High Energy Astrophysics at Southampton
Lead Research Organisation:
University of Southampton
Department Name: Sch of Physics and Astronomy
Abstract
On the stellar scale we are interested in the significance of different environments on the evolution of high mass X-ray binary (HMXB) populations, in particular between the Milky Way and the SMC, where differing star formation rates and metallicities could be crucial. What are the relative importances of local and interstellar obscuration in what we see? Here the upcoming 2Msec INTEGRAL Key Programme observation of the SMC, almost unaffected by obscuration, will be of great value. Globular clusters are outstanding laboratories for studying stellar dynamics and stellar evolution, especially for understanding the most exotic stellar populations. We are drawing together observations of large samples of globular clusters to understand which cluster properties are most important for the production of these exotic stars, and comparing with low stellar density dwarf spheroidal galaxies to isolate the stellar evolution from stellar dynamics. The Netherlands-based low frequency radio array, LOFAR, is about to open a new window on the universe providing the first radio `all sky monitor'. We will study coherent radio bursts, perhaps associated with merging neutron stars, detectable at enormous distances (to z=7), providing a unique probe of the intergalactic medium and possibly even testing theories of gravity and cosmological distance scales via identification of LIGO inspiral events We will continue our research into the coupling between accretion and outflow (jets) in X-ray binaries, and how it relates to parallel processes in AGN (where scaling laws with black hole mass are established), accreting neutron stars and white dwarfs. We have amassed the first comprehensive database of black hole spectral states and will extend this analysis to include X-ray timing and radio results. Thus we will produce the most comprehensive analysis to date of the relation between black hole accretion flows and the formation and power of relativistic jets. The results can be applied to AGN feedback in galaxies and clusters. We will greatly improve our knowledge of the scaling relationship between characteristic X-ray timescale, mass and accretion rate in Seyfert galaxies and Galactic binaries, thus testing physical models for this important universal relationship. We will determine whether the relationship applies in jet dominated ``blazars'', implying a universal origin for variability. We are building a model, based on propagating fluctuations, to provide physical understanding of all spectral-timing relationships to derive physical parameters, eg disc emissivity profile. This model, with additional X-ray reprocessing, should also explain X-ray/optical correlations in AGN so we will test it against our X-ray/optical monitoring. To provide a census of the nearby universe on which models of the more distant universe can be built, we are heavily involved in eMERLIN legacy surveys of nearby galaxy samples It is now widely accepted that some process must reheat the gas in galaxy clusters or large amounts of cool gas, which are not seen, would be found in the cores of clusters of galaxies. But what is the heating mechanism? In our most theoretical project we will investigate, via MHD simulations, whether the dissipation of turbulent energy, driven by merger events, galaxy motions and AGN outflows, may be responsible. On the largest scales, both AGN and starforming galaxies (SFGs) contribute to the faint radio source population, but what is the mix? By combining radio morphology with a variety of spectral energy diagnostics we can distinguish AGN from SFGs. Hence, using radio luminosity as a starformation rate (SFR) indicator, we can determine the evolution of the cosmic SFR in an absorption-independent manner. We will push this technique to much higher redshifts, as major contributors to eMERLIN deep field legacy surveys, and also probe the relationship between SFGs and AGN.
Organisations
Publications
Abdo A
(2010)
FERMI LARGE AREA TELESCOPE AND MULTI-WAVELENGTH OBSERVATIONS OF THE FLARING ACTIVITY OF PKS 1510-089 BETWEEN 2008 SEPTEMBER AND 2009 JUNE
in The Astrophysical Journal
Acero F
(2009)
Detection of gamma rays from a starburst galaxy.
in Science (New York, N.Y.)
Actis M
(2011)
Design concepts for the Cherenkov Telescope Array CTA: an advanced facility for ground-based high-energy gamma-ray astronomy
in Experimental Astronomy
Agudo I
(2012)
3C 286: a bright, compact, stable, and highly polarized calibrator for millimeter-wavelength observations
in Astronomy & Astrophysics
Aharonian F
(2010)
Discovery of VHE ? -rays from the BL Lacertae object PKS 0548-322
in Astronomy and Astrophysics
Aharonian F
(2009)
DISCOVERY OF VERY HIGH ENERGY ?-RAY EMISSION FROM CENTAURUS A WITH H.E.S.S.
in The Astrophysical Journal
Aharonian F
(2009)
Spectrum and variability of the Galactic center VHE ? -ray source HESS J1745-290
in Astronomy & Astrophysics
Aharonian F
(2009)
Detection of very high energy radiation from HESS J1908+063 confirms the Milagro unidentified source MGRO J1908+06
in Astronomy & Astrophysics
Aharonian F
(2010)
Erratum to "Observations of the Sagittarius dwarf galaxy by the HESS experiment and search for a dark matter signal" [Astropart. Phys. 29(1) (2008) 55-62]
in Astroparticle Physics
Aharonian F
(2009)
Constraints on the multi-TeV particle population in the Coma galaxy cluster with HESS observations
in Astronomy & Astrophysics
Aharonian F
(2009)
Very high energy ?-ray observations of the binary PSR B1259-63/SS2883 around the 2007 Periastron
in Astronomy & Astrophysics
Aharonian F
(2009)
SIMULTANEOUS OBSERVATIONS OF PKS 2155-304 WITH HESS, FERMI , RXTE , AND ATOM: SPECTRAL ENERGY DISTRIBUTIONS AND VARIABILITY IN A LOW STATE
in The Astrophysical Journal
Aharonian F
(2009)
Simultaneous multiwavelength observations of the second exceptional ? -ray flare of PKS 2155-304 in July 2006
in Astronomy & Astrophysics
Aharonian F
(2009)
Probing the ATIC peak in the cosmic-ray electron spectrum with H.E.S.S.
in Astronomy & Astrophysics
Aharonian F
(2009)
HESS upper limit on the very high energy ? -ray emission from the globular cluster 47 Tucanae
in Astronomy & Astrophysics
Aharonian F
(2011)
Primary particle acceleration above 100 TeV in the shell-type supernova remnant RX J1713.7 - 3946 with deep H.E.S.S. observations ( Corrigendum )
in Astronomy & Astrophysics
Arnaud M
(2010)
The universal galaxy cluster pressure profile from a representative sample of nearby systems (REXCESS) and the Y SZ - M 500 relation
in Astronomy and Astrophysics
Arévalo P
(2009)
Correlation and time delays of the X-ray and optical emission of the Seyfert Galaxy NGC 3783
in Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society
Bassani L
(2009)
The nature of the ASCA / INTEGRAL source AX J183039-1002: a new Compton-thick AGN?
in Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society: Letters
Bell M
(2011)
X-ray and radio variability in the low-luminosity active galactic nucleus NGC 7213 NGC 7213: X-ray and radio variability
in Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society
Bell M
(2011)
An automated archival Very Large Array transients survey An automated archival VLA transients survey
in Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society
Bird A
(2010)
THE FOURTH IBIS/ISGRI SOFT GAMMA-RAY SURVEY CATALOG
in The Astrophysical Journal Supplement Series
Breedt E
(2010)
Twelve years of X-ray and optical variability in the Seyfert galaxy NGC 4051 X-ray/optical variability in NGC 4051
in Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society
Broderick J
(2011)
Is there really a dichotomy in active galactic nucleus jet power? Is there really a dichotomy in AGN jet power?
in Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society
Böhringer H
(2010)
Substructure of the galaxy clusters in the REXCESS sample: observed statistics and comparison to numerical simulations
in Astronomy and Astrophysics
Cabanac C
(2009)
On the variation of black hole accretion disc radii as a function of state and accretion rate
in Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society
Calvelo D
(2010)
Limits on the quiescent radio emission from the black hole binaries GRO J1655-40 and XTE J1550-564 Quiescent limits of GRO J1655-40 and XTE J1550-564
in Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society
Calvelo D
(2012)
Millimetre observations of a sub-arcsecond jet from Circinus X-1 Millimetre observations of Circinus X-1
in Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society: Letters
Calvelo D
(2012)
Radio observations of Circinus X-1 over a complete orbit at an historically faint epoch Observations of CIR X-1 over a complete orbit
in Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society
Capitanio F
(2011)
FINDING PERSISTENT SOURCES WITH THE BeppoSAX /WIDE FIELD CAMERA: AN IN-DEPTH ANALYSIS
in The Astrophysical Journal Supplement Series
Casella P
(2010)
Fast infrared variability from a relativistic jet in GX 339-4
in Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society: Letters
Charles P
(2010)
Supersoft X-ray sources: Confronting the van den Heuvel paradigm
in New Astronomy Reviews
Chatterjee R
(2011)
CONNECTION BETWEEN THE ACCRETION DISK AND JET IN THE RADIO GALAXY 3C 111
in The Astrophysical Journal
Chatterjee R
(2009)
DISK-JET CONNECTION IN THE RADIO GALAXY 3C 120
in The Astrophysical Journal
Clark D
(2010)
The orbital period in the supergiant fast X-ray transient IGR J16465-4507 IGR J16465-4507
in Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society: Letters
Clark D
(2009)
Discovery of the orbital period in the supergiant fast X-ray transient IGR J17544-2619
in Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society: Letters
Coe M
(2010)
INTEGRAL deep observations of the Small Magellanic Cloud INTEGRAL-SMC
in Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society
Coe M
(2009)
An X-ray and optical study of the new SMC X-ray binary pulsar system SXP7.92 and its probable optical counterpart, AzV285
in Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society
Coe M
(2010)
Exploring accretion theory with X-ray binaries in the Small Magellanic Cloud
in Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society
Coe M
(2011)
The XMM-Newton survey of the Small Magellanic Cloud: XMMU J005011.2-730026 = SXP 214, a Be/X-ray binary pulsar? SXP 214
in Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society
Connolly S
(2016)
Long-term X-ray spectral variability in AGN from the Palomar sample observed by Swift
in Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society
Connolly S
(2014)
Long-term wind-driven X-ray spectral variability of NGC 1365 with Swift
in Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society
Coriat M
(2011)
Radiatively efficient accreting black holes in the hard state: the case study of H1743-322 H1743-322: radio/X-ray correlation
in Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society
Cornelisse R
(2012)
The nature of the X-ray transient MAXI J0556-332 MAXI J0556-332
in Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society
Cottis C
(2010)
Searching for the signature of radiative line driving: on the absence of Lya-N v line-locking features in a large sample of BALQSOs Radiative line driving in BALQSOs
in Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society
Croston J
(2011)
A LARGE-SCALE SHOCK SURROUNDING A POWERFUL RADIO GALAXY?
in The Astrophysical Journal
Croston J
(2009)
High-energy particle acceleration at the radio-lobe shock of Centaurus A
in Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society
D'Ammando F
(2009)
AGILE detection of a rapid ? -ray flare from the blazar PKS 1510-089 during the GASP-WEBT monitoring
in Astronomy & Astrophysics
D'Ammando F
(2011)
AGILE detection of extreme ? -ray activity from the blazar PKS 1510-089 during March 2009 Multifrequency analysis?
in Astronomy & Astrophysics
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
| Description | Many details regarding the accretion of material onto compact objects such as black holes, and the resulting emission, particularly with regard to the variability properties and to jets |
| Exploitation Route | We work on some of the major questions in high energy astrophysics and our work on timing properties and scaling relationships between different mass and accretion rates will certainly form the basis of future examinations of scaling relationships, ie are black holes the same, apart from scale? |
| Sectors | Creative Economy,Education |
| Description | Other researchers have applied the techniques developed during the course of this grant to different types of astrophysical objects. We have also used them in the context of undergraduate projects on the time series analysis of stock market data, resulting the in the said undergraduates getting better paid jobs than their lecturers. |
| First Year Of Impact | 2010 |
| Sector | Creative Economy,Education,Financial Services, and Management Consultancy |
| Impact Types | Cultural |