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
Lu T
(2010)
Large-scale structure and dynamics of the most X-ray luminous galaxy cluster known - RX J1347-1145
in Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society
Dunlop J
(2010)
The BLAST 250 µm-selected galaxy population in GOODS-South BLAST 250 µm galaxies in GOODS-South
in Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society
Kim J
(2011)
Clustering properties of high-redshift red galaxies in SA22 from the UKIDSS Deep eXtragalactic Survey Clustering of EROs and DRGs in UKIDSS DXS SA22
in Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society
Vignali C
(2010)
Discovery of Compton-thick quasars in the Sloan Digital Sky Survey
in Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society
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
Smith R
(2010)
Ultraviolet tails and trails in cluster galaxies: a sample of candidate gaseous stripping events in Coma Gaseous stripping candidates in Coma
in Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society
Sanderson A
(2009)
LoCuSS: the connection between brightest cluster galaxy activity, gas cooling and dynamical disturbance of X-ray cluster cores
in Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society
Smith R
(2009)
Abundance ratios in red-sequence galaxies over a wide mass range: the 'X-planes' for magnesium, calcium, carbon and nitrogen
in Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society
Middleton M
(2009)
RE J1034+396: the origin of the soft X-ray excess and quasi-periodic oscillation
in Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society
Smith R
(2009)
A spectroscopic survey of dwarf galaxies in the Coma cluster: stellar populations, environment and downsizing
in Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society
Limousin M
(2010)
MACS J1423.8+2404: gravitational lensing by a massive, relaxed cluster of galaxies at z = 0.54
in Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society
Bower R
(2008)
The flip side of galaxy formation: a combined model of galaxy formation and cluster heating
in Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society
Ivison R
(2011)
Tracing the molecular gas in distant submillimetre galaxies via CO(1-0) imaging with the Expanded Very Large Array EVLA imaging of CO(1-0) in submm galaxies
in Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society
Geach J
(2011)
A GALEX/Spitzer survey of the Cl 0016+16 supercluster at z = 0.55: acceleration of the onset of star formation in satellite groups Star formation around Cl 0016+16
in Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society
Balogh M
(2011)
Direct observational evidence for a large transient galaxy population in groups at 0.85 < z < 1 Transient galaxies in groups at z= 1
in Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society
Hudson M
(2010)
Colours of bulges and discs within galaxy clusters and the signature of disc fading on infall Colours of bulges and discs
in Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society
Hoyos C
(2011)
The HST/ACS Coma Cluster Survey - III. Structural parameters of galaxies using single Sérsic fits? Structural parameters of galaxies in Coma
in Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society
Murray G
(2009)
Strategies for spectroscopy on Extremely Large Telescopes - II. Diverse-field spectroscopy
in Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society
Alexander D
(2010)
Searching for evidence of energetic feedback in distant galaxies: a galaxy wide outflow in a z ˜ 2 ultraluminous infrared galaxy
in Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society
Braglia F
(2010)
Submillimetre observations of galaxy clusters with the BLAST: the star formation activity in Abell 3112 BLAST observations of Abell 3112
in Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society
LENAIN J
(2012)
VERY HIGH ENERGY ACTIVE GALACTIC NUCLEI SYNCHROTRON SELF-COMPTON MODELING TOUR
in International Journal of Modern Physics D
Cimatti A
(2008)
SPACE: the spectroscopic all-sky cosmic explorer
in Experimental Astronomy
Appourchaux T
(2008)
POLAR investigation of the Sun-POLARIS
in Experimental Astronomy
Morris S
(2009)
String-like Lagrangians from a generalized geometry
in Classical and Quantum Gravity
Lilly S. J.
(2007)
zCOSMOS: A large VLT/VIMOS redshift survey covering 0 < z < 3 in the COSMOS field
in ASTROPHYSICAL JOURNAL SUPPLEMENT SERIES
| 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 |