Astrophysics and Cosmology Research at the JBCA 2020-2023
Lead Research Organisation:
University of Manchester
Department Name: Physics and Astronomy
Abstract
This grant supports the research of the Jodrell Bank Centre for Astrophysics at the University of Manchester. Our research is a divided into 3 groups. There are too many specific proposals to describe in detail, do below we have given a brief layman's explanation of the work being carried out by the three groups.
Cosmology: This is the study of the Universe as a whole. The main aim is to understand the processes by which the large scale feature of the Universe formed and to constrain the various different kinds of matter that existed within it. These include dark matter and dark energy which are thought to constitute more than 95% of the total. We do this by comparison to observations of weak and strong gravitational lensing which is the distortion of light predicted to be caused by massive objects in Einstein' Theory of General Relativity, the cosmic microwave background which is the faint emission of radiation created at the time when protons and electrons come together to form hydrogen and the emission given off by neutral hydrogen atoms in galaxies. The research we propose here involves both theory and observation as well as the development of the technology necessary to make the observations possible.
Sun, Stars and Galaxies: The researchers in this group study a wide range of astrophysical processes that are reasonable for the formation and evolution of the objects in the name of the group. Specific key areas that the group is interested in are the formation of stars much larger than the Sun and the subsequent evolution, the properties of the so-called interstellar medium (ISM) which comprises molecules not bound to stars and the magnetic fields that permeate space.
Pulsars and Time Domain Astrophysics: The focus of this group is astrophysical signatures that are changing with time- things which come on and off, often with some kind of regularity. These include Pulsars which are a non-standard star type, known as a neutron star, which is a dead star supported by the quantum pressure of neutrons. The radio emission from these objects pulses on an off with extraordinary regularity allowing them to acts cosmic clocks. The constantly measuring these clocks as the neutron stars spin and move through space, often impacted on by a companion star, allows the most precise constraints on the nature of gravity outside the solar system. Other phenomena studied by this group include Nova explosions, other variable stars, and variability induced by the lensing effects of one star passing in front of another, called microlensing.
Cosmology: This is the study of the Universe as a whole. The main aim is to understand the processes by which the large scale feature of the Universe formed and to constrain the various different kinds of matter that existed within it. These include dark matter and dark energy which are thought to constitute more than 95% of the total. We do this by comparison to observations of weak and strong gravitational lensing which is the distortion of light predicted to be caused by massive objects in Einstein' Theory of General Relativity, the cosmic microwave background which is the faint emission of radiation created at the time when protons and electrons come together to form hydrogen and the emission given off by neutral hydrogen atoms in galaxies. The research we propose here involves both theory and observation as well as the development of the technology necessary to make the observations possible.
Sun, Stars and Galaxies: The researchers in this group study a wide range of astrophysical processes that are reasonable for the formation and evolution of the objects in the name of the group. Specific key areas that the group is interested in are the formation of stars much larger than the Sun and the subsequent evolution, the properties of the so-called interstellar medium (ISM) which comprises molecules not bound to stars and the magnetic fields that permeate space.
Pulsars and Time Domain Astrophysics: The focus of this group is astrophysical signatures that are changing with time- things which come on and off, often with some kind of regularity. These include Pulsars which are a non-standard star type, known as a neutron star, which is a dead star supported by the quantum pressure of neutrons. The radio emission from these objects pulses on an off with extraordinary regularity allowing them to acts cosmic clocks. The constantly measuring these clocks as the neutron stars spin and move through space, often impacted on by a companion star, allows the most precise constraints on the nature of gravity outside the solar system. Other phenomena studied by this group include Nova explosions, other variable stars, and variability induced by the lensing effects of one star passing in front of another, called microlensing.
Planned Impact
The range of research we undertake and the world-class facilities within and in close association with JBCA (the Jodrell Bank Discovery Centre, e-MERLIN, the Lovell Telescope, the ALMA ARC and the SKA HQ) will provide key pathways to increasing our already strong impact on UK and global industry, the next generation of scientists and engineers, and the general public. The University's investment in the Jodrell Bank site combined with significant external funding (e.g. from Heritage Lottery Fund) will enable us to expand its use as an iconic venue for public and industrial engagement. The programme described here formed a key part of the School's submission for REF2014, helping it to be ranked highest in the REF for physics impact with 83% at 4* and 17% at 3*. Our outreach \& public engagement programme is extremely strong and continues to grow, particularly through its work with the University's award-winning Jodrell Bank Discovery Centre and the BBC. With the recent decision on SKA HQ location and our strong research work in this area, there is also growing impact in both outreach and industrial engagement in this area.
Our "Pathways to Impact" statement in the case for support outlines things that we have done in recent times under the headings of "Outreach and Public Engagement" and "Industrial and economic impact". We list some highlights below.
- Jodcast: Podcast run by students with 7000 regular listeners.
- 215000 Twitter and 18000 Facebook followers
- Stargazing live, Pulsar Hunters, Science Programmes presented by Danielle George
- JB Discovery centre with 190000 visitors per year
- Award winning Bluedot Festivals
- Industry contracts for SKA work including CISCO, AASL, NPL, AEON, Critical Software, MMI, GEANT
- Newton programme for Radio Astronomy in Africa.
Our "Pathways to Impact" statement in the case for support outlines things that we have done in recent times under the headings of "Outreach and Public Engagement" and "Industrial and economic impact". We list some highlights below.
- Jodcast: Podcast run by students with 7000 regular listeners.
- 215000 Twitter and 18000 Facebook followers
- Stargazing live, Pulsar Hunters, Science Programmes presented by Danielle George
- JB Discovery centre with 190000 visitors per year
- Award winning Bluedot Festivals
- Industry contracts for SKA work including CISCO, AASL, NPL, AEON, Critical Software, MMI, GEANT
- Newton programme for Radio Astronomy in Africa.
Organisations
Publications
Giroletti M
(2020)
Very long baseline interferometry imaging of the advancing ejecta in the first gamma-ray nova V407 Cygni
in Astronomy & Astrophysics
Wang J
(2022)
A comparative analysis of pulse time-of-arrival creation methods
in Astronomy & Astrophysics
Greimel R
(2021)
High-resolution H a imaging of the northern Galactic plane and the IGAPS image database
in Astronomy & Astrophysics
Falstad N
(2021)
CON-quest Searching for the most obscured galaxy nuclei
in Astronomy & Astrophysics
Zavagno A
(2020)
The role of Galactic H II regions in the formation of filaments High-resolution submilimeter imaging of RCW 120 with ArTéMiS
in Astronomy & Astrophysics
Soler J
(2020)
The history of dynamics and stellar feedback revealed by the H I filamentary structure in the disk of the Milky Way
in Astronomy & Astrophysics
Tasse C
(2021)
The LOFAR Two-meter Sky Survey: Deep Fields Data Release 1 I. Direction-dependent calibration and imaging
in Astronomy & Astrophysics
Corongiu A
(2023)
PSR J1910-5959A: A rare gravitational laboratory for testing white dwarf models
in Astronomy & Astrophysics
Sweijen F
(2022)
High-resolution international LOFAR observations of 4C 43.15 Spectral ages and injection indices in a high-z radio galaxy
in Astronomy & Astrophysics
Panopoulou G
(2022)
The width of Herschel filaments varies with distance (Corrigendum)
in Astronomy & Astrophysics
Van Mierlo S
(2022)
Euclid preparation XXI. Intermediate-redshift contaminants in the search for z > 6 galaxies within the Euclid Deep Survey
in Astronomy & Astrophysics
Bluck A
(2022)
The quenching of galaxies, bulges, and disks since cosmic noon A machine learning approach for identifying causality in astronomical data
in Astronomy & Astrophysics
Bondonneau L
(2020)
A census of the pulsar population observed with the international LOFAR station FR606 at low frequencies (25-80 MHz)
in Astronomy & Astrophysics
Abdalla E
(2022)
The BINGO project I. Baryon acoustic oscillations from integrated neutral gas observations
in Astronomy & Astrophysics
Van Gelder M
(2022)
Methanol deuteration in high-mass protostars
in Astronomy & Astrophysics
Koumpia E
(2020)
Optical and near-infrared observations of the Fried Egg Nebula Multiple shell ejections on a 100 yr timescale from a massive yellow hypergiant
in Astronomy & Astrophysics
Cagliari M
(2022)
Euclid : Constraining ensemble photometric redshift distributions with stacked spectroscopy
in Astronomy & Astrophysics
Andriantsaralaza M
(2021)
DEATHSTAR: nearby AGB stars with the Atacama Compact Array II. CO envelope sizes and asymmetries: the S-type stars
in Astronomy & Astrophysics
Krishnakumar M
(2021)
High precision measurements of interstellar dispersion measure with the upgraded GMRT
in Astronomy & Astrophysics
Kondapally R
(2021)
The LOFAR Two-meter Sky Survey: Deep Fields Data Release 1 III. Host-galaxy identifications and value added catalogues
in Astronomy & Astrophysics
Homan W
(2021)
ATOMIUM: The astounding complexity of the near circumstellar environment of the M-type AGB star R Hydrae I. Morpho-kinematical interpretation of CO and SiO emission
in Astronomy & Astrophysics
Serylak M
(2022)
The eccentric millisecond pulsar, PSR J0955-6150 I. Pulse profile analysis, mass measurements, and constraints on binary evolution
in Astronomy & Astrophysics
Noutsos A
(2020)
Understanding and improving the timing of PSR J0737-3039B
in Astronomy & Astrophysics
Costa A
(2022)
The BINGO project VII. Cosmological forecasts from 21 cm intensity mapping
in Astronomy & Astrophysics
Schilizzi R
(2020)
Letter
in Astronomy & Geophysics
Di Valentino E
(2021)
Snowmass2021 - Letter of interest cosmology intertwined IV: The age of the universe and its curvature
in Astroparticle Physics
Di Valentino E
(2021)
Cosmology intertwined III: f s 8 and S 8
in Astroparticle Physics
Di Valentino E
(2021)
Snowmass2021 - Letter of interest cosmology intertwined I: Perspectives for the next decade
in Astroparticle Physics
Di Valentino E
(2021)
Snowmass2021 - Letter of interest cosmology intertwined II: The hubble constant tension
in Astroparticle Physics
Traficante A
(2022)
Multi-scale dynamics in star-forming regions: The interplay between gravity and turbulence
in EPJ Web of Conferences
Chluba J
(2021)
New horizons in cosmology with spectral distortions of the cosmic microwave background
in Experimental Astronomy
Wuensche C
(2020)
Baryon acoustic oscillations from Integrated Neutral Gas Observations: Broadband corrugated horn construction and testing
in Experimental Astronomy
Hosenie Z
(2021)
MeerCRAB: MeerLICHT classification of real and bogus transients using deep learning
in Experimental Astronomy
Ferreras I
(2021)
Chronos: A NIR spectroscopic galaxy survey to probe the most fundamental stages of galaxy evolution
in Experimental Astronomy
Gurvits L
(2021)
THEZA: TeraHertz Exploration and Zooming-in for Astrophysics An ESA Voyage 2050 White Paper
in Experimental Astronomy
Basu K
(2021)
A space mission to map the entire observable universe using the CMB as a backlight Voyage 2050 science white paper
in Experimental Astronomy
Matthews S
(2021)
The high-energy Sun - probing the origins of particle acceleration on our nearest star
in Experimental Astronomy
Delabrouille J
(2021)
Microwave spectro-polarimetry of matter and radiation across space and time
in Experimental Astronomy
Chen W
(2021)
Wide Field Beamformed Observation with MeerKAT
in Journal of Astronomical Instrumentation
Joshi B
(2022)
Nanohertz gravitational wave astronomy during SKA era: An InPTA perspective
in Journal of Astrophysics and Astronomy
Basu A
(2021)
Absolute time calibration of LAXPC aboard AstroSat
in Journal of Astrophysics and Astronomy
Srinivasan S
(2021)
Cosmological gravity on all scales. Part II. Model independent modified gravity N-body simulations
in Journal of Cosmology and Astroparticle Physics
De La Bella L
(2021)
The unequal-time matter power spectrum: impact on weak lensing observables
in Journal of Cosmology and Astroparticle Physics
Abitbol M
(2021)
The Simons Observatory: gain, bandpass and polarization-angle calibration requirements for B-mode searches
in Journal of Cosmology and Astroparticle Physics
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
Battye R
(2021)
Simulations of domain walls in Two Higgs Doublet Models
in Journal of High Energy Physics
Aad G
(2020)
Reconstruction and identification of boosted di-t systems in a search for Higgs boson pairs using 13 TeV proton-proton collision data in ATLAS
in Journal of High Energy Physics
Aad G
(2021)
Measurements of top-quark pair single- and double-differential cross-sections in the all-hadronic channel in pp collisions at $$ \sqrt{\mathrm{s}} $$ = 13 TeV using the ATLAS detector
in Journal of High Energy Physics
Aad G
(2020)
Erratum to: Measurement of differential cross sections for single diffractive dissociation in $$ \sqrt{s} $$ = 8 TeV pp collisions using the ATLAS ALFA spectrometer
in Journal of High Energy Physics