Astronomy Research at Queen Mary

我们建议开展以下研究项目。i）我们将使用超级计算机模拟来模拟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地点。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太阳系外行星的大气。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。iv）我们将利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如何的。这些预测将与观测数据进行比较，以在最大尺度上检验爱因斯坦的引力。v）我们将利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，利用测量星星绕系统质心运行时的径向速度。低质量恒星是在其适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批适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中分子的特征（atmospheres.vi）我们将使用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-在其中心有超大质量黑洞的星系，这些星系在宇宙不到当前年龄的10%时诞生。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10个。这样，我们就能够估计出在宇宙非常年轻的时候有多少类星体，我们就能够研究黑洞及其星系的结构。

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.