Astrophysics Research at the University of Leicester
Lead Research Organisation:
University of Leicester
Department Name: Physics and Astronomy
Abstract
Our research aims to investigate a range of high-priority science topics in these areas:
i. studying high-energy and high-redshift transients and the relation of transients to gravitational wave events
ii. investigating the growth and evolution of the first stars and black holes in galaxies
iii. determining the properties of powerful active galactic nuclei including the Broad Line Region
iv. measuring the fundamental properties of white dwarf stars
v. investigating the properties of exoplanets, brown dwarfs and low mass stars
vi. investigating accretion processes
vii exploring the formation of planets
We will deliver this programme by carrying out observations using a broad range of ground and space based observing facilities, including XMM-Newton, HST, Swift, GAIA, JWST, ALMA, VLT, WHT, INT, LT, NGTS, GOTO and SAAO, and by conducting numerical simulations using major High Performance Computer facilities such as DiRAC.
i. studying high-energy and high-redshift transients and the relation of transients to gravitational wave events
ii. investigating the growth and evolution of the first stars and black holes in galaxies
iii. determining the properties of powerful active galactic nuclei including the Broad Line Region
iv. measuring the fundamental properties of white dwarf stars
v. investigating the properties of exoplanets, brown dwarfs and low mass stars
vi. investigating accretion processes
vii exploring the formation of planets
We will deliver this programme by carrying out observations using a broad range of ground and space based observing facilities, including XMM-Newton, HST, Swift, GAIA, JWST, ALMA, VLT, WHT, INT, LT, NGTS, GOTO and SAAO, and by conducting numerical simulations using major High Performance Computer facilities such as DiRAC.
Organisations
Publications
Giarratana S
(2022)
VLBI observations of GRB 201015A, a relatively faint GRB with a hint of very high-energy gamma-ray emission
in Astronomy & Astrophysics
Saccardi A
(2023)
Dissecting the interstellar medium of a z = 6.3 galaxy X-shooter spectroscopy and HST imaging of the afterglow and environment of the Swift GRB 210905A
in Astronomy & Astrophysics
Piro L
(2022)
Athena synergies in the multi-messenger and transient universe
in Experimental Astronomy
Nayakshin S
(2022)
ALMA constraints on assembly of core accretion planets
in Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society
Rowther S
(2024)
The role of drag and gravity on dust concentration in a gravitationally unstable disc
in Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society
Eyles-Ferris R
(2022)
Simulated optical light curves of super-Eddington tidal disruption events with ZEBRA flows
in Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society
Mong Y
(2023)
Self-supervised clustering on image-subtracted data with deep-embedded self-organizing map
in Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society
Mandhai S
(2022)
Exploring compact binary merger host galaxies and environments with zELDA
in Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society
Steeghs D
(2022)
The Gravitational-wave Optical Transient Observer (GOTO): prototype performance and prospects for transient science
in Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society
Scardoni C
(2022)
Inward and outward migration of massive planets: moving towards a stalling radius
in Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society
Alexander R
(2023)
The distribution of accretion rates as a diagnostic of protoplanetary disc evolution
in Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society
Abe H
(2022)
Gamma-ray observations of MAXI J1820+070 during the 2018 outburst
in Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society
Joyce S
(2023)
X-ray and UV radiation in the planet-forming T-Tauri system PDS 70. Signs of accretion and coronal activity
in Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society
Chibueze J
(2022)
A MeerKAT, e-MERLIN, H.E.S.S., and Swift search for persistent and transient emission associated with three localized FRBs
in Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society
Eyles-Ferris R
(2022)
Extragalactic transient candidates in the second Swift -XRT point source catalogue
in Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society
Chen C
(2023)
Orbital stability of two circumbinary planets around misaligned eccentric binaries
in Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society
Patel M
(2023)
GRB 201015A and the nature of low-luminosity soft gamma-ray bursts
in Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society
Wu Y
(2023)
Distinguishing magnetized disc winds from turbulent viscosity through substructure morphology in planet-forming discs
in Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society
Elbakyan V
(2022)
Gap opening by planets in discs with magnetized winds
in Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society
Pritchard M
(2024)
Sandwiched planet formation: restricting the mass of a middle planet
in Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society
Rowther S
(2023)
Continuing to hide signatures of gravitational instability in protoplanetary discs with planets
in Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society
Cufari M
(2023)
Tidal capture of stars by supermassive black holes: implications for periodic nuclear transients and quasi-periodic eruptions
in Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society: Letters
Coughlin E
(2022)
A simple and accurate prescription for the tidal disruption radius of a star and the peak accretion rate in tidal disruption events
in Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society: Letters
Gompertz B
(2022)
The case for a minute-long merger-driven gamma-ray burst from fast-cooling synchrotron emission
in Nature Astronomy
Evans P
(2023)
Monthly quasi-periodic eruptions from repeated stellar disruption by a massive black hole
in Nature Astronomy