Support for an observing programme at the University of Hertfordshire
Lead Research Organisation:
University of Hertfordshire
Department Name: Science and Technology RI
Abstract
The Centre for Astrophysics Research (CAR) at the University of Hertfordshire has a very wide range of observational programmes. Some examples are: Using a variety of techniques, CAR astronomers study galaxy and structure formation and evolution, over all cosmic epochs. We use massive bursts of star formation to investigate early epochs of galaxy formation and evolution. These are highly obscured at optical and even near-infrared wavelengths, and hence best observed through the reprocessed submillimetre emission from warm dust, using instruments such as SCUBA (SCUBA-2) on the JCMT. Over-dense regions of the early universe can be explored by targeting the fields of known high-redshift active galactic nuclei (AGN) at submillimetre wavelengths. Such AGN are amongst the most massive objects in existence at their epoch and should signpost rare high-density peaks of the dark matter distribution. CAR astronomers play a key role in the international THINGS (The HI Nearby Galaxy Survey) and LITTLE THINGS (Local Irregulars That Trace Luminosity Extremes) collaboration. Both are large programmes at the NRAO Very Large Array, to perform 21-cm HI observations of nearby galaxies. The goal is to investigate key characteristics related to galaxy morphology, star formation and mass distribution across the Hubble sequence of galaxies. On an overall very different size scale, CAR astronomers address the key issues of the formation and evolution of cosmic objects that range over scales from high-mass stars to brown dwarfs (sub-stellar objects with a mass below that necessary to maintain hydrogen-burning), and exoplanets. We study the stellar population of Local Group galaxies, including the Milky Way, to trace age and metallicity gradients as well as their structure using stars in different evolutionary stages. We also study the earliest phases of the chemical evolution of the Milky Way by recording the high-resolution spectra of extremely old stars which preserve the fossil record of the Galaxy's earliest epochs. From this we can learn about the Big Bang and the conditions in the newly forming Galaxy when its first stars were emerging. Low to intermediate mass stars (0.8 to 8 solar masses) end their days as cooling white dwarfs. This is a transition that will be undergone by the majority of stars in the Galaxy, probably including the Sun, and these end phases of a star's life are characterized by huge mass loss, which is the major source of dust and chemically enriched material in the interstellar medium. This is studied using a variety of techniques including imaging polarimetry. Understanding how stars form remains one of the major goals of modern astrophysics research, as it underpins the study of a range of phenomena, such as the formation and evolution of galaxies (including our own), the formation of the first stars in the Universe through to our own Solar System and others like it, and perhaps of life itself. We now largely concentrate on massive stars as these are a powerful force in our Galaxy and others, acting to disrupt giant molecular clouds and trigger new generations of star formation before exploding as supernovae. Once massive stars have formed they are highly visible but their earliest stages are still shrouded in secrecy as their birthplaces are hidden deep within the densest regions of dark molecular clouds and radio/submm observations are needed to probe these obscured regions. We are involved in a wide variety of programmes to detect and characterise extrasolar planets and brown dwarfs, and we are one of just a few groups worldwide to discover nearby extrasolar planets (over 50). We are pioneering a number of new extrasolar planet projects , including transits of low mass stars, with the aim of detecting extrasolar 'Earths' within the habitable zones of their parent stars.
Organisations
Publications
Arnaboldi M
(2022)
The survey of planetary nebulae in Andromeda (M31) V. Chemical enrichment of the thin and thicker discs of Andromeda: Oxygen to argon abundance ratios for planetary nebulae and HII regions
in Astronomy & Astrophysics
Barentsen G
(2014)
The second data release of the INT Photometric Ha Survey of the Northern Galactic Plane (IPHAS DR2)
in Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society
Barnes J
(2011)
The effect of M dwarf starspot activity on low-mass planet detection thresholds Effect of spots on radial velocity curves
in Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society
Barnes J
(2012)
Red Optical Planet Survey: a new search for habitable earths in the southern sky Low-mass M dwarf planets with ROPS
in Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society
Barnes J
(2017)
Surprisingly different star-spot distributions on the near equal-mass equal-rotation-rate stars in the M dwarf binary GJ 65 AB
in Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society
Bhattacharya S
(2022)
The survey of planetary nebulae in Andromeda (M31) - IV. Radial oxygen and argon abundance gradients of the thin and thicker disc
in Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society
Birkby J
(2012)
Discovery and characterization of detached M dwarf eclipsing binaries in the WFCAM Transit Survey WTS: masses and radii of M dwarf EBs
in Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society
Buder S
(2022)
The GALAH Survey: chemical tagging and chrono-chemodynamics of accreted halo stars with GALAH+ DR3 and Gaia eDR3
in Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society
Burgarella D
(2021)
Space Project for Astrophysical and Cosmological Exploration (SPACE), an ESA stand-alone mission and a possible contribution to the Origins Space Telescope
in Experimental Astronomy
Burningham B
(2013)
76 T dwarfs from the UKIDSS LAS: benchmarks, kinematics and an updated space density
in Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society
Burningham B
(2011)
The discovery of the T8.5 dwarf UGPS J0521+3640 T dwarfs in the GPS
in Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society: Letters
Burningham B
(2011)
The properties of the T8.5p dwarf Ross 458C Ross 458C
in Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society
Bussmann R
(2012)
A DETAILED GRAVITATIONAL LENS MODEL BASED ON SUBMILLIMETER ARRAY AND KECK ADAPTIVE OPTICS IMAGING OF A HERSCHEL -ATLAS SUBMILLIMETER GALAXY AT z = 4.243 , ,
in The Astrophysical Journal
Camera S
(2012)
Impact of redshift information on cosmological applications with next-generation radio surveys Impact of z information on cosmology with radio surveys
in Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society
Cappetta M
(2012)
The first planet detected in the WTS: an inflated hot Jupiter in a 3.35 d orbit around a late F star Inflated HJ in close orbit around a late-F-star
in Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society
Catalán S
(2012)
The brightest pure-H ultracool white dwarf
in Astronomy & Astrophysics
Collins J
(2017)
Calculations of periodicity from H a profiles of Proxima Centauri
in Astronomy & Astrophysics
Contreras Peña C
(2014)
Extreme infrared variables from UKIDSS - I. A concentration in star-forming regions
in Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society
Cox P
(2011)
GAS AND DUST IN A SUBMILLIMETER GALAXY AT z = 4.24 FROM THE HERSCHEL ATLAS
in The Astrophysical Journal
Day-Jones A
(2013)
The sub-stellar birth rate from UKIDSS?
in Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society
Dayal P
(2022)
The ALMA REBELS survey: the dust content of z ~ 7 Lyman break galaxies
in Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society
Di Stefano R
(2023)
SCATTER: A New Common Envelope Formalism
in The Astrophysical Journal
Drake A
(2013)
Evolution of star formation in the UKIDSS Ultra Deep Survey field - I. Luminosity functions and cosmic star formation rate out to z = 1.6
in Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society
Drew J
(2012)
Star Clusters in the Era of Large Surveys
Díaz M
(2018)
The Test Case of HD 26965: Difficulties Disentangling Weak Doppler Signals from Stellar Activity
in The Astronomical Journal
Description | This grant supports travel to and subsistence associated with gathering observations at major international telescopes (apart from ESO). The observations are linked to a range of research projects described elsewhere in the database. Inter alia, these include searches for extreme low-mass dwarfs, exoplanet searches, wide-area survey programmes mapping the both sky hemispheres, star and galaxy formation studies in the local and high redshift Universe . |
Exploitation Route | Our observational findings are fed into our research funded by our larger awards from STFC and other funders. They also inform our outreach activities with the public, and they are valuable input to the training of graduate students. |
Sectors | Education,Culture, Heritage, Museums and Collections |
Description | This is a small observing travel/subsistence grant servicing astronomers carrying out research at the University of Hertfordshire. The results from the funded observing trips to international facilities help realise the research goals which lead to publications and inform teaching/outreach activities over time. |
First Year Of Impact | 2011 |
Sector | Education,Culture, Heritage, Museums and Collections |
Impact Types | Cultural |
Title | IPHAS DR2 |
Description | 219-million line catalogue presenting r/i/H-alpha uniformly-calibrated digital photometry of stars in the northern Galactic Plane, to a faint limit of 20th magnitude. The data obtained are drawn from a sky area of 1800 sq.deg. |
Type Of Material | Database/Collection of data |
Year Produced | 2014 |
Provided To Others? | Yes |
Impact | The catalogue has been ingested by CDS Strasbourg to make it world-accessible (linked): it is now being accessed there by the world community >10000 times per calendar month. Some users also access data on the IPHAS website (www.iphas.org). |
URL | http://cdsarc.u-strasbg.fr/viz-bin/Cat?II/321 |
Title | UKIDSS (GPS) |
Description | The UKIDSS Galactic Plane Survey covered most of the northern Galactic Plane and some extensions into the south: the data included is deep, high angular resolution (<1 arcsec), near-infrared point-source photometry. |
Type Of Material | Database/Collection of data |
Year Produced | 2015 |
Provided To Others? | Yes |
Impact | This state-of-the-art survey is an underpinning resource for Galactic astronomy: it is now world-accessible and is used widely within the relevant academic community. |
URL | http://wsa.roe.ac.uk/dr10plus_release.html |