Dynamical models of the milky way
Lead Research Organisation:
University of Oxford
Department Name: Oxford Physics
Abstract
A huge investment is currently being made in surveys of stars in our Galaxy. From the motions of these stars we can in principle determine the distribution in the Galaxy of the mysterious dark matter that comprises more than 80% of the matter in the Universe. From the motions of stars we also expect to be able to reconstruct the way the Galaxy was assembled from smaller units that merged together. To achieve these goals we need sophistcated dynamical models and software that enables us to assess how likely a model is given the measured data. This grant funds the construction of such models and software, and early applications to data from ground-based observatories. Eventually the models will be used to extract the science goals of the European Space Agency's 'Cornerstone Mission' Gaia, which will measure the positions and velocities of a billion stars.
People |
ORCID iD |
| James Binney (Principal Investigator) |
Publications
Lau J
(2019)
Relaxation of spherical stellar systems
in Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society
Marinacci F
(2010)
The mode of gas accretion on to star-forming galaxies
in Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society
Binney J
(2014)
Self-consistent flattened isochrones
in Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society
Das P
(2016)
Characterizing stellar halo populations - I. An extended distribution function for halo K giants
in Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society
Marinacci F
(2011)
Galactic fountains and the rotation of disc-galaxy coronae Rotation of galactic coronae
in Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society
Binney J
(2015)
Torus mapper: a code for dynamical models of galaxies
in Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society
Marasco A
(2012)
Supernova-driven gas accretion in the Milky Way SN-driven gas accretion in the Milky Way
in Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society
Sormani M
(2018)
Models of rotating coronae
in Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society
Binney J
(2012)
More dynamical models of our Galaxy More dynamical models of our Galaxy
in Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society
Carrillo I
(2018)
Is the Milky Way still breathing? RAVE-Gaia streaming motions
in Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society
Schönrich R
(2012)
A new formula for disc kinematics A new formula for disc kinematics
in Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society
Binney J
(2014)
Galactic kinematics and dynamics from Radial Velocity Experiment stars
in Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society
Burnett B
(2010)
Stellar distances from spectroscopic observations: a new technique Distances from stellar spectra
in Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society
Schönrich R
(2009)
Origin and structure of the Galactic disc(s)
in Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society
Schönrich R
(2012)
The detection and treatment of distance errors in kinematic analyses of stars The detection and treatment of distance errors
in Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society
Eyre A
(2009)
Locating the orbits delineated by tidal streams
in Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society
Wilson M
(2011)
Testing formation mechanisms of the Milky Way's thick disc with RAVE Testing thick disc formation mechanisms
in Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society
Bland-Hawthorn J
(2019)
The GALAH survey and Gaia DR2: dissecting the stellar disc's phase space by age, action, chemistry, and location
in Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society
Sanders J
(2015)
A fast algorithm for estimating actions in triaxial potentials
in Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society
Sanders J
(2013)
Stream-orbit misalignment - II. A new algorithm to constrain the Galactic potential
in Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society
Binney J
(2020)
Angle-action variables for orbits trapped at a Lindblad resonance
in Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society
Das P
(2016)
Characterizing stellar halo populations II: the age gradient in blue horizontal-branch stars
in Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society
Siebert A
(2011)
Detection of a radial velocity gradient in the extended local disc with RAVE A velocity gradient in the Galactic disc
in Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society
McMillan P
(2010)
The uncertainty in Galactic parameters
in Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society
Monari G
(2017)
Distribution functions for resonantly trapped orbits in the Galactic disc
in Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society
| Description | STFC studentships |
| Amount | £35,000 (GBP) |
| Organisation | Science and Technologies Facilities Council (STFC) |
| Sector | Public |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Start | 09/2009 |
| End | 09/2012 |
| Description | A new generation of Galaxy models |
| Organisation | Max Planck Society |
| Department | Max Planck Institute For Extraterrestrial Physics (MPE) |
| Country | Germany |
| Sector | Academic/University |
| PI Contribution | Expertise in dynamical modelling |
| Collaborator Contribution | Participation in several worthwhile papers |
| Impact | The paper Sharma et al in the publications list. Also a contribution to a paper Burnett et al that has been submitted & is under review |
| Start Year | 2010 |
| Description | A new generation of Galaxy models |
| Organisation | University of Sydney |
| Department | School of Physics |
| Country | Australia |
| Sector | Academic/University |
| PI Contribution | Expertise in dynamical modelling |
| Collaborator Contribution | Participation in several worthwhile papers |
| Impact | The paper Sharma et al in the publications list. Also a contribution to a paper Burnett et al that has been submitted & is under review |
| Start Year | 2010 |
| Description | Galactic fountains and gas accretion |
| Organisation | University of Bologna |
| Department | Department of Physics and Astronomy |
| Country | Italy |
| Sector | Academic/University |
| PI Contribution | Expertise in dynamical modelling and in the theory of the intergalactic medium |
| Collaborator Contribution | Fellowships to suport work in Oxford by colleagues from Bologna and through this participation in several publications (only 1 of these appeared after the grant start date and a further one has been submitted & is under review) |
| Impact | Several well-cited papers |
| Description | Modelling the chemodynamical evolution of the Milky Way |
| Organisation | Max Planck Society |
| Department | Max Planck Institute For Extraterrestrial Physics (MPE) |
| Country | Germany |
| Sector | Academic/University |
| PI Contribution | Expertise in dynamical modelling |
| Collaborator Contribution | Participation in significant papers |
| Impact | We have published three joint papers so far (two in the publication list, one appeared before the grant start date) and several in preparation. These are already widely cited papers |
| Start Year | 2007 |
| Description | School visit |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an open day or visit at my research institution |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | Regional |
| Primary Audience | Schools |
| Results and Impact | I regularly give talks at schools. Sometimes it is to the Physics Society, sometimes it is a talk to 6th formers (although younger pupils often attend too). There are always lots of good questions. Nothing to report |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2009,2010,2011,2012,2013,2014 |
| Description | Talks to local astronomy clubs |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | Regional |
| Primary Audience | Public/other audiences |
| Results and Impact | These events usually attract ~30 people with a wide range of educational backgrounds. There are always plenty of questions, some quite shrewd. Nothing to report |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2006,2007,2008,2009,2011 |