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
Davis C
(2010)
The JCMT Legacy Survey of the Gould Belt: a first look at Taurus with HARP
in Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society
Davis P
(2010)
A comprehensive population synthesis study of post-common envelope binaries
in Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society
Davis P
(2012)
Is the common envelope ejection efficiency a function of the binary parameters? The common envelope ejection efficiency
in Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society
Deane R
(2013)
The preferentially magnified active nucleus in IRAS F10214+4724 - I. Lens model and spatially resolved radio emission
in Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society
Delorme P
(2011)
Stellar rotation in the Hyades and Praesepe: gyrochronology and braking time-scale Stellar rotation in the Hyades and Praesepe: gyrochronology and braking time-scale
in Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society
Dent W
(2013)
GASPS-A Herschel Survey of Gas and Dust in Protoplanetary Disks: Summary and Initial Statistics
in Publications of the Astronomical Society of the Pacific
Di Francesco J
(2010)
Small-scale structure in the Rosette molecular cloud revealed by Herschel
in Astronomy and Astrophysics
Dickinson C
(2009)
ANOMALOUS MICROWAVE EMISSION FROM THE H II REGION RCW175
in The Astrophysical Journal
Doi Y
(2012)
AKARI FAR-INFRARED ALL-SKY SURVEY MAPS
in Publications of The Korean Astronomical Society
Dougherty S
(2010)
Radio emission from the massive stars in the galactic super star cluster Westerlund 1
in Astronomy and Astrophysics
Dunne L
(2011)
Herschel?-ATLAS: rapid evolution of dust in galaxies over the last 5 billion years Evolution of dust mass
in Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society
Dunstall P
(2012)
The VLT-FLAMES Tarantula Survey V. The peculiar B[e]-like supergiant, VFTS698, in 30 Doradus???
in Astronomy & Astrophysics
Dvorak R
(2010)
Dynamical habitability of planetary systems.
in Astrobiology
Eales S
(2010)
The Herschel ATLAS
in Publications of the Astronomical Society of the Pacific
Eiroa C
(2011)
Herschel discovery of a new class of cold, faint debris discs
in Astronomy & Astrophysics
Eiroa C
(2013)
DUst around NEarby Stars. The survey observational results
in Astronomy & Astrophysics
Eiroa C
(2010)
Cold DUst around NEarby Stars (DUNES). First results A resolved exo-Kuiper belt around the solar-like star ? 2 Ret
in Astronomy and Astrophysics
Elmasli A
(2012)
A spectroscopic study of DD UMa: Ursa Major group member and candidate for BRITE
in New Astronomy
Enoch B
(2011)
WASP-35b, WASP-48b, AND HAT-P-30b/WASP-51b: TWO NEW PLANETS AND AN INDEPENDENT DISCOVERY OF A HAT PLANET
in The Astronomical Journal
Enoch B
(2012)
Transit algorithm performance using real WASP data
in Astronomy & Astrophysics
Ertel S
(2012)
A peculiar class of debris disks from Herschel /DUNES A steep fall off in the far infrared
in Astronomy & Astrophysics
Ertel S
(2014)
Potential multi-component structure of the debris disk around HIP 17439 revealed by Herschel /DUNES
in Astronomy & Astrophysics
Evans C
(2011)
The VLT-FLAMES Tarantula Survey I. Introduction and observational overview?
in Astronomy & Astrophysics
Faedi F
(2013)
WASP-54b, WASP-56b, and WASP-57b: Three new sub-Jupiter mass planets from SuperWASP
in Astronomy & Astrophysics
Faedi F
(2011)
WASP-39b: a highly inflated Saturn-mass planet orbiting a late G-type star
in Astronomy & Astrophysics
Faimali A
(2012)
The G305 star-forming complex: embedded massive star formation discovered by Herschel Hi-GAL The G305 complex: a Hi-GAL far-IR study
in Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society
Fallscheer C
(2013)
HERSCHEL REVEALS MASSIVE COLD CLUMPS IN NGC 7538
in The Astrophysical Journal
Faramaz V
(2014)
Can eccentric debris disks be long-lived? A first numerical investigation and application to ? 2 Reticuli???
in Astronomy & Astrophysics
Farmer R
(2013)
The true stellar parameters of the Kepler target list
in Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society
Fossati L
(2012)
THE HABITABILITY AND DETECTION OF EARTH-LIKE PLANETS ORBITING COOL WHITE DWARFS
in The Astrophysical Journal
Fossati L
(2011)
The accuracy of stellar atmospheric parameter determinations: a case study with HD 32115 and HD 37594? Determining stellar atmospheric parameters
in Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society
Fossati L
(2010)
Explaining the Praesepe blue straggler HD 73666
in Astronomy and Astrophysics
Fossati L
(2010)
A DETAILED SPECTROPOLARIMETRIC ANALYSIS OF THE PLANET-HOSTING STAR WASP-12 ,
in The Astrophysical Journal
Fossati L
(2011)
A detailed spectroscopic analysis of the open cluster NGC 5460? Detailed spectroscopic analysis of NGC 5460
in Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society
Fossati L
(2010)
METALS IN THE EXOSPHERE OF THE HIGHLY IRRADIATED PLANET WASP-12b
in The Astrophysical Journal
Fossati L
(2011)
A multi-wavelength analysis of the WASP-12 planetary system
in Proceedings of the International Astronomical Union
Foulkes S
(2010)
SPH simulations of irradiation-driven warped accretion discs and the long periods in X-ray binaries
in Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society
Frayer D
(2011)
GREEN BANK TELESCOPE ZPECTROMETER CO(1-0) OBSERVATIONS OF THE STRONGLY LENSED SUBMILLIMETER GALAXIES FROM THE HERSCHEL ATLAS
in The Astrophysical Journal
Fridlund M
(2010)
A roadmap for the detection and characterization of other Earths.
in Astrobiology
Fridlund M
(2010)
The search for worlds like our own.
in Astrobiology
Fu H
(2012)
A COMPREHENSIVE VIEW OF A STRONGLY LENSED PLANCK -ASSOCIATED SUBMILLIMETER GALAXY
in The Astrophysical Journal
Fujiwara H
(2013)
AKARI/IRC 18 µ m survey of warm debris disks
in Astronomy & Astrophysics
Fujiwara H
(2009)
AKARI/IRC Survey of Hot Debris Disks
Fujiwara H
(2009)
HOT DEBRIS DUST AROUND HD 106797
in The Astrophysical Journal
Gebran M
(2010)
Chemical composition of A and F dwarfs members of the Hyades open cluster
in Astronomy & Astrophysics
Giannini T
(2012)
The Herschel view of the on-going star formation in the Vela-C molecular cloud
in Astronomy & Astrophysics
González-Nuevo J
(2010)
Herschel -ATLAS: Blazars in the science demonstration phase field
in Astronomy and Astrophysics
González-Nuevo J
(2012)
HERSCHEL -ATLAS: TOWARD A SAMPLE OF ~1000 STRONGLY LENSED GALAXIES
in The Astrophysical Journal
Goto T
(2010)
Environmental dependence of 8 µ m luminosity functions of galaxies at z ~ 0.8 Comparison between RXJ1716.4+6708 and the AKARI NEP-deep field
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 |