Queen's University Belfast Consolidated Grant in Solar Physics and Solar System Studies 2020 - 2023
Lead Research Organisation:
Queen's University Belfast
Department Name: Sch of Mathematics and Physics
Abstract
Our Consolidated Grant covers a number of research projects in solar physics, and the study of solar system bodies, undertaken by staff within the Astrophysics Research Centre of the School of Mathematics and Physics at Queen's University Belfast. All projects fall within the remit of the Solar Studies (SS) and Planetary Studies (PL) sub-panels of the STFC Astronomy Grants Panel. The solar physics projects involve observational and computational studies of the Sun's atmosphere from the photosphere to the corona, focusing primarily on high cadence imaging and spectroscopy of dynamical events on small spatial scales. Topics for investigation will include wave generation, propagation and dissipation, the generation and evolution of magnetic fields, and the study of the corona during total solar eclipses. Projects on solar system bodies include measuring precise brightness and light scattering functions for hundreds of thousands of asteroids, detecting asteroid collisions, and studying the chemical makeup of distant comets.
Planned Impact
1. Public engagement
The research fields covered by our application - solar physics and studies of solar system objects - are extremely well suited to public engagement activities, as the sources are often observable either with the naked eye or small, portable telescopes (which can hence be easily provided at public events). We have a popular outreach portfolio, continually updated, linked to our Consolidate Grant (CG) programmes. It has major societal impact, especially with schoolchildren. Our ongoing outreach activities, plus upcoming special events linked to our CG programmes, are summarised below.
- An annual 4-day Summer School for ~40 UK 5th- and 6th-form students, centred around physics and including one full day on CG-related talks and workshops.
- NI Science Festival, held every February, at which we give talks on our research, attended by ~300 people. Fitzsimmons is a Board Member of the Festival.
- Stargazing Live and Jupiter/Moon Watches - we contribute to these regular events in our CG programmes, such as a partial solar eclipse linked to the total eclipse in August 2017, including the provision of telescopes for public use. Typical attendance is 400 per event. Future events include the solar eclipse in December 2020 (not visible from NI but we will have a link to our eclipse team in S America), and Mercury transit in November 2019.
- Asteroid Day Live - we have contributed to this international event for the past 2 years, with participation in the live TV/on-line debates and presentations in Luxembourg.
- We run an annual work experience programme for 6th-formers, and typically have 2 students per year in our CG programmes.
- We provide at least 1 talk per year on CG programmes to the Irish Astronomical Association (IAA) monthly meetings, and host these at no cost to the IAA in one of our lecture theatres.
- We have a talks programme for schools, with those related to the CG programmes including 'Death of the Dinosaurs' and 'Why is the Sky Blue?', delivered about 5 times per year.
2. Knowledge exchange engagement
We have 2 programmes directly linked to our CG programmes.
1.2.1 Development of sCMOS cameras:
We have worked closely with Andor Technology to develop large-format, high-speed sCMOS cameras for the DKIST solar telescope, funded by a PPRP grant. The sCMOS cameras are initially targeted primarily at the needs of solar telescopes and the broader astronomy community. There is currently a demand for large-area CCD cameras, and it is anticipated that a significant fraction of the astronomy market will migrate towards sCMOS detectors, which offer lower noise and faster speeds. Applications outside solar physics include the tracking of space debris, near-Earth objects, occultations, wavefront sensing and speckle imaging. There is a substantial worldwide astronomy market, with continued investment in existing and new astronomical facilities in China, Europe, India and the US. Andor are witnessing strong interest in this camera, and have received a number of pre-orders. Marketing material has been prepared and there are plans for an official product launch in early 2019.
1.2 Biomarkers
With Randox Laboratories we have recently (May 2017) established at Queen's an R&D Engineering Centre of Excellence for Biomedical Applications. The focus of the Centre is to design custom image processing solutions that can be utilised specifically for biomedical applications. For example, one area of investigation is methods to increase the sensitivity of detection for biomarkers, in turn improving the detection window for elevated levels of biomarkers, so that they can be identified earlier and treatment started sooner. It is envisaged that the new image processing solutions will undergo initial patient trails in 2020, and come to market by 2022.
The research fields covered by our application - solar physics and studies of solar system objects - are extremely well suited to public engagement activities, as the sources are often observable either with the naked eye or small, portable telescopes (which can hence be easily provided at public events). We have a popular outreach portfolio, continually updated, linked to our Consolidate Grant (CG) programmes. It has major societal impact, especially with schoolchildren. Our ongoing outreach activities, plus upcoming special events linked to our CG programmes, are summarised below.
- An annual 4-day Summer School for ~40 UK 5th- and 6th-form students, centred around physics and including one full day on CG-related talks and workshops.
- NI Science Festival, held every February, at which we give talks on our research, attended by ~300 people. Fitzsimmons is a Board Member of the Festival.
- Stargazing Live and Jupiter/Moon Watches - we contribute to these regular events in our CG programmes, such as a partial solar eclipse linked to the total eclipse in August 2017, including the provision of telescopes for public use. Typical attendance is 400 per event. Future events include the solar eclipse in December 2020 (not visible from NI but we will have a link to our eclipse team in S America), and Mercury transit in November 2019.
- Asteroid Day Live - we have contributed to this international event for the past 2 years, with participation in the live TV/on-line debates and presentations in Luxembourg.
- We run an annual work experience programme for 6th-formers, and typically have 2 students per year in our CG programmes.
- We provide at least 1 talk per year on CG programmes to the Irish Astronomical Association (IAA) monthly meetings, and host these at no cost to the IAA in one of our lecture theatres.
- We have a talks programme for schools, with those related to the CG programmes including 'Death of the Dinosaurs' and 'Why is the Sky Blue?', delivered about 5 times per year.
2. Knowledge exchange engagement
We have 2 programmes directly linked to our CG programmes.
1.2.1 Development of sCMOS cameras:
We have worked closely with Andor Technology to develop large-format, high-speed sCMOS cameras for the DKIST solar telescope, funded by a PPRP grant. The sCMOS cameras are initially targeted primarily at the needs of solar telescopes and the broader astronomy community. There is currently a demand for large-area CCD cameras, and it is anticipated that a significant fraction of the astronomy market will migrate towards sCMOS detectors, which offer lower noise and faster speeds. Applications outside solar physics include the tracking of space debris, near-Earth objects, occultations, wavefront sensing and speckle imaging. There is a substantial worldwide astronomy market, with continued investment in existing and new astronomical facilities in China, Europe, India and the US. Andor are witnessing strong interest in this camera, and have received a number of pre-orders. Marketing material has been prepared and there are plans for an official product launch in early 2019.
1.2 Biomarkers
With Randox Laboratories we have recently (May 2017) established at Queen's an R&D Engineering Centre of Excellence for Biomedical Applications. The focus of the Centre is to design custom image processing solutions that can be utilised specifically for biomedical applications. For example, one area of investigation is methods to increase the sensitivity of detection for biomarkers, in turn improving the detection window for elevated levels of biomarkers, so that they can be identified earlier and treatment started sooner. It is envisaged that the new image processing solutions will undergo initial patient trails in 2020, and come to market by 2022.
Organisations
Publications
Albidah A
(2022)
Magnetohydrodynamic Wave Mode Identification in Circular and Elliptical Sunspot Umbrae: Evidence for High-order Modes
in The Astrophysical Journal
Albidah AB
(2021)
Proper orthogonal and dynamic mode decomposition of sunspot data.
in Philosophical transactions. Series A, Mathematical, physical, and engineering sciences
Aldhafeeri A
(2021)
Magnetohydrodynamic Wave Modes of Solar Magnetic Flux Tubes with an Elliptical Cross Section
in The Astrophysical Journal
Baker D
(2021)
Alfvénic Perturbations in a Sunspot Chromosphere Linked to Fractionated Plasma in the Corona
in The Astrophysical Journal
Bannister Michele T.
(2020)
Interstellar comet 2I/Borisov as seen by MUSE: C$_2$, NH$_2$ and red CN detections
in arXiv e-prints
Bate W
(2022)
High-frequency Waves in Chromospheric Spicules
in The Astrophysical Journal
Bianco F
(2021)
Optimization of the Observing Cadence for the Rubin Observatory Legacy Survey of Space and Time: A Pioneering Process of Community-focused Experimental Design
in The Astrophysical Journal Supplement Series
Brazhko V
(2020)
Discovery of a pre-cataclysmic binary with unusual chromaticity of the eclipsed white dwarf by the GPX survey
in Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society
Buchanan L
(2022)
Col-OSSOS: Probing Ice Line/Color Transitions within the Kuiper Belt's Progenitor Populations
in The Planetary Science Journal
Campbell R
(2023)
Exploring Magnetic Loops and Serpentine Fields in the Quiet Sun with the GRIS-IFU
in The Astrophysical Journal
Campbell R
(2021)
Constraining the magnetic vector in the quiet solar photosphere and the impact of instrumental degradation
in Astronomy & Astrophysics
Campbell R
(2023)
DKIST Unveils the Serpentine Topology of Quiet Sun Magnetism in the Photosphere
in The Astrophysical Journal Letters
Campbell R
(2021)
Temporal evolution of small-scale internetwork magnetic fields in the solar photosphere
in Astronomy & Astrophysics
Campbell R
(2021)
Temporal evolution of small-scale internetwork magnetic fields in the solar photosphere (Corrigendum)
in Astronomy & Astrophysics
Dillon C
(2020)
Statistical Signatures of Nanoflare Activity. II. A Nanoflare Explanation for Periodic Brightenings in Flare Stars Observed by NGTS
in The Astrophysical Journal
Dobson M
(2021)
New or Increased Cometary Activity in (2060) 95P/Chiron
in Research Notes of the AAS
E. Kelly D
(2020)
Can active late-type stars contribute to the Galactic lithium abundance?
in Research in Astronomy and Astrophysics
Eisner N
(2021)
Planet Hunters TESS II: findings from the first two years of TESS
in Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society
Eisner N
(2020)
Planet Hunters TESS I: TOI 813, a subgiant hosting a transiting Saturn-sized planet on an 84-day orbit
in Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society
Eklund H
(2021)
Characterization of shock wave signatures at millimetre wavelengths from Bifrost simulations.
in Philosophical transactions. Series A, Mathematical, physical, and engineering sciences
Erdélyi R
(2022)
HiRISE - High-Resolution Imaging and Spectroscopy Explorer - Ultrahigh resolution, interferometric and external occulting coronagraphic science
in Experimental Astronomy
Erdélyi R
(2022)
The Solar Activity Monitor Network - SAMNet
in Journal of Space Weather and Space Climate
Evans C
(2022)
The CUBES science case
in Experimental Astronomy
Farkas-Takács A
(2020)
"TNOs are Cool": A survey of the trans-Neptunian region XV. Physical characteristics of 23 resonant trans-Neptunian and scattered disk objects
in Astronomy & Astrophysics
Fedorets G
(2020)
Establishing Earth's Minimoon Population through Characterization of Asteroid 2020 CD 3
in The Astronomical Journal
Ferellec L
(2023)
A targeted search for Main Belt Comets
in Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society
Fraser W
(2021)
Col-OSSOS: The Distinct Color Distribution of Single and Binary Cold Classical KBOs
in The Planetary Science Journal
Gilchrist-Millar CA
(2021)
Magnetoacoustic wave energy dissipation in the atmosphere of solar pores.
in Philosophical transactions. Series A, Mathematical, physical, and engineering sciences
Grant S
(2022)
The Propagation of Coherent Waves Across Multiple Solar Magnetic Pores
in The Astrophysical Journal
Grant S
(2023)
Statistical Signatures of Nanoflare Activity. III. Evidence of Enhanced Nanoflaring Rates in Fully Convective stars as Observed by the NGTS
in The Astrophysical Journal
Guevara Gómez JC
(2021)
High-frequency oscillations in small chromospheric bright features observed with Atacama Large Millimetre/Submillimetre Array.
in Philosophical transactions. Series A, Mathematical, physical, and engineering sciences
Heinze A
(2021)
NEO Population, Velocity Bias, and Impact Risk from an ATLAS Analysis
in The Planetary Science Journal
Henriques V
(2020)
Umbral chromospheric fine structure and umbral flashes modelled as one: The corrugated umbra
in Astronomy & Astrophysics
Holt C
(2022)
Surface Properties of Near-Sun Asteroids
in The Planetary Science Journal
Houston S
(2020)
Magnetohydrodynamic Nonlinearities in Sunspot Atmospheres: Chromospheric Detections of Intermediate Shocks
in The Astrophysical Journal
Hsieh H
(2021)
Physical Characterization of Main-belt Comet (248370) 2005 QN 173
in The Astrophysical Journal Letters
Hsieh H
(2021)
The transient Jupiter Trojan-like orbit of P/2019 LD2 (ATLAS)
in Icarus
Jafarzadeh S
(2021)
An overall view of temperature oscillations in the solar chromosphere with ALMA.
in Philosophical transactions. Series A, Mathematical, physical, and engineering sciences
Jess D
(2023)
Waves in the lower solar atmosphere: the dawn of next-generation solar telescopes
in Living Reviews in Solar Physics
Jess D
(2020)
Reply to: Signatures of sunspot oscillations and the case for chromospheric resonances
in Nature Astronomy
Jess DB
(2021)
High-resolution wave dynamics in the lower solar atmosphere.
in Philosophical transactions. Series A, Mathematical, physical, and engineering sciences
Keys PH
(2021)
On the effect of oscillatory phenomena on Stokes inversion results.
in Philosophical transactions. Series A, Mathematical, physical, and engineering sciences
Khuller A
(2022)
Irregular polygonal ridge networks in ancient Noachian terrain on Mars
in Icarus
Kuridze D
(2020)
Spectral Characteristics and Formation Height of Off-limb Flare Ribbons
in The Astrophysical Journal
Kuridze David
(2021)
Mapping the Magnetic Field of Flare Coronal Loops
in 43rd COSPAR Scientific Assembly. Held 28 January - 4 February
Lister T
(2022)
The LCO Outbursting Objects Key Project: Overview and Year 1 Status
in The Planetary Science Journal
Liu J
(2023)
Five-minute oscillations of photospheric and chromospheric swirls
in Astronomy & Astrophysics
MacBride C
(2022)
Ambipolar Diffusion in the Lower Solar Atmosphere: Magnetohydrodynamic Simulations of a Sunspot
in The Astrophysical Journal
MacBride C
(2021)
MCALF: Multi-Component Atmospheric Line Fitting
in Journal of Open Source Software
MacBride CD
(2021)
Accurately constraining velocity information from spectral imaging observations using machine learning techniques.
in Philosophical transactions. Series A, Mathematical, physical, and engineering sciences
| Title | The science of superheroes |
| Description | A presentation on the science of superheroes, which contains clips of TV shows and films with superheroes in them (Superman, Avengers etc), along with slides discussing the accuracy or otherwise of the 'science' in the clips. |
| Type Of Art | Film/Video/Animation |
| Year Produced | 2022 |
| Impact | None to date as the presentation has just been completed, and delivery of the presentation is still on hold due to the Covid-19 pandemic. However once it can be given to audiences (ranging from schoolchildren to the general public, teachers, university students etc), it is envisaged that it will be very popular, similar to the previous presentations on the science of science-fiction films and TV shows. |
| Description | Community Tools for Rubin Observatory Solar System Science |
| Amount | £13,620 (GBP) |
| Funding ID | KSI-23 |
| Organisation | Heising-Simons Foundation |
| Sector | Charity/Non Profit |
| Country | United States |
| Start | 01/2022 |
| End | 07/2022 |
| Description | Enabling the discovery of Earth's temporary satellite with the Large Survey of Space and Time |
| Amount | £157,728 (GBP) |
| Organisation | European Commission H2020 |
| Sector | Public |
| Country | Belgium |
| Start | 08/2021 |
| End | 07/2023 |
| Description | Exploring Citizen Science Use Cases with the Lasair transient alert broker |
| Amount | £19,907 (GBP) |
| Funding ID | BB/T018909/1 |
| Organisation | Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council (BBSRC) |
| Sector | Public |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Start | 01/2020 |
| End | 10/2020 |
| Description | Faint signals from bright sources: identifying high-frequency waves in the Sun |
| Amount | £274,257 (GBP) |
| Funding ID | RPG-2019-371 |
| Organisation | The Leverhulme Trust |
| Sector | Charity/Non Profit |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Start | 06/2020 |
| End | 05/2024 |
| Description | Integral Field Units: the next generation of space-based solar instrumentation |
| Amount | £49,707 (GBP) |
| Funding ID | SSc 009 |
| Organisation | UK Space Agency |
| Sector | Public |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Start | 01/2022 |
| End | 03/2022 |
| Description | Leverhulme Interdisciplinary Network on Algorithmic Solutions (LINAS) |
| Amount | £1,350,000 (GBP) |
| Funding ID | 95191 |
| Organisation | The Leverhulme Trust |
| Sector | Charity/Non Profit |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Start | 10/2021 |
| End | 08/2025 |
| Description | New Applicant Scheme Consolidated Grant Application in Solar System Studies- Towards the Solar System's Edge: Exploring the Inner Oort Cloud |
| Amount | £225,555 (GBP) |
| Funding ID | ST/V000691/1 |
| Organisation | Science and Technologies Facilities Council (STFC) |
| Sector | Public |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Start | 04/2021 |
| End | 03/2023 |
| Description | Next generation MCAO systems for large aperture solar telescopes |
| Amount | £20,845 (GBP) |
| Funding ID | ST/V003739/1 |
| Organisation | Science and Technologies Facilities Council (STFC) |
| Sector | Public |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Start | 04/2021 |
| End | 06/2022 |
| Description | Observations of Lyman-alpha Emission in Solar Flares |
| Amount | £226,842 (GBP) |
| Funding ID | ST/W001144/1 |
| Organisation | Science and Technologies Facilities Council (STFC) |
| Sector | Public |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Start | 03/2022 |
| End | 03/2024 |
| Description | PATT Travel Grant for observational astrophysics at QUB: 2020 - 2022 |
| Amount | £35,378 (GBP) |
| Funding ID | ST/V00199X/1 |
| Organisation | Science and Technologies Facilities Council (STFC) |
| Sector | Public |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Start | 09/2020 |
| End | 03/2022 |
| Description | Preparing for LSST Solar System Follow-up |
| Amount | £7,154 (GBP) |
| Funding ID | 28593-1 |
| Organisation | Large Synoptic Survey Telescope Corporation |
| Sector | Charity/Non Profit |
| Country | United States |
| Start | 07/2020 |
| End | 10/2022 |
| Description | Queen's University Belfast Consolidated Grant in Solar Physics and Solar System Studies 2023 - 2026 |
| Amount | £1,071,631 (GBP) |
| Funding ID | ST/X000923/1 |
| Organisation | Science and Technologies Facilities Council (STFC) |
| Sector | Public |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Start | 03/2023 |
| End | 03/2026 |
| Description | STFC Belfast 2020 DTP |
| Amount | £234,120 (GBP) |
| Funding ID | ST/V506990/1 |
| Organisation | Science and Technologies Facilities Council (STFC) |
| Sector | Public |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Start | 10/2020 |
| End | 09/2024 |
| Description | STFC Belfast 2021 DTP |
| Amount | £159,496 (GBP) |
| Funding ID | ST/W507751/1 |
| Organisation | Science and Technologies Facilities Council (STFC) |
| Sector | Public |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Start | 09/2021 |
| End | 09/2025 |
| Description | STFC Belfast 2022 DTP |
| Amount | £81,631 (GBP) |
| Funding ID | ST/X508706/1 |
| Organisation | Science and Technologies Facilities Council (STFC) |
| Sector | Public |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Start | 09/2022 |
| End | 09/2026 |
| Description | UK-DKIST Science Support |
| Amount | £238,550 (GBP) |
| Funding ID | ND2550C |
| Organisation | Association of Universities for Research in Astronomy |
| Sector | Learned Society |
| Country | United States |
| Start | 04/2020 |
| End | 09/2023 |
| Description | Astronomy Open Day for Northern Ireland Science Festival |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an open day or visit at my research institution |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | Regional |
| Primary Audience | Public/other audiences |
| Results and Impact | An Open Day where members of the public visited the astrophysicists at Queen's University to learn about the latest discoveries and also gain some general knowledge of astronomy. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2023 |