Open University Rolling Grant 2009 - 2014
Lead Research Organisation:
The Open University
Department Name: Physical Sciences
Abstract
The OU Astronomy Group seeks continuation of its Rolling Grant to support a program of observational, theoretical, laboratory and space based astronomical research and instrumentation development. Theme 1 Star formation: This theme aims to understand star formation of our Galaxy and the local universe, focussing on near and far infrared studies. We will pursue four interlinked projects working within our access to the Guaranteed Time data from the AKARI space infrared telescope, the LOFAR radio telescope, and ESO facilities. The projects lie at the heart of star formation astrophysics, building on past work on molecular cloud structure, far-IR astronomy and triggered and high mass star formation. Project 1.1 ASTRO-F Galactic Plane Survey Project 1.2 Massive star and starburst cluster formation Project 1.3 HERSCHEL Survey exploitation Project 1.4 LOFAR Galactic Plane Survey Theme 2 Planetary Astrophysics: This area includes observational searches for Exoplanets; exoplanet characterisation with HST and Spitzer, modelling Exoplanet atmospheres; the interior structure of Exoplanets; and the dynamics and migration physics involved in various planetary architectures; and models and exploitation of data from solar system terrestrial planetary atmospheres. Project 2.1 Exoplanet Dynamics Project 2.2 Exoplanet Structure and Evolution Project 2.3 Solar System terrestrial planetary atmospheres Theme 3 Extragalactic Infrared astronomy & Cosmology: This is an integrated research programme to trace the cosmic evolution of star-forming galaxies using major international far-infrared and submm-wave legacy surveys / key projects. Project 3.1 SCUBA-2 and AKARI Legacy Surveys Project 3.2 The HERSCHEL ATLAS Key Project Project 3.3 The Cosmic Near-Infrared Background Theme 4 Extreme Environment astrophysics: This program explores the interrelation between galactic environment and relativistic object content in nearby galaxies, to provide insights into high-mass star formation, relativistic object formation and high-energy phenomena that cannot be gained from observations in our own Galaxy alone; to study the counterparts of high-energy sources we identify in our X-ray surveys of nearby galaxies; and conduct numerical simulations to model the nature of the accretion flows and the nature of their X-ray populations Project 4.1 Relativistic accretors in nearby galaxies Project 4.2 Characterising compact accreting systems Project 4.3 Magnetic Cataclysmic Variable Populations Theme 5 Laboratory Astrochemistry; Exploring Chemical Complexity: The research is targeted at simulating chemical and physical processes within star and planet formation regions and planetary atmospheres and surfaces; The research programme is focused on two projects (i) exploring the nature of chemical complexity in the ISM and (ii) identification of biomarkers that will be used to exploit extant data, and lead to the identification of robust biogenic biomarker signals in Exoplanet atmospheres and surfaces. Project 5.1 The Chemistry of Star and Planet Formation. Project 5.2 Identifying biosignatures for Exoplanetary studies; Theme 6 Astronomical Instrumentation Development for Space Missions: This proposal aims to promote radiation damage studies for future space missions which are within the STFC programme. The activity includes: a) Laboratory study of radiation damage and other environmental factors affecting scientific instrumentation on space missions, b) To provide low-level support to our collaboration with China on their first national X-ray astronomy mission, HXMT, c) To provide support at the early stage of future project studies, for both space and ground based instrumentation Project 6.1 Laboratory Studies of Radiation Damage (1 PDRA) Project 6.2 Radiation Damage support for the HXMT project
Publications
Khan S
(2009)
ON THE NATURE OF THE FIRST GALAXIES SELECTED AT 350 µm
in The Astrophysical Journal
Skillen I
(2009)
The 0.5 M J transiting exoplanet WASP-13b
in Astronomy & Astrophysics
Hebb L
(2009)
WASP-12b: THE HOTTEST TRANSITING EXTRASOLAR PLANET YET DISCOVERED
in The Astrophysical Journal
Cockell CS
(2009)
Darwin--a mission to detect and search for life on extrasolar planets.
in Astrobiology
Yamamura I
(2009)
The First release of the AKARI-FIS Bright Source Catalogue
Gänsicke B
(2009)
SDSS unveils a population of intrinsically faint cataclysmic variables at the minimum orbital period
in Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society
Lister T
(2009)
WASP-16b: A NEW JUPITER-LIKE PLANET TRANSITING A SOUTHERN SOLAR ANALOG
in The Astrophysical Journal
Barnard R
(2009)
A second black hole candidate in a M31 globular cluster is identified with XMM-Newton
in Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society: Letters
Hellier C
(2009)
WASP-7: A BRIGHT TRANSITING-EXOPLANET SYSTEM IN THE SOUTHERN HEMISPHERE
in The Astrophysical Journal
Fujiwara H
(2009)
AKARI/IRC Survey of Hot Debris Disks
Mason A
(2009)
Spectral classification of the mass donors in the high-mass X-ray binaries EXO 1722-363 and OAO 1657-415
in Astronomy & Astrophysics
Clark J
(2009)
The binary nature of the Galactic centre X-ray source CXOGC J174536.1-285638
in Astronomy & Astrophysics
Ritchie B
(2009)
Spectroscopic monitoring of the luminous blue variable Westerlund1-243 from 2002 to 2009
in Astronomy & Astrophysics
Serjeant S
(2009)
The evolution of star formation in quasar host galaxies
in Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society
Negrello M
(2009)
Photometric redshift accuracy in AKARI deep surveys
in Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society
Leblanc F
(2009)
Mars environment and magnetic orbiter scientific and measurement objectives.
in Astrobiology
Collier Cameron A
(2009)
The main-sequence rotation???colour relation in the Coma Berenices open cluster
in Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society
Butters O
(2009)
RXTE confirmation of the intermediate polar status of IGR J15094-6649
in Astronomy & Astrophysics
Ritchie B
(2009)
A VLT/FLAMES survey for massive binaries in Westerlund 1 I. First observations of luminous evolved stars
in Astronomy & Astrophysics
Joshi Y
(2009)
WASP-14b: 7.3 M J transiting planet in an eccentric orbit
in Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society
Clark J
(2009)
A third red supergiant rich cluster in the Scutum-Crux arm
in Astronomy & Astrophysics
Dickinson C
(2009)
ANOMALOUS MICROWAVE EMISSION FROM THE H II REGION RCW175
in The Astrophysical Journal
Hernán-Caballero A
(2009)
Mid-infrared spectroscopy of infrared-luminous galaxies at z ~ 0.5-3
in Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society
Shaw Greening L
(2009)
An X-ray spectral survey of the disc of M 31 with XMM-Newton
in Astronomy & Astrophysics
Butters O
(2009)
Circular polarization survey of intermediate polars I. Northern targets in the range 17 h < RA < 23 h
in Astronomy & Astrophysics
Miao J
(2009)
AN INVESTIGATION ON THE MORPHOLOGICAL EVOLUTION OF BRIGHT-RIMMED CLOUDS
in The Astrophysical Journal
Davies B
(2009)
CHEMICAL ABUNDANCE PATTERNS IN THE INNER GALAXY: THE SCUTUM RED SUPERGIANT CLUSTERS
in The Astrophysical Journal
Martínez-Alvarado O
(2009)
Low-order dynamical behavior in the martian atmosphere: Diagnosis of general circulation model results
in Icarus
Fujiwara H
(2009)
HOT DEBRIS DUST AROUND HD 106797
in The Astrophysical Journal
Clark J
(2009)
Bolometric luminosity variations in the luminous blue variable AFGL2298
in Astronomy & Astrophysics
Clark J
(2009)
The P Cygni supergiant [OMN2000] LS1 - implications for the star formation history of W51
in Astronomy & Astrophysics
Wilson C
(2009)
THE JAMES CLERK MAXWELL TELESCOPE NEARBY GALAXIES LEGACY SURVEY. I. STAR-FORMING MOLECULAR GAS IN VIRGO CLUSTER SPIRAL GALAXIES
in The Astrophysical Journal
Christian D
(2009)
WASP-10b: a 3M J , gas-giant planet transiting a late-type K star
in Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society
Ko J
(2009)
THE MID-INFRARED VIEW OF RED SEQUENCE GALAXIES IN ABELL 2218 WITH AKARI
in The Astrophysical Journal
Meeus G
(2010)
Gas in the protoplanetary disc of HD 169142: Herschel 's view
in Astronomy and Astrophysics
Katajainen S
(2010)
DISCOVERY OF POLARIZED EMISSION FROM TWO SOFT X-RAY-EMITTING INTERMEDIATE POLARS: UU Col AND NY Lup
in The Astrophysical Journal
Miville-Deschênes M
(2010)
Herschel -SPIRE observations of the Polaris flare: Structure of the diffuse interstellar medium at the sub-parsec scale
in Astronomy and Astrophysics
André P
(2010)
From filamentary clouds to prestellar cores to the stellar IMF: Initial highlights from the Herschel Gould Belt Survey
in Astronomy and Astrophysics
Nilsson R
(2010)
Kuiper belts around nearby stars
in Astronomy and Astrophysics
Crowther P
(2010)
NGC 300 X-1 is a Wolf-Rayet/black hole binary
in Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society: Letters
Ibar E
(2010)
H-ATLAS: PACS imaging for the Science Demonstration Phase PACS data reduction
in Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society
Negrello M
(2010)
The detection of a population of submillimeter-bright, strongly lensed galaxies.
in Science (New York, N.Y.)
Scaringi S
(2010)
Hard X-ray properties of magnetic cataclysmic variables
Lee C
(2010)
A bulk cloud parameterization in a Venus General Circulation Model
in Icarus
Maddox S
(2010)
Herschel -ATLAS: The angular correlation function of submillimetre galaxies at high and low redshift
in Astronomy and Astrophysics
Dvorak R
(2010)
Dynamical habitability of planetary systems.
in Astrobiology
Thi W
(2010)
Herschel -PACS observation of the 10 Myr old T Tauri disk TW Hya Constraining the disk gas mass
in Astronomy and Astrophysics
Di Francesco J
(2010)
Small-scale structure in the Rosette molecular cloud revealed by Herschel
in Astronomy and Astrophysics
Könyves V
(2010)
The Aquila prestellar core population revealed by Herschel
in Astronomy and Astrophysics
Description | This supported a varied programme of astronomical research at the Open University. Outputs have been published in peer-reviewed, and unrefereed papers and catalogues. |
Exploitation Route | These results were rolled into the next Consolidated Grant that was awarded. |
Sectors | Education |
Description | As a basis for a number of Television News interviews on different astronomical subjects As part of Open University Teaching material |
First Year Of Impact | 2009 |
Sector | Education |
Impact Types | Societal |
Description | Edinburgh |
Organisation | University of Edinburgh |
Department | Theoretical Particle Physics (PPT) Research Group |
Country | United Kingdom |
Sector | Academic/University |
PI Contribution | Contribution of expertise; also some travel funds for visits of the collaborator to Durham and Glasgow. |
Collaborator Contribution | A member of Edinburgh University joined an existing project looking at properties of soft gluons in multiparton scattering. This has led to new developments, aided by the combination of complementary expertise. Edinburgh have also contributed with some financial assistance (e.g. accommodation for visits). |
Impact | So far there have been two published research papers (see publications). |
Start Year | 2010 |