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
Drake J
(2021)
NExtUP: the Normal-incidence Extreme Ultraviolet Photometer
Drake J.
(2021)
The Normal-incidence Extreme Ultraviolet Photometer (NExtUP)
in Bulletin of the American Astronomical Society
Duffy C
(2021)
Evidence that short-period AM CVn systems are diverse in outburst behaviour
in Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society
Evans D
(2018)
Gaia Data Release 2 Photometric content and validation
in Astronomy & Astrophysics
Evans P
(2016)
Swift follow-up of the Gravitational Wave source GW150914
in Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society: Letters
Evans P
(2016)
Swift follow-up of gravitational wave triggers: results from the first aLIGO run and optimization for the future
in Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society
Evans P
(2010)
The Swift Burst Analyser I. BAT and XRT spectral and flux evolution of gamma ray bursts
in Astronomy and Astrophysics
Evans P
(2016)
Optimization of the Swift X-ray follow-up of Advanced LIGO and Virgo gravitational wave triggers in 2015-16
in Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society
Evans P
(2014)
GRB 130925A: an ultralong gamma ray burst with a dust-echo afterglow, and implications for the origin of the ultralong GRBs
in Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society
Evans P. A.
(2007)
An online repository of
Swift/XRT light curves of ?-ray bursts
in ASTRONOMY & ASTROPHYSICS
Evans PA
(2017)
Swift and NuSTAR observations of GW170817: Detection of a blue kilonova.
in Science (New York, N.Y.)
Faedi F
(2011)
Detection limits for close eclipsing and transiting substellar and planetary companions to white dwarfs in the WASP survey Sub-stellar and planetary companions to WDs
in Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society
Farihi J
(2010)
Rocky planetesimals as the origin of metals in DZ stars
in Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society
Farihi J
(2011)
Evolutionary constraints on the planet-hosting subgiant e Reticulum from its white dwarf companion Constraints on the planet-host e Reticulum
in Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society
Farihi J
(2012)
A trio of metal-rich dust and gas discs found orbiting candidate white dwarfs with K -band excess White dwarfs with K-band excess
in Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society
Farihi J
(2013)
Orbital and evolutionary constraints on the planet hosting binary GJ 86 from the Hubble Space Telescope
in Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society
Fernández J
(2022)
Lateral spreading effects on VLBI radio images of neutron star merger jets
in Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society
Feroci M
(2011)
The Large Observatory for X-ray Timing (LOFT)
in Experimental Astronomy
Finch N
(2020)
What can ISM and non-photospheric highly ionised lines in white dwarf spectra reveal about the ß CMa tunnel?
in Proceedings of the International Astronomical Union
Finch N
(2018)
Spectral analysis of the binary nucleus of the planetary nebula Hen 2-428 - first results
in Open Astronomy
Finch N. L.
(2019)
Spectral Analysis of Binary Pre-white Dwarf Systems
in Radiative Signatures from the Cosmos
Finoguenov A
(2010)
X-ray groups and clusters of galaxies in the Subaru-XMM Deep Field
in Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society
France K
(2022)
Extreme-ultraviolet Stellar Characterization for Atmospheric Physics and Evolution mission: motivation and overview
in Journal of Astronomical Telescopes, Instruments, and Systems
Fraser G
(2010)
The mercury imaging X-ray spectrometer (MIXS) on bepicolombo
in Planetary and Space Science
Friis M
(2015)
The warm, the excited, and the molecular gas: GRB 121024A shining through its star-forming galaxy?
in Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society
Fynbo J
(2010)
ERRATUM: "LOW-RESOLUTION SPECTROSCOPY OF GAMMA-RAY BURST OPTICAL AFTERGLOWS: BIASES IN THE SWIFT SAMPLE AND CHARACTERIZATION OF THE ABSORBERS" (2009, ApJS, 185, 526)
in The Astrophysical Journal Supplement Series
Garraffo Cecilia
(2022)
NExtUP: The Normal-incidence Extreme Ultraviolet Photometer
in 44th COSPAR Scientific Assembly. Held 16-24 July
Ghirlanda G
(2015)
Accessing the population of high-redshift Gamma Ray Bursts
in Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society
Gilbertson Christian
(2017)
A Study of the Gamma-Ray Burst Fundamental Plane
in American Astronomical Society Meeting Abstracts #229
Goad M
(2012)
The broad emission-line region: the confluence of the outer accretion disc with the inner edge of the dusty torus A bowl-shaped BLR
in Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society
Goad M. R.
(2007)
Swift multi-wavelength observations of the bright flaring burst GRB 051117A
in ASTRONOMY & ASTROPHYSICS
Godet O.
(2007)
GRB050822:: detailed analysis of an XRF observed by
Swift
in ASTRONOMY & ASTROPHYSICS
Gofford J
(2014)
REVEALING THE LOCATION AND STRUCTURE OF THE ACCRETION DISK WIND IN PDS 456
in The Astrophysical Journal
Gomez De Castro Ana I.
(2019)
Closing gaps to our origins. The UV window into the Universe
in arXiv e-prints
Gompertz B
(2014)
Magnetar powered GRBs: explaining the extended emission and X-ray plateau of short GRB light curves
in Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society
Gompertz B
(2020)
A Search for Neutron Star-Black Hole Binary Mergers in the Short Gamma-Ray Burst Population
in The Astrophysical Journal
Gompertz B
(2015)
Broad-band modelling of short gamma-ray bursts with energy injection from magnetar spin-down and its implications for radio detectability
in Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society
Gompertz B. P.
(2017)
The Diversity of Kilonova Emission in Short Gamma-Ray Bursts
in ArXiv e-prints
González-Martín O
(2012)
X-ray variability of 104 active galactic nuclei XMM-Newton power-spectrum density profiles?
in Astronomy & Astrophysics
González-Martín O
(2011)
Suzaku observation of the LINER NGC 4102
in Astronomy & Astrophysics
Goulding A
(2011)
Searching for Compton-thick active galactic nuclei at z~ 0.1 Searching for Compton-thick AGNs at z~ 0.1
in Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society
Greiner J
(2011)
GRIPS - Gamma-Ray Imaging, Polarimetry and Spectroscopy
in Experimental Astronomy
Guidorzi C
(2011)
A faint optical flash in dust-obscured GRB 080603A: implications for GRB prompt emission mechanisms Prompt and afterglow emission of GRB 080603A
in Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society
Guidorzi C
(2014)
New constraints on gamma-ray burst jet geometry and relativistic shock physics
in Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society
Gómez De Castro A
(2022)
Closing gaps to our origins EUVO: the ultraviolet-visible window into the Universe
in Experimental Astronomy
Gögüs E
(2010)
DISCOVERY OF A NEW SOFT GAMMA REPEATER, SGR J1833-0832
in The Astrophysical Journal
H.E.S.S. Collaboration
(2021)
Revealing x-ray and gamma ray temporal and spectral similarities in the GRB 190829A afterglow.
in Science (New York, N.Y.)
Haggard Daryl
(2017)
LIGO/Virgo GW170817: Brightening X-ray Emission from GW170817/GRB170817A/SSS17a
in The Astronomer's Telegram
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 |