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
Rowlinson A
(2014)
Constraining properties of GRB magnetar central engines using the observed plateau luminosity and duration correlation
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
Sparre M
(2014)
THE METALLICITY AND DUST CONTENT OF A REDSHIFT 5 GAMMA-RAY BURST HOST GALAXY
in The Astrophysical Journal
Gofford J
(2014)
REVEALING THE LOCATION AND STRUCTURE OF THE ACCRETION DISK WIND IN PDS 456
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
Tunnicliffe R
(2014)
On the nature of the 'hostless' short GRBs
in Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society
Huxor A
(2014)
The outer halo globular cluster system of M31 - I. The final PAndAS catalogue
in Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society
Stanway E
(2014)
GRB 080517: a local, low-luminosity gamma-ray burst in a dusty galaxy at z = 0.09
in Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society
Perley D
(2015)
CONNECTING GRBs AND ULIRGs: A SENSITIVE, UNBIASED SURVEY FOR RADIO EMISSION FROM GAMMA-RAY BURST HOST GALAXIES AT 0 < z < 2.5
in The Astrophysical Journal
Hartoog O
(2015)
VLT/X-Shooter spectroscopy of the afterglow of the Swift GRB 130606A Chemical abundances and reionisation at z ~ 6
in Astronomy & Astrophysics
Schady P
(2015)
Super-solar metallicity at the position of the ultra-long GRB 130925A
in Astronomy & Astrophysics
Van Der Horst A
(2015)
Detailed afterglow modelling and host galaxy properties of the dark GRB 111215A
in Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society
Schulze S
(2015)
THE OPTICALLY UNBIASED GRB HOST (TOUGH) SURVEY. VII. THE HOST GALAXY LUMINOSITY FUNCTION: PROBING THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN GRBs AND STAR FORMATION TO REDSHIFT ~6
in The Astrophysical Journal
Dainotti M
(2015)
Luminosity-time and luminosity-luminosity correlations for GRB prompt and afterglow plateau emissions
in Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society
Ghirlanda G
(2015)
Accessing the population of high-redshift Gamma Ray Bursts
in Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society
Miller JM
(2015)
Flows of X-ray gas reveal the disruption of a star by a massive black hole.
in Nature
Krühler T
(2015)
GRB hosts through cosmic time VLT/X-Shooter emission-line spectroscopy of 96 ? -ray-burst-selected galaxies at 0.1 < z < 3.6??????
in Astronomy & Astrophysics
Nardini E
(2015)
Black hole feedback in the luminous quasar PDS 456
in Science
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
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
Japelj J
(2015)
Spectrophotometric analysis of gamma-ray burst afterglow extinction curves with X-Shooter
in Astronomy & Astrophysics
Cano Z
(2015)
GRB 140606B/iPTF14bfu: detection of shock-breakout emission from a cosmological ?-ray burst?
in Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society
Pasham D
(2015)
A MULTIWAVELENGTH STUDY OF THE RELATIVISTIC TIDAL DISRUPTION CANDIDATE SWIFT J2058.4+0516 AT LATE TIMES
in The Astrophysical Journal
Michalowski M
(2015)
Massive stars formed in atomic hydrogen reservoirs: H I observations of gamma-ray burst host galaxies
in Astronomy & Astrophysics
Preval Simon P.
(2015)
A Possible Solution to the Lyman/Balmer Line Problem in Hot DA White Dwarfs
in 19th European Workshop on White Dwarfs
De Pasquale M
(2015)
The optical rebrightening of GRB100814A: an interplay of forward and reverse shocks?
in Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society
Brown G
(2015)
Swift J1112.2-8238: a candidate relativistic tidal disruption flare
in Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society
Yuan Weimin
(2015)
Einstein Probe - a small mission to monitor and explore the dynamic X-ray Universe
in arXiv e-prints
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
Preval Simon P.
(2015)
Do the Constants of Nature Couple to Strong Gravitational Fields?
in 19th European Workshop on White Dwarfs
Jones C
(2016)
DIVISION D COMMISSION 44: SPACE AND HIGH-ENERGY ASTROPHYSICS
in Proceedings of the International Astronomical Union
Dainotti Maria
(2016)
A Study of the Gamma-Ray Burst Fundamental Plane
in arXiv e-prints
Van Leeuwen F.
(2016)
Gaia data release 1, the photometric data
in ArXiv e-prints
Preval S. P.
(2016)
Understanding the spectrum of the very hot DA white dwarf PG0948+534
in ArXiv e-prints
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
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
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
Scowen Paul A.
(2016)
Finding the UV-Visible Path Forward: Proceedings of the Community Workshop to Plan the Future of UV/Visible Space Astrophysics
in ArXiv e-prints
Barstow M
(2016)
Diamonds in the sky
in Astronomy & Geophysics
Wei J.
(2016)
The Deep and Transient Universe in the SVOM Era: New Challenges and Opportunities - Scientific prospects of the SVOM mission
in arXiv e-prints
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
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
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
Reeves J
(2016)
DISCOVERY OF BROAD SOFT X-RAY ABSORPTION LINES FROM THE QUASAR WIND IN PDS 456
in The Astrophysical Journal
Smith R
(2016)
Arcus: the x-ray grating spectrometer explorer
Amaral-Rogers A
(2017)
The pulse luminosity function of Swift gamma-ray bursts
in Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society
Hicks L
(2017)
Magnetite in Comet Wild 2: Evidence for parent body aqueous alteration
in Meteoritics & Planetary Science
Haggard Daryl
(2017)
LIGO/Virgo GW170817: Brightening X-ray Emission from GW170817/GRB170817A/SSS17a
in The Astronomer's Telegram
Gompertz B. P.
(2017)
The Diversity of Kilonova Emission in Short Gamma-Ray Bursts
in ArXiv e-prints
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 |