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
Inami H
(2022)
The ALMA REBELS Survey: dust continuum detections at z > 6.5
in Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society
Irabor T
(2023)
The coordinated radio and infrared survey for high-mass star formation - V. The CORNISH-South survey and catalogue
in Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society
Irfan M
(2022)
Measurements of the diffuse Galactic synchrotron spectral index and curvature from MeerKLASS pilot data
in Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society
Jackson N
(2020)
Erratum: "The Faintest Radio Source Yet: Expanded Very Large Array Observations of the Gravitational Lens SDSS J1004+4112" (2011, ApJL, 739, L28)
in The Astrophysical Journal Letters
Jankowski F
(2021)
Constraints on wide-band radiative changes after a glitch in PSR J1452-6036
in Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society
Jarvis M
(2021)
Dark Energy Survey year 3 results: point spread function modelling
in Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society
Jeffrey N
(2021)
Dark Energy Survey Year 3 results: Curved-sky weak lensing mass map reconstruction
in Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society
Johnson S
(2020)
Predictions of the Nancy Grace Roman Space Telescope Galactic Exoplanet Survey. II. Free-floating Planet Detection Rates
in The Astronomical Journal
Johnston S
(2021)
Two years of pulsar observations with the ultra-wide-band receiver on the Parkes radio telescope
in Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society
Johnston S
(2023)
The Thousand-Pulsar-Array programme on MeerKAT - XI. Application of the rotating vector model
in Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society
Joshi B
(2022)
Nanohertz gravitational wave astronomy during SKA era: An InPTA perspective
in Journal of Astrophysics and Astronomy
Kacprzak T
(2020)
Monte Carlo control loops for cosmic shear cosmology with DES Year 1 data
in Physical Review D
Katz H
(2023)
First insights into the ISM at z > 8 with JWST : possible physical implications of a high [O iii ] ?4363/[O iii ] ?5007
in Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society
Kay S
(2020)
The intracluster light as a tracer of the total matter density distribution: a view from simulations
in Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society
Keane E
(2020)
Limits on absorption from a 332-MHz survey for fast radio bursts
in Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society
Kennedy M
(2022)
Measuring the mass of the black widow PSR J1555-2908
in Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society
Kerins E
(2020)
Mutual Detectability: A Targeted SETI Strategy That Avoids the SETI Paradox
in The Astronomical Journal
Kerr M
(2020)
The Parkes Pulsar Timing Array project: second data release
in Publications of the Astronomical Society of Australia
Kilpatrick C
(2021)
The Gravity Collective: A Search for the Electromagnetic Counterpart to the Neutron Star-Black Hole Merger GW190814
in The Astrophysical Journal
Kim G
(2020)
Molecular Cloud Cores with a High Deuterium Fraction: Nobeyama Single-pointing Survey
in The Astrophysical Journal Supplement Series
Kim J
(2023)
PHANGS-JWST First Results: Duration of the Early Phase of Massive Star Formation in NGC 628
in The Astrophysical Journal Letters
Kodra D
(2023)
Optimized Photometric Redshifts for the Cosmic Assembly Near-infrared Deep Extragalactic Legacy Survey (CANDELS)
in The Astrophysical Journal
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
Kong S
(2021)
The CARMA-NRO Orion Survey: Filament Formation via Collision-induced Magnetic Reconnection-the Stick in Orion A
in The Astrophysical Journal
Kong S
(2022)
Filament formation via collision-induced magnetic reconnection - formation of a star cluster
in Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society
Koprowski M
(2020)
An ALMA survey of the SCUBA-2 cosmology legacy survey UKIDSS/UDS field: Dust attenuation in high-redshift Lyman-break galaxies
in Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society
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
Kovács A
(2022)
The DES view of the Eridanus supervoid and the CMB cold spot
in Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society
Kramer M
(2023)
Fast Radio Bursts: neutron stars, magnetars or something else?
in Proceedings of the International Astronomical Union
Kramer M
(2021)
The relativistic binary programme on MeerKAT: science objectives and first results
in Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society
Kramer M
(2021)
Strong-Field Gravity Tests with the Double Pulsar
in Physical Review X
Krishnakumar M
(2021)
High precision measurements of interstellar dispersion measure with the upgraded GMRT
in Astronomy & Astrophysics
Kudale S
(2020)
Study of Eclipses for Redback Pulsar J1227-4853
in The Astrophysical Journal
Kukreti P
(2022)
Unmasking the history of 3C 293 with LOFAR sub-arcsecond imaging
in Astronomy & Astrophysics
Kukreti P
(2021)
Unmasking the history of 3C 293 with LOFAR sub-arcsecond imaging
in Astronomische Nachrichten
Kumamoto H
(2021)
Flux density variability of 286 radio pulsars from a decade of monitoring
in Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society
Kwon W
(2022)
B-fields in Star-forming Region Observations (BISTRO): Magnetic Fields in the Filamentary Structures of Serpens Main
in The Astrophysical Journal
Lamagna L
(2020)
Progress Report on the Large-Scale Polarization Explorer
in Journal of Low Temperature Physics
Lawrence A
(2022)
The case for space environmentalism
in Nature Astronomy
Leauthaud A
(2022)
Lensing without borders - I. A blind comparison of the amplitude of galaxy-galaxy lensing between independent imaging surveys
in Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society
Lee E
(2022)
A multisimulation study of relativistic SZ temperature scalings in galaxy clusters and groups
in Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society
Lee E
(2022)
Refined modelling of the radio SZ signal: kinematic terms, relativistic temperature corrections, and anisotropies in the radio background
in Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society
Lee S
(2022)
Probing gravity with the DES-CMASS sample and BOSS spectroscopy
in Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society
Lee S
(2022)
Galaxy-galaxy lensing with the DES-CMASS catalogue: measurement and constraints on the galaxy-matter cross-correlation
in Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society
Lemos P
(2021)
Assessing tension metrics with dark energy survey and Planck data
in Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society
Levin L
(2020)
The radio pulsar population of the Small Magellanic Cloud
in Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society
Li Y
(2021)
H i intensity mapping with MeerKAT: 1/f noise analysis
in Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society
Liccardo V
(2022)
The BINGO project IV. Simulations for mission performance assessment and preliminary component separation steps
in Astronomy & Astrophysics
Lim S
(2021)
Is there enough star formation in simulated protoclusters?
in Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society