A Programme of Technology, Astrophysics and Cosmology in Cardiff 2019-22
Lead Research Organisation:
CARDIFF UNIVERSITY
Department Name: School of Physics and Astronomy
Abstract
We propose a programme of Astrophysics, Cosmology and Technology development for Astrophysics and Cosmology, to investigate star and planet formation in our own and other galaxies, how galaxies form and evolve and the signals from the very early Universe embedded in the polarisation properties of the Cosmic Microwave background. This programme will combine observational data from world-class ground and space-based observatories, as well as theoretical modelling and simulations of the processes that result in the Universe we observe around us. We will also continue to develop the world's most sensitive detectors for very long infrared wavelengths, along with associated optical components utilising 'metamaterials' the class of materials designed and manufactured by human beings to have the properties best suited to their task, rather than relying on naturally occurring minerals and plastics. Both of these areas of technology development potentially have wide applications outside of Astronomy, in areas such as security scanners and bio-medical imaging for example.
Planned Impact
The technology programme proposed here will have extensive impact outside of astronomy. Firstly in other academic subject areas such as Earth-observing where the technology is used to look downwards or sideways through the atmosphere rather than upwards, but also in bio-medical imaging, where the Far-infrared wavelength range has many spectral features, and is currently being used in collaboration with the School of Optometry in Cardiff to assess corneal damage, for example. Secondly we also plan to exploit the technology commercially, through the spinout company QMCI (www.terahertz.co.uk) which operates from within the School, with broad applications from fast plasma diagnostic systems in use in Fusion experiments, through laboratory spectroscopy across a wide range of chemistry and materials applications, and the new spinout Sequestym, for security cameras. We also plan a very strong Outreach programme across both the technology developments and the observational and theoretical astrophysics and cosmology programme, following on from the skills developed during the very successful Herschel/Planck outreach programme, with web-based and standard media information releases, but also tied in with Open days, school visits, and going out into schools and colleges to give presentations and host workshops
Organisations
Publications
Bianchini F
(2020)
Constraints on Cosmological Parameters from the 500 deg 2 SPTPOL Lensing Power Spectrum
in The Astrophysical Journal
Avison A
(2021)
Continuity of accretion from clumps to Class 0 high-mass protostars in SDC335
in Astronomy & Astrophysics
Glass D
(2022)
Cool interstellar medium as an evolutionary tracer in ALMA-observed local dusty early-type galaxies
in Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society
Kankare E
(2021)
Core-collapse supernova subtypes in luminous infrared galaxies
in Astronomy & Astrophysics
Abdalla E
(2022)
Cosmology intertwined: A review of the particle physics, astrophysics, and cosmology associated with the cosmological tensions and anomalies
in Journal of High Energy Astrophysics
Bonavera L.
(2020)
Cosmology with the submillimetre galaxies magnification bias: Proof of concept
in XIV.0 Scientific Meeting (virtual) of the Spanish Astronomical Society
Bonavera L
(2020)
Cosmology with the submillimetre galaxies magnification bias: Proof of concept
in Astronomy & Astrophysics
Ritacco A
(2022)
Crab nebula at 260 GHz with the NIKA2 polarimeter: Implications for the polarization angle calibration of future CMB experiments
in EPJ Web of Conferences
Thater S
(2022)
Cross-checking SMBH mass estimates in NGC 6958 - I. Stellar dynamics from adaptive optics-assisted MUSE observations
in Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society
Lestrade J
(2020)
Debris disks around stars in the NIKA2 era
in EPJ Web of Conferences
Tojeiro R
(2020)
Decoupling the rotation of stars and gas - II. The link between black hole activity and simulated IFU kinematics in IllustrisTNG
in Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society
Duckworth Christopher
(2019)
Decoupling the rotation of stars and gas -- II: the link between black hole activity and MaNGA kinematics in TNG
in arXiv e-prints
Wang Y
(2020)
Dense gas in a giant molecular filament
in Astronomy & Astrophysics
Beuther H
(2024)
Density distributions, magnetic field structures, and fragmentation in high-mass star formation
in Astronomy & Astrophysics
Gómez-Rivera V
(2020)
Design and characterization of the MUSCAT detectors
Schillaci A
(2020)
Design and Performance of the First BICEP Array Receiver
in Journal of Low Temperature Physics
Schillaci A.
(2020)
Design and performance of the first BICEP Array receiver
in arXiv e-prints
Stankowiak G
(2020)
Detection chain and electronic readout of the QUBIC instrument
Raghunathan S
(2019)
Detection of CMB-Cluster Lensing using Polarization Data from SPTpol.
in Physical review letters
Sarkar Subhajit
(2019)
Detection of Earth-like atmospheres by transit spectroscopy: exploring instrumental parameters for optimal yield
in EPSC-DPS Joint Meeting 2019