Astrophysics Research at Liverpool John Moores University
Lead Research Organisation:
Liverpool John Moores University
Department Name: Astrophysics Research Institute
Abstract
We propose to continue our wide-ranging programme of research tackling cutting-edge astrophysical problems. We address two main topics: Explosive Transients (Theme A) and: Galaxies and Active Galactic Nuclei (Theme B). These Themes cover several of the scientific priorities in STFC's strategic plan under their theme Universal Challenges. In Theme A we will study the physics of Gamma Ray Bursts (GRBs) - the most powerful explosions in the Universe - and use them as environmental probes. Combining cutting-edge theoretical predictions with novel observational experiments on the world's largest robotic telescopes, we will probe regions of extreme physics to determine the fundamental role of magnetic fields. We will use GRBs to probe the environment of massive stars locally and in the early Universe. We will search for the first electromagnetic counterparts to neutrino bursts predicted to be produced by GRBs, detection of which will revolutionise understanding of relativistic explosions. In a second part of Theme A we will investigate the fundamental properties of both Galactic and extragalactic Recurrent Novae, building on our considerable expertise in this area, focussing on the possibility that these objects are the progenitors of the important Type Ia Supernovae, which have become known as one of the primary probes of the scale and nature of the Universe. Theme B explores how the galaxies around us are formed, and how they then evolve over cosmic time. We will investigate what the properties are of the stellar populations which form in galaxies, when in the history of the galaxies the stars were formed, and how this depends upon the surroundings of the galaxies (e.g. whether they are in clusters or not, whether or not they contain the accreting Supermassive Black Holes which power Active Galactic Nuclei). We will use information from the most powerful ground based telescopes, and from optical, infrared and X-ray telescopes in space, combined with theoretical modeling, in an approach known as 'Galactic Archaeology' to uncover information on how the galaxies were assembled. All of our research uses the most advanced ground-based telescopes (such as our own Liverpool Telescope), satellites and data analysis techniques to carry out observations from gamma rays to radio wavelengths and ARI staff are lead many of the new generation surveys with these telescopes. The projects we propose in both themes are technically demanding and require computer software support to aid the delivery of the science. The structure and organisation of the ARI is designed to deliver internationally excellent research. The ARI is also a major international player in developing and exploiting outreach activities to engage the wider population in our science through the National Schools Observatory and the local astronomy visitor centre, Spaceport.
Publications
Cassisi S
(2011)
A CLASSICAL CEPHEID IN A LARGE MAGELLANIC CLOUD ECLIPSING BINARY: EVIDENCE OF SHORTCOMINGS IN CURRENT STELLAR EVOLUTIONARY MODELS?
in The Astrophysical Journal
Cassisi S.
(2008)
The double subgiant branch of NGC 1851: The role of the CNO abundance
in ASTROPHYSICAL JOURNAL LETTERS
Cecco A
(2010)
ON THE ? V bump HB PARAMETER IN GLOBULAR CLUSTERS
in The Astrophysical Journal
Chesneau O
(2012)
The expanding dusty bipolar nebula around the nova V1280 Scorpi
in Astronomy & Astrophysics
Chiboucas K
(2010)
KECK/LRIS SPECTROSCOPIC CONFIRMATION OF COMA CLUSTER DWARF GALAXY MEMBERSHIP ASSIGNMENTS
in The Astrophysical Journal
Chiboucas K
(2011)
ULTRA-COMPACT DWARFS IN THE COMA CLUSTER
in The Astrophysical Journal
Ching J
(2017)
Galaxy And Mass Assembly (GAMA): the environments of high- and low-excitation radio galaxies
in Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society
Choi J
(2012)
A NEW TYPE OF AMBIGUITY IN THE PLANET AND BINARY INTERPRETATIONS OF CENTRAL PERTURBATIONS OF HIGH-MAGNIFICATION GRAVITATIONAL MICROLENSING EVENTS
in The Astrophysical Journal
Choi J
(2012)
CHARACTERIZING LENSES AND LENSED STARS OF HIGH-MAGNIFICATION SINGLE-LENS GRAVITATIONAL MICROLENSING EVENTS WITH LENSES PASSING OVER SOURCE STARS
in The Astrophysical Journal
Chomiuk L
(2012)
THE RADIO LIGHT CURVE OF THE GAMMA-RAY NOVA IN V407 CYG: THERMAL EMISSION FROM THE IONIZED SYMBIOTIC ENVELOPE, DEVOURED FROM WITHIN BY THE NOVA BLAST
in The Astrophysical Journal
Chomiuk L
(2018)
Multiwavelength observations of nova SMCN 2016-10a - one of the brightest novae ever observed
in Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society
Christodoulou L
(2012)
Galaxy And Mass Assembly (GAMA): colour- and luminosity-dependent clustering from calibrated photometric redshifts GAMA clustering using photometric redshifts
in Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society
Chuter R
(2011)
Galaxy environments in the UKIDSS Ultra Deep Survey Galaxy environments in the UKIDSS UDS
in Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society
Cirasuolo M
(2010)
A new measurement of the evolving near-infrared galaxy luminosity function out to z â?? 4: a continuing challenge to theoretical models of galaxy formation
in Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society
Coelho P
(2011)
CHEMICAL ABUNDANCE ANTICORRELATIONS IN GLOBULAR CLUSTER STARS: THE EFFECT ON CLUSTER INTEGRATED SPECTRA
in The Astrophysical Journal
Collaboration G
(2018)
VizieR Online Data Catalog: 46 open clusters GaiaDR2 HR diagrams (Gaia Collaboration, 2018)
in VizieR Online Data Catalog
Collaboration G
(2018)
VizieR Online Data Catalog: Gaia DR2 sources in GC and dSph (Gaia Collaboration+, 2018)
in VizieR Online Data Catalog
Coppin K
(2010)
MID-INFRARED SPECTROSCOPY OF CANDIDATE ACTIVE GALACTIC NUCLEI-DOMINATED SUBMILLIMETER GALAXIES
in The Astrophysical Journal
Csengeri T
(2017)
ALMA survey of massive cluster progenitors from ATLASGAL Limited fragmentation at the early evolutionary stage of massive clumps?
in Astronomy & Astrophysics
Cucchiara A
(2011)
CONSTRAINING GAMMA-RAY BURST EMISSION PHYSICS WITH EXTENSIVE EARLY-TIME, MULTIBAND FOLLOW-UP
in The Astrophysical Journal
Cucchiara A.
(2018)
GRB 181020A: LCO Cerro Tololo observations.
in GRB Coordinates Network
Dalessandro E
(2013)
The horizontal branch in the UV colour-magnitude diagrams - II. The case of M3, M13 and M79†
in Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society
Dalessandro E
(2011)
The peculiar horizontal branch of NGC 2808 The peculiar horizontal branch of NGC 2808
in Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society
Darnley M
(2012)
ON THE PROGENITORS OF GALACTIC NOVAE
in The Astrophysical Journal
Darnley M
(2011)
On the progenitor system of Nova V2491 Cygni
in Astronomy & Astrophysics
Darnley M
(2017)
Inflows, Outflows, and a Giant Donor in the Remarkable Recurrent Nova M31N 2008-12a?- Hubble Space Telescope Photometry of the 2015 Eruption
in The Astrophysical Journal
Darnley M
(2017)
No Neon, but Jets in the Remarkable Recurrent Nova M31N 2008-12a?-Hubble Space Telescope Spectroscopy of the 2015 Eruption
in The Astrophysical Journal
Davies B
(2017)
Red Supergiants as Cosmic Abundance Probes: Massive Star Clusters in M83 and the Mass-Metallicity Relation of Nearby Galaxies
in The Astrophysical Journal
Davies B
(2018)
The initial masses of the red supergiant progenitors to Type II supernovae
in Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society
Davies L
(2017)
Galaxy And Mass Assembly: the 1.4 GHz SFR indicator, SFR-M * relation and predictions for ASKAP-GAMA
in Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society
Den Brok M
(2011)
The HST/ACS Coma Cluster Survey - VI. Colour gradients in giant and dwarf early-type galaxies Colour gradients in Coma galaxies
in Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society
Dey L
(2018)
Authenticating the Presence of a Relativistic Massive Black Hole Binary in OJ 287 Using Its General Relativity Centenary Flare: Improved Orbital Parameters
in The Astrophysical Journal
Dib S
(2012)
THE LESSER ROLE OF SHEAR IN GALACTIC STAR FORMATION: INSIGHT FROM THE GALACTIC RING SURVEY
in The Astrophysical Journal
Driver S
(2013)
Galaxy And Mass Assembly (GAMA): the 0.013 < z < 0.1 cosmic spectral energy distribution from 0.1 m to 1 mm
in Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society
Driver S
(2011)
Galaxy and Mass Assembly (GAMA): survey diagnostics and core data release GAMA
in Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society
Driver Simon P.
(2008)
The energy output of the universe from 0.1 to 1000 µm
in ASTROPHYSICAL JOURNAL LETTERS
Dumas G
(2010)
COLD MOLECULAR GAS IN THE INNER TWO KILOPARSECS OF NGC 4151
in The Astrophysical Journal
Dye S
(2010)
Herschel -ATLAS: Evolution of the 250 µm luminosity function out to z = 0.5
in Astronomy and Astrophysics
Elia D
(2017)
The Hi-GAL compact source catalogue - I. The physical properties of the clumps in the inner Galaxy (-71$_{.}^{\circ}$0 < l < 67$_{.}^{\circ}$0)
in Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society
Ellison S
(2010)
Galaxy pairs in the Sloan Digital Sky Survey - II. The effect of environment on interactions Galaxy pairs in the Sloan Digital Sky Survey
in Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society
Evans A
(2010)
The peculiar dust shell of Nova DZ Cru (2003)
in Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society: Letters
Evans A
(2012)
Infrared observations of the recurrent nova T Pyxidis: ancient dust basks in the warm glow of the 2011 outburst? IR observations of T Pyx
in Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society: Letters
Evans A
(2017)
Rise and fall of the dust shell of the classical nova V339 Delphini
in Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society
Fathi K
(2011)
AN Ha NUCLEAR SPIRAL STRUCTURE IN THE E0 ACTIVE GALAXY Arp 102B
in The Astrophysical Journal
Finoguenov A
(2010)
X-ray groups and clusters of galaxies in the Subaru-XMM Deep Field
in Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society
Foster C
(2012)
Galaxy And Mass Assembly (GAMA): the mass-metallicity relationship
in Astronomy & Astrophysics
Fouqué P
(2010)
OGLE 2008-BLG-290: an accurate measurement of the limb darkening of a galactic bulge K Giant spatially resolved by microlensing
in Astronomy and Astrophysics
Furnell K
(2018)
Exploring relations between BCG and cluster properties in the SPectroscopic IDentification of eROSITA Sources survey from 0.05 <z < 0.3
in Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society
Furusawa Hisanori
(2008)
The Subaru/
XMM-Newton deep survey (SXDS).: II.: Optical imaging and photometric catalogs
in ASTROPHYSICAL JOURNAL SUPPLEMENT SERIES
Description | Discoveries into the evolution of galaxies and stars, their origin and astrophysical processes. |
Exploitation Route | Continue to research into unsolved problems in astrophysics. |
Sectors | Education |
Description | Many outreach activities across all sectors, e.g. Schools, public, policy makers, flower shows |
First Year Of Impact | 2010 |
Sector | Education,Culture, Heritage, Museums and Collections |
Impact Types | Cultural,Societal,Economic,Policy & public services |
Description | NSO Presentation in House of Commons |
Geographic Reach | National |
Policy Influence Type | Influenced training of practitioners or researchers |
Description | Consolidated Renewal |
Amount | £1,200,000 (GBP) |
Funding ID | ST/R000484/1 |
Organisation | Science and Technologies Facilities Council (STFC) |
Sector | Public |
Country | United Kingdom |
Start | 04/2018 |
End | 03/2021 |
Description | EU Framework Programme |
Amount | £71,038 (GBP) |
Organisation | European Commission |
Sector | Public |
Country | European Union (EU) |
Start | 06/2012 |
End | 06/2015 |
Description | EU Framework Programme |
Amount | £29,175 (GBP) |
Organisation | European Commission |
Sector | Public |
Country | European Union (EU) |
Start | 06/2011 |
End | 06/2013 |
Description | STFC Large Awards |
Amount | £15,000 (GBP) |
Organisation | Science and Technologies Facilities Council (STFC) |
Sector | Public |
Country | United Kingdom |
Start | 06/2011 |
End | 06/2013 |
Description | STFC SiS Fellowships |
Amount | £74,252 (GBP) |
Organisation | Science and Technologies Facilities Council (STFC) |
Sector | Public |
Country | United Kingdom |
Start | 10/2011 |
End | 10/2013 |
Description | University Widening Access |
Amount | £1,283,000 (GBP) |
Organisation | Liverpool John Moores University |
Sector | Academic/University |
Country | United Kingdom |
Start | 09/2011 |
End | 09/2017 |
Description | ARI Engagement |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | National |
Primary Audience | Public/other audiences |
Results and Impact | The ARI Outreach team delivers 50 events per year in addition to School based activities. These include, astronomy and science societies and associations, public open events, theatre, street theatre etc..art exhibitions, church societies, cubs, scouts, brownies etc.. |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2009,2010,2011,2012,2013,2014,2015,2016 |
Description | Input to Parliamentary Inquiry |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A formal working group, expert panel or dialogue |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Type Of Presentation | Keynote/Invited Speaker |
Geographic Reach | National |
Primary Audience | Policymakers/politicians |
Results and Impact | Provision of evidence and acting as expert witness for House of Commons S&T Committee Inquiry into astronomy and particle physics. Recommendations in final report supporting the Liverpool Telescope and National Schools' Observatory. |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2011 |
Description | NSO-Garden Chelsea |
Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | International |
Primary Audience | Public/other audiences |
Results and Impact | In 2015 the NSO exhibited a garden called Dark Matter; at the Chelsea Flower Show winning a Gold medal and Best in Class" (Fresh Gardens). The aggregate audience was estimated at 211 million. The garden has an extensive legacy value at the STFC Daresbury Laboratory and is highlighted on the front cover of the 2015 STFC Impact Report. |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2015 |
URL | http://www.stfc.ac.uk/files/impact-report-2015/ |
Description | National Schools Observatory |
Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | International |
Primary Audience | Schools |
Results and Impact | Enhanced interest and uptake of STEM subjects Each year the NSO delivers just over 40 different events or visits to or involving schools. This reaches a total of about 4,500 pupils per year in about 80 different schools. Increasing schools registration on NSO - more than 4000 currently |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | Pre-2006,2006,2007,2008,2009,2010,2011,2012,2013,2014,2015,2016 |
URL | http://www.schoolsobservatory.org.uk/ |
Description | National Schools' Observatory in Primary Schools |
Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Type Of Presentation | Workshop Facilitator |
Geographic Reach | National |
Primary Audience | Schools |
Results and Impact | 1000 Primary school teachers and their pupils engaged with astronomical research using the Liverpool Telescope and resources of the NSO website. Over all NSO activity (Primary, Secondary, FE) over the period: 30,000 observing requests were delivered and just under 3,000,000 educational webpages viewed. This is in addition to the engagement activity entered into eVal for the previous period. www.schoolsobservatory.org.uk |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2011,2012,2013 |
URL | http://www.schoolsobservatory.org.uk |
Description | Press coverage relating to the Liverpool Telescope |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A press release, press conference or response to a media enquiry/interview |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Type Of Presentation | Paper Presentation |
Geographic Reach | National |
Primary Audience | Media (as a channel to the public) |
Results and Impact | 12+ significant stories covered by the media through press releases related to the Liverpool Telescope. This is in addition to the outputs reported for the previous period through eVal. |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2011,2012,2013 |
Description | School and Public Talks |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Type Of Presentation | Keynote/Invited Speaker |
Geographic Reach | National |
Primary Audience | Public/other audiences |
Results and Impact | 50+ public talks and 200+ schools talks based around science from the Liverpool Telescope. This is in addition to data entered through eVal for the previous period. |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2011,2012,2013 |
URL | http://www.astro.ljmu.ac.uk/outreach |
Description | TV and radio coverage |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A press release, press conference or response to a media enquiry/interview |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Type Of Presentation | Keynote/Invited Speaker |
Geographic Reach | International |
Primary Audience | Public/other audiences |
Results and Impact | Contributions to TV and radio broadcasts featuring LIverpool Telescope science. Total 20+ in this reporting period. This is in addition to the outputs reported for the previous period through eVal. |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2011,2012,2013 |
URL | http://www.schoolsobservatory.org.uk |