High Energy Astrophysics at Southampton
Lead Research Organisation:
University of Southampton
Department Name: Sch of Physics and Astronomy
Abstract
On the stellar scale we are interested in the significance of different environments on the evolution of high mass X-ray binary (HMXB) populations, in particular between the Milky Way and the SMC, where differing star formation rates and metallicities could be crucial. What are the relative importances of local and interstellar obscuration in what we see? Here the upcoming 2Msec INTEGRAL Key Programme observation of the SMC, almost unaffected by obscuration, will be of great value. Globular clusters are outstanding laboratories for studying stellar dynamics and stellar evolution, especially for understanding the most exotic stellar populations. We are drawing together observations of large samples of globular clusters to understand which cluster properties are most important for the production of these exotic stars, and comparing with low stellar density dwarf spheroidal galaxies to isolate the stellar evolution from stellar dynamics. The Netherlands-based low frequency radio array, LOFAR, is about to open a new window on the universe providing the first radio `all sky monitor'. We will study coherent radio bursts, perhaps associated with merging neutron stars, detectable at enormous distances (to z=7), providing a unique probe of the intergalactic medium and possibly even testing theories of gravity and cosmological distance scales via identification of LIGO inspiral events We will continue our research into the coupling between accretion and outflow (jets) in X-ray binaries, and how it relates to parallel processes in AGN (where scaling laws with black hole mass are established), accreting neutron stars and white dwarfs. We have amassed the first comprehensive database of black hole spectral states and will extend this analysis to include X-ray timing and radio results. Thus we will produce the most comprehensive analysis to date of the relation between black hole accretion flows and the formation and power of relativistic jets. The results can be applied to AGN feedback in galaxies and clusters. We will greatly improve our knowledge of the scaling relationship between characteristic X-ray timescale, mass and accretion rate in Seyfert galaxies and Galactic binaries, thus testing physical models for this important universal relationship. We will determine whether the relationship applies in jet dominated ``blazars'', implying a universal origin for variability. We are building a model, based on propagating fluctuations, to provide physical understanding of all spectral-timing relationships to derive physical parameters, eg disc emissivity profile. This model, with additional X-ray reprocessing, should also explain X-ray/optical correlations in AGN so we will test it against our X-ray/optical monitoring. To provide a census of the nearby universe on which models of the more distant universe can be built, we are heavily involved in eMERLIN legacy surveys of nearby galaxy samples It is now widely accepted that some process must reheat the gas in galaxy clusters or large amounts of cool gas, which are not seen, would be found in the cores of clusters of galaxies. But what is the heating mechanism? In our most theoretical project we will investigate, via MHD simulations, whether the dissipation of turbulent energy, driven by merger events, galaxy motions and AGN outflows, may be responsible. On the largest scales, both AGN and starforming galaxies (SFGs) contribute to the faint radio source population, but what is the mix? By combining radio morphology with a variety of spectral energy diagnostics we can distinguish AGN from SFGs. Hence, using radio luminosity as a starformation rate (SFR) indicator, we can determine the evolution of the cosmic SFR in an absorption-independent manner. We will push this technique to much higher redshifts, as major contributors to eMERLIN deep field legacy surveys, and also probe the relationship between SFGs and AGN.
Organisations
Publications
Scaringi S
(2010)
A new determination of the INTEGRAL /IBIS point source location accuracy
in Astronomy and Astrophysics
Hoard D
(2010)
SIMULTANEOUS X-RAY AND ULTRAVIOLET OBSERVATIONS OF THE SW SEXTANTIS STAR DW URSAE MAJORIS
in The Astronomical Journal
Böhringer H
(2010)
Substructure of the galaxy clusters in the REXCESS sample: observed statistics and comparison to numerical simulations
in Astronomy and Astrophysics
Coe M
(2010)
INTEGRAL deep observations of the Small Magellanic Cloud INTEGRAL-SMC
in Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society
Haarsma D
(2010)
BRIGHTEST CLUSTER GALAXIES AND CORE GAS DENSITY IN REXCESS CLUSTERS
in The Astrophysical Journal
Rodríguez-Gil P
(2010)
The orbital period of V458 Vulpeculae, a post-double common-envelope nova
in Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society: Letters
Rushton A
(2010)
Steady jets from radiatively efficient hard states in GRS 1915+105
in Astronomy & Astrophysics
Breedt E
(2010)
Twelve years of X-ray and optical variability in the Seyfert galaxy NGC 4051 X-ray/optical variability in NGC 4051
in Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society
Malizia A
(2010)
XMM-Newton observations of unidentified INTEGRAL/IBIS sources XMM observations of unidentified IBIS sources
in Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society
Pratt G
(2010)
Gas entropy in a representative sample of nearby X-ray galaxy clusters (REXCESS): relationship to gas mass fraction
in Astronomy and Astrophysics
Scaringi S
(2010)
Hard X-ray properties of magnetic cataclysmic variables
Masetti N
(2010)
The peculiar high-mass X-ray binary 1ES 1210-646
in Astronomy and Astrophysics
Marscher A
(2010)
PROBING THE INNER JET OF THE QUASAR PKS 1510-089 WITH MULTI-WAVEBAND MONITORING DURING STRONG GAMMA-RAY ACTIVITY
in The Astrophysical Journal
McHardy I
(2010)
The Jet Paradigm - From Microquasars to Quasars
Casella P
(2010)
Fast infrared variability from a relativistic jet in GX 339-4
in Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society: Letters
Sell P
(2010)
PARSEC-SCALE BIPOLAR X-RAY SHOCKS PRODUCED BY POWERFUL JETS FROM THE NEUTRON STAR CIRCINUS X-1
in The Astrophysical Journal
Yang J
(2010)
A decelerating jet observed by the EVN and VLBA in the X-ray transient XTE J1752-223
in Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society: Letters
Sale S
(2010)
The structure of the outer Galactic disc as revealed by IPHAS early A stars
in Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society
Fiocchi M
(2010)
FIVE NEW INTEGRAL UNIDENTIFIED HARD X-RAY SOURCES UNCOVERED BY CHANDRA
in The Astrophysical Journal
Freeland E
(2010)
Quantifying the importance of ram-pressure stripping in a galaxy group at 100 Mpc Quantifying the importance of ram-pressure stripping
in Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society
Coe M
(2010)
Exploring accretion theory with X-ray binaries in the Small Magellanic Cloud
in Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society
Foster D
(2010)
INTERPRETATION OF THE 115 DAY PERIODIC MODULATION IN THE X-RAY FLUX OF NGC 5408 X-1
in The Astrophysical Journal
Vandenbroucke J
(2010)
DISCOVERY OF A GeV BLAZAR SHINING THROUGH THE GALACTIC PLANE
in The Astrophysical Journal
Drave S
(2010)
Discovery of the 51.47-d orbital period in the supergiant fast X-ray transient XTE J1739-302 with INTEGRAL XTE J1739-302
in Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society
Marshall H
(2010)
A FLARE IN THE JET OF PICTOR A
in The Astrophysical Journal
Scott T
(2010)
Probing evolutionary mechanisms in galaxy clusters: neutral atomic hydrogen in Abell 1367
in Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society
Fender R
(2010)
No evidence for black hole spin powering of jets in X-ray binaries Black hole binary jets
in Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society
Miller-Jones J
(2010)
EVOLUTION OF THE RADIO-X-RAY COUPLING THROUGHOUT AN ENTIRE OUTBURST OF AQUILA X-1
in The Astrophysical Journal
Calvelo D
(2010)
Limits on the quiescent radio emission from the black hole binaries GRO J1655-40 and XTE J1550-564 Quiescent limits of GRO J1655-40 and XTE J1550-564
in Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society
Donahue M
(2010)
STAR FORMATION AND UV COLORS OF THE BRIGHTEST CLUSTER GALAXIES IN THE REPRESENTATIVE XMM-NEWTON CLUSTER STRUCTURE SURVEY
in The Astrophysical Journal
Noebauer U
(2010)
THE GEOMETRY AND IONIZATION STRUCTURE OF THE WIND IN THE ECLIPSING NOVA-LIKE VARIABLES RW TRI AND UX UMa
in The Astrophysical Journal
Kotze M
(2010)
Very long-term X-ray variations in LMXBs: solar cycle-like variations in the donor?
in Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society: Letters
Abdo A
(2010)
FERMI LARGE AREA TELESCOPE AND MULTI-WAVELENGTH OBSERVATIONS OF THE FLARING ACTIVITY OF PKS 1510-089 BETWEEN 2008 SEPTEMBER AND 2009 JUNE
in The Astrophysical Journal
Soleri P
(2010)
Investigating the disc-jet coupling in accreting compact objects using the black hole candidate Swift J1753.5-0127 Disc-jet coupling in black hole candidates
in Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society
Liu Y
(2010)
SUZAKU MONITORING OF THE IRON K EMISSION LINE IN THE TYPE 1 ACTIVE GALACTIC NUCLEUS NGC 5548
in The Astrophysical Journal
Jamil O
(2010)
iShocks: X-ray binary jets with an internal shocks model
in Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society
Dieball A
(2010)
A FAR-ULTRAVIOLET SURVEY OF M80: X-RAY SOURCE COUNTERPARTS, STRANGE BLUE STRAGGLERS, AND THE RECOVERY OF NOVA T SCO
in The Astrophysical Journal
Lal D
(2010)
A CHANDRA OBSERVATION OF 3C 288-REHEATING THE COOL CORE OF A 3 keV CLUSTER FROM A NUCLEAR OUTBURST at z = 0.246
in The Astrophysical Journal
Masetti N
(2010)
Unveiling the nature of INTEGRAL objects through optical spectroscopy VIII. Identification of 44 newly detected hard X-ray sources
in Astronomy and Astrophysics
Cottis C
(2010)
Searching for the signature of radiative line driving: on the absence of Lya-N v line-locking features in a large sample of BALQSOs Radiative line driving in BALQSOs
in Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society
Aharonian F
(2010)
Erratum to "Observations of the Sagittarius dwarf galaxy by the HESS experiment and search for a dark matter signal" [Astropart. Phys. 29(1) (2008) 55-62]
in Astroparticle Physics
Fiocchi M
(2010)
IGR J16328-4726: A NEW CANDIDATE SUPERGIANT FAST X-RAY TRANSIENT
in The Astrophysical Journal
Shahbaz T
(2010)
Observations of the quiescent X-ray transients GRS 1124-684 (=GU Mus) and Cen X-4 (=V822 Cen) taken with ULTRACAM on the VLT
in Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society
Jorstad S
(2010)
FLARING BEHAVIOR OF THE QUASAR 3C 454.3 ACROSS THE ELECTROMAGNETIC SPECTRUM
in The Astrophysical Journal
Goodger J
(2010)
LONG-TERM MONITORING OF THE DYNAMICS AND PARTICLE ACCELERATION OF KNOTS IN THE JET OF CENTAURUS A
in The Astrophysical Journal
Townsend L
(2010)
The orbital solution and spectral classification of the high-mass X-ray binary IGR J01054-7253 in the Small Magellanic Cloud Orbital solution to the HMXB IGR J01054-7253
in Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society
Charles P
(2010)
Supersoft X-ray sources: Confronting the van den Heuvel paradigm
in New Astronomy Reviews
Uthas H
(2010)
The orbital period and system parameters of the recurrent nova T Pyx The orbital period of T Pyx
in Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society
Dunn R
(2010)
A global spectral study of black hole X-ray binaries
in Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society
| Description | Many details regarding the accretion of material onto compact objects such as black holes, and the resulting emission, particularly with regard to the variability properties and to jets |
| Exploitation Route | We work on some of the major questions in high energy astrophysics and our work on timing properties and scaling relationships between different mass and accretion rates will certainly form the basis of future examinations of scaling relationships, ie are black holes the same, apart from scale? |
| Sectors | Creative Economy Education |
| Description | Other researchers have applied the techniques developed during the course of this grant to different types of astrophysical objects. We have also used them in the context of undergraduate projects on the time series analysis of stock market data, resulting the in the said undergraduates getting better paid jobs than their lecturers. |
| First Year Of Impact | 2010 |
| Sector | Creative Economy,Education,Financial Services, and Management Consultancy |
| Impact Types | Cultural |