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
Vandenbroucke J
(2010)
DISCOVERY OF A GeV BLAZAR SHINING THROUGH THE GALACTIC PLANE
in The Astrophysical Journal
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
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
Foster D
(2010)
INTERPRETATION OF THE 115 DAY PERIODIC MODULATION IN THE X-RAY FLUX OF NGC 5408 X-1
in The Astrophysical Journal
Coe M
(2010)
Exploring accretion theory with X-ray binaries in the Small Magellanic Cloud
in Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society
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
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
Jonker P
(2010)
Following the 2008 outburst decay of the black hole candidate H 1743-322â??in X-ray and radio
in Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society
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
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
Thomson G
(2010)
A far-ultraviolet variability survey of the globular cluster M 80 A far-ultraviolet variability survey of M 80
in Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society
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
Jamil O
(2010)
iShocks: X-ray binary jets with an internal shocks model
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
Scaringi S
(2010)
Hard X-ray properties of magnetic cataclysmic variables
Scott T
(2010)
Probing evolutionary mechanisms in galaxy clusters: neutral atomic hydrogen in Abell 1367
in Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society
Bird A
(2010)
THE FOURTH IBIS/ISGRI SOFT GAMMA-RAY SURVEY CATALOG
in The Astrophysical Journal Supplement Series
Arnaud M
(2010)
The universal galaxy cluster pressure profile from a representative sample of nearby systems (REXCESS) and the Y SZ - M 500 relation
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
Long K
(2009)
THE EFFECT OF A SUPEROUTBURST ON THE WHITE DWARF AND DISK OF VW HYDRI AS OBSERVED WITH FUSE
in The Astrophysical Journal
Acero F
(2009)
Detection of gamma rays from a starburst galaxy.
in Science (New York, N.Y.)
Croston J
(2009)
High-energy particle acceleration at the radio-lobe shock of Centaurus A
in Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society
Fender R
(2009)
Jets from black hole X-ray binaries: testing, refining and extending empirical models for the coupling to X-rays
in Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society
Aharonian F
(2009)
SIMULTANEOUS OBSERVATIONS OF PKS 2155-304 WITH HESS, FERMI , RXTE , AND ATOM: SPECTRAL ENERGY DISTRIBUTIONS AND VARIABILITY IN A LOW STATE
in The Astrophysical Journal
Scaringi S
(2009)
Classifying broad absorption line quasars: metrics, issues and a new catalogue constructed from SDSS DR5
in Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society
Aharonian F
(2009)
Very high energy ?-ray observations of the binary PSR B1259-63/SS2883 around the 2007 Periastron
in Astronomy & Astrophysics
Pratt G
(2009)
Galaxy cluster X-ray luminosity scaling relations from a representative local sample (REXCESS)
in Astronomy & Astrophysics
Groot P
(2009)
The UV-Excess survey of the northern Galactic plane
in Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society
Aharonian F
(2009)
Simultaneous multiwavelength observations of the second exceptional ? -ray flare of PKS 2155-304 in July 2006
in Astronomy & Astrophysics
Marshall K
(2009)
MULTIWAVELENGTH VARIABILITY OF THE BROAD LINE RADIO GALAXY 3C 120
in The Astrophysical Journal
Seymour N
(2009)
Investigating the far-IR/radio correlation of star-forming Galaxies to z = 3
in Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society
Aharonian F
(2009)
DISCOVERY OF VERY HIGH ENERGY ?-RAY EMISSION FROM CENTAURUS A WITH H.E.S.S.
in The Astrophysical Journal
Bassani L
(2009)
The nature of the ASCA/INTEGRAL source AX J183039-1002: A new Compton-thick AGN?
in Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society: Letters
Hynes R
(2009)
The quiescent spectral energy distribution of V404 Cyg
in Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society
Ubertini P
(2009)
THE FERMI /LAT SKY AS SEEN BY INTEGRAL/IBIS
in The Astrophysical Journal
Tudose V
(2009)
The discâ??jet coupling in the neutron star X-ray binary Aquila X-1 The discâ??jet coupling in Aql X-1
in Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society
Voss R
(2009)
LUMINOSITY FUNCTIONS OF LMXBs IN CENTAURUS A: GLOBULAR CLUSTERS VERSUS THE FIELD
in The Astrophysical Journal
Soleri P
(2009)
A parsec scale X-ray extended structure from the X-ray binary Circinus X-1
in Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society: Letters
Soleri P
(2009)
Linking jet emission and X-ray properties in the peculiar neutron star X-ray binary Circinus X-1
in Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society
Harris R
(2009)
GX 9+9: VARIABILITY OF THE X-RAY ORBITAL MODULATION
in The Astrophysical Journal
Aharonian F
(2009)
Probing the ATIC peak in the cosmic-ray electron spectrum with H.E.S.S.
in Astronomy & Astrophysics
Chatterjee R
(2009)
DISK-JET CONNECTION IN THE RADIO GALAXY 3C 120
in The Astrophysical Journal
Malizia A
(2009)
The fraction of Compton-thick sources in an INTEGRAL complete AGN sample
in Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society
D'Ammando F
(2009)
AGILE detection of a rapid ? -ray flare from the blazar PKS 1510-089 during the GASP-WEBT monitoring
in Astronomy & Astrophysics
Spreeuw H
(2009)
A new perspective on GCRT J1745-3009
in Astronomy & Astrophysics
Aharonian F
(2009)
Constraints on the multi-TeV particle population in the Coma galaxy cluster with HESS observations
in Astronomy & Astrophysics
Arévalo P
(2009)
Correlation and time delays of the X-ray and optical emission of the Seyfert Galaxy NGC 3783
in Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society
VERITAS Collaboration
(2009)
Radio imaging of the very-high-energy gamma-ray emission region in the central engine of a radio galaxy.
in Science (New York, N.Y.)
Ness J
(2009)
SWIFT X-RAY AND ULTRAVIOLET MONITORING OF THE CLASSICAL NOVA V458 VUL (NOVA VUL 2007)
in The Astronomical Journal
| 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 |