Astrophysics at the University of Exeter
Lead Research Organisation:
UNIVERSITY OF EXETER
Department Name: Physics and Astronomy
Abstract
Our research is focussed on improving our understanding of how stars, disks, and planets form and evolve, and of the physical processes that occur deep in the atmospheres and interiors of stars and exoplanets. We intend to achieve this goal by developing advanced theoretical models and using a combination of state-of-the art computer modelling and observations obtained from cutting-edge facilities.
Stars and planets owe their origins to the gravitational collapse of molecular clouds, resulting in the formation of objects with a wide range of masses. As stars form, they are surrounded by discs of material, which feed the star with mass and are the birthplace of planets. How discs form and evolve, what determines their properties, and how accretion and planet formation proceeds, remain major unsolved questions. Combining different observational methods at various wavelengths and sophisticated computer modelling that include complex physics, we will study in depth all steps, starting from the properties of molecular clouds, that lead to the formation of stars, discs and planets.
After stars and sub-stellar objects form, their further evolution is characterised by complex physical processes, such as turbulent convection and magnetism, that shape their internal structure and their observational properties. Exquisite observational data are now available, with for example asteroseismology providing important constrainsts on the internal structure of stars. We will develop theoretical models and use sophisticated numerical models to improve our understanding of stellar interiors, atmospheres, magnetism, and rotation and to explain various observational puzzles.
We will also develop new observational techniques, carry out new observations, and build new theoretical models for detecting, characterising, and understanding exoplanets. We will also develop original strategies to optimise the detection of small (Earth-sized) exoplanets by understanding and learning how to see through activity "noise" from the host star. We expect to lead the first images and spectra of directly-observable exoplanets using the James Webb Space Telescope. To describe the physical properties of exoplanet atmospheres, we use the Met Office's computer model for the Earth's climate, which has been specially adapted to deal with the different physical process that occur in exoplanet atmospheres. We will also develop new tools to understand the detailed atmospheric chemistry of irradiated exoplanets and which will be optimised to interpret observations.
Stars and planets owe their origins to the gravitational collapse of molecular clouds, resulting in the formation of objects with a wide range of masses. As stars form, they are surrounded by discs of material, which feed the star with mass and are the birthplace of planets. How discs form and evolve, what determines their properties, and how accretion and planet formation proceeds, remain major unsolved questions. Combining different observational methods at various wavelengths and sophisticated computer modelling that include complex physics, we will study in depth all steps, starting from the properties of molecular clouds, that lead to the formation of stars, discs and planets.
After stars and sub-stellar objects form, their further evolution is characterised by complex physical processes, such as turbulent convection and magnetism, that shape their internal structure and their observational properties. Exquisite observational data are now available, with for example asteroseismology providing important constrainsts on the internal structure of stars. We will develop theoretical models and use sophisticated numerical models to improve our understanding of stellar interiors, atmospheres, magnetism, and rotation and to explain various observational puzzles.
We will also develop new observational techniques, carry out new observations, and build new theoretical models for detecting, characterising, and understanding exoplanets. We will also develop original strategies to optimise the detection of small (Earth-sized) exoplanets by understanding and learning how to see through activity "noise" from the host star. We expect to lead the first images and spectra of directly-observable exoplanets using the James Webb Space Telescope. To describe the physical properties of exoplanet atmospheres, we use the Met Office's computer model for the Earth's climate, which has been specially adapted to deal with the different physical process that occur in exoplanet atmospheres. We will also develop new tools to understand the detailed atmospheric chemistry of irradiated exoplanets and which will be optimised to interpret observations.
Planned Impact
We collaborate with a number of partners to apply our research work in a wider context. We are also committed to communicating our results, engaging schools and the general public in an increasing number of ways. Over the period of this grant, we plan to deliver impact with the following beneficiaries:
Climate modelling and exoplanets: Over the past years our adaptations to the UK Met Office software have been deposited back into the shared repository and therefore form part of the base model used for Earth climate and weather prediction. The direct developments required for our scientific objectives have resulted in a more flexible and faster model. Additionally, this work has aided Met Office developments providing flexible idealised algorithms and configurations.
Radiative transfer and skin cancer: Harries, in collaboration with Drs Alison Curnow and Clare Thorn from the University's Medical School is adapting the radiative transfer code TORUS to model light scattering through human tissue. This modification was performed in collaboration with the Centre for Biomedical Modelling and Analysis and it is now being used by a 4-year PhD student to create a 'virtual laboratory' for studying photodynamic therapy. TORUS is also used to model deep Raman scattering in breast tissue (in collaboration with Exeter's biomedical physics group), which is being studied by another PhD student. Deep Raman spectroscopy provides a route to swift, non-invasive diagnosis of breast cancer, and numerical modelling is key to assessing the sensitivity and specificity of the technique.
Exoplanet Explorers: Through partnership with local SMEs, We the Curious & Engine House VFX and with support from our last consolidated grant and the National Space Science Centre, we have produced two innovative, immersive animations, based on our exoplanet research. The first such animation has been viewed over 8 million times, and won both a bronze and People's choice award at the 2018 Lovie Awards. A follow-up animation has recently been completed and released, and was rapidly nominated for a VR award. Our first animation has not only had a significant reach within the general public but also been used in several planetaria including that at the We The Curious Science exhibition centre in Bristol, and enhanced the income of Engine House through the procurement of several new projects. This activity has been partnered by more significant interactions, through the provision of Exoplanet Explorer sessions at schools throughout the southwest, featured on BBC Spotlight (regional news). Mayne has been awarded an STFC Nucleus grant to co--develop a game based on our exoplanet research, which will be incorporated into our wider activities. Our activities during this grant will all provide scientific input into our future development of the exoplanet explorers engagement materials, and ongoing events.
Education, schools, and teachers: The Exeter Astrophysics group members are also extremely active in outreach activities with local schools covering astrophysics more broadly. Regular events include: National Science Week; Big Bang South West!; Institute of Physics Festival of Physics; Stargazing Live!; Pint of Science; Progression in Physics- a long-term project with Year 12 students from widening participation schools who visit the University eight times in the year to experience different aspects of Physics/Astrophysics at university-level; and hosting work experience students. The group have engaged in events at schools throughout the southwest providing presentations, workshops and 'hands-on' sessions, alongside a youtube channel dedicated to explaining our research in short segments. For such cross-cutting activities, all projects, staff and students are generally involved at some level. For this grant we will continue these activities and expand our engagement resources and online content.
Climate modelling and exoplanets: Over the past years our adaptations to the UK Met Office software have been deposited back into the shared repository and therefore form part of the base model used for Earth climate and weather prediction. The direct developments required for our scientific objectives have resulted in a more flexible and faster model. Additionally, this work has aided Met Office developments providing flexible idealised algorithms and configurations.
Radiative transfer and skin cancer: Harries, in collaboration with Drs Alison Curnow and Clare Thorn from the University's Medical School is adapting the radiative transfer code TORUS to model light scattering through human tissue. This modification was performed in collaboration with the Centre for Biomedical Modelling and Analysis and it is now being used by a 4-year PhD student to create a 'virtual laboratory' for studying photodynamic therapy. TORUS is also used to model deep Raman scattering in breast tissue (in collaboration with Exeter's biomedical physics group), which is being studied by another PhD student. Deep Raman spectroscopy provides a route to swift, non-invasive diagnosis of breast cancer, and numerical modelling is key to assessing the sensitivity and specificity of the technique.
Exoplanet Explorers: Through partnership with local SMEs, We the Curious & Engine House VFX and with support from our last consolidated grant and the National Space Science Centre, we have produced two innovative, immersive animations, based on our exoplanet research. The first such animation has been viewed over 8 million times, and won both a bronze and People's choice award at the 2018 Lovie Awards. A follow-up animation has recently been completed and released, and was rapidly nominated for a VR award. Our first animation has not only had a significant reach within the general public but also been used in several planetaria including that at the We The Curious Science exhibition centre in Bristol, and enhanced the income of Engine House through the procurement of several new projects. This activity has been partnered by more significant interactions, through the provision of Exoplanet Explorer sessions at schools throughout the southwest, featured on BBC Spotlight (regional news). Mayne has been awarded an STFC Nucleus grant to co--develop a game based on our exoplanet research, which will be incorporated into our wider activities. Our activities during this grant will all provide scientific input into our future development of the exoplanet explorers engagement materials, and ongoing events.
Education, schools, and teachers: The Exeter Astrophysics group members are also extremely active in outreach activities with local schools covering astrophysics more broadly. Regular events include: National Science Week; Big Bang South West!; Institute of Physics Festival of Physics; Stargazing Live!; Pint of Science; Progression in Physics- a long-term project with Year 12 students from widening participation schools who visit the University eight times in the year to experience different aspects of Physics/Astrophysics at university-level; and hosting work experience students. The group have engaged in events at schools throughout the southwest providing presentations, workshops and 'hands-on' sessions, alongside a youtube channel dedicated to explaining our research in short segments. For such cross-cutting activities, all projects, staff and students are generally involved at some level. For this grant we will continue these activities and expand our engagement resources and online content.
Organisations
Publications
Bourrier V
(2022)
A CHEOPS-enhanced view of the HD 3167 system
in Astronomy & Astrophysics
Rescigno F
(2024)
A hot mini-Neptune and a temperate, highly eccentric sub-Saturn around the bright K-dwarf TOI-2134
in Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society
Rescigno F
(2024)
A hot mini-Neptune and a temperate, highly eccentric sub-Saturn around the bright K-dwarf TOI-2134
in Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society
Stalport M
(2023)
A review of planetary systems around HD 99492, HD 147379, and HD 190007 with HARPS-N
in Astronomy & Astrophysics
Baraffe I
(2023)
A study of convective core overshooting as a function of stellar mass based on two-dimensional hydrodynamical simulations
in Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society
König P
(2022)
A warm super-Neptune around the G-dwarf star TOI-1710 revealed with TESS, SOPHIE, and HARPS-N
in Astronomy & Astrophysics
Gardner T
(2022)
ARMADA. II. Further Detections of Inner Companions to Intermediate-mass Binaries with Microarcsecond Astrometry at CHARA and VLTI
in The Astronomical Journal
Mortimer D
(2022)
Beam combiner for the Asgard/BIFROST instrument
Triaud A
(2022)
BEBOP III. Observations and an independent mass measurement of Kepler-16 (AB) b - the first circumbinary planet detected with radial velocities
in Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society
Lazzoni C
(2024)
Binary planet formation through tides
in Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society
Zarrilli S
(2022)
Characterising the orbit and circumstellar environment of the high-mass binary MWC 166 A
in Astronomy & Astrophysics
Lazzoni C
(2022)
Detectability of satellites around directly imaged exoplanets and brown dwarfs
in Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society
Ray S
(2023)
Detecting planetary mass companions near the water frost-line using JWST interferometry
in Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society
Langellier N
(2021)
Detection Limits of Low-mass, Long-period Exoplanets Using Gaussian Processes Applied to HARPS-N Solar Radial Velocities
in The Astronomical Journal
Hinkley S
(2023)
Direct discovery of the inner exoplanet in the HD 206893 system Evidence for deuterium burning in a planetary-mass companion
in Astronomy & Astrophysics
Benni P
(2021)
Discovery of a young low-mass brown dwarf transiting a fast-rotating F-type star by the Galactic Plane eXoplanet (GPX) survey
in Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society
Klement R
(2022)
Dynamical Masses of the Primary Be Star and Secondary sdB Star in the Single-lined Binary ? Dra (B6 IIIe)
in The Astrophysical Journal
Milbourne T
(2021)
Estimating Magnetic Filling Factors from Simultaneous Spectroscopy and Photometry: Disentangling Spots, Plage, and Network
in The Astrophysical Journal
Sainsbury-Martinez F
(2023)
Evidence of radius inflation in radiative GCM models of WASP-76b due to the advection of potential temperature
in Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society
Mann C
(2023)
Giant Outer Transiting Exoplanet Mass (GOT 'EM) Survey. III. Recovery and Confirmation of a Temperate, Mildly Eccentric, Single-transit Jupiter Orbiting TOI-2010
in The Astronomical Journal
Heidari N
(2022)
HD 207897 b: A dense sub-Neptune transiting a nearby and bright K-type star
in Astronomy & Astrophysics
Ibrahim N
(2023)
Imaging the inner astronomical unit of Herbig Be star HD 190073
Ibrahim N
(2023)
Imaging the Inner Astronomical Unit of the Herbig Be Star HD 190073
in The Astrophysical Journal
Chabrier G
(2023)
Impact of a new H/He equation of state on the evolution of massive brown dwarfs New determination of the hydrogen burning limit
in Astronomy & Astrophysics
DiTomasso V
(2023)
Independent Validation of the Temperate Super-Earth HD 79211 b using HARPS-N
DiTomasso V
(2023)
Independent Validation of the Temperate Super-Earth HD 79211 b using HARPS-N
in The Astronomical Journal
DiTomasso V
(2022)
Independent validation of the temperate Super-Earth HD79211 b using HARPS-N
Cloutier R
(2024)
Masses, revised radii, and a third planet candidate in the 'Inverted' planetary system around TOI-1266
in Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society
Gratton R
(2023)
Multiples among B stars in the Scorpius-Centaurus association
in Astronomy & Astrophysics
Lanthermann C
(2023)
Multiplicity of northern bright O-type stars with optical long baseline interferometry Results of the pilot survey
in Astronomy & Astrophysics
Zamyatina M
(2023)
Observability of signatures of transport-induced chemistry in clear atmospheres of hot gas giant exoplanets
in Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society
Cortés-Zuleta P
(2023)
Optical and near-infrared stellar activity characterization of the early M dwarf Gl 205 with SOPHIE and SPIRou
in Astronomy & Astrophysics
Zurlo A
(2022)
Orbital and dynamical analysis of the system around HR 8799 New astrometric epochs from VLT/SPHERE and LBT/LUCI
in Astronomy & Astrophysics
Torres G
(2024)
Orbits and dynamical masses for the active Hyades multiple system HD 284163
in Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society
Lam R
(2023)
Precise Age for the Binary Star System 12 Com in the Coma Berenices Cluster
in The Astronomical Journal
Dalal S
(2023)
Predicting convective blueshift and radial-velocity dispersion due to granulation for FGK stars
in Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society
Description | Aeon piece: There is no planet B |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A magazine, newsletter or online publication |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | International |
Primary Audience | Media (as a channel to the public) |
Results and Impact | Our article became one of Aeon's most popular articles in that month. It garnered 78 comments. |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2023 |
URL | https://aeon.co/essays/we-will-never-be-able-to-live-on-another-planet-heres-why |
Description | Henrietta Leavitt Day in Devon schools |
Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | Local |
Primary Audience | Schools |
Results and Impact | Dr R D Haywood and Dr S Dalal (grant holders) worked with Links to a Life and Exeter Science Centre to engage high school students on astronomy. We gave presentations on our work and career path and took questions. We each visited one school for one day. |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2021 |
Description | Public Talk |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | Regional |
Primary Audience | Public/other audiences |
Results and Impact | Public talk by invited speaker Dr Frank Eisenhauer from MPE Garching, "Exploring the supermassive black hole at the Centre of the Milky Way" |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2022 |
URL | https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/exploring-the-supermassive-black-hole-at-the-centre-of-the-milky-way-... |
Description | Public talk -- Cardiff astronomical society |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | Local |
Primary Audience | Other audiences |
Results and Impact | Public level talk about optical interferometry. |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2023 |
URL | https://www.hgsas.co.uk/ |
Description | Public talk -- HGS Astronomical Society |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | Local |
Primary Audience | Other audiences |
Results and Impact | Talk via Zoom, they asked plenty of engaged questions. |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2022 |
URL | https://www.cardiff-astronomical-society.co.uk/ |
Description | Radio Interview, Times Radio |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A press release, press conference or response to a media enquiry/interview |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | National |
Primary Audience | Public/other audiences |
Results and Impact | Live interview with Matt Chorley / Times Radio on Betelgeuse |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2021 |
Description | Radio show interview Coast FM and Source FM |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A press release, press conference or response to a media enquiry/interview |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | Regional |
Primary Audience | Media (as a channel to the public) |
Results and Impact | https://www.coastfm.co.uk/shows/celebscience https://www.thesourcefm.co.uk/presenters/ben-makin/ |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2023 |
URL | https://www.coastfm.co.uk/shows/celebscience |