Astrophysics Research at the University of Leicester

我们将通过利用空间飞行任务和地面望远镜的数据，以及发展新的理论和对这些领域的过程进行数值模拟，提供世界一流的天体物理学研究方案。我们还将为未来的飞行任务和望远镜开发新的仪器技术和探测器。该研究方案主要以两个研究小组为基础，其他三个小组也有一些参与。这些团队进行各自的研究项目，但在共同感兴趣的主题上也有很强的合作精神。我们的研究试图了解我们自己和其他星系的基本过程，解决更广泛的公众非常感兴趣的问题。我们将搜索围绕附近恒星运行的新行星，这些行星可能与我们太阳系中存在的行星相似，也可能非常不同，例如炎热的海王星或超级地球。我们将通过高能天体物理研究来调查我们宇宙中一些最极端的环境，研究范围从银河系黑洞双星到活动星系核和伽马射线爆发等极端现象。这些研究将包括将黑洞与其宿主星系的演化联系起来的反馈过程。我们将维持和加强一项恒星天文学计划，重点是白矮星的天体物理。我们将使用高性能计算机从理论上模拟这些系统。这反过来将有助于我们的观察，反之亦然。通过这些模拟，我们将建立这些极端系统行为的理论和模型。我们将使用这些模拟来试图理解构成宇宙大部分物质内容的“暗”物质。我们将利用实验室实验来开发观察这些现象的新方法，为下一代太空任务建造新的仪器。这项工作还提供副产品活动，这些活动经常推动远离天体物理学的领域取得进展。我们的部门有一个积极的计划，与更广泛的社区，特别是学龄儿童，他们很高兴听到有关部门的研究。我们将坚定不移地致力于为学术受益者进行知识转移。

We will deliver world-class research programmes in astrophysics through the exploitation of data from space missions and ground based telescopes, as well as the development of new theories and the numerical simulation of processes in these areas. We will also develop new instrumental techniques and detectors for future missions and telescopes. The research programme is based mainly around two research groups, with some participation by three others. These groups conduct their own research projects but also have a strong ethos of collaboration on topics of mutual interest.Our research seeks to understand basic processes in our own and other galaxies, addressing questions of great interest to the wider public. We will search for new planets orbiting nearby stars which may mimic the planets that are present in our own solar system or possibly be very different, such as hot Neptunes, or Super Earths.We will investigate some of the most extreme environments in our Universe by high energy astrophysics research focusing on extreme phenomena ranging from Galactic black hole binaries, through to active galactic nuclei and gamma-ray bursts. These studies will include the feedback processes that link black holes to the evolution of their host galaxies.We will maintain and enhance a programme in stellar astronomy with emphasis on the astrophysics of white dwarf stars. We will be using high performance computers to simulate these systems theoretically. This in turn will help our observations and vice versa. Through these simulations we will build theories and models of how these extreme systems behave. We will use these simulations to try to understand the `dark' matter which constitutes much of the materialcontent of the Universe. We will use laboratory experimentation to develop new ways to observe these phenomena, building new instruments for the next generation of space missions. This work also offers spin-off activities which often drive progress in areas far removed from astrophysics. Our department has an active programme of engagement with the wider community, particularly school age children, who are thrilled to hear about research in the Department. We will maintain a strong commitment to knowledge transfer for academic beneficiaries.