University of Sussex Astronomy Consolidated Grant 2020-2023
Lead Research Organisation:
University of Sussex
Department Name: Sch of Mathematical & Physical Sciences
Abstract
This proposal seeks funds to continue an extensive programme of research into extragalactic astrophysics and cosmology, by addressing some of the most pressing astronomical questions of our time, such as "What are the fundamental constituents of the Universe?", "What is the nature of inflation and dark energy, believed to drive accelerated expansion in the early and late universe", "What processes govern the formation of the largest objects and structure in our universe?, and "How do galaxies form and evolve"? We will do this by combining theoretical work, much of it using high-performance computers, with multi-wavelength observational surveys. We will apply advanced techniques for making numerical predictions, data analysis and modelling, and deploy our skills through a series of international projects.
The research consists of twelve varied but interconnected projects, each involving one or more faculty members and researchers, that can be collected into three broad themes: Early and late universe cosmology; Galaxy simulation and modelling; Galaxy and cluster observations and analysis:
Early and late universe cosmology: a series of projects will address theoretical predictions and observational constraints on inflation, dark energy and large scale structure. Our work encompasses both the development of theoretical frameworks and the analysis of cutting edge observational datasets (including the Simons Observatory, the Dark Energy Survey, the Large Synoptic Survey Telescope, and the XMM-Newton Cluster Survey).
Galaxy simulation and modelling: we will use Peta-scale computing facilities to carry out detailed studies of the formation and evolution of the first structures, and make statistical predictions that can be used in the exploitation of current and upcoming observational facilities such as James Webb Space Telescope, the Euclid space observatory, LOFAR, ALMA, and the Square Kilometre Array.
Galaxy and cluster observations: we will make use of multi-wavelength observations to answer a variety of questions concerning the formation and evolution of galaxies. We will continue to exploit our involvement in the Dark Energy Survey, the Galaxy and Mass Assembly survey, LOFAR, Meerkat, the Large Synoptic Survey Telescope, and the XMM-Newton Cluster Survey. In particular we will develop a new set of advanced tools with which to analyse observations from these projects as well as upcoming facilities such as the James Webb Space Telescope.
The research consists of twelve varied but interconnected projects, each involving one or more faculty members and researchers, that can be collected into three broad themes: Early and late universe cosmology; Galaxy simulation and modelling; Galaxy and cluster observations and analysis:
Early and late universe cosmology: a series of projects will address theoretical predictions and observational constraints on inflation, dark energy and large scale structure. Our work encompasses both the development of theoretical frameworks and the analysis of cutting edge observational datasets (including the Simons Observatory, the Dark Energy Survey, the Large Synoptic Survey Telescope, and the XMM-Newton Cluster Survey).
Galaxy simulation and modelling: we will use Peta-scale computing facilities to carry out detailed studies of the formation and evolution of the first structures, and make statistical predictions that can be used in the exploitation of current and upcoming observational facilities such as James Webb Space Telescope, the Euclid space observatory, LOFAR, ALMA, and the Square Kilometre Array.
Galaxy and cluster observations: we will make use of multi-wavelength observations to answer a variety of questions concerning the formation and evolution of galaxies. We will continue to exploit our involvement in the Dark Energy Survey, the Galaxy and Mass Assembly survey, LOFAR, Meerkat, the Large Synoptic Survey Telescope, and the XMM-Newton Cluster Survey. In particular we will develop a new set of advanced tools with which to analyse observations from these projects as well as upcoming facilities such as the James Webb Space Telescope.
Planned Impact
This project brings together scientists studying the early universe and galaxy evolution with the goal of (a) understanding the physics of the first seconds and minutes after the Big Bang when the seeds of today's galaxies formed and (b) following how these seeds grew over 13 billion years and, on even larger scales, assembled into galaxy clusters. The impact of our research is mainly academic, but we also have a proven track record of sharing the methods/technical expertise developed for it with industry and scientists from other disciplines, and engaging with the public to raise interest for our activities and inspire young people for STEM careers.
We have prioritised 3 key themes for impact. The most obvious beneficiaries are other academic researchers and we will strive to influence the agenda in our research domains. At Sussex Astronomy Centre we also have a particular passion for engaging the public in this frontier research and inspiring the next generation of STEM researchers. Further impact comes from the development and application of the data intensive skills and techniques we use and since the last consolidated grant we've expending considerable effort in enhancing that impact.
Academic: Our goal is to increase our leadership and influence on the field. We will do this by organising agenda setting meetings and taking/strengthening leadership roles in science projects.
Data Intensive Science: Our research activity equips our PhD students and postdoctoral researchers with the skills in Artificial Intelligence and the Data Economy that the UK has identified as vital e.g. through the UK's Industrial Strategy. Through the Data Intensive Science Centre at University of Sussex we aim to address challenges with significant impact in UK and globally. In the developing world e.g. using Earth Observations and climate models to help forecast drought in Kenya. Locally by using health records and other data to improve patient diagnosis. We will also use our wide engagement with local SMEs, large companies and charities and public sector organisations through our data intensive science centre for doctoral training DISCnet to enhance the uptake of data intensive science, machine-learning and artificial intelligence techniques in the local, regional and national economy and community.
Public Engagement: The members of the Astronomy Centre are passionate about inspiring the general public and creating strong interest in STEM in young people. We organise several Astronomy Master classes for secondary students every year with the assistance of the department's Outreach Officer (Dr Darren Baskill). We have hosted two STFC Public Engagement Fellows. Kathy Romer (2016-2018) and Stephen Wilkins (2018-2020). We have a strong record for developing imaginative public engagements with a number of STFC Public Engagement Awards. Most recently these include support (ST/S005846/1, PI Wilkins) for a new series of "Wonder Festivals" designed to engaged deprived communities across the South East with STEM disciplines, a programme ("Guide Stars", ST/S005838/1, PI Wilkins) aimed at engaging members of the Guiding community with astronomy and space science, and a programme to design innovative public engagement activities for the Webb Telescope (ST/R006040/1, PI Baskill). Wilkins also led a stand at the Royal Society Summer Exhibition 2018.
We have prioritised 3 key themes for impact. The most obvious beneficiaries are other academic researchers and we will strive to influence the agenda in our research domains. At Sussex Astronomy Centre we also have a particular passion for engaging the public in this frontier research and inspiring the next generation of STEM researchers. Further impact comes from the development and application of the data intensive skills and techniques we use and since the last consolidated grant we've expending considerable effort in enhancing that impact.
Academic: Our goal is to increase our leadership and influence on the field. We will do this by organising agenda setting meetings and taking/strengthening leadership roles in science projects.
Data Intensive Science: Our research activity equips our PhD students and postdoctoral researchers with the skills in Artificial Intelligence and the Data Economy that the UK has identified as vital e.g. through the UK's Industrial Strategy. Through the Data Intensive Science Centre at University of Sussex we aim to address challenges with significant impact in UK and globally. In the developing world e.g. using Earth Observations and climate models to help forecast drought in Kenya. Locally by using health records and other data to improve patient diagnosis. We will also use our wide engagement with local SMEs, large companies and charities and public sector organisations through our data intensive science centre for doctoral training DISCnet to enhance the uptake of data intensive science, machine-learning and artificial intelligence techniques in the local, regional and national economy and community.
Public Engagement: The members of the Astronomy Centre are passionate about inspiring the general public and creating strong interest in STEM in young people. We organise several Astronomy Master classes for secondary students every year with the assistance of the department's Outreach Officer (Dr Darren Baskill). We have hosted two STFC Public Engagement Fellows. Kathy Romer (2016-2018) and Stephen Wilkins (2018-2020). We have a strong record for developing imaginative public engagements with a number of STFC Public Engagement Awards. Most recently these include support (ST/S005846/1, PI Wilkins) for a new series of "Wonder Festivals" designed to engaged deprived communities across the South East with STEM disciplines, a programme ("Guide Stars", ST/S005838/1, PI Wilkins) aimed at engaging members of the Guiding community with astronomy and space science, and a programme to design innovative public engagement activities for the Webb Telescope (ST/R006040/1, PI Baskill). Wilkins also led a stand at the Royal Society Summer Exhibition 2018.
Organisations
- University of Sussex (Lead Research Organisation)
- Leiden University (Collaboration)
- Lancaster University (Collaboration)
- University of Michigan (Collaboration)
- University of Porto (Collaboration)
- UNIVERSITY OF THE WESTERN CAPE (Collaboration)
- University of Portsmouth (Collaboration)
- University of Groningen (Collaboration)
- University of KwaZulu-Natal (Collaboration)
- LSST Corporation (Collaboration)
- Uppsala University (Collaboration)
- University of California, Santa Cruz (Collaboration)
- UNIVERSITY OF CAMBRIDGE (Collaboration)
- UNIVERSITY OF EDINBURGH (Collaboration)
- National Center for Scientific Research (Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique CNRS) (Collaboration)
- Cardiff University (Collaboration)
- European University Cyprus (Collaboration)
- LOFAR (Collaboration)
- Liverpool John Moores University (Collaboration)
- Stanford University (Collaboration)
- Ludwig Maximilian University of Munich (LMU Munich) (Collaboration)
- Fermilab - Fermi National Accelerator Laboratory (Collaboration)
- Saclay Nuclear Research Centre (Collaboration)
Publications
Shin T
(2021)
The mass and galaxy distribution around SZ-selected clusters
in Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society
Shajib A
(2020)
STRIDES: a 3.9 per cent measurement of the Hubble constant from the strong lens system DES J0408-5354
in Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society
Shah P
(2021)
A buyer's guide to the Hubble constant
in The Astronomy and Astrophysics Review
Shah P
(2022)
Weak-lensing magnification of Type Ia supernovae from the Pantheon sample
in Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society
Shah P
(2021)
A buyer's guide to the Hubble Constant
Shah P
(2023)
The impact of weak lensing on Type Ia supernovae luminosity distances
in Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society: Letters
Sevilla-Noarbe I
(2021)
Dark Energy Survey Year 3 Results: Photometric Data Set for Cosmology
in The Astrophysical Journal Supplement Series
Sereno M
(2020)
XXL Survey groups and clusters in the Hyper Suprime-Cam Survey. Scaling relations between X-ray properties and weak lensing mass
in Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society
Title | DES DR2 |
Description | DES DR2 |
Type Of Material | Database/Collection of data |
Year Produced | 2021 |
Provided To Others? | Yes |
Impact | lots of papers |
Title | VizieR Online Data Catalog: Galaxies in the Cosmic Dawn II simulation |
Description | Cosmic Dawn II (CoDa II) is a new, fully-coupled radiation-hydrodynamics simulation of cosmic reionization and galaxy formation and their mutual impact, to redshift z<6. With 40963 particles and cells in a 94Mpc box, it is large enough to model global reionization and its feedback on galaxy formation while resolving all haloes above 108M?. The galaxy catalogues for redshifts z=10 down to z=6 (the simulation ended at z=5.8) are provided. Galaxies are identified as Friends-of-Friends dark matter haloes with a linking length ll=0.2. Stars are associated to each halo if they are within a sphere of radius r200. Magnitudes are computed using a BPASS stellar population model, as detailed in the article. No dust opacity is considered. |
Type Of Material | Database/Collection of data |
Year Produced | 2020 |
Provided To Others? | Yes |
Impact | Not known yet. |
URL | https://cdsarc.unistra.fr/viz-bin/cat/VI/146 |
Description | Dark Energy Survey |
Organisation | Fermilab - Fermi National Accelerator Laboratory |
Country | United States |
Sector | Public |
PI Contribution | I lead the Cluster Working Group (and make many other contributions eg EPO, survey strategy, membership...). |
Collaborator Contribution | The partners are responsible for other science areas, for building, running and maintaining the camera, for data processing. I have only listed the institutes where I have close collaborators. There are many other institutes that contribute to DES. |
Impact | Papers, public outreach, a facility instrument, PhD theses |
Description | Dark Energy Survey |
Organisation | Stanford University |
Country | United States |
Sector | Academic/University |
PI Contribution | I lead the Cluster Working Group (and make many other contributions eg EPO, survey strategy, membership...). |
Collaborator Contribution | The partners are responsible for other science areas, for building, running and maintaining the camera, for data processing. I have only listed the institutes where I have close collaborators. There are many other institutes that contribute to DES. |
Impact | Papers, public outreach, a facility instrument, PhD theses |
Description | Dark Energy Survey |
Organisation | University of California, Santa Cruz |
Department | Physics Department |
Country | United States |
Sector | Academic/University |
PI Contribution | I lead the Cluster Working Group (and make many other contributions eg EPO, survey strategy, membership...). |
Collaborator Contribution | The partners are responsible for other science areas, for building, running and maintaining the camera, for data processing. I have only listed the institutes where I have close collaborators. There are many other institutes that contribute to DES. |
Impact | Papers, public outreach, a facility instrument, PhD theses |
Description | Dark Energy Survey |
Organisation | University of Edinburgh |
Country | United Kingdom |
Sector | Academic/University |
PI Contribution | I lead the Cluster Working Group (and make many other contributions eg EPO, survey strategy, membership...). |
Collaborator Contribution | The partners are responsible for other science areas, for building, running and maintaining the camera, for data processing. I have only listed the institutes where I have close collaborators. There are many other institutes that contribute to DES. |
Impact | Papers, public outreach, a facility instrument, PhD theses |
Description | Dark Energy Survey |
Organisation | University of Michigan |
Country | United States |
Sector | Academic/University |
PI Contribution | I lead the Cluster Working Group (and make many other contributions eg EPO, survey strategy, membership...). |
Collaborator Contribution | The partners are responsible for other science areas, for building, running and maintaining the camera, for data processing. I have only listed the institutes where I have close collaborators. There are many other institutes that contribute to DES. |
Impact | Papers, public outreach, a facility instrument, PhD theses |
Description | Dark Energy Survey |
Organisation | University of Portsmouth |
Country | United Kingdom |
Sector | Academic/University |
PI Contribution | I lead the Cluster Working Group (and make many other contributions eg EPO, survey strategy, membership...). |
Collaborator Contribution | The partners are responsible for other science areas, for building, running and maintaining the camera, for data processing. I have only listed the institutes where I have close collaborators. There are many other institutes that contribute to DES. |
Impact | Papers, public outreach, a facility instrument, PhD theses |
Description | HELP: Herschel Extragalactic Legacy Survey |
Organisation | Cardiff University |
Country | United Kingdom |
Sector | Academic/University |
PI Contribution | Leadership, data and software |
Collaborator Contribution | data and software |
Impact | data |
Start Year | 2014 |
Description | HELP: Herschel Extragalactic Legacy Survey |
Organisation | European University Cyprus |
Country | Cyprus |
Sector | Academic/University |
PI Contribution | Leadership, data and software |
Collaborator Contribution | data and software |
Impact | data |
Start Year | 2014 |
Description | HELP: Herschel Extragalactic Legacy Survey |
Organisation | Leiden University |
Department | Leiden Observatory |
Country | Netherlands |
Sector | Academic/University |
PI Contribution | Leadership, data and software |
Collaborator Contribution | data and software |
Impact | data |
Start Year | 2014 |
Description | HELP: Herschel Extragalactic Legacy Survey |
Organisation | National Center for Scientific Research (Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique CNRS) |
Department | Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique Marseille |
Country | France |
Sector | Academic/University |
PI Contribution | Leadership, data and software |
Collaborator Contribution | data and software |
Impact | data |
Start Year | 2014 |
Description | HELP: Herschel Extragalactic Legacy Survey |
Organisation | Saclay Nuclear Research Centre |
Country | France |
Sector | Public |
PI Contribution | Leadership, data and software |
Collaborator Contribution | data and software |
Impact | data |
Start Year | 2014 |
Description | HELP: Herschel Extragalactic Legacy Survey |
Organisation | University of Cambridge |
Department | Institute of Astronomy |
Country | United Kingdom |
Sector | Academic/University |
PI Contribution | Leadership, data and software |
Collaborator Contribution | data and software |
Impact | data |
Start Year | 2014 |
Description | HELP: Herschel Extragalactic Legacy Survey |
Organisation | University of the Western Cape |
Country | South Africa |
Sector | Academic/University |
PI Contribution | Leadership, data and software |
Collaborator Contribution | data and software |
Impact | data |
Start Year | 2014 |
Description | LOFAR Epoch of Reionization Key Science Project (2015-ongoing) |
Organisation | LOFAR |
Country | Netherlands |
Sector | Academic/University |
PI Contribution | I am core member of the Key Science Project with responsibilities in simulation and modelling support. |
Collaborator Contribution | The project has been awarded over 1600 hours of observation with the LOFAR telescope since it began operations (some of these are completed, some are ongoing). A number of papers have been published on the results, including the first upper limits on the redshifted 21-cm power spectra from reionization. |
Impact | http://adsabs.harvard.edu/abs/2017ApJ...838...65P and many other papers |
Description | LOFAR Epoch of Reionization Key Science Project (2015-ongoing) |
Organisation | University of Groningen |
Country | Netherlands |
Sector | Academic/University |
PI Contribution | I am core member of the Key Science Project with responsibilities in simulation and modelling support. |
Collaborator Contribution | The project has been awarded over 1600 hours of observation with the LOFAR telescope since it began operations (some of these are completed, some are ongoing). A number of papers have been published on the results, including the first upper limits on the redshifted 21-cm power spectra from reionization. |
Impact | http://adsabs.harvard.edu/abs/2017ApJ...838...65P and many other papers |
Description | LSST-DESC |
Organisation | LSST Corporation |
Country | United States |
Sector | Charity/Non Profit |
PI Contribution | Taken part in activities related to cluster cosmology |
Collaborator Contribution | An enormous telescope! |
Impact | Part of an LSST:UK bid for funding for EPO |
Start Year | 2015 |
Description | XMM Cluster Survey |
Organisation | Fermilab - Fermi National Accelerator Laboratory |
Department | FNAL - Other |
Country | United States |
Sector | Private |
PI Contribution | Scientific leadership and collaboration |
Collaborator Contribution | Scientific collaboration |
Impact | ~25 journal articles, 12 PhD theses |
Description | XMM Cluster Survey |
Organisation | Lancaster University |
Country | United Kingdom |
Sector | Academic/University |
PI Contribution | Scientific leadership and collaboration |
Collaborator Contribution | Scientific collaboration |
Impact | ~25 journal articles, 12 PhD theses |
Description | XMM Cluster Survey |
Organisation | Liverpool John Moores University |
Country | United Kingdom |
Sector | Academic/University |
PI Contribution | Scientific leadership and collaboration |
Collaborator Contribution | Scientific collaboration |
Impact | ~25 journal articles, 12 PhD theses |
Description | XMM Cluster Survey |
Organisation | Ludwig Maximilian University of Munich (LMU Munich) |
Country | Germany |
Sector | Academic/University |
PI Contribution | Scientific leadership and collaboration |
Collaborator Contribution | Scientific collaboration |
Impact | ~25 journal articles, 12 PhD theses |
Description | XMM Cluster Survey |
Organisation | University of California, Santa Cruz |
Department | Physics Department |
Country | United States |
Sector | Academic/University |
PI Contribution | Scientific leadership and collaboration |
Collaborator Contribution | Scientific collaboration |
Impact | ~25 journal articles, 12 PhD theses |
Description | XMM Cluster Survey |
Organisation | University of Edinburgh |
Department | Edinburgh Clinical Trials Unit |
Country | United Kingdom |
Sector | Academic/University |
PI Contribution | Scientific leadership and collaboration |
Collaborator Contribution | Scientific collaboration |
Impact | ~25 journal articles, 12 PhD theses |
Description | XMM Cluster Survey |
Organisation | University of KwaZulu-Natal |
Department | Astrophysics and Cosmology Research Unit |
Country | South Africa |
Sector | Academic/University |
PI Contribution | Scientific leadership and collaboration |
Collaborator Contribution | Scientific collaboration |
Impact | ~25 journal articles, 12 PhD theses |
Description | XMM Cluster Survey |
Organisation | University of Michigan |
Country | United States |
Sector | Academic/University |
PI Contribution | Scientific leadership and collaboration |
Collaborator Contribution | Scientific collaboration |
Impact | ~25 journal articles, 12 PhD theses |
Description | XMM Cluster Survey |
Organisation | University of Porto |
Country | Portugal |
Sector | Academic/University |
PI Contribution | Scientific leadership and collaboration |
Collaborator Contribution | Scientific collaboration |
Impact | ~25 journal articles, 12 PhD theses |
Description | XMM Cluster Survey |
Organisation | University of Portsmouth |
Department | Institute of Cosmology and Gravitation (ICG) |
Country | United Kingdom |
Sector | Academic/University |
PI Contribution | Scientific leadership and collaboration |
Collaborator Contribution | Scientific collaboration |
Impact | ~25 journal articles, 12 PhD theses |
Description | XMM Cluster Survey |
Organisation | Uppsala University |
Country | Sweden |
Sector | Academic/University |
PI Contribution | Scientific leadership and collaboration |
Collaborator Contribution | Scientific collaboration |
Impact | ~25 journal articles, 12 PhD theses |
Description | Seisma |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A magazine, newsletter or online publication |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | National |
Primary Audience | Public/other audiences |
Results and Impact | interview |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2021 |
URL | https://seismamag.com/02-edition-astrophysics |
Description | Sussex Universe |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | National |
Primary Audience | Public/other audiences |
Results and Impact | Sussex Universe talk (pre recorded) over Zoom with in person Q&A |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2020 |
URL | https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wXPb5bfrHLk&t=9s |
Description | moonfall |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A press release, press conference or response to a media enquiry/interview |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | International |
Primary Audience | Public/other audiences |
Results and Impact | Moonfall interview with Fandom |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2022 |
URL | https://www.fandom.com/articles/moonfall-real-life-astrophysicist |