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
Pérez-Ramírez D
(2010)
Detection of the high ${\sf z}$ GRB 080913 and its implications on progenitors and energy extraction mechanisms
in Astronomy and Astrophysics
Redaelli M
(2011)
The pulsations of PG 1351+489 The pulsations of PG 1351+489
in Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society
Reeves J
(2013)
VARIABILITY OF THE HIGH-VELOCITY OUTFLOW IN THE QUASAR PDS 456
in The Astrophysical Journal
Reeves J
(2016)
DISCOVERY OF BROAD SOFT X-RAY ABSORPTION LINES FROM THE QUASAR WIND IN PDS 456
in The Astrophysical Journal
Reindl N
(2020)
An in-depth reanalysis of the alleged type Ia supernova progenitor Henize 2-428
in Astronomy & Astrophysics
Reindl N
(2018)
Revealing the True Nature of Hen 2-428
in Galaxies
Reindl N.
(2019)
Recent progress on our understanding of Henize 2-428
in Compact White Dwarf Binaries
Richardson J
(2011)
PAndAS' PROGENY: EXTENDING THE M31 DWARF GALAXY CABAL
in The Astrophysical Journal
Riello M
(2021)
Gaia Early Data Release 3 Photometric content and validation
in Astronomy & Astrophysics
Riello M.
(2021)
VizieR Online Data Catalog: Gaia Early Data Release 3 photometric passbands (Riello+, 2021)
in VizieR Online Data Catalog
Roberts T
(2011)
(No) dynamical constraints on the mass of the black hole in two ULXs
in Astronomische Nachrichten
Roberts T
(2010)
The Ultraluminous State
Rosati P
(2021)
Synergies of THESEUS with the large facilities of the 2030s and guest observer opportunities.
in Experimental astronomy
Rowlinson A
(2010)
The unusual X-ray emission of the short Swift GRB 090515: evidence for the formation of a magnetar? The unusual X-ray emission of GRB 090515
in Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society
Rowlinson A
(2013)
Signatures of magnetar central engines in short GRB light curves
in Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society
Rowlinson A
(2010)
Discovery of the afterglow and host galaxy of the low-redshift short GRB 080905A? The short GRB 080905A
in Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society
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
Schady P
(2015)
Super-solar metallicity at the position of the ultra-long GRB 130925A
in Astronomy & Astrophysics
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
Schulze S
(2012)
Galaxy counterparts of intervening high- z sub-DLAs/DLAs and Mg ii absorbers towards gamma-ray bursts
in Astronomy & Astrophysics
Schulze S
(2014)
GRB 120422A/SN 2012bz: Bridging the gap between low- and high-luminosity gamma-ray bursts
in Astronomy & Astrophysics
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
Semczuk M
(2022)
The small boxy/peanut structure of the Milky Way traced by old stars
in Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society
Smith R
(2016)
Arcus: the x-ray grating spectrometer explorer
Sparre M
(2011)
SPECTROSCOPIC EVIDENCE FOR SN 2010ma ASSOCIATED WITH GRB 101219B
in The Astrophysical Journal
Sparre M
(2014)
THE METALLICITY AND DUST CONTENT OF A REDSHIFT 5 GAMMA-RAY BURST HOST GALAXY
in The Astrophysical Journal
Stallard T
(2012)
Saturn's auroral/polar H 3 + infrared emission: The effect of solar wind compression
in Journal of Geophysical Research: Space Physics
Stanway E
(2014)
A DETECTION OF MOLECULAR GAS EMISSION IN THE HOST GALAXY OF GRB 080517
in The Astrophysical Journal
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
Starling R
(2013)
X-ray absorption evolution in gamma-ray bursts: intergalactic medium or evolutionary signature of their host galaxies
in Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society
Starling R
(2011)
Swift follow-up of unidentified X-ray sources in the XMM-Newton Slew Survey Swift follow-up of XMM Slew Survey sources
in Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society
Starling R
(2011)
Discovery of the nearby long, soft GRB 100316D with an associated supernova Discovery of GRB 100316D
in Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society
Steele P
(2011)
White dwarfs in the UKIRT Infrared Deep Sky Survey Large Area Survey: the substellar companion fraction White dwarfs in UKIDSS LAS DR8
in Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society
Steele P
(2013)
NLTT 5306: the shortest period detached white dwarf+brown dwarf binary
in Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society
Stratta G.
(2017)
THESEUS: a key space mission for Multi-Messenger Astrophysics
in ArXiv e-prints
Svensson K
(2010)
The host galaxies of core-collapse supernovae and gamma-ray bursts
in Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society
Svensson K
(2012)
The dark GRB 080207 in an extremely red host and the implications for gamma-ray bursts in highly obscured environments The dark GRB 080207
in Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society
Talboys D
(2011)
Statistical characteristics of field-aligned currents in Saturn's nightside magnetosphere CURRENTS IN SATURN'S MAGNETOSPHERE
in Journal of Geophysical Research: Space Physics
Tanvir N
(2021)
Exploration of the high-redshift universe enabled by THESEUS
in Experimental Astronomy
Tanvir N
(2017)
The Emergence of a Lanthanide-rich Kilonova Following the Merger of Two Neutron Stars
in The Astrophysical Journal Letters
Tanvir N
(2010)
LATE-TIME OBSERVATIONS OF GRB 080319B: JET BREAK, HOST GALAXY, AND ACCOMPANYING SUPERNOVA
in The Astrophysical Journal
Tanvir N
(2012)
The structure of star clusters in the outer halo of M31 Halo star clusters of M31
in Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society
Tanvir N
(2012)
STAR FORMATION IN THE EARLY UNIVERSE: BEYOND THE TIP OF THE ICEBERG
in The Astrophysical Journal
Terrier R
(2010)
FADING HARD X-RAY EMISSION FROM THE GALACTIC CENTER MOLECULAR CLOUD Sgr B2
in The Astrophysical Journal
Thöne C
(2010)
Photometry and spectroscopy of GRB 060526: a detailed study of the afterglow and host galaxy of a z = 3.2 gamma-ray burst
in Astronomy & Astrophysics
Thöne C
(2011)
Variable Lya sheds light on the environment surrounding GRB 090426 Variable Lya in GRB 090426
in Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society
Thöne C
(2013)
GRB 100219A with X-shooter - abundances in a galaxy at z =4.7
in Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society
Troja E
(2012)
BROADBAND STUDY OF GRB 091127: A SUB-ENERGETIC BURST AT HIGHER REDSHIFT?
in The Astrophysical Journal
Troja E
(2010)
Going out with a bang: compact object collisions resulting from supernovae in binary systems
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
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 |