Queen's University Belfast Consolidated Grant 2014 - 2017

Our Consolidated Grant brings together research projects in astrophysics within the Astrophysics Research Centre, and atomic physics calculations within the Centre for Theoretical Atomic, Molecular and Optical Physics, plus collaborative work between the two Centres, in a programme which covers all of the AGP-funded activities within the School of Mathematics and Physics at Queen's University Belfast. The programme is diverse, involving observational and theoretical studies of astrophysical sources ranging from the Sun to solar system bodies (asteroids and comets), planets orbiting stars other than the Sun (exoplanets), interstellar clouds of gas where stars are forming, and exploding stars in distant galaxies (supernovae). It also includes the calculation of data for atomic processes in very complex ions, such as singly ionized iron (Fe II), and the application of these results to a range of astronomical objects, such as highly active, intrinsically bright galaxies called quasars, which are at extremely large distances and hence observed when the Universe was very young.

1. Public engagement

We have a wide-ranging, vibrant and extremely popular portfolio of astrophysics outreach activities that have a major impact on society and (in particular) schoolchildren. Many of our research areas - including the study of exploding stars, asteroids that could hit the Earth, the search for Earth-like planets, and observations of the dynamic Sun - provide exciting and appealing science topics of great interest to the public. Our outreach programmes, which will be ongoing over the period of the Consolidated Grant, inspire and enthuse both the public and schoolchildren throughout Ireland and this region of the UK, and include:

- An ongoing partnership with the W5 Discovery Centre in Belfast. We developed the Planet Quest exhibition, host talks/Q&A sessions and hands-on building games in W5 (aimed at Key Stage 3 pupils), and further support W5 through the creation of astronomy CPD materials and a centralised web resource for secondary school physics teachers.

- We host, support and sponsor bi-monthly meetings of the Irish Astronomical Society at QUB which attract round 80 attendees. ARC staff regularly give lectures and also use our influence (and resources) to bring in speakers from Europe.

- We have initiated a series of high-profile public lectures (Michael West Lecture Series in Astronomy) following a philanthropic donation from Dr West which funds a Fellowship with a major outreach and education component. These lectures (typically 2/year) each attract 200 people, and are now the most widely attended public lecture series at QUB and indeed in Ireland as a whole.

- Astronomy lectures and presentations are given at the following annual events: (i) QUB Horizons in Physics (which attracts around 400 4th- and 5th-form students/year), (ii) Physics Open Days (around 200 6th-form students), (iii) Physics Teachers Conference (about 50 Physics teachers from schools in Ireland).

- Presentations to schools (40/year), mostly at secondary level but also at primary level, and also to amateur astronomical societies and FE colleges (12/year).

- Collaboration with the School of Education at QUB to deliver projects in astronomy and space science in schools and public libraries (4/year).


2. Knowledge exchange engagement

We have two programmes in Knowledge Exchange with links to the present application, outlined below.

2.1 Detector development

The detectors in our ROSA solar imager have been developed by ANDOR Technology PLC, a world leader in scientific imaging and spectroscopy. We are working with ANDOR on their CMOS camera technology, through e.g. field-testing the newly-developed sCMOS camera. This offers the ability to acquire large format data at very fast frame rates with extremely high sensitivity and is already resonating with a broad diversity of scientific applications, including in biophysics. Another collaboration is in the area of large format CCDs, where ANDOR has been identified as one of only two companies worldwide that can provide the cameras for the next generation of ground-based solar telescopes.

2.2 Fusion research

Tokamaks are magnetically-confined plasma devices that have been built for the study and eventual generation of nuclear fusion. Steady-state fusion and commercial energy generation are still a long way off but the eventual benefits will be enormous. UK tokamak programmes are undertaken at the UKAEA Culham Science Centre, the site of JET, which is of particular importance to the next step towards the realisation of a true fusion reactor, namely ITER. Keenan and Ramsbottom have strong engagement with Culham, and are currently developing a spectroscopic diagnostic for the alpha-particle yield during fusion, an extremely important parameter. We also provide our atomic physics calculations to the Atomic Data and Analysis Structure (ADAS) Project, employed by tokamak physicists worldwide to analyse the spectral emission from these devices.