Research at the UK ATC
Research at the UK Astronomy Technology Centre covers a broad range of topics in astronomy, but concentrates particularly in two fields. One is the discovery, observation and modelling of dust disks around nearby stars and the potential to use the disk structure to identify the presence of a planet or planetary system. The other is the formation and evolution of galaxies.
The UK ATC shares the Blackford Hill site with the Institute for Astronomy of The University of Edinburgh. This close proximity creates a vibrant research environment and stimulates collaborative research between members of the two institutions. We also collaborate in holding PhD studentships, for which there are research opportunities in astrophysics and instrumentation. UK ATC staff are also involved in collaborations with numerous UK and international research groups.
More information on research topics:
Dust and planets around nearby stars: In the mid-1980s the InfraRed Astronomy Satellite IRAS discovered that about 15% of normal stars emitted more long-wavelength infrared light than expected. Astronomers at the UK ATC have played a leading part in the subsequent studies showing that this emission is caused by disks of cool dust. Detailed computer modelling indicates that the dust is formed from larger asteroid-like bodies in a collisional fragmentation process. Further, we have shown that some of the structure seen in the disks we have imaged predicts the presence of one or more planets in orbit round the star. For more information about our research into dust and planets round near by stars please contact Bill Dent (modeling) or Wayne Holland (observations).
Extragalactic Astronomy and Cosmology: Ever since the instrument SCUBA on the JCMT discovered a population of galaxies emitting vast amounts of energy from cool dust at submillimetre wavelengths, the race has been on to explain these and relate them to the known inhabitants of the Universe's zoo of galaxies. Evidence is strong that they are located in the densest regions of the early Universe and therefore may be connected to the most massive galaxies seen at present times. UK ATC astronomers are studying how these young dusty galaxies turn into giant relatively dust-free elliptical galaxies and the roles that black holes and QSOs play in this evolution. For more information about our research into high-z objects please contact Rob Ivison.
Asteroids and comets: Long before the debris dust disks mentioned above were discovered it was known that our own Solar System has its own dust disk (the Zodiacal Light) and a large population of asteroids. However in the last ten years a new collection of asteroids has been discovered, mostly located beyond Neptune. These are likely to be the bodies most representative of the original material from which our Sun and planets were made. It is therefore important to measure the physical and surface chemistry properties of these 'Kuiper Belt Objects' (KBOs). For more information about our research into asteroids and comets please contact John Davies.
Formation of stars and brown dwarfs: Stars and their very low mass counterparts brown dwarfs are formed in complex regions comprising huge clouds of mixed gas and dust. As these clouds collapse to form stars, the details of the collapse are influenced by magnetic fields and these in turn cause some of the material to be ejected again in jets of fast-moving gas. The magnetic fields also leave their mark on the new star, for example causing giant star-spots analogous to the much milder sun-spots with which we are familiar. Key parameters in the outcome of the star formation are the range of mass over which the new stars and brown dwarfs can be made and their relative proportion by number. These star-formation phenomena are all being studied by a group of UK ATC astronomers. For more information about our research into star and brown-dwarf formation please contact Suzie Ramsay Howat (young star jets) or Andy Longmore (formation of brown dwarfs).
The Processes at the Hearts of Galaxies: Several ATC staff scientists have a long-standing interest in the dramatic energetic processes at work in or near the nuclei of galaxies. Spectroscopy in the near-infrared (between 1 and 2.4 microns) has been obtained for about 40 nearby galaxy systems and is being released shortly as a catalogue for public use. The data have been used to identify signs of the often spectacular processes, especially the rapid formation of many young stars, sometimes accompanied by the "feeding of a monster" producing huge energies in a region around a central black hole.
Young, blue stellar populations: Massive stars are the main source of kinematic energy and chemical enrichment of their host galaxies, and dominate the integrated spectra of distant star-forming galaxies and starbursts. In an effort to disentangle unresolved populations in distant systems we need to fully understand the role of environment in stellar evolution. To this end we have obtained large spectroscopic surveys of young, massive stars in the Magellanic Clouds and in other Local Group galaxies. For more information about past surveys and new kinematic studies of resolved stellar populations, please contact Chris Evans.
Project-related research: UK ATC scientists are involved in a range of projects involving the design and production of state-of-the-art instrumentation. In each case the instruments have a detailed science justification and the scientists are closely involved in the development of this and in some of the related research that will result. WFCAM is an example of a recent major instrument now making excellent progress on several infrared surveys devised by the UKIDSS consortium. Other recently delivered instruments now being exploited include Michelle, GMOS (on Gemini North and South telescopes) and UIST on UKIRT.
VISTA, SCUBA 2 and KMOS are major instrument projects currently underway for ground-based telescopes.
The UK ATC also collaborates to design and build instruments and modules for space-based astronomy: the MIRI instrument on the James Webb Space Telescope and the beam-steering mirror for SPIRE for the Herschel satellite.
A list of recent refereed publications can be found via the following link.
Research and Technical Publications
PhDs in Instrumentation
The UK ATC, in conjunction with the University of Edinburgh, offers PhD projects with strong ties to Astronomical Instrumentation. The projects are linked with one of the new instruments being built at the ATC, and are likely to include an element of observational astronomy as well as laboratory or design work. Such a combination offers a tremendous opportunity to be involved in the instrument physics, engineering and astronomical use stages of instrumentation. The complete list of PhD topics currently being offered at both the ATC and IfA is available here. The application process is explained here.
Please contact the IfA, ATC or the project supervisor for more information. The projects pages on the UK ATC web site also give more details about the specific instruments under development.
ROE Annual International Workshop
The Royal Observatory, Edinburgh runs an annual workshop on a current topic in astronomy. Recent topics have been 'The Invisible Universe - Survey Astronomy At Wavelengths Beyond 1 Micron', 'Techniques for the detection of planets and life beyond the solar system' and 'Extremely Large Telescopes'. More information should be available from the ROE Workshop pages.
If you are looking for more general astronomical information then this probably is not the right page for you. Please try our ROE Information Office pages: