Extragalactic Astronomy at Durham 2008-2013

Lead Research Organisation: Durham University
Department Name: Physics

Abstract

Over recent years observational astronomers at Durham have been at the forefront of many major advances in the study of galaxies and cosmology. We have a publication and citation record which we believe speaks for itself (see proposal introduction). Durham astronomers currently lead major international projects that exploit many of the the world's foremost ground and space observatories. We will capitalize on our proven track record in AGN studies, precision spectrophotometric analysis of stellar populations in nearby galaxies, multiwavelength studies of galaxy populations at high redshift and panoramic QSO and galaxy surveys, to answer open questions which lie at the core of modern astrophysics. In this proposal we present the case for support of a coherent and comprehensive programme that builds on our strengths and seizes new opportunities. Our programme addresses key questions in the STFC Roadmap, such as ``What are the laws of physics in extreme conditions?'', ``How do galaxies, stars and planets form and evolve?'' and ``What is the Universe made of and how does it evolve?''. This proposal is constructed around the four core themes of our research: Theme A: AGN: outflows from black holes their growth and environment Theme B: Galaxy evolution and archaeology and closely related to this; Theme C: feedback and the formation of galaxies Theme D: Survey cosmology, using galaxies and clusters as probes of large scale structure and evolution There is a well established deep rooted synergy between our work and the research of the ICC group, and the instrumentation group (CfAI).

Publications

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Alexander D (2008) The X-ray-infrared/submillimetre connection and the legacy era of cosmology in Astronomische Nachrichten

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Tacconi L. J. (2008) Submillimeter galaxies at z similar to 2: Evidence for major mergers and constraints on lifetimes, IMF, and CO-H-2 conversion factor in ASTROPHYSICAL JOURNAL

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Aharonian F (2008) Observations of the Sagittarius dwarf galaxy by the HESS experiment and search for a dark matter signal in Astroparticle Physics

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Alexander D. M. (2008) RELIABLE IDENTIFICATION OF COMPTON-THICK QUASARS AT z approximate to 2: SPITZER MID-INFRARED SPECTROSCOPY OF HDF-oMD49 in ASTROPHYSICAL JOURNAL

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Aharonian F (2008) Energy spectrum of cosmic-ray electrons at TeV energies. in Physical review letters

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Quillen Alice C. (2008) An infrared survey of brightest cluster galaxies. I in ASTROPHYSICAL JOURNAL SUPPLEMENT SERIES

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Smith R (2008) A large population of recently quenched red-sequence dwarf galaxies in the outskirts of the Coma cluster in Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society: Letters

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Younger J (2008) Clarifying the nature of the brightest submillimetre sources: interferometric imaging of LH 850.02 in Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society

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Lee Induk (2008) Seoul National University Bright Quasar Survey in Optical (SNUQSO). I. First phase observations and results in ASTROPHYSICAL JOURNAL SUPPLEMENT SERIES

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Stark DP (2008) The formation and assembly of a typical star-forming galaxy at redshift z approximately 3. in Nature

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Lira P (2008) An infrared study of the double nucleus in NGC 3256 in Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society

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Middelberg E (2008) DEEP AUSTRALIA TELESCOPE LARGE AREA SURVEY RADIO OBSERVATIONS OF THE EUROPEAN LARGE AREA ISO SURVEY S1/ SPITZER WIDE-AREA INFRARED EXTRAGALCTIC FIELD in The Astronomical Journal

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Rawle T (2008) Stellar population gradients in early-type cluster galaxies with VIMOS IFU? Stellar population gradients in Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society

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Alonso-Herrero Almudena (2008) The host galaxies and black holes of typical z similar to 0.5-1.4 AGNs in ASTROPHYSICAL JOURNAL

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Aharonian F (2008) Chandra and HESS observations of the supernova remnant CTB 37B in Astronomy & Astrophysics

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Wilman D. J. (2008) Unveiling the important role of groups in the evolution of massive galaxies: Insights from an infrared passive sequence at intermediate redshift in ASTROPHYSICAL JOURNAL

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Aharonian F (2008) Discovery of very high energy gamma-ray emission coincident with molecular clouds in the W 28 (G6.4-0.1) field in Astronomy & Astrophysics

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Stott J (2008) Near-infrared evolution of brightest cluster galaxies in the most X-ray luminous clusters since z = 1 in Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society

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Gilbert Holly R. (2008) The filament-moreton wave interaction of 2006 December 6 in ASTROPHYSICAL JOURNAL

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Rauch Michael (2008) A population of faint extended line emitters and the host galaxies of optically thick QSO absorption systems in ASTROPHYSICAL JOURNAL

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Tian Lirong (2008) Origins of coronal energy and helicity in NOAA 10030 in ASTROPHYSICAL JOURNAL

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Gierlinski M (2008) A periodicity of approximately 1 hour in X-ray emission from the active galaxy RE J1034+396. in Nature

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Aharonian F. (2008) Search for gamma rays from dark matter annihilations around intermediate mass black holes with the HESS experiment in PHYSICAL REVIEW D

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Zheng C (2008) FIRST-YEAR SPECTROSCOPY FOR THE SLOAN DIGITAL SKY SURVEY-II SUPERNOVA SURVEY in The Astronomical Journal

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Smail I (2008) A pilot survey for KX QSOs in the UKIDSS Ultra Deep Survey Field in Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society

 
Description The programme funded by this grant produce a number of observational insights into fundamental features of galaxies, black holes and large-scale structure. To give just one example, using the newly-completed Atacama Large Millimeter Array (ALMA) we undertook the first survey of extreme starburst galaxies in the distant Universe, demonstrating that these galaxies are very likely to be the progenitors of the most massive galaxies seen today in the local Universe, but seen in an early and very active phase of formation.
Exploitation Route Further academic research or through the development of new facilities (e.g. ELT and SKA) or observational programmes.
Sectors Education
URL http://www.astro.dur.ac.uk/Cosmology
 
Description 6dFGS survey 
Organisation Australian Astronomical Observatory
Country Australia 
Sector Public 
PI Contribution Data analysis and construction of the FP catalogue, i.e. http://adsabs.harvard.edu/abs/2014MNRAS.443.1231C
Collaborator Contribution Many other science contributions, e.g. http://adsabs.harvard.edu/abs/2014MNRAS.444.3926J http://adsabs.harvard.edu/abs/2014MNRAS.445.2677S http://adsabs.harvard.edu/abs/2016MNRAS.455..386S
Impact now focused on mostly exclusively on 6dF++, i.e. TAIPAN http://www.taipan-survey.org/ Map the southern cosmography with ~110 k redshifts. First detailed map of the southern hemisphere peculiar velocities.
 
Description 6dFGS survey 
Organisation Australian National University (ANU)
Country Australia 
Sector Academic/University 
PI Contribution Data analysis and construction of the FP catalogue, i.e. http://adsabs.harvard.edu/abs/2014MNRAS.443.1231C
Collaborator Contribution Many other science contributions, e.g. http://adsabs.harvard.edu/abs/2014MNRAS.444.3926J http://adsabs.harvard.edu/abs/2014MNRAS.445.2677S http://adsabs.harvard.edu/abs/2016MNRAS.455..386S
Impact now focused on mostly exclusively on 6dF++, i.e. TAIPAN http://www.taipan-survey.org/ Map the southern cosmography with ~110 k redshifts. First detailed map of the southern hemisphere peculiar velocities.
 
Description Wide field astronomical surveys 
Organisation University of Hawaii
Department Institute for Astronomy
Country United States 
Sector Academic/University 
PI Contribution Durham an offical partnet in the Pan-STARRS consortium, which operate a telescope in Hawaii.
Collaborator Contribution They provide the telscope and operations support.
Impact The principle output is research papers published in refereed journals.
Start Year 2007
 
Description Seminars and invited talks 
Form Of Engagement Activity A talk or presentation
Part Of Official Scheme? No
Type Of Presentation Paper Presentation
Geographic Reach National
Primary Audience Other academic audiences (collaborators, peers etc.)
Results and Impact All of the co-applicants on this grants have given numberous seminars and invited talks at universities and international meetings and conferences.

These activities help to enhance the wider knowledge of our research, and foster new collaborations.
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity 2008,2009,2010,2011,2012