Rolling Grant Programme in Astrophysics, Planetary Science and Space Instrumentation - 2010-2015
Lead Research Organisation:
University of Leicester
Department Name: Physics and Astronomy
Abstract
We propose a world-class programme of research encompassing astrophysics, planetary science and space instrumentation. In high energy astrophysics, we will investigate a range of extreme phenomena including gamma-ray bursts and accreting black holes, primarily through the use of space observatories such as XMM-Newton and Swift combined with multiwaveband follow-up. Our programme also focuses on the astrophysics of dwarf stars, from hot white dwarfs through to brown dwarfs, utilising observational data in the infrared through to the ultraviolet. We will also continue to search for planets in orbit around nearby stars, exploiting the novel sky survey being conducted by WASP. In planetary science we intend to progress our comparative study of auroral processes on Saturn, Jupiter and Mercury using a combination of remote imaging, in situ spacecraft measurements and modelling. A new strand of research aims at characterising the composition of asteroids and comets and also grains entering the solar system from interstellar space. In space instrumentation, we are engaged in ground-breaking research into X-ray interferometry with the eventual goal of providing, for the first time, an ultra-high resolution imaging capability in high energy astrophysics. We will also investigate the potential of a very low-mass X-ray optic for a diverse range of applications including monitoring the whole sky on a daily basis with an unprecedented sensitivity for transient X-ray events and the imaging of Solar Wind Charge Exchange in the Earth's magnetosphere. Finally we also propose to maintain a very strong commitment to knowledge transfer and to public outreach.
Organisations
Publications
Abbott B
(2016)
SUPPLEMENT: "LOCALIZATION AND BROADBAND FOLLOW-UP OF THE GRAVITATIONAL-WAVE TRANSIENT GW150914" (2016, ApJL, 826, L13)
in The Astrophysical Journal Supplement Series
Abdalla H
(2021)
Search for Dark Matter Annihilation Signals from Unidentified Fermi-LAT Objects with H.E.S.S.
in The Astrophysical Journal
Abdalla H
(2016)
H.E.S.S. Limits on Linelike Dark Matter Signatures in the 100 GeV to 2 TeV Energy Range Close to the Galactic Center.
in Physical review letters
Abdallah H
(2021)
Search for dark matter annihilation in the Wolf-Lundmark-Melotte dwarf irregular galaxy with H.E.S.S.
in Physical Review D
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
Alston W
(2012)
Ultraviolet and X-ray variability of NGC 4051 over 45 days with XMM-Newton and Swift
in Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society
Amaral-Rogers A
(2017)
The pulse luminosity function of Swift gamma-ray bursts
in Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society
Arridge C
(2012)
Mapping Magnetospheric Equatorial Regions at Saturn from Cassini Prime Mission Observations
in Space Science Reviews
Badman S
(2012)
Cassini observations of ion and electron beams at Saturn and their relationship to infrared auroral arcs SATURN AURORAL ION AND ELECTRON BEAMS
in Journal of Geophysical Research: Space Physics
Badman S
(2011)
Location of Saturn's northern infrared aurora determined from Cassini VIMS images SATURN'S NORTHERN INFRARED AURORA
in Geophysical Research Letters
Bagdonaite J
(2014)
Limits on a gravitational field dependence of the proton-electron mass ratio from H2 in white dwarf stars.
in Physical review letters
Barker M
(2011)
The star formation history in the far outer disc of M33 M33's outer disc star formation history
in Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society
Barret D
(2012)
MAXIMUM LIKELIHOOD FITTING OF X-RAY POWER DENSITY SPECTRA: APPLICATION TO HIGH-FREQUENCY QUASI-PERIODIC OSCILLATIONS FROM THE NEUTRON STAR X-RAY BINARY 4U1608-522
in The Astrophysical Journal
Barstow M
(2010)
O VI IN THE LOCAL INTERSTELLAR MEDIUM
in The Astrophysical Journal
Barstow M
(2014)
Evidence for an external origin of heavy elements in hot DA white dwarfs
in Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society
Barstow M
(2016)
Diamonds in the sky
in Astronomy & Geophysics
Barstow M. A.
(2019)
The Search for Living Worlds and the Connection to Our Cosmic Origins
in arXiv e-prints
Barstow Martin
(2019)
White dwarfs as probes of fundamental astrophysics
in Bulletin of the American Astronomical Society
Bartos I
(2014)
Cherenkov Telescope Array is well suited to follow up gravitational-wave transients
in Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society
Beardmore A
(2012)
The outburst of Nova CSS 081007:030559+054715 (HV Ceti)
in Astronomy & Astrophysics
Beardmore A
(2016)
Lord of the Rings - Return of the King: Swift -XRT observations of dust scattering rings around V404 Cygni
in Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society
Behar E
(2010)
REMARKABLE SPECTRAL VARIABILITY OF PDS 456
in The Astrophysical Journal
Belenkaya E
(2010)
IMF dependence of Saturn's auroras: modelling study of HST and Cassini data from 12-15 February 2008
in Annales Geophysicae
Berengut JC
(2013)
Limits on the dependence of the fine-structure constant on gravitational potential from white-dwarf spectra.
in Physical review letters
Berger E
(2013)
THE AFTERGLOW AND ULIRG HOST GALAXY OF THE DARK SHORT GRB 120804A
in The Astrophysical Journal
Berger E
(2014)
ALMA OBSERVATIONS OF THE HOST GALAXY OF GRB 090423 AT z = 8.23: DEEP LIMITS ON OBSCURED STAR FORMATION 630 MILLION YEARS AFTER THE BIG BANG
in The Astrophysical Journal
Bernard E
(2015)
The nature and origin of substructure in the outskirts of M31 - II. Detailed star formation histories?
in Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society
Bianchi L
(2018)
Using GALEX-SDSS-PanSTARRS-HST-Gaia to understand post-AGB evolution
in Astrophysics and Space Science
Bianchi Luciana
(2016)
Characterization of the hot white dwarfs population in the Milky Way with GALEX, SDSS, PanSTARRS, and HST, to understand post-AGB evolution.
in 41st COSPAR Scientific Assembly
Bloom JS
(2011)
A possible relativistic jetted outburst from a massive black hole fed by a tidally disrupted star.
in Science (New York, N.Y.)
Bond Howard E.
(2018)
Final Hubble Space Telescope Astrometry of the Procyon Binary System
in Research Notes of the American Astronomical Society
Bradley Cenko S
(2012)
SWIFT J2058.4+0516: DISCOVERY OF A POSSIBLE SECOND RELATIVISTIC TIDAL DISRUPTION FLARE?
in The Astrophysical Journal
Bridges J
(2012)
The nakhlite hydrothermal brine on Mars
in Earth and Planetary Science Letters
Bridges J
(2012)
Chondrule fragments from Comet Wild2: Evidence for high temperature processing in the outer Solar System
in Earth and Planetary Science Letters
Bridges J
(2011)
Planetary Protection and Mars Sample Return
in Proceedings of the Institution of Mechanical Engineers, Part G: Journal of Aerospace Engineering
Brown G
(2015)
Swift J1112.2-8238: a candidate relativistic tidal disruption flare
in Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society
Brown G
(2017)
Late-time observations of the relativistic tidal disruption flare candidate Swift J1112.2-8238
in Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society
Bufano F
(2012)
THE HIGHLY ENERGETIC EXPANSION OF SN 2010bh ASSOCIATED WITH GRB 100316D
in The Astrophysical Journal
Bunce E
(2010)
Extraordinary field-aligned current signatures in Saturn's high-latitude magnetosphere: Analysis of Cassini data during Revolution 89 BRIEF REPORT
in Journal of Geophysical Research: Space Physics
Burhanudin U
(2021)
Light-curve classification with recurrent neural networks for GOTO: dealing with imbalanced data
in Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society
Cano Z
(2014)
A trio of gamma-ray burst supernovae: GRB 120729A, GRB 130215A/SN 2013ez, and GRB 130831A/SN 2013fu?
in Astronomy & Astrophysics
Cano Z
(2011)
XRF 100316D/SN 2010bh AND THE NATURE OF GAMMA-RAY BURST SUPERNOVAE
in The Astrophysical Journal
Cano Z
(2015)
GRB 140606B/iPTF14bfu: detection of shock-breakout emission from a cosmological ?-ray burst?
in Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society
Cano Z
(2011)
A tale of two GRB-SNe at a common redshift of z=0.54 A tale of two GRB-SNe
in Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society
Capalbi M.
(2007)
Long-term monitoring of the X-ray afterglow of GRB 050408 with
Swift/XRT
in ASTRONOMY & ASTROPHYSICS
Capelli R
(2012)
The X-ray lightcurve of Sagittarius A* over the past 150 years inferred from Fe-K a line reverberation in Galactic centre molecular clouds
in Astronomy & Astrophysics
Capelli R
(2011)
Fe K a line emission from the Arches cluster region - evidence for ongoing particle bombardment?
in Astronomy & Astrophysics
Capelli R
(2010)
Discovery of X-ray flaring activity in the Arches cluster
in Astronomy & Astrophysics
Cardone V
(2010)
Constraining cosmological parameters by gamma-ray burst X-ray afterglow light curves GRBs afterglow and cosmological parameters
in Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society
Casewell S
(2012)
WD0837+185: THE FORMATION AND EVOLUTION OF AN EXTREME MASS-RATIO WHITE-DWARF-BROWN-DWARF BINARY IN PRAESEPE
in The Astrophysical Journal
| Description | We have undertaken an ambitious set of resewaerch projects in astrophysics and space technology. These have led to innovative X-ray optics, including interferometry, and a numnber of astrophysics and planetary science outcomes. These include studies of the most distant objects in the Universe, the characterisation of asteroid samples, the discovery of exoplanets, the characterisation of compact objects (neutron stars, black holes and white dwarfs) and the statistical properties of active galactic nuclei. |
| Exploitation Route | The astrophsyical results will inform future studies. The hardware/technology findings can be used in future space missions. |
| Sectors | Education |
| Description | We have used our research to advance knowledge of astrophysics and space science which has been communicated to the public via outreach activties, including presentations at the National Space Centre, at various schools and through public outreach events including Stargazing live. Technology work has been carried out on X-ray optics which has led to designs for international space missions utlising low-cost and light-weight optical modules. |
| First Year Of Impact | 2013 |
| Sector | Education,Culture, Heritage, Museums and Collections |
| Impact Types | Societal |
| Title | qsoft - ray tracing and simulation software for X-ray optics and X-ray telescopes |
| Description | qsoft is a comprehensive suite of routines for the simulation of X-ray optics and X-ray telescopes. The routines can be accessed using the scripting languages R and/or Python. The routines are written in Fortran 77 and C and the source is self contained and requires no external packages or libraries. The source is available from GitHub. A fortran compiler (gfortran preferred) and R and/or Python with module f2py are required to build the libraries. |
| Type Of Technology | Software |
| Year Produced | 2017 |
| Open Source License? | Yes |
| Impact | This software has been used for the design and analysis of a number of existing X-ray telescopes: Rosat WFC, XMM-Newton, Swift, SVOM MXT. It is currently in use for the design of up coming instruments: ESA Theseus, NASA TAO, Chinese Einstein Probe. |
| URL | https://github.com/dickwillingale |
| Description | Numerous public talks and schools visits |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Type Of Presentation | Keynote/Invited Speaker |
| Geographic Reach | Regional |
| Primary Audience | Schools |
| Results and Impact | Too numerous to list Inspiration of young and old audiences |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2010,2011,2012,2013 |
| Description | UCAS recruitment day University of Leicester |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an open day or visit at my research institution |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | National |
| Primary Audience | Undergraduate students |
| Results and Impact | The aim is to give prospective undergraduate students a selection of the types of subjects they will study in the University of Leicester College of Science. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2012,2013,2014,2015,2016,2017 |
| Description | Various school visits, astronomical society lectures |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | National |
| Primary Audience | Schools |
| Results and Impact | Many presentations, 100s of students, excellent questions and discussion. Audience figures are totals for activities during each year. Improvements in interest in applying for science degrees |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2006,2007,2008,2009,2010,2011,2012,2013,2014,2015,2016,2017,2018 |