Astrophysics Research at Liverpool John Moores University

我们建议继续我们广泛的研究计划，以解决尖端天体物理问题。我们讨论两个主要主题：爆炸性瞬变(主题A)和星系与活动星系核(主题B)。这些主题涵盖了STFC战略计划中的几个科学优先事项，这些主题的主题是普遍挑战。在主题A中，我们将研究伽马射线暴(GRB)的物理学--宇宙中最强大的爆炸--并将它们用作环境探测器。将尖端理论预测与世界上最大的机器人望远镜上的新颖观测实验相结合，我们将探测极端物理区域，以确定磁场的基本作用。我们将使用伽玛暴探测本地和早期宇宙中的大质量恒星的环境。我们将寻找预测将由伽玛暴产生的中微子爆发的第一个电磁对应物，对它的探测将彻底改变对相对论爆炸的理解。在主题A的第二部分，我们将基于我们在这一领域的大量专业知识，研究银河系和银河系外经常性新星的基本性质，重点关注这些天体是重要的Ia型超新星的祖先的可能性，Ia型超新星已成为宇宙规模和性质的主要探测器之一。主题B探索了我们周围的星系是如何形成的，以及它们是如何随着宇宙时间的推移而演变的。我们将研究在星系中形成的恒星群的性质，在星系的历史上恒星是什么时候形成的，以及这如何依赖于星系的环境(例如，它们是否在星系团中，它们是否包含为活跃的银河核提供动力的吸积超大质量黑洞)。我们将使用来自最强大的地面望远镜以及太空中光学、红外和X射线望远镜的信息，并结合理论建模，以一种被称为银河考古学的方法来揭示星系是如何组装的信息。我们的所有研究都使用了最先进的地面望远镜(例如我们自己的利物浦望远镜)、卫星和数据分析技术来进行从伽马射线到射电波长的观测，ARI的工作人员领导着许多使用这些望远镜进行的新一代测量。我们在这两个主题中提出的项目在技术上要求很高，需要计算机软件支持来帮助实现科学成果。ARI的结构和组织旨在提供国际卓越的研究。国际天文学研究所还通过国家学校观测站和当地的天文游客中心Spaceport，在发展和利用外联活动方面发挥了重要作用，使更多的人参与到我们的科学中来。

We propose to continue our wide-ranging programme of research tackling cutting-edge astrophysical problems. We address two main topics: Explosive Transients (Theme A) and: Galaxies and Active Galactic Nuclei (Theme B). These Themes cover several of the scientific priorities in STFC's strategic plan under their theme Universal Challenges. In Theme A we will study the physics of Gamma Ray Bursts (GRBs) - the most powerful explosions in the Universe - and use them as environmental probes. Combining cutting-edge theoretical predictions with novel observational experiments on the world's largest robotic telescopes, we will probe regions of extreme physics to determine the fundamental role of magnetic fields. We will use GRBs to probe the environment of massive stars locally and in the early Universe. We will search for the first electromagnetic counterparts to neutrino bursts predicted to be produced by GRBs, detection of which will revolutionise understanding of relativistic explosions. In a second part of Theme A we will investigate the fundamental properties of both Galactic and extragalactic Recurrent Novae, building on our considerable expertise in this area, focussing on the possibility that these objects are the progenitors of the important Type Ia Supernovae, which have become known as one of the primary probes of the scale and nature of the Universe. Theme B explores how the galaxies around us are formed, and how they then evolve over cosmic time. We will investigate what the properties are of the stellar populations which form in galaxies, when in the history of the galaxies the stars were formed, and how this depends upon the surroundings of the galaxies (e.g. whether they are in clusters or not, whether or not they contain the accreting Supermassive Black Holes which power Active Galactic Nuclei). We will use information from the most powerful ground based telescopes, and from optical, infrared and X-ray telescopes in space, combined with theoretical modeling, in an approach known as 'Galactic Archaeology' to uncover information on how the galaxies were assembled. All of our research uses the most advanced ground-based telescopes (such as our own Liverpool Telescope), satellites and data analysis techniques to carry out observations from gamma rays to radio wavelengths and ARI staff are lead many of the new generation surveys with these telescopes. The projects we propose in both themes are technically demanding and require computer software support to aid the delivery of the science. The structure and organisation of the ARI is designed to deliver internationally excellent research. The ARI is also a major international player in developing and exploiting outreach activities to engage the wider population in our science through the National Schools Observatory and the local astronomy visitor centre, Spaceport.