HPC Resources for Theoretical Astrophysics at the University of Leicester
Lead Research Organisation:
University of Leicester
Department Name: Physics and Astronomy
Abstract
Accretion on to a black hole is the most efficient way of extracting energy from conventional matter. Gravitational energy thus powers the most luminous objects in the Universe. At the same time, gravity's cumulative nature gives it a decisive role in determining the structure and evolution of matter at all scales. The theoretical understanding of these twin aspects -- accretion, and the structure and evolution of the parent systems -- are the key theme of our research, in various cosmic contexts. On the smallest scale, close binary systems containing black holes offer a highly tractable route to studying accretion processes such as disc formation and stability. But it is important also to understand the long--term evolution of these binaries themselves, and the standard and ultraluminous X--ray populations of other galaxies. Similarly, astronomers want to understand how accretion on to supermassive black holes (SMBH) powers active galactic nuclei (AGN). But they also wish to know how these objects fit into the general picture of galaxy structure and formation. Gamma--ray bursts (GRBs) offer another example where the study of accretion processes is closely linked to understanding the host galaxy, and stellar and binary evolution within it. Dark matter provides the potential wells within which structures form and evolve and we therefore need to understand its physical properties in order to have a complete theory of structure formation in the Universe. We study all of these objects theoretically, and our emphasis has shifted strongly towards supermassive/extra\-galactic systems over the last decade.
Organisations
Publications
Donato F
(2009)
A constant dark matter halo surface density in galaxies
in Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society
Nayakshin Sergei
(2016)
A desert of gas giant planets beyond tens of au
in arXiv e-prints
Dehnen W
(2014)
A fast multipole method for stellar dynamics
in Computational Astrophysics and Cosmology
Dunhill A
(2013)
A limit on eccentricity growth from global 3D simulations of disc-planet interactions
in Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society
Adén D
(2009)
A NEW LOW MASS FOR THE HERCULES dSph: THE END OF A COMMON MASS SCALE FOR THE DWARFS?
in The Astrophysical Journal
Levan A
(2013)
A NEW POPULATION OF ULTRA-LONG DURATION GAMMA-RAY BURSTS
in The Astrophysical Journal
Adén D
(2009)
A photometric and spectroscopic study of the new dwarf spheroidal galaxy in Hercules Metallicity, velocities, and a clean list of RGB members
in Astronomy & Astrophysics
Assmann P
(2013)
A possible formation scenario for dwarf spheroidal galaxies - I. Fiducial model
in Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society
Assmann P
(2013)
A possible formation scenario for dwarf spheroidal galaxies - II. A parameter study
in Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society
Koch A
(2013)
A SPECTROSCOPIC BINARY IN THE HERCULES DWARF SPHEROIDAL GALAXY
in The Astrophysical Journal
Koch A
(2009)
A SPECTROSCOPIC CONFIRMATION OF THE BOOTES II DWARF SPHEROIDAL
in The Astrophysical Journal
Zubovas K
(2013)
AGN outflows trigger starbursts in gas-rich galaxies
in Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society
Adén D
(2010)
An abundance study of red-giant-branch stars in the Hercules dwarf spheroidal galaxy
in Astronomy & Astrophysics
Ural U
(2015)
An inefficient dwarf: chemical abundances and the evolution of the Ursa Minor dwarf spheroidal galaxy
in Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society
King A
(2014)
Astronomy. Testing the limits of accretion.
in Science (New York, N.Y.)
Knevitt G
(2014)
Black holes in short period X-ray binaries and the transition to radiatively inefficient accretion
in Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society
Nixon C
(2012)
Broken discs: warp propagation in accretion discs Broken discs
in Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society
Humphries Jack
(2018)
Changes in the metallicity of gas giant planets due to pebble accretion
in arXiv e-prints
Nayakshin S
(2009)
Competitive feedback in galaxy formation
in Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society: Letters
Nayakshin S
(2014)
Core-assisted gas capture instability: a new mode of giant planet formation by gravitationally unstable discs
in Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society
Bonnivard V
(2015)
Dark matter annihilation and decay in dwarf spheroidal galaxies: the classical and ultrafaint dSphs
in Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society
Hague P
(2013)
Dark matter in disc galaxies - I. A Markov Chain Monte Carlo method and application to DDO 154
in Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society
Hague P
(2014)
Dark matter in disc galaxies - II. Density profiles as constraints on feedback scenarios
in Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society
Walker M
(2011)
DARK MATTER IN THE CLASSICAL DWARF SPHEROIDAL GALAXIES: A ROBUST CONSTRAINT ON THE ASTROPHYSICAL FACTOR FOR ?-RAY FLUX CALCULATIONS
in The Astrophysical Journal
Charbonnier A
(2011)
Dark matter profiles and annihilation in dwarf spheroidal galaxies: prospectives for present and future ?-ray observatories - I. The classical dwarf spheroidal galaxies ?-ray from dark matter annihilation in dSphs
in Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society
Nayakshin S
(2017)
Dawes Review 7: The Tidal Downsizing Hypothesis of Planet Formation
in Publications of the Astronomical Society of Australia
Alexander R
(2012)
Deserts and pile-ups in the distribution of exoplanets due to photoevaporative disc clearing
in Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society: Letters
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
Nayakshin S
(2014)
Differentiation of silicates and iron during formation of Mercury and high-density exoplanets
in Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society
Wilkinson M
(2013)
DiRAC Day 2013
in Astronomy & Geophysics
Alexander R
(2011)
Disc instability in RS Ophiuchi: a path to Type Ia supernovae RS Oph and Type Ia SNe
in Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society
Salucci P
(2012)
Dwarf spheroidal galaxy kinematics and spiral galaxy scaling laws DSph galaxy kinematics and spiral galaxy scaling laws
in Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society
Feltzing S
(2009)
Evidence of enrichment by individual SN from elemental abundance ratios in the very metal-poor dSph galaxy Boötes I
in Astronomy & Astrophysics
Alexander R
(2012)
Galactic Centre star formation: the case of the missing gas disc The missing gas disc at the Galactic Centre
in Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society
Knevitt G
(2014)
Heating and ionization of the primordial intergalactic medium by high-mass X-ray binaries
in Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society
King A
(2014)
HLX-1 may be an SS433 system
in Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society: Letters
Nayakshin S
(2013)
Hydrogen-losing planets in transition discs around young protostars
in Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society
Grand R
(2015)
Impact of radial migration on stellar and gas radial metallicity distribution
in Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society
Bourne M
(2013)
Inverse Compton X-ray signature of AGN feedback
in Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society
Ham Byoung S.
(2011)
Inversion-free, noiseless Raman echoes
in arXiv e-prints
Ural U
(2010)
Kinematic subpopulations in dwarf spheroidal galaxies
in Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society
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
Fellhauer M
(2009)
Merging time-scales of stellar subclumps in young star-forming regions
in Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society
Dunhill A
(2014)
Misaligned accretion on to supermassive black hole binaries
in Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society
Humphries J
(2019)
On the origin of wide-orbit ALMA planets: giant protoplanets disrupted by their cores
in Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society
Quinn D
(2009)
On the reported death of the MACHO era
in Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society: Letters
Description | DiRAC2: Recurrent Costs for 100 Tflop/s HPC cluster |
Amount | £391,000 (GBP) |
Funding ID | ST/K003259/1 |
Organisation | Science and Technologies Facilities Council (STFC) |
Sector | Public |
Country | United Kingdom |
Start | 05/2012 |
End | 01/2016 |
Description | Astronomy Ireland |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Type Of Presentation | Keynote/Invited Speaker |
Geographic Reach | Regional |
Primary Audience | Public/other audiences |
Results and Impact | I spoke to about 100 people at the Astronomy Ireland meeting in November 2013 in Trinity College Dublin. My talk was very well received and I have been invited to give another talk to this audience at a later date. |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2013 |
URL | http://www.astronomy.ie/lecture201311.php |
Description | BBC Stargazing Live |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Type Of Presentation | Keynote/Invited Speaker |
Geographic Reach | Regional |
Primary Audience | Public/other audiences |
Results and Impact | Presentations as part of the BBC Stargazing Live at the National Space Centre and at the University of Leicester, attended by approximately 50 people (2011), 50 people (2012), 300 people (2013), 100 people (2014). The presentation generated lots of questions and discussion from the audience. Local schools had an opportunity to visit the University which is good for inclusivity. |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2011,2012,2013,2014 |
Description | Cafe Scientifique |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Type Of Presentation | Keynote/Invited Speaker |
Geographic Reach | Regional |
Primary Audience | Public/other audiences |
Results and Impact | I spoke to the Nottingham Cafe Scientifique about various aspects of the research that myself and others are doing with DiRAC. About 40 people attended. I gave a 25 minute presentation which was followed by more than an hour of questions and discussion. One audience member wrote a blog piece about my talk. |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2014 |
URL | http://nottinghamscience.blogspot.co.uk/2014/02/talk-building-galaxies-in-office.html |
Description | Royal Society Summer Exhibition |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
Part Of Official Scheme? | Yes |
Geographic Reach | National |
Primary Audience | Schools |
Results and Impact | Over the course of the four day, more than 600 people attended my talks. The Friday evening presentation was followed by more than an hour of audience questions. Several audience members contacted me to ask additional questions. |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2014 |
Description | School Visit (Dublin) |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Type Of Presentation | Keynote/Invited Speaker |
Geographic Reach | Local |
Primary Audience | Schools |
Results and Impact | Approximately 90 primary school students (3 classes) aged 8-12 years old attended my talks in Rathfarnham Parish National School. Following my visit, a number of students expressed interest in pursuing a career in science. |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2013 |
Description | Secular Society |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Type Of Presentation | Keynote/Invited Speaker |
Geographic Reach | Regional |
Primary Audience | Public/other audiences |
Results and Impact | Spoke to about 50 members of the Leicester Secular Society. My talk generated considerable discussion among the members of the LSS. |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2012 |
URL | http://www.leicestersecularsociety.org.uk/calendar/view_entry.php?id=1145&date=20121209 |