Astronomy Research at Queen Mary

我们计划开展以下研究项目。i)我们将使用超级计算机模拟来模拟围绕年轻恒星运行的气盘，这些气盘被认为是行星形成的地点。其目的是研究气体在围绕恒星运行时的行为，以及在这些圆盘中形成的行星如何与它们相互作用。这种相互作用可能解释了在太阳系外发现的许多太阳系外行星靠近其主恒星的轨道。ii)我们将使用超级计算机模拟来模拟太阳系外行星的大气层。这些大气层显示出有趣的气体流动模式，太阳系外行星经常在靠近恒星的轨道上运行，因此一侧被强烈加热，导致强风上升。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产生新的模型，在大爆炸之后不久，在这段时间里，它经历了非常迅速的膨胀，被称为“膨胀”。这些模型将与对宇宙的观测进行比较，以确定哪些模型与数据兼容。Iv)我们将使用爱因斯坦的引力理论对宇宙中物质的分布做出详细的预测，以及这种物质分布在地球上的观察者看来是怎样的。这些预测将与观测数据进行比较，以在最大尺度上测试爱因斯坦的引力。v)我们将使用我们拥有的下一代红外光谱仪来寻找附近低质量恒星周围的低质量行星，使用测量恒星绕系统质心运行时的径向速度。低质量恒星是在其宜居带内寻找低质量行星的最佳目标，因此这可能是寻找第一个宜居类地行星的有效方法。我们还将使用这些光谱仪来寻找行星大气中分子的特征。vi)我们将利用VISTA望远镜正在进行的宇宙观测来寻找非常遥远的类星体--中心有超大质量黑洞的星系，它们诞生时宇宙的年龄不到当前年龄的10%。我们已经发现了已知的第二、第三和第四类星体，目标是将这个数字增加到大约10个。届时，我们将能够估计宇宙非常年轻时有多少类星体，我们将能够检查黑洞和它们的星系结构。

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 extrasolar planets. These atmospheres display interesting patterns of gas flow, and extrasolar planets often orbit close to their stars and so are strongly heated on one side, causing strong windsto 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. iv) We will use Einstein's theory of gravity to make detailed predictions about the distribution of matter in the Universe, and how this matter distribution appears to an observer on Earth.These predictions will be compared with observational data to test Einstein's gravity on thelargest scales.v) We will use the access that we have to the next generation of infrared spectrographs tolook for low mass planets around nearby low mass stars, using measurements of the star'sradial velocity as it orbits around the system centre of mass. Low mass stars are the optimaltargets for finding low mass planets in their habitable zone, so this may be an efficient methodof finding the first habitable earth-like planets. We will also use these spectrographs to lookfor the signatures of molecules in planet atmospheres.vi) 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 10. 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.