Astronomy Research at Queen Mary 2015-2018

玛丽女王大学天文学研究 2015-2018

• 批准号: ST/M001202/1
• 负责人: Richard Nelson
• 金额: $ 157.7万
• 依托单位: Queen Mary University of London
• 依托单位国家: 英国
• 项目类别: Research Grant
• 财政年份: 2015
• 资助国家: 英国
• 起止时间: 2015 至 无数据
• 项目状态: 已结题
• 来源: https://gtr.ukri.org/projects?ref=ST%2FM001202%2F1
• 关键词: Astronomy; Research; Queen; Mary; 2015

We propose to undertake the following research projects.i) We will use supercomputer simulations to model the gas discs that orbit young stars, which are believed to be the sites of planet formation. The aim is to examine the behaviour of the gas as it orbits around the star, and to examine how planets that form in these discs interact with them. This interaction may explain the fact that many of the extrasolar planets that have been discovered outside of our solar system orbit close to their host stars.ii) We will use supercomputer simulations to model the atmospheres of giant planets in our solar system and in extrasolar systems. These atmospheres display interestingpatterns of gas flow, and extrasolar planets often orbit close to their stars and so are strongly heated on one side, causing strong winds to arise. The simulations will help us better understand these atmospheres.iii) Using mathematical representations of the laws of physics, we will produce new modelsfor the early evolution of the Universe, shortly after the big-bang, during which time it underwent very rapid expansion known as "inflation". The models will be compared with observations of the Universe to see which ones are compatible with the data. We will also use mathematical models to examine the late evolution of the Universe to see if there are natural explanations for the observed fact that the Universe's rate of expansion is increasing. In particular, these models will examine whether or not the concept of "dark energy" is required to explain this accelerated expansion.iv) We will use computer simulations and mathematical theory to examine the formation ofblack holes in the early Universe and also supermassive binary black holes that are observedat the centres of galaxies.v) We will use an observational survey of the Universe being undertaken by the VISTAtelescope to search for very distant quasars - galaxies that have supermassive black holesat their centres, and which were born when the Universe was less than 10% of its current age. We have already discovered the 2nd, 3rd and 4th most distant quasars thatare known, and the aim is to increase this number to about 14. We will then be ableto estimate of how many quasars there were when the Universe was very young,and we will be able to examine the black holes and the structures of their galaxies.vi) We will use supercomputer simulations to examine the evolution of the solar wind - thestream of charged particles that is constantly flowing from the Sun into our solar system.In particular, we will examine why this wind develops turbulence as it flows through interplanetaryspace, and how this turbulence heats the solar wind.vii) We will use supercomputer simulations to examine the low density but very high temperaturegas that lies above the Sun's surface - the solar corona. In particular, we want to understand whetheror not magnetic fields that pop up out of the Sun in regions called Active Regions can contributeto the heating of the solar corona in a significant way.viii) We will analyse images from the Cassini spacecraft that is currently orbiting Saturn, to examine how Saturn's moons interact with and disturb Saturn's system of rings. We are particularly interested in the F ring which lies near the outer edge of the ring system, and is regularly disturbed by two satellites, Prometheus and Pandora. We will use computer simulations to explain the dynamics of this system.ix) We will attempt to understand more about the formation of the planet Mars. It is believedthat the four inner planets of our solar system formed from collisions between smaller bodiesthat built the planets, and we will use computer simulations to examine this process. We willexamine whether a collision can explain why Mars has a crust that is thicker in the southern hemisphere than in the north, and we will examine the formation of Mars' m

我们建议进行以下研究项目：i）我们将使用超级计算机模拟围绕年轻恒星运行的气体盘，这些气体盘被认为是行星形成的场所。目的是研究气体在绕星星运行时的行为，并研究在这些圆盘中形成的行星如何与它们相互作用。这种相互作用可以解释我们太阳系外发现的许多太阳系外行星的轨道靠近它们的宿主恒星。ii）我们将使用超级计算机模拟我们太阳系和太阳系外系统中巨行星的大气。这些大气层显示出有趣的气体流动模式，太阳系外行星的轨道经常靠近它们的恒星，因此在一侧被强烈加热，导致强风产生。这些模拟将帮助我们更好地理解这些大气层。iii）使用物理定律的数学表示，我们将为宇宙的早期演化建立新的模型，即大爆炸后不久，在此期间，宇宙经历了非常迅速的膨胀，称为“通货膨胀”。这些模型将与宇宙的观测结果进行比较，以确定哪些模型与数据兼容。我们还将使用数学模型来研究宇宙的后期演化，看看是否有自然的解释，观察到的事实，宇宙的膨胀率正在增加。特别是，这些模型将检验是否需要“暗能量”的概念来解释这种加速膨胀。iv）我们将使用计算机模拟和数学理论来研究早期宇宙中黑洞的形成，以及星系中心的超大质量双黑洞。v）我们将利用VISTA望远镜对宇宙进行的观测调查来寻找非常遥远的类星体--在它们的中心有超大质量黑洞的星系，它们是在宇宙还不到其当前年龄的10%时诞生的。我们已经发现了已知的第二、第三和第四远的类星体，目标是将这个数字增加到大约14个。我们将能够估计出宇宙非常年轻的时候有多少类星体，我们将能够研究黑洞及其结构（galaxies.vi）我们将使用超级计算机模拟来研究太阳风的演变-带电粒子流不断从太阳流入我们的太阳系。我们将研究为什么太阳风在行星际空间流动时会产生湍流，以及这种湍流是如何加热太阳风的。vii）我们将使用超级计算机模拟来研究位于太阳表面上方的低密度但温度很高的气体-日冕。特别是，我们想了解在称为活动区的区域中从太阳中弹出的磁场是否可以以显著的方式对日冕的加热做出贡献。viii）我们将分析目前正在土星轨道上运行的卡西尼号航天器的图像，以研究土星的卫星如何与土星环系统相互作用并干扰土星环系统。我们特别感兴趣的是F环，它位于环系统的外缘附近，经常受到普罗米修斯和潘多拉两颗卫星的干扰。我们将使用计算机模拟来解释这个系统的动力学。ix）我们将试图了解更多关于火星形成的信息。据信，我们太阳系的四颗内行星是由构成行星的较小天体之间的碰撞形成的，我们将使用计算机模拟来研究这一过程。我们将探讨碰撞是否可以解释为什么火星南半球的地壳比北半球厚，我们将研究火星的形成。

项目成果

Cosmological solutions with charged black holes

带电黑洞的宇宙学解决方案

• DOI: 10.1007/s10714-017-2261-4
• 发表时间: 2017
• 期刊: General Relativity and Gravitation
• 影响因子: 2.8
• 作者: Bibi R

On the Nature and Timing of Giant Planet Migration in the Solar System

关于太阳系巨行星迁移的性质和时间

• 发表时间: 2016
• 期刊: AAS/Division of Dynamical Astronomy Meeting #47
• 作者: Agnor Craig B.

A terrestrial planet candidate in a temperate orbit around Proxima Centauri

• DOI: 10.1038/nature19106
• 发表时间: 2016-08-25
• 期刊: NATURE
• 影响因子: 64.8
• 作者: Anglada-Escude, Guillem;Amado, Pedro J.;Zechmeister, Mathias
• 通讯作者: Zechmeister, Mathias

SELF-DESTRUCTING SPIRAL WAVES: GLOBAL SIMULATIONS OF A SPIRAL-WAVE INSTABILITY IN ACCRETION DISKS

• DOI: 10.3847/0004-637x/829/1/13
• 发表时间: 2016-07
• 期刊: The Astrophysical Journal
• 作者: J. Bae;R. Nelson;L. Hartmann;S. Richard

Scanning Secular Resonance Theory and the Epoch of Giant Planet Migration

扫描长期共振理论和巨行星迁移时代

• 发表时间: 2019
• 期刊: AAS/Division of Dynamical Astronomy Meeting
• 作者: Agnor Craig B.