Astrophysics at Southampton

我们研究计划的所有方面都与致密物体的物理学有关：创造和摧毁它们的超新星爆炸，使它们发光的吸积，伴随着盘吸积系统的流出物，以及它们对环境的影响。我们希望了解这些现象背后的物理学，并利用它们，特别是宇宙学。我们对时域天文学作为追求这些目标的工具特别感兴趣。我们的兴趣涵盖了广泛的尺度，从中子星到活动星系核。该小组平衡良好：我们的兴趣涵盖了广泛的主题，但也有重叠之处，从而可以进行有效的合作。2在此，我们请求对上述主题范围内的项目提供支持。在银河/恒星尺度上，我们将利用最先进的天体测量和成像调查来研究黑洞的诞生和成长（项目1）。我们还将同时使用快速X射线，紫外和光学观测来揭示吸积X射线双星的新情况（项目4）。此外，我们将通过首次综合来自3个独立任务的数据，制作最敏感的时域硬X射线“元调查”（项目5）。最后，我们将揭示黑洞超亮X射线源的种群，超临界吸积超大质量黑洞的局部类似物（SMBH，项目8）。在银河系外尺度上，我们将首次自洽地模拟AGN中的线驱动盘风，从而开发出物理激励的反馈处方（项目2）。我们还将使用AGN的多波长时域观测来了解靠近中心引擎的盘几何形状和发射过程（项目3）。此外，我们将使用三维辐射流体动力学模拟来解决合并SMBH的“最终秒差距问题”（项目6）。在宇宙学尺度上，我们将利用我们在4 MOST/TiDES调查中的领导地位来构建下一代SN Ia哈勃图（项目7）。我们还将通过识别反馈和合并之间的相互作用来创建M_BH与sigma关系，并通过澄清内部和外部过程的作用，来揭示SMBH及其宿主的共同进化（项目9）。鉴于我们长期致力于公众参与研究，我们还将制定和实施与四个项目（项目1、3、7和9）相关的高影响PER活动。这些活动将包括将天体物理数据转换为声音（以便与视障观众互动），以及高质量的全圆顶视频，说明X射线，无线电，紫外线和光学观测如何使我们能够“看到”SMBH周围的环境。

All aspects of our research programme relate to the physics of compact objects: the supernova explosions that create and destroy them, the accretion that makes them luminous, the outflows that accompany disk-accreting systems, and the effect they have on their environment. We wish to understand the physics behind these phenomena and exploit them, especially for cosmology. We have a special interest in time-domain astronomy as a tool for pursuing these goals. Our interests cover a wide range of scales, from neutron stars to active galactic nuclei. The group is well balanced: our interests span a broad set of topics, but with overlap that allows effective collaboration.Here, we request support for projects across the range of topics outlined above. On Galactic/stellar scales, we will exploit state-of-the-art astrometric and imaging surveys to study the birth and growth of black holes (Project 1). We will also use simultaneous fast X-ray, UV and optical observations to shed new light on accreting X-ray binaries (Project 4). Moreover, we will produce the most sensitive time-domain hard X-ray "meta-survey", by synthesizing data from 3 separate missions for the first time (Project 5). Finally, we will uncover the population of black-hole ultraluminous X-ray sources, the local analogues of super-critically accreting supermassive black holes (SMBH, Project 8).On extra-galactic scales, we will self-consistently model line-driven disk winds in AGN for the first time and hence develop a physically motivated feedback prescription (Project 2). We will also use multi-wavelength time-domain observations of AGN to understand the disk geometry and emission processes close to the central engine (Project 3). In addition, we will use 3D radiation hydrodynamical simulations to address the ``final parsec problem'' for merging SMBHs (project 6). On cosmological scales, we will exploit our leadership of the 4MOST/TiDES survey to build a next-generation SN Ia Hubble Diagram (Project 7). We will also shed new light on the co-evolution of SMBHs and their hosts, by identifying the interaction between feedback and mergers in creating the M_BH vs sigma relation, and by clarifying the roles of internal and external processes (Project 9).Given our long-standing commitment to public engagement with research (PER), we will also develop and deliver high-impact PER activities associated specifically with four projects (Projects 1, 3, 7 and 9). These activities will range from converting astrophysical data into sound (in order to engage with visually impaired audiences) to a high-quality full-dome video illustrating how X-ray, radio, UV and optical observations allow us to "see" the environment around SMBHs.