Warwick Astronomy & Astrophysics Consolidated Grant 2023-2026
Lead Research Organisation:
University of Warwick
Department Name: Physics
Abstract
How do stars, planets and galaxies form? How do they evolve, how do they die? The Astronomy and Astrophysics group at the University of Warwick studies questions such as these through observations on telescopes, both large and small, and through physics-driven computational modelling. The use of optical telescopes in astronomy dates back over 400 years to Galileo, but we are now in a new Galilean era of discovery with the first detection of gravitational waves (GWs) only made in 2015. GWs provide a completely different view of the universe, delving to the heart of the most extreme events known as unimaginably dense stars spiral together, and, in their last moments before merging, rival the power output of the rest of the entire observable universe. GW telescopes can "see" almost everywhere at once, but have the equivalent of very blurred vision. To pinpoint sources, we need to see them electromagnetically (EM), i.e. with optical, radio and x-ray telescopes, but even that is difficult because you have to know where to look first. At Warwick we are working on a telescope called GOTO to do just this. From sites in Europe and Australia, GOTO is designed for breadth of vision and speed, to chase the universe's fastest and most violent events within minutes of their detection. Many less powerful, but longer lasting objects emit GWs much closer to Earth within our own galaxy, the Milky Way. We are starting to find systems from EM observations that will also be detectable as GW sources from space. These are exotic sources: one consists of two stars, each the size of the Earth but 100,000 times more massive, that circle each other in a little over five minutes. We will apply specialist high-speed cameras to their study, mounted on large optical telescopes, to probe how they evolve and important step in understanding how many of them there are, and how they came to be. Gravitational waves have given us new eyes on the universe, but new instruments and techniques do almost the same thing. In 1995 the first exoplanet was found through a particularly sensitive application of an old tool of astronomy called spectroscopy. Since then thousands of planets have been found in a bewildering variety of systems, many very different from our Solar System. At Warwick we have long pursued the discovery of exoplanets using both telescopes on Earth and in space, and will do so in this grant in order to understand processes that can destroy or erode planets when they are close to their host stars. Many known exoplanets are close to their host stars, but that is in part due to how we find them, so another strand of our research aims to push planetary detection to wider orbits, closer to those of our Solar system. Warwick has a strong interest in a new ESA-led space mission called PLATO which will provide a dramatic boost to this work. PLATO has a large field of view to allow it to pick up planets orbiting the brightest stars. These are key targets as they are close by, but above all they allow even more challenging application of spectroscopy, enough to allow us to probe the very composition of the planetary atmospheres. Earth and the other planets of the Solar system formed from a disk of material around the young Sun that lives on as the planets themselves but also "debris" in the form of comets, asteroids and dust. We aim to find evidence for similar structures around other stars, in particular from their dust as it scatters starlight. Such material can survive the several billion year lifetime of the star until just a hot dense remnant called a white dwarf remains. The formation of a white dwarf should "deep clean" the environment close to the star, and yet remarkably we have found many example of the planetary debris, and within our research we aim to find out how this can be. There are many other white dwarfs left from stellar evolution which we will map using a new generation of fibre-fed spectrographs that capture objects, 1000 at a time.
Organisations
- University of Warwick (Lead Research Organisation)
- University of Geneva (Collaboration)
- University of Chile (Collaboration)
- UNIVERSITY OF LEICESTER (Collaboration)
- German Aerospace Centre (DLR) (Collaboration)
- Andor Technology (Collaboration)
- QUEEN'S UNIVERSITY BELFAST (Collaboration)
- UNIVERSITY OF CAMBRIDGE (Collaboration)
Publications
![publication icon](/resources/img/placeholder-60x60.png)
Abbott R
(2023)
Constraints on the Cosmic Expansion History from GWTC-3
in The Astrophysical Journal
![publication icon](/resources/img/placeholder-60x60.png)
Abbott R
(2023)
Open Data from the Third Observing Run of LIGO, Virgo, KAGRA, and GEO
in The Astrophysical Journal Supplement Series
![publication icon](/resources/img/placeholder-60x60.png)
Abbott R
(2023)
Search for Gravitational Waves Associated with Fast Radio Bursts Detected by CHIME/FRB during the LIGO-Virgo Observing Run O3a
in The Astrophysical Journal
![publication icon](/resources/img/placeholder-60x60.png)
Abbott R
(2023)
Population of Merging Compact Binaries Inferred Using Gravitational Waves through GWTC-3
in Physical Review X
![publication icon](/resources/img/placeholder-60x60.png)
Abbott R
(2023)
GWTC-3: Compact Binary Coalescences Observed by LIGO and Virgo during the Second Part of the Third Observing Run
in Physical Review X
![publication icon](/resources/img/placeholder-60x60.png)
Abbott R
(2024)
GWTC-2.1: Deep extended catalog of compact binary coalescences observed by LIGO and Virgo during the first half of the third observing run
in Physical Review D
![publication icon](/resources/img/placeholder-60x60.png)
Ahrer E
(2023)
LRG-BEASTS: evidence for clouds in the transmission spectrum of HATS-46 b
in Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society
![publication icon](/resources/img/placeholder-60x60.png)
Ahrer EM
(2023)
Early Release Science of the exoplanet WASP-39b with JWST NIRCam.
in Nature
Description | Chair of STFC oversight committee for new robotic telescope |
Geographic Reach | Europe |
Policy Influence Type | Participation in a guidance/advisory committee |
Description | Member of Project Management Board for the UKSA contribution to ESA Ariel space mission |
Geographic Reach | Europe |
Policy Influence Type | Participation in a guidance/advisory committee |
Description | Communicating STFC Research using a Mobile Planetarium - Matched funding with STFC award ST/Y005864/1 |
Amount | £15,000 (GBP) |
Organisation | University of Warwick |
Sector | Academic/University |
Country | United Kingdom |
Start | 02/2024 |
End | 01/2027 |
Description | Spark Awards 2023B: Communicating STFC Research using a Mobile Planetarium |
Amount | £15,000 (GBP) |
Funding ID | ST/Y005864/1 |
Organisation | Science and Technologies Facilities Council (STFC) |
Sector | Public |
Country | United Kingdom |
Start | 02/2024 |
End | 01/2027 |
Description | NGTS Consortium |
Organisation | Andor Technology |
Country | United Kingdom |
Sector | Private |
PI Contribution | We are leading the development of the Next Generation Transit Survey (NGTS), which is a project aiming to discover small planets around bright stars using an array of robotic telescopes at the ESO Paranal site in Chile. We initiated the project with an institutional investment of £300k, and have been joined by 5 partner institutes all making comparable financial investments. At Warwick we have purchased key components of the facility (including CCD cameras and telescope mounts), led site negotiations with ESO, and we are leading the development of the observatory control and data analysis software. In the operational phase of the project, with support from STFC, we will carrying out the data analysis and lead the search for new planets in NGTS data. |
Collaborator Contribution | Geneva - have purchased key equipment and led the mechanical and optical design of the telescope array. DLR - have purchased CCD cameras and contributed to the development of data analysis software. Leicester - have purchased CCD cameras and computing hardware and led the calibration of the CCD cameras. Cavendish - have purchased key equipment and provided staff support for the installation of the facility in Chile. Belfast - developed a prototype instrument for La Palma that demonstrated the scientific feasibility of the survey. |
Impact | Primary output will be the discovery and characterisation of new exoplanets (published in peer reviewed journals). The NGTS data will also be made publicly available through the ESO data archive. Our collaboration with the manufacturer of our CCD cameras (Andor) has resulted in a new camera product and an improved understanding of CCD camera stability. |
Start Year | 2009 |
Description | NGTS Consortium |
Organisation | German Aerospace Centre (DLR) |
Department | DLR Institute Of Planetary Research |
Country | Germany |
Sector | Academic/University |
PI Contribution | We are leading the development of the Next Generation Transit Survey (NGTS), which is a project aiming to discover small planets around bright stars using an array of robotic telescopes at the ESO Paranal site in Chile. We initiated the project with an institutional investment of £300k, and have been joined by 5 partner institutes all making comparable financial investments. At Warwick we have purchased key components of the facility (including CCD cameras and telescope mounts), led site negotiations with ESO, and we are leading the development of the observatory control and data analysis software. In the operational phase of the project, with support from STFC, we will carrying out the data analysis and lead the search for new planets in NGTS data. |
Collaborator Contribution | Geneva - have purchased key equipment and led the mechanical and optical design of the telescope array. DLR - have purchased CCD cameras and contributed to the development of data analysis software. Leicester - have purchased CCD cameras and computing hardware and led the calibration of the CCD cameras. Cavendish - have purchased key equipment and provided staff support for the installation of the facility in Chile. Belfast - developed a prototype instrument for La Palma that demonstrated the scientific feasibility of the survey. |
Impact | Primary output will be the discovery and characterisation of new exoplanets (published in peer reviewed journals). The NGTS data will also be made publicly available through the ESO data archive. Our collaboration with the manufacturer of our CCD cameras (Andor) has resulted in a new camera product and an improved understanding of CCD camera stability. |
Start Year | 2009 |
Description | NGTS Consortium |
Organisation | Queen's University Belfast |
Country | United Kingdom |
Sector | Academic/University |
PI Contribution | We are leading the development of the Next Generation Transit Survey (NGTS), which is a project aiming to discover small planets around bright stars using an array of robotic telescopes at the ESO Paranal site in Chile. We initiated the project with an institutional investment of £300k, and have been joined by 5 partner institutes all making comparable financial investments. At Warwick we have purchased key components of the facility (including CCD cameras and telescope mounts), led site negotiations with ESO, and we are leading the development of the observatory control and data analysis software. In the operational phase of the project, with support from STFC, we will carrying out the data analysis and lead the search for new planets in NGTS data. |
Collaborator Contribution | Geneva - have purchased key equipment and led the mechanical and optical design of the telescope array. DLR - have purchased CCD cameras and contributed to the development of data analysis software. Leicester - have purchased CCD cameras and computing hardware and led the calibration of the CCD cameras. Cavendish - have purchased key equipment and provided staff support for the installation of the facility in Chile. Belfast - developed a prototype instrument for La Palma that demonstrated the scientific feasibility of the survey. |
Impact | Primary output will be the discovery and characterisation of new exoplanets (published in peer reviewed journals). The NGTS data will also be made publicly available through the ESO data archive. Our collaboration with the manufacturer of our CCD cameras (Andor) has resulted in a new camera product and an improved understanding of CCD camera stability. |
Start Year | 2009 |
Description | NGTS Consortium |
Organisation | University of Cambridge |
Department | Cavendish Laboratory |
Country | United Kingdom |
Sector | Academic/University |
PI Contribution | We are leading the development of the Next Generation Transit Survey (NGTS), which is a project aiming to discover small planets around bright stars using an array of robotic telescopes at the ESO Paranal site in Chile. We initiated the project with an institutional investment of £300k, and have been joined by 5 partner institutes all making comparable financial investments. At Warwick we have purchased key components of the facility (including CCD cameras and telescope mounts), led site negotiations with ESO, and we are leading the development of the observatory control and data analysis software. In the operational phase of the project, with support from STFC, we will carrying out the data analysis and lead the search for new planets in NGTS data. |
Collaborator Contribution | Geneva - have purchased key equipment and led the mechanical and optical design of the telescope array. DLR - have purchased CCD cameras and contributed to the development of data analysis software. Leicester - have purchased CCD cameras and computing hardware and led the calibration of the CCD cameras. Cavendish - have purchased key equipment and provided staff support for the installation of the facility in Chile. Belfast - developed a prototype instrument for La Palma that demonstrated the scientific feasibility of the survey. |
Impact | Primary output will be the discovery and characterisation of new exoplanets (published in peer reviewed journals). The NGTS data will also be made publicly available through the ESO data archive. Our collaboration with the manufacturer of our CCD cameras (Andor) has resulted in a new camera product and an improved understanding of CCD camera stability. |
Start Year | 2009 |
Description | NGTS Consortium |
Organisation | University of Chile |
Department | Department of Astronomy (DAS) |
Country | Chile |
Sector | Academic/University |
PI Contribution | We are leading the development of the Next Generation Transit Survey (NGTS), which is a project aiming to discover small planets around bright stars using an array of robotic telescopes at the ESO Paranal site in Chile. We initiated the project with an institutional investment of £300k, and have been joined by 5 partner institutes all making comparable financial investments. At Warwick we have purchased key components of the facility (including CCD cameras and telescope mounts), led site negotiations with ESO, and we are leading the development of the observatory control and data analysis software. In the operational phase of the project, with support from STFC, we will carrying out the data analysis and lead the search for new planets in NGTS data. |
Collaborator Contribution | Geneva - have purchased key equipment and led the mechanical and optical design of the telescope array. DLR - have purchased CCD cameras and contributed to the development of data analysis software. Leicester - have purchased CCD cameras and computing hardware and led the calibration of the CCD cameras. Cavendish - have purchased key equipment and provided staff support for the installation of the facility in Chile. Belfast - developed a prototype instrument for La Palma that demonstrated the scientific feasibility of the survey. |
Impact | Primary output will be the discovery and characterisation of new exoplanets (published in peer reviewed journals). The NGTS data will also be made publicly available through the ESO data archive. Our collaboration with the manufacturer of our CCD cameras (Andor) has resulted in a new camera product and an improved understanding of CCD camera stability. |
Start Year | 2009 |
Description | NGTS Consortium |
Organisation | University of Geneva |
Country | Switzerland |
Sector | Academic/University |
PI Contribution | We are leading the development of the Next Generation Transit Survey (NGTS), which is a project aiming to discover small planets around bright stars using an array of robotic telescopes at the ESO Paranal site in Chile. We initiated the project with an institutional investment of £300k, and have been joined by 5 partner institutes all making comparable financial investments. At Warwick we have purchased key components of the facility (including CCD cameras and telescope mounts), led site negotiations with ESO, and we are leading the development of the observatory control and data analysis software. In the operational phase of the project, with support from STFC, we will carrying out the data analysis and lead the search for new planets in NGTS data. |
Collaborator Contribution | Geneva - have purchased key equipment and led the mechanical and optical design of the telescope array. DLR - have purchased CCD cameras and contributed to the development of data analysis software. Leicester - have purchased CCD cameras and computing hardware and led the calibration of the CCD cameras. Cavendish - have purchased key equipment and provided staff support for the installation of the facility in Chile. Belfast - developed a prototype instrument for La Palma that demonstrated the scientific feasibility of the survey. |
Impact | Primary output will be the discovery and characterisation of new exoplanets (published in peer reviewed journals). The NGTS data will also be made publicly available through the ESO data archive. Our collaboration with the manufacturer of our CCD cameras (Andor) has resulted in a new camera product and an improved understanding of CCD camera stability. |
Start Year | 2009 |
Description | NGTS Consortium |
Organisation | University of Leicester |
Country | United Kingdom |
Sector | Academic/University |
PI Contribution | We are leading the development of the Next Generation Transit Survey (NGTS), which is a project aiming to discover small planets around bright stars using an array of robotic telescopes at the ESO Paranal site in Chile. We initiated the project with an institutional investment of £300k, and have been joined by 5 partner institutes all making comparable financial investments. At Warwick we have purchased key components of the facility (including CCD cameras and telescope mounts), led site negotiations with ESO, and we are leading the development of the observatory control and data analysis software. In the operational phase of the project, with support from STFC, we will carrying out the data analysis and lead the search for new planets in NGTS data. |
Collaborator Contribution | Geneva - have purchased key equipment and led the mechanical and optical design of the telescope array. DLR - have purchased CCD cameras and contributed to the development of data analysis software. Leicester - have purchased CCD cameras and computing hardware and led the calibration of the CCD cameras. Cavendish - have purchased key equipment and provided staff support for the installation of the facility in Chile. Belfast - developed a prototype instrument for La Palma that demonstrated the scientific feasibility of the survey. |
Impact | Primary output will be the discovery and characterisation of new exoplanets (published in peer reviewed journals). The NGTS data will also be made publicly available through the ESO data archive. Our collaboration with the manufacturer of our CCD cameras (Andor) has resulted in a new camera product and an improved understanding of CCD camera stability. |
Start Year | 2009 |
Title | TESS Positional Probability Tool |
Description | Publicly released Python code for determining the true source of exoplanet transit-like events in TESS photometry. |
Type Of Technology | Software |
Year Produced | 2023 |
Impact | Use of the tool is ongoing and interest in utilising it and developing it further has been expressed by researchers at MIT and in Madrid. |
URL | https://github.com/ahadjigeorghiou/TESSPositionalProbability |
Description | Festivals on campus promoting STEM subjects including planetarium shows |
Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | Regional |
Primary Audience | Public/other audiences |
Results and Impact | 2 festivals on campus promoting STEM subjects including 16 planetarium shows to the general public with audiences totalling 500+ |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2023,2024 |
Description | Invited online seminar at NISER Bhubhaneshwar |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | International |
Primary Audience | Postgraduate students |
Results and Impact | Invited online seminar at NISER Bhubhaneshwar to the Earth and Planetary Science group, attended by professors, postdocs, undergraduate, and post graduate students. |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2024 |
Description | Launching local chapter of Astronomy on Tap |
Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | Local |
Primary Audience | Public/other audiences |
Results and Impact | Launched the local chapter of Astronomy on Tap which is a free event for the public at a local pub, featuring accessible, engaging presentations on space science and astronomy topics given by professional researchers |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2023 |
Description | Observatory Tours including planetarium shows |
Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an open day or visit at my research institution |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | Local |
Primary Audience | Third sector organisations |
Results and Impact | >50 children aged 8-14 years visited the campus observatory for a tour and planetarium viewing. These were from the local Cubs and Scouts groups. |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2023,2024 |
Description | Planetarium shows at the Bright Sparks STEM fair 2023 |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | Regional |
Primary Audience | Public/other audiences |
Results and Impact | We took out STFC-funded mobile planetarium to the Bright Sparks STEM Fair in Leicester and gave a series of shows all day on the topic of STFC research. Total visitors in the planetarium was around 400 people, mostly children and acompyining adults. |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2023 |
URL | https://www.lgs-senior.org.uk/bright-sparks |
Description | Space Camps running exoplanet workshop for Year 5 |
Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | Regional |
Primary Audience | Schools |
Results and Impact | Space Camps running exoplanet workshop for Year 5 in two schools in Sutton Coldfield for 120 students. |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2023,2024 |
Description | Visit to rural school in Shropshire |
Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | Regional |
Primary Audience | Schools |
Results and Impact | Visit to rural school in Shropshire for running workshops for Years 3 - 6. Also visited Reception, Years1 and Year2. Total of 90 students. |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2024 |