Research in Theoretical Astronomy 2009-2014
Lead Research Organisation:
University of Cambridge
Department Name: Institute of Astronomy
Abstract
The Institute of Astronomy, Cambridge, is one of the worlds leading research Institutes in Astronomy. It comprises 19 academic staff, 51 postdoctoral research assistants and 52 PhD students, about half of whom work on theoretical astronomy. This grant application is asking for a renewal of the main theoretical rolling grant at the IoA. Over the next five years we will pursue a broad range of theoretical research on the following problems: (i) The Planck satellite is a third generation space satellite dedicated to measuring the temperature and polarization anisotropies in the cosmic microwave background. Planck is scheduled for launch at the end of 2008, some 15 years after it was first proposed to ESA. The years covered by the grant coincide with the peak period for the scientific exploitation of this satellite. PDRA support is requested to work with the Co-Investigators on core science projects. In particular, we are responsible for leading the key analysis of cosmological parameters from Planck and wish to investigate constraints on models of cosmic inflation. Cambridge has a leading role in the Clover polarization experiment and we wish to involve PDRAs in the scientific interpretation of that experiment. (ii) The cosmic microwave background radiation provides us with a picture of the Universe when it was 400,000 years old. At that time, the Universe was filled with a near uniform mixture of hydrogen , helium, dark matter and radiation. We will investigate how the first non-linear structures emerged from this stochastic background. Over the grant period the main emphasis of the research will be to perform hydrodynamic simulations including radiative transfer to model the thermal state of the intergalactic medium and spatially extended Lyalpha emission. We will also extend previous work on the matter power spectrum from the Ly alpha forest to constrain neutrino masses, in combination with data from Planck. (iii) The discovery of large numbers of extrasolar planets has led to enormous interest in theoretical work on the formation of planets. Over the grant period we will pursue a research programme building on expertise in protoplanetary and debris disk evolution. The work will be centred on linking the protoplanetary phase, when discs were gas rich and possible sites of ongoing gaseous planet formation, through to the debris disc phase, when discs were gas poor, dusty structures, with planetesimal bels as possible sites for terrestrial planet formation. (iv) Accretion discs are present in a wide variety of astronomical systems . In particular, accretion onto compact objects such as black holes, neutron stars and white dwarfs produce observational signatures that provide the main scientific justification for X-ray satellites and gravitational wave detectors. Magnetic fields are central to understanding the evolution of accretion discs. We will perform state-of-the-art numerical simulations of magnetised accretion discs to understand their role in accretion disc dynamics and to compute observational signatures. (v) Understanding stellar evolution is essential for the interpretation of all astrophysical systems, from stars in our own Galaxy to the formation of the first non-linear structures in the Universe. Over the next five years we will develop improved models of massive stars as the progenitors of supernovae and gamma-ray bursts. We will also develop fully three-dimensional numerical models of stellar evolution in binary systems, in collaboration with colleagues at Livermore. (vi) Finally, we will pursue two research themes to understand feedback processes in the cores of clusters of galaxies. We will investigate the physics of `emission line filaments', which are still not understood and we will use large numerical simulations to assess the impact of baryonic physics on the use of clusters as cosmological probes (e.g. testing the nature of dark energy.
Organisations
Publications
Owen J
(2010)
Radiation-hydrodynamic models of X-ray and EUV photoevaporating protoplanetary discs
in Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society
Simon J
(2011)
RESISTIVITY-DRIVEN STATE CHANGES IN VERTICALLY STRATIFIED ACCRETION DISKS
in The Astrophysical Journal
Lodato G
(2011)
Resolution requirements for smoothed particle hydrodynamics simulations of self-gravitating accretion discs Resolving fragmentation in SPH simulations
in Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society
Churcher L
(2011)
Resolved imaging of the HD 191089 debris disc Resolved imaging of the HD 191089 debris disc
in Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society
Larsen S
(2011)
Resolved photometry of extragalactic young massive star clusters
in Astronomy & Astrophysics
Matthews B
(2010)
Resolving debris discs in the far-infrared: Early highlights from the DEBRIS survey
in Astronomy and Astrophysics
Smith R
(2009)
Resolving the hot dust around HD69830 and ? Corvi with MIDI and VISIR
in Astronomy & Astrophysics
Eldridge J
(2011)
Runaway stars as progenitors of supernovae and gamma-ray bursts Runaway stars as progenitors of SNe and GRBs
in Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society
Lestrade J
(2009)
Search for cold debris disks around M-dwarfs. II
in Astronomy & Astrophysics
Kennedy G
(2011)
Searching for Saturn's dust swarm: limits on the size distribution of irregular satellites from km to micron sizes Seeking Saturn's swarm
in Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society
Veras D
(2010)
SECULAR ORBITAL DYNAMICS OF HIERARCHICAL TWO-PLANET SYSTEMS
in The Astrophysical Journal
Kotarba H
(2010)
SIMULATING MAGNETIC FIELDS IN THE ANTENNAE GALAXIES
in The Astrophysical Journal
Hu H
(2011)
Slowing down atomic diffusion in subdwarf B stars: mass loss or turbulence? Slowing down atomic diffusion in sdB stars
in Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society
Fraser M
(2011)
SN 2009md: another faint supernova from a low-mass progenitor Supernova 2009md
in Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society
Crepp J
(2011)
SPECKLE SUPPRESSION WITH THE PROJECT 1640 INTEGRAL FIELD SPECTROGRAPH
in The Astrophysical Journal
Eldridge J
(2009)
Spectral population synthesis including massive binaries
in Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society
Dervisoglu A
(2010)
Spin angular momentum evolution of the long-period Algols Spin angular momentum evolution of Algols
in Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society
Lau H
(2011)
Spin-down of massive rotating stars Spin-down of massive rotating stars
in Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society
Kendall S
(2011)
Spiral structure in nearby galaxies - I. Sample, data analysis and overview of results Spiral structure in nearby galaxies - I
in Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society
Lisse C
(2012)
SPITZER EVIDENCE FOR A LATE-HEAVY BOMBARDMENT AND THE FORMATION OF UREILITES IN ? CORVI At ~1 Gyr
in The Astrophysical Journal
Rice W
(2011)
Stability of self-gravitating discs under irradiation Irradiated self-gravitating discs
in Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society
Cantalupo S
(2010)
Stars quenching stars: how photoionization by local sources regulates gas cooling and galaxy formation
in Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society: Letters
Kains N
(2011)
Steady-state evolution of debris discs around solar-type stars Evolution of discs around solar-type stars
in Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society
Davis O
(2010)
Stellar collisions in accreting protoclusters: a Monte Carlo dynamical study Stellar collisions in accreting protoclusters
in Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society
Kennedy G
(2009)
STELLAR MASS DEPENDENT DISK DISPERSAL
in The Astrophysical Journal
Martin R
(2009)
Supernova kicks and misaligned Be star binaries
in Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society
Martin R
(2010)
Supernova kicks and misaligned microquasars
in Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society
Phillips N
(2010)
Target selection for the SUNS and DEBRIS surveys for debris discs in the solar neighbourhood
in Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society
Ma Y
(2011)
Testing a direction-dependent primordial power spectrum with observations of the cosmic microwave background
in Physical Review D
Wilkins D
(2012)
Testing the accuracy of radiative cooling approximations in smoothed particle hydrodynamical simulations Testing radiative cooling approximations
in Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society
Wright J
(2011)
THE CALIFORNIA PLANET SURVEY. III. A POSSIBLE 2:1 RESONANCE IN THE EXOPLANETARY TRIPLE SYSTEM HD 37124
in The Astrophysical Journal
Nelemans G
(2010)
The chemical composition of donors in AM CVn stars and ultracompact X-ray binaries: observational tests of their formation
in Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society
Ercolano B
(2011)
The clearing of discs around late-type T Tauri stars: constraints from the infrared two-colour plane Disc clearing in M stars
in Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society
Smartt S
(2009)
The death of massive stars - I. Observational constraints on the progenitors of Type II-P supernovae
in Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society
Kruijssen J
(2012)
The dynamical state of stellar structure in star-forming regions Dynamical state of star-forming regions
in Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society
Viel M
(2010)
The effect of neutrinos on the matter distribution as probed by the intergalactic medium
in Journal of Cosmology and Astroparticle Physics
Eldridge J
(2012)
The effect of stellar evolution uncertainties on the rest-frame ultraviolet stellar lines of C iv and He ii in high-redshift Lyman-break galaxies Uncertainties of the UV stellar lines in LBGs
in Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society
Cossins P
(2010)
The effects of opacity on gravitational stability in protoplanetary discs
in Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society
Lau H
(2009)
The evolution of low-metallicity asymptotic giant branch stars and the formation of carbon-enhanced metal-poor stars
in Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society
Dodson-Robinson S
(2009)
THE FORMATION MECHANISM OF GAS GIANTS ON WIDE ORBITS
in The Astrophysical Journal
Moeckel N
(2011)
The formation of permanent soft binaries in dispersing clusters Permanent soft binaries in dispersing clusters
in Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society
Veras D
(2011)
The great escape: how exoplanets and smaller bodies desert dying stars The great escape
in Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society
Booth M
(2009)
The history of the Solar system's debris disc: observable properties of the Kuiper belt
in Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society
Owen J
(2011)
The imprint of photoevaporation on edge-on discs Photoevaporation of discs
in Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society
Clarke C
(2009)
The initial mass function in clusters: theoretical and observational perspectives
in Astrophysics and Space Science
Ferrario L
(2009)
The origin of magnetism on the upper main sequence
in Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society: Letters
Clarke C
(2010)
The physics and modes of star cluster formation: simulations.
in Philosophical transactions. Series A, Mathematical, physical, and engineering sciences
Eldridge J
(2011)
The red supergiants and Wolf-Rayet stars of NGC 604 The RSGs and WR stars of NGC 604
in Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society
Bonsor A
(2012)
The scattering of small bodies in planetary systems: constraints on the possible orbits of cometary material Scattering in planetary systems
in Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society
Martin R
(2009)
The shape of an accretion disc in a misaligned black hole binary
in Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society
| Description | Fundamental contributions to a wide range of problems in theoretical astronomy |
| Exploitation Route | Via publication in academic journals |
| Sectors | Aerospace Defence and Marine Other |