Astronomy Observation and Theory Consolidated Grant 2016-2019
Lead Research Organisation:
University of Cambridge
Department Name: Institute of Astronomy
Abstract
This proposal is for a single Consolidated Grant to support the majority of research in Theoretical and Observational Astronomy and Astrophysics at the Institute of Astronomy (IoA) in Cambridge.
The theoretical research profile includes work to understand the origin of the Universe itself. Members of the IoA play a leading role in the European Space Agency Planck mission, and will lead a definitive determination of the parameters that both define the geometry of the Universe and quantify the age, size, dark matter, dark energy and baryonic content. The research links to one of the key goals in astrophysics: constraining the properties of the dark matter and dark energy content of the Universe.
The Universe today is filled with galaxies, of which our own Milky Way is a not atypical example. A full understanding of galaxy formation and evolution requires multiple lines of attack. Observations of the resolved stellar populations in the Milky Way and its Local Group companions provide a detailed fossil record of the dynamical assemblies of the galaxies, the formation of stars, and the buildup of heavy elements over a wide range of mass scales and initial conditions. At the other end of the scale, observations of distant galaxies spanning lookback times of up to 12 Gyr provide direct measurements of the evolution of galaxy populations and the buildup of stars and metals with cosmic time. Finally, measurements of the large-scale star formation and abundance properties of nearby galaxies form a vital astrophysical bridge between the studies of nearby resolved stellar populations and the distant high-redshift investigations, by allowing us to characterise the evolutionary properties of the Hubble sequence and the complex "gastrophysical" processes that regulate the accretion of gas and the formation of stars in galaxies.
It is now recognised that there is an intimate link between the evolution of galaxies and the origin and properties of super-massive black holes, which reside at the centre of the Milky Way and other galaxies. The regions close to black holes allow the exploration of physics at the extremes. The formation and properties of super-massive black holes and their relation to the galaxies in which they reside is a research theme that involves theory, X-ray astrophysics and observational programmes in the grant.
Within galaxies, the grant focuses on star formation, from the giant molecular clouds which give birth to stars, down to the more detailed investigations of the processes that lead to the formation of stars and star clusters within these molecular clouds. The investigations will combine state-of-the-art numerical simulations with analytical theories. The quest to study planetary systems around stars and their formation is another key goal. Research activity in the grant covers theoretical work that concentrates on the properties of exoplanets atmospheres, debris discs, discs of asteroids, cometary objects, and dust surrounding stars.
The theoretical research profile includes work to understand the origin of the Universe itself. Members of the IoA play a leading role in the European Space Agency Planck mission, and will lead a definitive determination of the parameters that both define the geometry of the Universe and quantify the age, size, dark matter, dark energy and baryonic content. The research links to one of the key goals in astrophysics: constraining the properties of the dark matter and dark energy content of the Universe.
The Universe today is filled with galaxies, of which our own Milky Way is a not atypical example. A full understanding of galaxy formation and evolution requires multiple lines of attack. Observations of the resolved stellar populations in the Milky Way and its Local Group companions provide a detailed fossil record of the dynamical assemblies of the galaxies, the formation of stars, and the buildup of heavy elements over a wide range of mass scales and initial conditions. At the other end of the scale, observations of distant galaxies spanning lookback times of up to 12 Gyr provide direct measurements of the evolution of galaxy populations and the buildup of stars and metals with cosmic time. Finally, measurements of the large-scale star formation and abundance properties of nearby galaxies form a vital astrophysical bridge between the studies of nearby resolved stellar populations and the distant high-redshift investigations, by allowing us to characterise the evolutionary properties of the Hubble sequence and the complex "gastrophysical" processes that regulate the accretion of gas and the formation of stars in galaxies.
It is now recognised that there is an intimate link between the evolution of galaxies and the origin and properties of super-massive black holes, which reside at the centre of the Milky Way and other galaxies. The regions close to black holes allow the exploration of physics at the extremes. The formation and properties of super-massive black holes and their relation to the galaxies in which they reside is a research theme that involves theory, X-ray astrophysics and observational programmes in the grant.
Within galaxies, the grant focuses on star formation, from the giant molecular clouds which give birth to stars, down to the more detailed investigations of the processes that lead to the formation of stars and star clusters within these molecular clouds. The investigations will combine state-of-the-art numerical simulations with analytical theories. The quest to study planetary systems around stars and their formation is another key goal. Research activity in the grant covers theoretical work that concentrates on the properties of exoplanets atmospheres, debris discs, discs of asteroids, cometary objects, and dust surrounding stars.
Planned Impact
The Institute of Astronomy ensures all students, postdocs and staff are actively involved both in delivering high value science, and also engaging and stimulating a variety of additional knowledge creation activities, focussing on public awareness, and on applications of research developments in medical, space-industry and commercial spheres.
The University of Cambridge has one of the most successful programmes for nurturing knowledge transfer and resulting economic and societal impact between University departments and industry both in the United Kingdom and elsewhere. The extraordinarily successful Cambridge Science Park is well known, with expertise and ideas from Cambridge Astrophysics being involved in the establishment of several businesses in the Cambridge area.
The IoA's approach to the search for impact opportunities is embedded in the mechanisms that the University has in place to facilitate this. The University's Research Office provides the primary point of contact for corporate liaison, and is actively involved in pursuing impact and knowledge exchange activities and opportunities throughout the University. Cambridge Enterprise, the University's technology transfer and entrepreneurship arm, exists to enhance the University of Cambridge's contribution to society through knowledge transfer from the University to the community. The Institute of Astronomy members interact with these organisations regularly. Engagement with the wider economic community is supported
by a Collaborative Research Facilitator, based in the Cavendish Laboratory, who is able to provide advice on relevant networking and funding opportunities.
In summary, the research carried out at the IoA supported through this will lead to a wide range of impacts across a broad range of areas. From direct and specific impact in the application of analysis techniques to problems in the medical field, in the gaming industry, to inspirational outreach programmes engaging with those teaching the next generation of scientists.
The University of Cambridge has one of the most successful programmes for nurturing knowledge transfer and resulting economic and societal impact between University departments and industry both in the United Kingdom and elsewhere. The extraordinarily successful Cambridge Science Park is well known, with expertise and ideas from Cambridge Astrophysics being involved in the establishment of several businesses in the Cambridge area.
The IoA's approach to the search for impact opportunities is embedded in the mechanisms that the University has in place to facilitate this. The University's Research Office provides the primary point of contact for corporate liaison, and is actively involved in pursuing impact and knowledge exchange activities and opportunities throughout the University. Cambridge Enterprise, the University's technology transfer and entrepreneurship arm, exists to enhance the University of Cambridge's contribution to society through knowledge transfer from the University to the community. The Institute of Astronomy members interact with these organisations regularly. Engagement with the wider economic community is supported
by a Collaborative Research Facilitator, based in the Cavendish Laboratory, who is able to provide advice on relevant networking and funding opportunities.
In summary, the research carried out at the IoA supported through this will lead to a wide range of impacts across a broad range of areas. From direct and specific impact in the application of analysis techniques to problems in the medical field, in the gaming industry, to inspirational outreach programmes engaging with those teaching the next generation of scientists.
Organisations
Publications
Coulton W
(2020)
Minimizing gravitational lensing contributions to the primordial bispectrum covariance
in Physical Review D
Coulton W
(2019)
The bispectrum of polarized galactic foregrounds
in Journal of Cosmology and Astroparticle Physics
Coulton W
(2019)
Constraining neutrino mass with the tomographic weak lensing bispectrum
in Journal of Cosmology and Astroparticle Physics
Coulton W
(2022)
Effects of boosting on extragalactic components: methods and statistical studies
in Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society
Coulton W
(2021)
Primordial information content of Rayleigh anisotropies
in Physical Review D
Courbin F
(2018)
COSMOGRAIL: the COSmological MOnitoring of GRAvItational Lenses XVI. Time delays for the quadruply imaged quasar DES J0408-5354 with high-cadence photometric monitoring
in Astronomy & Astrophysics
Coutens A
(2019)
VLA cm-wave survey of young stellar objects in the Oph A cluster: constraining extreme UV- and X-ray-driven disk photoevaporation A pathfinder for Square Kilometre Array studies
in Astronomy & Astrophysics
Cowperthwaite P
(2017)
The Electromagnetic Counterpart of the Binary Neutron Star Merger LIGO/Virgo GW170817. II. UV, Optical, and Near-infrared Light Curves and Comparison to Kilonova Models
in The Astrophysical Journal
Croxall K
(2017)
The Origins of [C II] Emission in Local Star-forming Galaxies
Croxall K
(2017)
The Origins of [C ii] Emission in Local Star-forming Galaxies
in The Astrophysical Journal
Cruz P
(2018)
Low-mass eclipsing binaries in the WFCAM Transit Survey: the persistence of the M-dwarf radius inflation problem
in Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society
Cullinane L
(2020)
The Magellanic Edges Survey I: Description and first results
in Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society
Curtis M
(2016)
Resolving flows around black holes: the impact of gas angular momentum
in Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society
D'Odorico V
(2016)
Metals in the z ~ 3 intergalactic medium: results from an ultra-high signal-to-noise ratio UVES quasar spectrum
in Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society
Dale D
(2017)
Updated 34-band Photometry for the SINGS/KINGFISH Samples of Nearby Galaxies
in The Astrophysical Journal
Daley C
(2019)
The Mass of Stirring Bodies in the AU Mic Debris Disk Inferred from Resolved Vertical Structure
in The Astrophysical Journal
David Marsh M
(2017)
A new bound on axion-like particles
De Bernardis P
(2018)
Exploring cosmic origins with CORE: The instrument
in Journal of Cosmology and Astroparticle Physics
De Boer T
(2018)
The fall of the Northern Unicorn: tangential motions in the Galactic anticentre with SDSS and Gaia
in Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society
De Boer T
(2018)
A deeper look at the GD1 stream: density variations and wiggles
in Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society
De Looze I
(2016)
The interstellar medium in Andromeda's dwarf spheroidal galaxies - I. Content and origin of the interstellar dust
in Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society
De Looze I
(2017)
The interstellar medium in Andromeda's dwarf spheroidal galaxies - II. Multiphase gas content and ISM conditions
in Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society
De Los Reyes M
(2019)
Revisiting the Integrated Star Formation Law. I. Non-starbursting Galaxies
De Los Reyes M
(2019)
Revisiting the Integrated Star Formation Law. I. Non-starbursting Galaxies
in The Astrophysical Journal
De Plaa J
(2017)
CHEERS: The chemical evolution RGS sample
in Astronomy & Astrophysics
Deason A
(2019)
The total stellar halo mass of the Milky Way
Deason A
(2017)
The slight spin of the old stellar halo
in Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society
Deason A
(2018)
Cresting the wave: proper motions of the Eastern Banded Structure
in Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society
Deason A
(2018)
To the Galactic Virial Radius with Hyper Suprime-Cam
in The Astrophysical Journal
Deason A
(2019)
The total stellar halo mass of the Milky Way
in Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society
Deason A
(2019)
The local high-velocity tail and the Galactic escape speed
in Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society
Deason A
(2019)
The local high-velocity tail and the Galactic escape speed
Deason A
(2018)
Apocenter Pile-up: Origin of the Stellar Halo Density Break
in The Astrophysical Journal
Deason A
(2021)
The mass of the Milky Way out to 100 kpc using halo stars
in Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society
Deason A
(2017)
The Clouds are breaking: tracing the Magellanic system with Gaia DR1 Mira variables
in Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society
Defrère D
(2016)
NULLING DATA REDUCTION AND ON-SKY PERFORMANCE OF THE LARGE BINOCULAR TELESCOPE INTERFEROMETER
in The Astrophysical Journal
Defrère D
(2018)
Space-based infrared interferometry to study exoplanetary atmospheres
in Experimental Astronomy
Degenaar N
(2016)
Disc reflection and a possible disc wind during a soft X-ray state in the neutron star low-mass X-ray binary 1RXS J180408.9-342058
in Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society
Degenaar N
(2017)
An in-depth study of a neutron star accreting at low Eddington rate: on the possibility of a truncated disc and an outflow
in Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society
DeGraf C
(2020)
Cosmological simulations of massive black hole seeds: predictions for next-generation electromagnetic and gravitational wave observations
in Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society