Research in Theoretical Astronomy 2009-2014
Lead Research Organisation:
University of Cambridge
Department Name: Institute of Astronomy
Abstract
The Institute of Astronomy, Cambridge, is one of the worlds leading research Institutes in Astronomy. It comprises 19 academic staff, 51 postdoctoral research assistants and 52 PhD students, about half of whom work on theoretical astronomy. This grant application is asking for a renewal of the main theoretical rolling grant at the IoA. Over the next five years we will pursue a broad range of theoretical research on the following problems: (i) The Planck satellite is a third generation space satellite dedicated to measuring the temperature and polarization anisotropies in the cosmic microwave background. Planck is scheduled for launch at the end of 2008, some 15 years after it was first proposed to ESA. The years covered by the grant coincide with the peak period for the scientific exploitation of this satellite. PDRA support is requested to work with the Co-Investigators on core science projects. In particular, we are responsible for leading the key analysis of cosmological parameters from Planck and wish to investigate constraints on models of cosmic inflation. Cambridge has a leading role in the Clover polarization experiment and we wish to involve PDRAs in the scientific interpretation of that experiment. (ii) The cosmic microwave background radiation provides us with a picture of the Universe when it was 400,000 years old. At that time, the Universe was filled with a near uniform mixture of hydrogen , helium, dark matter and radiation. We will investigate how the first non-linear structures emerged from this stochastic background. Over the grant period the main emphasis of the research will be to perform hydrodynamic simulations including radiative transfer to model the thermal state of the intergalactic medium and spatially extended Lyalpha emission. We will also extend previous work on the matter power spectrum from the Ly alpha forest to constrain neutrino masses, in combination with data from Planck. (iii) The discovery of large numbers of extrasolar planets has led to enormous interest in theoretical work on the formation of planets. Over the grant period we will pursue a research programme building on expertise in protoplanetary and debris disk evolution. The work will be centred on linking the protoplanetary phase, when discs were gas rich and possible sites of ongoing gaseous planet formation, through to the debris disc phase, when discs were gas poor, dusty structures, with planetesimal bels as possible sites for terrestrial planet formation. (iv) Accretion discs are present in a wide variety of astronomical systems . In particular, accretion onto compact objects such as black holes, neutron stars and white dwarfs produce observational signatures that provide the main scientific justification for X-ray satellites and gravitational wave detectors. Magnetic fields are central to understanding the evolution of accretion discs. We will perform state-of-the-art numerical simulations of magnetised accretion discs to understand their role in accretion disc dynamics and to compute observational signatures. (v) Understanding stellar evolution is essential for the interpretation of all astrophysical systems, from stars in our own Galaxy to the formation of the first non-linear structures in the Universe. Over the next five years we will develop improved models of massive stars as the progenitors of supernovae and gamma-ray bursts. We will also develop fully three-dimensional numerical models of stellar evolution in binary systems, in collaboration with colleagues at Livermore. (vi) Finally, we will pursue two research themes to understand feedback processes in the cores of clusters of galaxies. We will investigate the physics of `emission line filaments', which are still not understood and we will use large numerical simulations to assess the impact of baryonic physics on the use of clusters as cosmological probes (e.g. testing the nature of dark energy.
Organisations
Publications
Eldridge J
(2009)
Spectral population synthesis including massive binaries
in Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society
Engel H
(2010)
NGC 6240: merger-induced star formation and gas dynamics
in Astronomy & Astrophysics
Ercolano B
(2009)
X-RAY IRRADIATED PROTOPLANETARY DISK ATMOSPHERES. II. PREDICTIONS FROM MODELS IN HYDROSTATIC EQUILIBRIUM
in The Astrophysical Journal
Ercolano B
(2010)
Metallicity, planet formation and disc lifetimes
in Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society
Ercolano B
(2011)
The clearing of discs around late-type T Tauri stars: constraints from the infrared two-colour plane Disc clearing in M stars
in Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society
Ferrario L
(2009)
The origin of magnetism on the upper main sequence
in Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society: Letters
Fraser M
(2011)
SN 2009md: another faint supernova from a low-mass progenitor Supernova 2009md
in Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society
Gaburov E
(2011)
Astrophysical weighted particle magnetohydrodynamics Astrophysical WPMHD
in Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society
Gratton S
(2011)
Path integral for stochastic inflation: Nonperturbative volume weighting, complex histories, initial conditions, and the end of inflation
in Physical Review D
Greaves J
(2009)
Debris discs around nearby solar analogues
in Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society
Greaves J
(2010)
Debris discs and comet populations around Sun-like stars: the Solar system in context
in Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society
Haehnelt M
(2010)
Probing dark matter, galaxies and the expansion history of the Universe with Ly a in absorption and emission
in Astronomische Nachrichten
Hanson D
(2010)
Weak lensing of the CMB
in General Relativity and Gravitation
Hanson D
(2009)
CMB lensing and primordial non-Gaussianity
in Physical Review D
Hanson D
(2010)
Asymmetric beams and CMB statistical anisotropy
in Physical Review D
Hanson D
(2011)
CMB temperature lensing power reconstruction
in Physical Review D
Hinkley S
(2010)
DISCOVERY AND CHARACTERIZATION OF A FAINT STELLAR COMPANION TO THE A3V STAR ? VIRGINIS
in The Astrophysical Journal
Hinkley S
(2011)
A New High Contrast Imaging Program at Palomar Observatory
in Publications of the Astronomical Society of the Pacific
Hinkley S
(2011)
ESTABLISHING a Oph AS A PROTOTYPE ROTATOR: IMPROVED ASTROMETRIC ORBIT
in The Astrophysical Journal
Hu H
(2011)
Slowing down atomic diffusion in subdwarf B stars: mass loss or turbulence? Slowing down atomic diffusion in sdB stars
in Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society
Hurley J
(2010)
Formation of binary millisecond pulsars by accretion-induced collapse of white dwarfs
in Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society
Kains N
(2011)
Steady-state evolution of debris discs around solar-type stars Evolution of discs around solar-type stars
in Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society
Karl S
(2011)
DISRUPTION OF STAR CLUSTERS IN THE INTERACTING ANTENNAE GALAXIES
in The Astrophysical Journal
Karl S
(2010)
ONE MOMENT IN TIME-MODELING STAR FORMATION IN THE ANTENNAE
in The Astrophysical Journal
Kendall S
(2011)
Spiral structure in nearby galaxies - I. Sample, data analysis and overview of results Spiral structure in nearby galaxies - I
in Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society
Kennedy G
(2011)
Collisional evolution of irregular satellite swarms: detectable dust around Solar system and extrasolar planets Evolution of irregular satellite swarms
in Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society
Kennedy G
(2011)
Searching for Saturn's dust swarm: limits on the size distribution of irregular satellites from km to micron sizes Seeking Saturn's swarm
in Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society
Kennedy G
(2009)
STELLAR MASS DEPENDENT DISK DISPERSAL
in The Astrophysical Journal
Kennedy G
(2010)
Are debris discs self-stirred?
in Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society
Kotarba H
(2010)
SIMULATING MAGNETIC FIELDS IN THE ANTENNAE GALAXIES
in The Astrophysical Journal
Kruijssen J
(2012)
The dynamical state of stellar structure in star-forming regions Dynamical state of star-forming regions
in Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society
Lamarre J
(2010)
Planck pre-launch status: The HFI instrument, from specification to actual performance
in Astronomy and Astrophysics
Larsen S
(2011)
Resolved photometry of extragalactic young massive star clusters
in Astronomy & Astrophysics
Lau H
(2009)
The evolution of low-metallicity asymptotic giant branch stars and the formation of carbon-enhanced metal-poor stars
in Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society
Lau H
(2011)
Spin-down of massive rotating stars Spin-down of massive rotating stars
in Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society
Lestrade J
(2009)
Search for cold debris disks around M-dwarfs. II
in Astronomy & Astrophysics
Lewis A
(2011)
The shape of the CMB lensing bispectrum
in Journal of Cosmology and Astroparticle Physics
Lisse C
(2012)
SPITZER EVIDENCE FOR A LATE-HEAVY BOMBARDMENT AND THE FORMATION OF UREILITES IN ? CORVI At ~1 Gyr
in The Astrophysical Journal
Lisse C
(2009)
ABUNDANT CIRCUMSTELLAR SILICA DUST AND SiO GAS CREATED BY A GIANT HYPERVELOCITY COLLISION IN THE ~12 MYR HD172555 SYSTEM
in The Astrophysical Journal
Lodato G
(2011)
Resolution requirements for smoothed particle hydrodynamics simulations of self-gravitating accretion discs Resolving fragmentation in SPH simulations
in Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society
Ma Y
(2011)
Testing a direction-dependent primordial power spectrum with observations of the cosmic microwave background
in Physical Review D
Martin R
(2009)
The shape of an accretion disc in a misaligned black hole binary
in Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society
Martin R
(2009)
Supernova kicks and misaligned Be star binaries
in Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society
Martin R
(2011)
Tidal warping and precession of Be star decretion discs Tidal warping of Be star decretion discs
in Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society
Martin R
(2010)
Supernova kicks and misaligned microquasars
in Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society
Maschberger T
(2011)
Global mass segregation in hydrodynamical simulations of star formation Global mass segregation
in Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society
Maschberger T
(2010)
Properties of hierarchically forming star clusters Hierarchically forming star clusters
in Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society
Matthews B
(2010)
Resolving debris discs in the far-infrared: Early highlights from the DEBRIS survey
in Astronomy and Astrophysics
Mennella A
(2011)
Planck early results. III. First assessment of the Low Frequency Instrument in-flight performance
in Astronomy & Astrophysics
Moeckel N
(2012)
Circumbinary disc survival during binary-single scattering: towards a dynamical model of the Orion BN/KL complex Circumbinary disc survival during scattering
in Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society
| Description | Fundamental contributions to a wide range of problems in theoretical astronomy |
| Exploitation Route | Via publication in academic journals |
| Sectors | Aerospace, Defence and Marine,Other |