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
Radcliffe J
(2021)
Nowhere to hide: Radio-faint AGN in the GOODS-N field II. Multi-wavelength AGN selection techniques and host galaxy properties
in Astronomy & Astrophysics
Rajwade K
(2020)
Possible periodic activity in the repeating FRB 121102
in Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society
Rajwade K
(2022)
First discoveries and localizations of Fast Radio Bursts with MeerTRAP: real-time, commensal MeerKAT survey
in Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society
Rajwade K
(2020)
Spectrotemporal Analysis of a Sample of Bursts from FRB 121102
in Research Notes of the AAS
Rajwade K
(2020)
MeerTRAP in the era of multi-messenger astrophysics
Rajwade K
(2022)
Long term radio and X-ray evolution of the magnetar Swift J1818.0-1607
in Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society
Rajwade K
(2021)
Multifrequency study of the peculiar pulsars PSR B0919+06 and PSR B1859+07
in Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society
Ramstedt S
(2020)
DEATHSTAR: Nearby AGB stars with the Atacama Compact Array I. CO envelope sizes and asymmetries: A new hope for accurate mass-loss-rate estimates
in Astronomy & Astrophysics
Ramírez-Galeano L
(2022)
Why most molecular clouds are gravitationally dominated
in Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society
Ray P
(2022)
Discovery, Timing, and Multiwavelength Observations of the Black Widow Millisecond Pulsar PSR J1555-2908
in The Astrophysical Journal
Readhead A
(2021)
What defines a compact symmetric object? A carefully vetted sample of compact symmetric objects
in Astronomische Nachrichten
Readhead A
(2021)
The Relativistic Jet Orientation and Host Galaxy of the Peculiar Blazar PKS 1413+135
in The Astrophysical Journal
Reale F
(2020)
Predicting the time variation of radio emission from MHD simulations of a flaring T-Tauri star
in Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society
Reardon D
(2021)
The Parkes pulsar timing array second data release: timing analysis
in Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society
Reichel M
(2022)
Recombination of Hot Ionized Nebulae: The Old Planetary Nebula around V4334 Sgr (Sakurai's Star)*
in The Astrophysical Journal
Reissl S
(2020)
Synthetic observations of spiral arm tracers of a simulated Milky Way analog
in Astronomy & Astrophysics
Remazeilles M
(2022)
Leverage on small-scale primordial non-Gaussianity through cross-correlations between CMB E -mode and µ-distortion anisotropies
in Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society
Ridolfi A
(2021)
Eight new millisecond pulsars from the first MeerKAT globular cluster census
in Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society
Ridolfi A
(2022)
TRAPUM discovery of 13 new pulsars in NGC 1851 using MeerKAT
in Astronomy & Astrophysics
Rigoselli M
(2022)
Thermal and non-thermal X-ray emission from the rotation-powered radio/?-ray pulsar PSR J1740+1000
in Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society
Ritter A
(2021)
The remnant and origin of the historical supernova 1181AD
Ritter A
(2021)
The Remnant and Origin of the Historical Supernova 1181 AD
in The Astrophysical Journal Letters
Rodríguez-Monroy M
(2022)
Dark Energy Survey Year 3 results: galaxy clustering and systematics treatment for lens galaxy samples
in Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society
Rosell A
(2022)
Dark Energy Survey Year 3 results: galaxy sample for BAO measurement
in Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society