A Rolling Programme of Astrophysical Research at Leeds

Lead Research Organisation: University of Leeds
Department Name: Applied Mathematics

Abstract

Many astrophysical phenomena involve a complicated interaction between physical and chemical processes and fluid dynamics. We intend to use a combination of analysis and novel numerical methods, based on adaptive grids, to investigate such phenomena, in particular those involved in star formation, interactions between stars and their environment, starburst galaxies and active galactic nuclei, pulsar wind nebulae and the magnetospheres of pulsars and black holes. The emphasis is on generic processes that are important in a wide range of astrophysical objects. The star formation theme will combine the theoretical work with molecular line observations, multi-wavelength surveys of our Galaxy and the latest high resolution observations of the circumstellar environment of massive stars.

Publications

10 25 50

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Pittard J (2010) 3D models of radiatively driven colliding winds in massive O + O star binaries - III. Thermal X-ray emission in Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society

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Pittard J (2011) Tails of the unexpected: the interaction of an isothermal shell with a cloud in Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society: Letters

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Pittard J (2009) 3D models of radiatively driven colliding winds in massive O+O star binaries - I. Hydrodynamics in Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society

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Pittard J (2010) The turbulent destruction of clouds - II. Mach number dependence, mass-loss rates and tail formation in Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society

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Pittard J (2010) The turbulent destruction of interstellar clouds in Astrophysics and Space Science

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Pope E (2008) The generation of optical emission-line filaments in galaxy clusters in Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society

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Pope E (2008) Cold gas in the intracluster medium: implications for flow dynamics and powering optical nebulae in Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society

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Rosolowsky E. W. (2008) An ammonia spectral atlas of dense cores in Perseus in ASTROPHYSICAL JOURNAL SUPPLEMENT SERIES

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Schnee S (2010) THE DUST EMISSIVITY SPECTRAL INDEX IN THE STARLESS CORE TMC-1C in The Astrophysical Journal

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Stead J (2011) Determining the age of young embedded clusters Determining the age of embedded clusters in Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society

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Stead J (2009) The slope of the near-infrared extinction law in Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society

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Townsley L (2011) THE CHANDRA CARINA COMPLEX PROJECT: DECIPHERING THE ENIGMA OF CARINA'S DIFFUSE X-RAY EMISSION in The Astrophysical Journal Supplement Series

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Townsley L (2011) AN INTRODUCTION TO THE CHANDRA CARINA COMPLEX PROJECT in The Astrophysical Journal Supplement Series

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Urquhart J (2013) Characterisation of the Mopra Radio Telescope at 16-50 GHz in Publications of the Astronomical Society of Australia

 
Description Star formation occurs due to the collapse of interstellar clouds due to their own gravitational attraction. We have shown that the interstellar magnetic field plays an important role in forming the clouds that can collapse to form stars.
Exploitation Route It is now generally recognised that magnetic fields and in particular non-ideal effects such as ambi-polar diffusion play an important role in the formation of the clouds that collapse to form stars.
Sectors Aerospace, Defence and Marine,Energy,Environment

 
Description The observational work has improved our understanding of massive star formation. The theoretical work has shown that magnetic fields play a major role in the early stages of star formation.
First Year Of Impact 2010
Sector Aerospace, Defence and Marine,Energy,Environment
Impact Types Cultural,Economic

 
Description Star Formation and Protoplanetary Discs
Amount £1,546,225 (GBP)
Funding ID ST/I001557/1 
Organisation Science and Technologies Facilities Council (STFC) 
Sector Public
Country United Kingdom
Start 04/2011 
End 03/2014