Astronomy, Astrophysics & Cosmology

at the University of Nottingham

BACKGROUND

The Astronomy Group was founded in 1999

The Group has subsequently grown to comprise 9 permanent members of staff:

Peter Coles ProfessorMichael Merrifield ProfessorAlfonso Aragón-Salamanca ReaderSteve Maddox ReaderFrazer Pearce PPARC AF LecturerLoretta Dunne LecturerOmar Almaini Royal Society URF LecturerEd Copeland Professor (from 2005)Chris Conselice Lecturer (from 2005)

plus 5 post-doctoral research fellows

Sebastien Foucaud, Meghan Gray, Mustapha Mouhcine, Osamu Nakamura & Jun Pan

plus 15 postgraduate students.

Associated member: Reynier Peletier (Groningen)

PETER COLES

Theoretical Cosmology

Origin and evolution of galaxies and large-scale structure

Anisotropy and polarisation of the cosmic microwave background

ED COPELAND

Particle and String Cosmology

Cosmological probes of string/M-theory e.g. Formation of cosmic superstrings in the early Universe

Constraining particle physics inspired models for the Dark Energy in the Universe

FRAZER PEARCE

N-body and hydro simulations theory of the formation of structure in the Universe

Evolution of clusters of galaxies using parallel supercomputers

X-ray emission from clusters

Feedback due to supernova explosions

He has a new 1000+ processorsupercomputer!!!!!

MICHAEL MERRIFIELD

Properties of nearby galaxies

Dynamics

Stellar Populations

Morphologies

STEVE MADDOX

Large-scale structure Large galaxy surveys

LORETTA DUNNE

Dust in nearby and distant galaxies

Far-infrared and sub-mm

Dust formation from stars and supernova remnants

OMAR ALMAINI

The formation and evolution of quasars and galaxies

Deep X-ray surveys

Deep optical and infrared studies of high redshift galaxies.

CHRIS CONSELICE

Galaxy morphology

Galaxy formation

Dwarf galaxies

Starburst galaxies

The Palomar Observatory Wide-Field Infrared Survey

(will start mid-2005)

MEGHAN GRAY (+COMBO-17)

Environment and galaxy evolution mass weak lensing gas: X-rays galaxies: SEDs from COMBO-17, dynamics from 2dF,

obscured SF from Spitzer, morphologies from HST/ACS

17-band imaging + lensing mass map: see clear spatial segregation of bimodal galaxy population

lensing reveals surface mass threshold for truncation of star-

formation

A901 supercluster @ z=0.16

Gray et al 2004A multiwavelength view of the A901 supercluster

ALFONSO ARAGON-SALAMANCA

Galaxy formation and evolution in different environments

The origin of galaxy morphology

The links between morphology, stellar populations and environment

The evolution of star formation in the universe

CL1354.1-1231

z=0.76

Galaxy formation and evolution in different environments:

The ESO Distant Cluster Survey

CL1232.3-1250z=0.54

Obtain a uniform imaging and spectroscopic database for a large and representative sample of galaxy clusters covering at least half of the Hubble time

Characterise the sizes, luminosities, morphologies, internal kinematics, star formation and stellar populations of cluster galaxies.

Compare cluster samples at z=0.8, 0.5 and 0.1 (SDSS) to establish trends as a function of redshift exploring a large cluster mass range

Compare with high-resolution simulations of galaxy and galaxy cluster formation to determine the role of the relevant physical processes

The origin of galaxy morphology:

The formation of S0 galaxies

Tully-Fisher relation of high-z spirals (with Osamu Nakamura, Bo Milvang-Jensen & Steven Bamford)

Tully-Fisher relation of low-z S0s (with Alejandro Garcia-Bedregal and Mike Merrifield)

Globular Clusters in S0s (with Osamu Nakamura and Alejandro Garcia-Bedregal)

IFU studies of the dynamics and stellar populations of cluster E+A S0s at intermediate redshifts (with Steven Bamford)

The evolution of Star Formation:

H surveys at different redshifts

What we want What we have

What we get