Astronomy Observation and Theory Consolidated Grant 2016-2019
Lead Research Organisation:
University of Cambridge
Department Name: Institute of Astronomy
Abstract
This proposal is for a single Consolidated Grant to support the majority of research in Theoretical and Observational Astronomy and Astrophysics at the Institute of Astronomy (IoA) in Cambridge.
The theoretical research profile includes work to understand the origin of the Universe itself. Members of the IoA play a leading role in the European Space Agency Planck mission, and will lead a definitive determination of the parameters that both define the geometry of the Universe and quantify the age, size, dark matter, dark energy and baryonic content. The research links to one of the key goals in astrophysics: constraining the properties of the dark matter and dark energy content of the Universe.
The Universe today is filled with galaxies, of which our own Milky Way is a not atypical example. A full understanding of galaxy formation and evolution requires multiple lines of attack. Observations of the resolved stellar populations in the Milky Way and its Local Group companions provide a detailed fossil record of the dynamical assemblies of the galaxies, the formation of stars, and the buildup of heavy elements over a wide range of mass scales and initial conditions. At the other end of the scale, observations of distant galaxies spanning lookback times of up to 12 Gyr provide direct measurements of the evolution of galaxy populations and the buildup of stars and metals with cosmic time. Finally, measurements of the large-scale star formation and abundance properties of nearby galaxies form a vital astrophysical bridge between the studies of nearby resolved stellar populations and the distant high-redshift investigations, by allowing us to characterise the evolutionary properties of the Hubble sequence and the complex "gastrophysical" processes that regulate the accretion of gas and the formation of stars in galaxies.
It is now recognised that there is an intimate link between the evolution of galaxies and the origin and properties of super-massive black holes, which reside at the centre of the Milky Way and other galaxies. The regions close to black holes allow the exploration of physics at the extremes. The formation and properties of super-massive black holes and their relation to the galaxies in which they reside is a research theme that involves theory, X-ray astrophysics and observational programmes in the grant.
Within galaxies, the grant focuses on star formation, from the giant molecular clouds which give birth to stars, down to the more detailed investigations of the processes that lead to the formation of stars and star clusters within these molecular clouds. The investigations will combine state-of-the-art numerical simulations with analytical theories. The quest to study planetary systems around stars and their formation is another key goal. Research activity in the grant covers theoretical work that concentrates on the properties of exoplanets atmospheres, debris discs, discs of asteroids, cometary objects, and dust surrounding stars.
The theoretical research profile includes work to understand the origin of the Universe itself. Members of the IoA play a leading role in the European Space Agency Planck mission, and will lead a definitive determination of the parameters that both define the geometry of the Universe and quantify the age, size, dark matter, dark energy and baryonic content. The research links to one of the key goals in astrophysics: constraining the properties of the dark matter and dark energy content of the Universe.
The Universe today is filled with galaxies, of which our own Milky Way is a not atypical example. A full understanding of galaxy formation and evolution requires multiple lines of attack. Observations of the resolved stellar populations in the Milky Way and its Local Group companions provide a detailed fossil record of the dynamical assemblies of the galaxies, the formation of stars, and the buildup of heavy elements over a wide range of mass scales and initial conditions. At the other end of the scale, observations of distant galaxies spanning lookback times of up to 12 Gyr provide direct measurements of the evolution of galaxy populations and the buildup of stars and metals with cosmic time. Finally, measurements of the large-scale star formation and abundance properties of nearby galaxies form a vital astrophysical bridge between the studies of nearby resolved stellar populations and the distant high-redshift investigations, by allowing us to characterise the evolutionary properties of the Hubble sequence and the complex "gastrophysical" processes that regulate the accretion of gas and the formation of stars in galaxies.
It is now recognised that there is an intimate link between the evolution of galaxies and the origin and properties of super-massive black holes, which reside at the centre of the Milky Way and other galaxies. The regions close to black holes allow the exploration of physics at the extremes. The formation and properties of super-massive black holes and their relation to the galaxies in which they reside is a research theme that involves theory, X-ray astrophysics and observational programmes in the grant.
Within galaxies, the grant focuses on star formation, from the giant molecular clouds which give birth to stars, down to the more detailed investigations of the processes that lead to the formation of stars and star clusters within these molecular clouds. The investigations will combine state-of-the-art numerical simulations with analytical theories. The quest to study planetary systems around stars and their formation is another key goal. Research activity in the grant covers theoretical work that concentrates on the properties of exoplanets atmospheres, debris discs, discs of asteroids, cometary objects, and dust surrounding stars.
Planned Impact
The Institute of Astronomy ensures all students, postdocs and staff are actively involved both in delivering high value science, and also engaging and stimulating a variety of additional knowledge creation activities, focussing on public awareness, and on applications of research developments in medical, space-industry and commercial spheres.
The University of Cambridge has one of the most successful programmes for nurturing knowledge transfer and resulting economic and societal impact between University departments and industry both in the United Kingdom and elsewhere. The extraordinarily successful Cambridge Science Park is well known, with expertise and ideas from Cambridge Astrophysics being involved in the establishment of several businesses in the Cambridge area.
The IoA's approach to the search for impact opportunities is embedded in the mechanisms that the University has in place to facilitate this. The University's Research Office provides the primary point of contact for corporate liaison, and is actively involved in pursuing impact and knowledge exchange activities and opportunities throughout the University. Cambridge Enterprise, the University's technology transfer and entrepreneurship arm, exists to enhance the University of Cambridge's contribution to society through knowledge transfer from the University to the community. The Institute of Astronomy members interact with these organisations regularly. Engagement with the wider economic community is supported
by a Collaborative Research Facilitator, based in the Cavendish Laboratory, who is able to provide advice on relevant networking and funding opportunities.
In summary, the research carried out at the IoA supported through this will lead to a wide range of impacts across a broad range of areas. From direct and specific impact in the application of analysis techniques to problems in the medical field, in the gaming industry, to inspirational outreach programmes engaging with those teaching the next generation of scientists.
The University of Cambridge has one of the most successful programmes for nurturing knowledge transfer and resulting economic and societal impact between University departments and industry both in the United Kingdom and elsewhere. The extraordinarily successful Cambridge Science Park is well known, with expertise and ideas from Cambridge Astrophysics being involved in the establishment of several businesses in the Cambridge area.
The IoA's approach to the search for impact opportunities is embedded in the mechanisms that the University has in place to facilitate this. The University's Research Office provides the primary point of contact for corporate liaison, and is actively involved in pursuing impact and knowledge exchange activities and opportunities throughout the University. Cambridge Enterprise, the University's technology transfer and entrepreneurship arm, exists to enhance the University of Cambridge's contribution to society through knowledge transfer from the University to the community. The Institute of Astronomy members interact with these organisations regularly. Engagement with the wider economic community is supported
by a Collaborative Research Facilitator, based in the Cavendish Laboratory, who is able to provide advice on relevant networking and funding opportunities.
In summary, the research carried out at the IoA supported through this will lead to a wide range of impacts across a broad range of areas. From direct and specific impact in the application of analysis techniques to problems in the medical field, in the gaming industry, to inspirational outreach programmes engaging with those teaching the next generation of scientists.
Organisations
Publications
Ishibashi W
(2017)
Ultramassive black hole feedback in compact galaxies
in Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society
Fabian A
(2017)
Do sound waves transport the AGN energy in the Perseus cluster?
in Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society: Letters
Hitomi Collaboration
(2017)
Solar abundance ratios of the iron-peak elements in the Perseus cluster.
in Nature
Rosotti G
(2017)
The origin of the eccentricity of the hot Jupiter in CI Tau
in Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society: Letters
Steiner J
(2017)
Self-consistent Black Hole Accretion Spectral Models and the Forgotten Role of Coronal Comptonization of Reflection Emission
in The Astrophysical Journal
Maddox N
(2017)
Far-infrared emission in luminous quasars accompanied by nuclear outflows
in Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society
Rorai A
(2017)
Exploring the thermal state of the low-density intergalactic medium at z = 3 with an ultrahigh signal-to-noise QSO spectrum
in Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society
Abdullah A
(2017)
The Origin of [C ii] 157 µm Emission in a Five-component Interstellar Medium: The Case of NGC 3184 and NGC 628
in The Astrophysical Journal
Venemans B
(2017)
Molecular Gas in Three z ~ 7 Quasar Host Galaxies
in The Astrophysical Journal
Casey A
(2017)
The RAVE-on Catalog of Stellar Atmospheric Parameters and Chemical Abundances for Chemo-dynamic Studies in the Gaia Era
in The Astrophysical Journal
Beatty T
(2017)
Evidence for Atmospheric Cold-trap Processes in the Noninverted Emission Spectrum of Kepler-13Ab Using HST/WFC3
in The Astronomical Journal
Williams A
(2017)
Models of bars - I. Flattish profiles for early-type galaxies
in Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society
Geach J
(2017)
The SCUBA-2 Cosmology Legacy Survey: 850 µm maps, catalogues and number counts
in Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society
Kacharov N
(2017)
Prolate rotation and metallicity gradient in the transforming dwarf galaxy Phoenix
in Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society
Carron J
(2017)
Internal delensing of Planck CMB temperature and polarization
Coleman J
(2017)
The mass distribution of the unusual merging cluster Abell 2146 from strong lensing
in Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society
Walton D
(2017)
The Broadband Spectral Variability of Holmberg IX X-1
in The Astrophysical Journal
Fabian A
(2017)
Properties of AGN coronae in the NuSTAR era - II. Hybrid plasma
in Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society
Chardin J
(2017)
Large-scale opacity fluctuations in the Lya forest: evidence for QSOs dominating the ionizing UV background at z ~ 5.5-6?
in Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society
Sanders J
(2017)
The shapes and alignments of the satellites of the Milky Way and Andromeda
in Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society
DeGraf C
(2017)
Black hole clustering and duty cycles in the Illustris simulation
in Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society
Russell H
(2017)
Close entrainment of massive molecular gas flows by radio bubbles in the central galaxy of Abell 1795
in Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society
Drake A
(2017)
The Catalina Surveys Southern periodic variable star catalogue
in Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society
Kara E
(2017)
The high-Eddington NLS1 Ark 564 has the coolest corona
in Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society
Viel M
(2017)
Diagnosing galactic feedback with line broadening in the low-redshift Lya forest
in Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society: Letters
Patruno A
(2017)
Neutron star planets: Atmospheric processes and irradiation
in Astronomy & Astrophysics
Kulkarni G
(2017)
Large 21 cm signals from AGN-dominated reionization
Lin H
(2017)
Discovery of the Lensed Quasar System DES J0408-5354
in The Astrophysical Journal Letters
Read M
(2017)
Transit probabilities in secularly evolving planetary systems
in Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society
Matrà L
(2017)
Exocometary gas structure, origin and physical properties around ß Pictoris through ALMA CO multitransition observations
in Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society
Croxall K
(2017)
The Origins of [C ii] Emission in Local Star-forming Galaxies
in The Astrophysical Journal
MacDonald R
(2017)
Signatures of Nitrogen Chemistry in Hot Jupiter Atmospheres
in The Astrophysical Journal Letters
Favre C
(2017)
The onset of energetic particle irradiation in Class 0 protostars
in Astronomy & Astrophysics
Matrà L
(2017)
Detection of Exocometary CO within the 440 Myr Old Fomalhaut Belt: A Similar CO+CO 2 Ice Abundance in Exocomets and Solar System Comets
in The Astrophysical Journal
Mudd D
(2017)
Discovery of a z = 0.65 post-starburst BAL quasar in the DES supernova fields
in Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society
Venemans B
(2017)
Molecular Gas in Three z ~ 7 Quasar Host Galaxies
Hardy R
(2017)
Secondary Eclipses of HAT-P-13b
in The Astrophysical Journal
Bosman S
(2017)
A deep search for metals near redshift 7: the line of sight towards ULAS J1120+0641
in Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society
Gandhi S
(2017)
GENESIS: New self-consistent models of exoplanetary spectra
Tanvir N
(2017)
The Emergence of a Lanthanide-rich Kilonova Following the Merger of Two Neutron Stars
in The Astrophysical Journal Letters
Minniti D
(2017)
FSR 1716: A New Milky Way Globular Cluster Confirmed Using VVV RR Lyrae Stars
in The Astrophysical Journal Letters
| Title | VLT/X-SHOOTER & Keck/ESI spectra of z~5 QSOs |
| Description | VizieR online Data Catalogue associated with article published in journal Astronomical Journal (AAS) with title 'Chasing the tail of cosmic reionization with dark gap statistics in the Ly{alpha} forest over 5 |
| Type Of Material | Database/Collection of data |
| Year Produced | 2023 |
| Provided To Others? | Yes |
| URL | https://cdsarc.cds.unistra.fr/viz-bin/cat/J/ApJ/923/223 |