Queen's University Belfast Consolidated Grant in Solar Physics and Solar System Studies 2017 - 2020

Our Consolidated Grant brings together research projects in solar physics, and the study of solar system bodies, undertaken by staff within the School of Mathematics and Physics at Queen's University Belfast. All of these projects fall within the remit of the Solar Studies (SS) and Planetary Studies (PL) sub-panels of the STFC Astronomy Grants Panel. The programme is diverse, with the solar physics projects involving observational and computational studies of the solar atmosphere from the chromosphere to the corona, with a particular emphasis on high-frequency imaging and spectroscopy of dynamic events, including wave generation, propagation and dissipation, the cancellation of magnetic elements and total solar eclipses. Projects on solar system bodies include observational studies of asteroids and the most primitive populations such as comets/trans-Neptunian objects - populations that retain key information on the origin and evolution of our planetary system.

Our observational research employs an extensive set of both ground- and satellite-based solar and astronomical facilities, including the ROSA/HARDcam high-cadence solar imager, the Pan-STARRS Survey, ESO, ING and Gemini telescopes, and the SDO and Hinode satellites. In addition, we use the DiRAC supercomputing facility to support the computational aspects of our research programmes.

1. Public engagement

Our research fields of solar physics and solar system studies are ideal for public engagement activities, as these astronomical sources are generally observable either with the naked eye or small telescopes (which we provide at our public events). We have a wide-ranging, vibrant and extremely popular outreach portfolio linked to our research fields, which have a major impact on society and (in particular) schoolchildren. Our outreach programmes, which will be ongoing over the period of the Consolidated Grant, include:

- Horizons in Physics, an event held annually in September and which attracts 400 5th- and 6th-form students.

- Physics Teachers Conference - held annually in June and attended by 40-50 teachers. The conference always includes at least one talk on our astrophysics research.

- NI Science Festival - held annually in February, at which we give talks on our research, attended by typically 300 people. We also contribute to a week-long exhibition in the Ulster Museum, with an attendance of several thousand.

- Stargazing Live - we contribute to this regular event (typical attendance of 400) in both solar physics and solar system studies, such as a Jupiter watch (January 2014) and partial solar eclipse (March 2015), including the provision of telescopes for public use. Future events will include the eclipse in August 2017, which will be partially visible from Northern Ireland.

- We are introducing, from January 2016, an annual work experience programme in astrophysics for 6th-formers. It will support 5 students per year in solar physics and solar system studies.

- We have an active talks programme, available to schools, clubs, societies and FE colleges. Talks by the Applicants related to the current proposal are given about 20 times per year, and include Death of the Dinosaurs and Why is the Sky Blue?


2. Knowledge exchange engagement

We have 2 such programmes with links to the present application, outlined below.

2.1 Detector development

We are working with ANDOR Technology PLC on the development of large-format, high-speed sCMOS cameras for the new DKIST 4-m solar telescope, funded by a PPRP grant for £1.9M. This has arisen from our collaborative work with ANDOR on the provision of detectors for our ROSA/HARDcam solar imager. As well as providing the full complement of 9 cameras for DKIST, the development work will allow ANDOR to make further inroads into the astronomy market. Indeed, this work has already led to a further grant from the EU to investigate detector options for the European Solar Telescope (EST), with a view to ANDOR providing the detector suite as and when EST is approved. In the longer term, a major aim is to adapt the DKIST camera platform for high-speed X-ray detection applications, including protein crystallography and 3D X-ray tomography.

2.2 Biomarker detection in medical patient samples

We are working with Randox Laboratories, a global market leader in the medical diagnostic industry, as part of a proposed Centre of Excellence for Biomedical Applications at Queen's. The focus of the Centre will be to deliver core technologies for the detection of multiple chemical constituents from a single patient sample. Through our solar physics work on high-cadence imaging, we have extensive experience in optics and image processing, and will be involved in designing custom image processing solutions that can be utilised specifically for biomedical applications. For example, one area for investigation will be methods to increase the sensitivity of detection for biomarkers, in turn improving the detection window for elevated levels of biomarkers so that they can be identified earlier and treatment can be started sooner. A proposal totalling £2.5M to establish the Centre for Excellence in Biomedical Applications has been submitted to InvestNI (the industrial development agency for Northern Ireland).