icon](/resources/img/placeholder-60x60.png)
Graham J
(2009)
GRB 070714B-DISCOVERY OF THE HIGHEST SPECTROSCOPICALLY CONFIRMED SHORT BURST REDSHIFT
in The Astrophysical Journal
![publication icon](/resources/img/placeholder-60x60.png)
Cano Z
(2011)
XRF 100316D/SN 2010bh AND THE NATURE OF GAMMA-RAY BURST SUPERNOVAE
in The Astrophysical Journal
![publication icon](/resources/img/placeholder-60x60.png)
Lewis G
(2013)
PAndAS IN THE MIST: THE STELLAR AND GASEOUS MASS WITHIN THE HALOS OF M31 AND M33
in The Astrophysical Journal
![publication icon](/resources/img/placeholder-60x60.png)
Kann D
(2010)
THE AFTERGLOWS OF SWIFT -ERA GAMMA-RAY BURSTS. I. COMPARING PRE- SWIFT AND SWIFT -ERA LONG/SOFT (TYPE II) GRB OPTICAL AFTERGLOWS
in The Astrophysical Journal
![publication icon](/resources/img/placeholder-60x60.png)
Mackey A
(2013)
A PECULIAR FAINT SATELLITE IN THE REMOTE OUTER HALO OF M31
in The Astrophysical Journal
![publication icon](/resources/img/placeholder-60x60.png)
Tanvir N
(2010)
LATE-TIME OBSERVATIONS OF GRB 080319B: JET BREAK, HOST GALAXY, AND ACCOMPANYING SUPERNOVA
in The Astrophysical Journal
![publication icon](/resources/img/placeholder-60x60.png)
Krühler T
(2012)
THE OPTICALLY UNBIASED GRB HOST (TOUGH) SURVEY. V. VLT/X-SHOOTER EMISSION-LINE REDSHIFTS FOR SWIFT GRBs AT z ~ 2
in The Astrophysical Journal
![publication icon](/resources/img/placeholder-60x60.png)
Chen H
(2010)
A MATURE DUSTY STAR-FORMING GALAXY HOSTING GRB 080607 AT z = 3.036
in The Astrophysical Journal
![publication icon](/resources/img/placeholder-60x60.png)
Richardson J
(2011)
PAndAS' PROGENY: EXTENDING THE M31 DWARF GALAXY CABAL
in The Astrophysical Journal
![publication icon](/resources/img/placeholder-60x60.png)
Michalowski M
(2012)
THE OPTICALLY UNBIASED GRB HOST (TOUGH) SURVEY. VI. RADIO OBSERVATIONS AT z ? 1 AND CONSISTENCY WITH TYPICAL STAR-FORMING GALAXIES
in The Astrophysical Journal
![publication icon](/resources/img/placeholder-60x60.png)
Fong W
(2013)
DEMOGRAPHICS OF THE GALAXIES HOSTING SHORT-DURATION GAMMA-RAY BURSTS
in The Astrophysical Journal
![publication icon](/resources/img/placeholder-60x60.png)
Cucchiara A
(2013)
AN INDEPENDENT MEASUREMENT OF THE INCIDENCE OF Mg II ABSORBERS ALONG GAMMA-RAY BURST SIGHT LINES: THE END OF THE MYSTERY?
in The Astrophysical Journal
![publication icon](/resources/img/placeholder-60x60.png)
Collins M
(2013)
A KINEMATIC STUDY OF THE ANDROMEDA DWARF SPHEROIDAL SYSTEM
in The Astrophysical Journal
![publication icon](/resources/img/placeholder-60x60.png)
Bradley Cenko S
(2012)
SWIFT J2058.4+0516: DISCOVERY OF A POSSIBLE SECOND RELATIVISTIC TIDAL DISRUPTION FLARE?
in The Astrophysical Journal
![publication icon](/resources/img/placeholder-60x60.png)
Jakobsson P
(2012)
THE OPTICALLY UNBIASED GRB HOST (TOUGH) SURVEY. III. REDSHIFT DISTRIBUTION
in The Astrophysical Journal
![publication icon](/resources/img/placeholder-60x60.png)
Berger E
(2013)
THE AFTERGLOW AND ULIRG HOST GALAXY OF THE DARK SHORT GRB 120804A
in The Astrophysical Journal
![publication icon](/resources/img/placeholder-60x60.png)
Pandey S
(2010)
GRB 090902B: AFTERGLOW OBSERVATIONS AND IMPLICATIONS
in The Astrophysical Journal
![publication icon](/resources/img/placeholder-60x60.png)
Tanvir N
(2012)
STAR FORMATION IN THE EARLY UNIVERSE: BEYOND THE TIP OF THE ICEBERG
in The Astrophysical Journal
![publication icon](/resources/img/placeholder-60x60.png)
Chen H
(2011)
ERRATUM: "A MATURE DUSTY STAR-FORMING GALAXY HOSTING GRB 080607 AT z = 3.036" (2010, ApJ, 723, L218)
in The Astrophysical Journal
![publication icon](/resources/img/placeholder-60x60.png)
Greiner J
(2009)
GRB 080913 AT REDSHIFT 6.7
in The Astrophysical Journal
![publication icon](/resources/img/placeholder-60x60.png)
Levan A
(2013)
A NEW POPULATION OF ULTRA-LONG DURATION GAMMA-RAY BURSTS
in The Astrophysical Journal
![publication icon](/resources/img/placeholder-60x60.png)
Levan A
(2013)
SUPERLUMINOUS X-RAYS FROM A SUPERLUMINOUS SUPERNOVA
in The Astrophysical Journal
![publication icon](/resources/img/placeholder-60x60.png)
Zafar T
(2011)
EXPLORING DUST EXTINCTION AT THE EDGE OF REIONIZATION
in The Astrophysical Journal
![publication icon](/resources/img/placeholder-60x60.png)
Conn A
(2012)
A BAYESIAN APPROACH TO LOCATING THE RED GIANT BRANCH TIP MAGNITUDE. II. DISTANCES TO THE SATELLITES OF M31
in The Astrophysical Journal
![publication icon](/resources/img/placeholder-60x60.png)
Van Der Horst A
(2009)
OPTICAL CLASSIFICATION OF GAMMA-RAY BURSTS IN THE SWIFT ERA
in The Astrophysical Journal
![publication icon](/resources/img/placeholder-60x60.png)
Perley D
(2009)
GRB 080503: IMPLICATIONS OF A NAKED SHORT GAMMA-RAY BURST DOMINATED BY EXTENDED EMISSION
in The Astrophysical Journal
![publication icon](/resources/img/placeholder-60x60.png)
Conn A
(2013)
THE THREE-DIMENSIONAL STRUCTURE OF THE M31 SATELLITE SYSTEM; STRONG EVIDENCE FOR AN INHOMOGENEOUS DISTRIBUTION OF SATELLITES
in The Astrophysical Journal
![publication icon](/resources/img/placeholder-60x60.png)
Ibata R
(2013)
THE LARGE-SCALE STRUCTURE OF THE HALO OF THE ANDROMEDA GALAXY. I. GLOBAL STELLAR DENSITY, MORPHOLOGY AND METALLICITY PROPERTIES
in The Astrophysical Journal
![publication icon](/resources/img/placeholder-60x60.png)
Fong W
(2011)
THE OPTICAL AFTERGLOW ANDz= 0.92 EARLY-TYPE HOST GALAXY OF THE SHORT GRB 100117A
in The Astrophysical Journal
![publication icon](/resources/img/placeholder-60x60.png)
Cucchiara A
(2011)
A PHOTOMETRIC REDSHIFT OF z ~ 9.4 FOR GRB 090429B
in The Astrophysical Journal
![publication icon](/resources/img/placeholder-60x60.png)
Virgili F
(2013)
GRB 091024A AND THE NATURE OF ULTRA-LONG GAMMA-RAY BURSTS
in The Astrophysical Journal
![publication icon](/resources/img/placeholder-60x60.png)
Jin Z
(2013)
GRB 081007 AND GRB 090424: THE SURROUNDING MEDIUM, OUTFLOWS, AND SUPERNOVAE
in The Astrophysical Journal
![publication icon](/resources/img/placeholder-60x60.png)
Veljanoski J
(2013)
KINEMATICS OF OUTER HALO GLOBULAR CLUSTERS IN M31
in The Astrophysical Journal
![publication icon](/resources/img/placeholder-60x60.png)
Collins M
(2014)
THE MASSES OF LOCAL GROUP DWARF SPHEROIDAL GALAXIES: THE DEATH OF THE UNIVERSAL MASS PROFILE
in The Astrophysical Journal
![publication icon](/resources/img/placeholder-60x60.png)
Perley D
(2013)
A POPULATION OF MASSIVE, LUMINOUS GALAXIES HOSTING HEAVILY DUST-OBSCURED GAMMA-RAY BURSTS: IMPLICATIONS FOR THE USE OF GRBs AS TRACERS OF COSMIC STAR FORMATION
in The Astrophysical Journal
![publication icon](/resources/img/placeholder-60x60.png)
Sparre M
(2011)
SPECTROSCOPIC EVIDENCE FOR SN 2010ma ASSOCIATED WITH GRB 101219B
in The Astrophysical Journal
![publication icon](/resources/img/placeholder-60x60.png)
Fynbo J
(2010)
ERRATUM: "LOW-RESOLUTION SPECTROSCOPY OF GAMMA-RAY BURST OPTICAL AFTERGLOWS: BIASES IN THE SWIFT SAMPLE AND CHARACTERIZATION OF THE ABSORBERS" (2009, ApJS, 185, 526)
in The Astrophysical Journal Supplement Series
![publication icon](/resources/img/placeholder-60x60.png)
Fynbo J
(2009)
LOW-RESOLUTION SPECTROSCOPY OF GAMMA-RAY BURST OPTICAL AFTERGLOWS: BIASES IN THE SWIFT SAMPLE AND CHARACTERIZATION OF THE ABSORBERS
in The Astrophysical Journal Supplement Series
![publication icon](/resources/img/placeholder-60x60.png)
{Jakobsson}, P. And {Hjorth}, J. And {Malesani}, D. And {Fynbo}, J.~P.~U. And {Kr{\"u}hler}, T. And {Milvang-Jensen}, B. And {Tanvir}, N.~R.
(2012)
The Optically Unbiased GRB Host (TOUGH) Survey
Description | Iceland Research Excellence Grant |
Amount | £2,000 (GBP) |
Organisation | Icelandic Centre for Research |
Sector | Public |
Country | Iceland |
Start | 04/2008 |
End | 04/2011 |
Description | Partnership in Science grant |
Amount | £2,830 (GBP) |
Organisation | British Council |
Department | British Council and Platform Beta Techniek |
Sector | Charity/Non Profit |
Country | United Kingdom |
Start | 08/2009 |
End | 09/2009 |
Description | STFC studentship |
Amount | £51,010 (GBP) |
Organisation | Science and Technologies Facilities Council (STFC) |
Sector | Public |
Country | United Kingdom |
Start | 10/2007 |
End | 09/2010 |
Description | GRB follow-up collaborations |
Organisation | Liverpool John Moores University |
Department | Astrophysics Research Institute |
Country | United Kingdom |
Sector | Academic/University |
PI Contribution | My team has played a leading role in the world-wide GRB follow-up activity, which has been greatly enhanced by collaboration with these many groups. The mutual benefits are access to facilities which one wouldn't otherwise have direct access to, sharing workload during time-critical follow-up periods, scientific cross-fertilisation of ideas. |
Collaborator Contribution | We have collaborated with Prof Bremer's group in Bristol on studies of galaxies at very high redshifts, as selected by gamma-ray bursts. |
Impact | The outputs are largely the scientific papers already listed. In addition, a number of our results have generated media interest. We have supported (in the sense of helping organise, attending and speaking at etc.) meetings amongst the collaborators. These collaborations have also been vital to the work of PhD students at Leicester under my supervision. |
Description | GRB follow-up collaborations |
Organisation | Max Planck Society |
Department | Max Planck Institute For Extraterrestrial Physics (MPE) |
Country | Germany |
Sector | Academic/University |
PI Contribution | My team has played a leading role in the world-wide GRB follow-up activity, which has been greatly enhanced by collaboration with these many groups. The mutual benefits are access to facilities which one wouldn't otherwise have direct access to, sharing workload during time-critical follow-up periods, scientific cross-fertilisation of ideas. |
Collaborator Contribution | We have collaborated with Prof Bremer's group in Bristol on studies of galaxies at very high redshifts, as selected by gamma-ray bursts. |
Impact | The outputs are largely the scientific papers already listed. In addition, a number of our results have generated media interest. We have supported (in the sense of helping organise, attending and speaking at etc.) meetings amongst the collaborators. These collaborations have also been vital to the work of PhD students at Leicester under my supervision. |
Description | GRB follow-up collaborations |
Organisation | Reykjavík University |
Department | Department of Physics |
Country | Iceland |
Sector | Academic/University |
PI Contribution | My team has played a leading role in the world-wide GRB follow-up activity, which has been greatly enhanced by collaboration with these many groups. The mutual benefits are access to facilities which one wouldn't otherwise have direct access to, sharing workload during time-critical follow-up periods, scientific cross-fertilisation of ideas. |
Collaborator Contribution | We have collaborated with Prof Bremer's group in Bristol on studies of galaxies at very high redshifts, as selected by gamma-ray bursts. |
Impact | The outputs are largely the scientific papers already listed. In addition, a number of our results have generated media interest. We have supported (in the sense of helping organise, attending and speaking at etc.) meetings amongst the collaborators. These collaborations have also been vital to the work of PhD students at Leicester under my supervision. |
Description | GRB follow-up collaborations |
Organisation | Space Telescope Science Institute |
Country | United States |
Sector | Academic/University |
PI Contribution | My team has played a leading role in the world-wide GRB follow-up activity, which has been greatly enhanced by collaboration with these many groups. The mutual benefits are access to facilities which one wouldn't otherwise have direct access to, sharing workload during time-critical follow-up periods, scientific cross-fertilisation of ideas. |
Collaborator Contribution | We have collaborated with Prof Bremer's group in Bristol on studies of galaxies at very high redshifts, as selected by gamma-ray bursts. |
Impact | The outputs are largely the scientific papers already listed. In addition, a number of our results have generated media interest. We have supported (in the sense of helping organise, attending and speaking at etc.) meetings amongst the collaborators. These collaborations have also been vital to the work of PhD students at Leicester under my supervision. |
Description | GRB follow-up collaborations |
Organisation | University of Amsterdam |
Department | Department of Astrophysics |
Country | Netherlands |
Sector | Academic/University |
PI Contribution | My team has played a leading role in the world-wide GRB follow-up activity, which has been greatly enhanced by collaboration with these many groups. The mutual benefits are access to facilities which one wouldn't otherwise have direct access to, sharing workload during time-critical follow-up periods, scientific cross-fertilisation of ideas. |
Collaborator Contribution | We have collaborated with Prof Bremer's group in Bristol on studies of galaxies at very high redshifts, as selected by gamma-ray bursts. |
Impact | The outputs are largely the scientific papers already listed. In addition, a number of our results have generated media interest. We have supported (in the sense of helping organise, attending and speaking at etc.) meetings amongst the collaborators. These collaborations have also been vital to the work of PhD students at Leicester under my supervision. |
Description | GRB follow-up collaborations |
Organisation | University of Bristol |
Department | School of Physics |
Country | United Kingdom |
Sector | Academic/University |
PI Contribution | My team has played a leading role in the world-wide GRB follow-up activity, which has been greatly enhanced by collaboration with these many groups. The mutual benefits are access to facilities which one wouldn't otherwise have direct access to, sharing workload during time-critical follow-up periods, scientific cross-fertilisation of ideas. |
Collaborator Contribution | We have collaborated with Prof Bremer's group in Bristol on studies of galaxies at very high redshifts, as selected by gamma-ray bursts. |
Impact | The outputs are largely the scientific papers already listed. In addition, a number of our results have generated media interest. We have supported (in the sense of helping organise, attending and speaking at etc.) meetings amongst the collaborators. These collaborations have also been vital to the work of PhD students at Leicester under my supervision. |
Description | GRB follow-up collaborations |
Organisation | University of California, Berkeley |
Department | Department of Astronomy |
Country | United States |
Sector | Academic/University |
PI Contribution | My team has played a leading role in the world-wide GRB follow-up activity, which has been greatly enhanced by collaboration with these many groups. The mutual benefits are access to facilities which one wouldn't otherwise have direct access to, sharing workload during time-critical follow-up periods, scientific cross-fertilisation of ideas. |
Collaborator Contribution | We have collaborated with Prof Bremer's group in Bristol on studies of galaxies at very high redshifts, as selected by gamma-ray bursts. |
Impact | The outputs are largely the scientific papers already listed. In addition, a number of our results have generated media interest. We have supported (in the sense of helping organise, attending and speaking at etc.) meetings amongst the collaborators. These collaborations have also been vital to the work of PhD students at Leicester under my supervision. |
Description | GRB follow-up collaborations |
Organisation | University of Copenhagen |
Department | Dark Cosmology Centre |
Country | Denmark |
Sector | Academic/University |
PI Contribution | My team has played a leading role in the world-wide GRB follow-up activity, which has been greatly enhanced by collaboration with these many groups. The mutual benefits are access to facilities which one wouldn't otherwise have direct access to, sharing workload during time-critical follow-up periods, scientific cross-fertilisation of ideas. |
Collaborator Contribution | We have collaborated with Prof Bremer's group in Bristol on studies of galaxies at very high redshifts, as selected by gamma-ray bursts. |
Impact | The outputs are largely the scientific papers already listed. In addition, a number of our results have generated media interest. We have supported (in the sense of helping organise, attending and speaking at etc.) meetings amongst the collaborators. These collaborations have also been vital to the work of PhD students at Leicester under my supervision. |
Description | GRB follow-up collaborations |
Organisation | University of Hertfordshire |
Department | School of Physics and Astronomy |
Country | United Kingdom |
Sector | Academic/University |
PI Contribution | My team has played a leading role in the world-wide GRB follow-up activity, which has been greatly enhanced by collaboration with these many groups. The mutual benefits are access to facilities which one wouldn't otherwise have direct access to, sharing workload during time-critical follow-up periods, scientific cross-fertilisation of ideas. |
Collaborator Contribution | We have collaborated with Prof Bremer's group in Bristol on studies of galaxies at very high redshifts, as selected by gamma-ray bursts. |
Impact | The outputs are largely the scientific papers already listed. In addition, a number of our results have generated media interest. We have supported (in the sense of helping organise, attending and speaking at etc.) meetings amongst the collaborators. These collaborations have also been vital to the work of PhD students at Leicester under my supervision. |
Description | GRB follow-up collaborations |
Organisation | University of Warwick |
Department | Department of Physics |
Country | United Kingdom |
Sector | Academic/University |
PI Contribution | My team has played a leading role in the world-wide GRB follow-up activity, which has been greatly enhanced by collaboration with these many groups. The mutual benefits are access to facilities which one wouldn't otherwise have direct access to, sharing workload during time-critical follow-up periods, scientific cross-fertilisation of ideas. |
Collaborator Contribution | We have collaborated with Prof Bremer's group in Bristol on studies of galaxies at very high redshifts, as selected by gamma-ray bursts. |
Impact | The outputs are largely the scientific papers already listed. In addition, a number of our results have generated media interest. We have supported (in the sense of helping organise, attending and speaking at etc.) meetings amongst the collaborators. These collaborations have also been vital to the work of PhD students at Leicester under my supervision. |
Description | Astronomical Society, Cambridge |
Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an open day or visit at my research institution |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Primary Audience | Public/other audiences |
Results and Impact | Talk and power-point show on the high redshift universe, which generated much interest. Much discussion with participants. |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2008 |
Description | Astronomical Society, Derby |
Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an open day or visit at my research institution |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Primary Audience | Public/other audiences |
Results and Impact | Talk entitled the biggest bangs in the universe, which generated much discussion. Lengthy Q&A session |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2009 |
Description | Astronomical Society, Leicester |
Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an open day or visit at my research institution |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Primary Audience | Public/other audiences |
Results and Impact | Talk by grant-funded post-doc on his research. Very interactive audience. Much discussion after talk. |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2009 |
Description | Astronomical Society, Letchworth |
Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an open day or visit at my research institution |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Primary Audience | Public/other audiences |
Results and Impact | Discussed record-breaking gamma-ray burst 090423, which generated much interest/discussion. Usual Q&A session |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2009 |
Description | Astronomical Society, Letchworth |
Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an open day or visit at my research institution |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Primary Audience | Public/other audiences |
Results and Impact | Talk on gamma-ray bursts Length Q&A session |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2008 |
Description | GRB 080319B |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A press release, press conference or response to a media enquiry/interview |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Primary Audience | Public/other audiences |
Results and Impact | We put out a press release about our contribution to the discovery and study of the brightest light source ever seen in the Universe (GRB080319B). This appeared on many news web sites around the world. Lots of discussion on-line. |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2008 |
Description | GRB 090423 |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A press release, press conference or response to a media enquiry/interview |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Primary Audience | Public/other audiences |
Results and Impact | The press-releases on our work were picked up by media world-wide. I gave many interviews to radio stations (including radio 4 and radio 5 in UK), web-site maintainers, newspaper and magazine journalists etc. A great deal of on-line discussion about our work. As noted above, story picked up by many media, so I can't give a full response from the drop-down menu in question 5.9 |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2009 |
Description | Heart of England Astronomical Society |
Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an open day or visit at my research institution |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Primary Audience | Public/other audiences |
Results and Impact | Talked on record-breaking gamma-ray burst 090423, which generated much interest. Lengthy Q&A session |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2009 |
Description | Inaugural lecture |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Primary Audience | Public/other audiences |
Results and Impact | Talk given to members of the public, which was well received. Lots of post-talk discussions and questions |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2008 |
Description | Manchester Instititute of Physics |
Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an open day or visit at my research institution |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Primary Audience | Public/other audiences |
Results and Impact | Talk and power-point show on results from the Hubble Space Telescope, with an emphasis on work in which I had been involved. This generated much interest and audience participation. Lengthy Q&A session with audience following talk |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2007 |
Description | Photographic exhibition |
Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an open day or visit at my research institution |
Part Of Official Scheme? | Yes |
Primary Audience | Public/other audiences |
Results and Impact | I was one of the astronomers selected for portrait and highlighting their work, as part of a photographic exhibition funded by STFC and RAS as part of the international year of astronomy. Exhibition toured the country and was on web. For example, see website http://www.maxalexander.com/astronomy/ |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2009 |
Description | School visit to department |
Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an open day or visit at my research institution |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Primary Audience | Schools |
Results and Impact | Gave a talk on science research, and careers in science. Pupils particularly interested in what degree courses would be most useful if they wanted to follow a career in research. School sent note of thanks for talk. |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2009 |