Astronomy, Astrophysics & Cosmology

1. Astronomy, Astrophysics & Cosmology at the University of Nottingham

2. BACKGROUND The Astronomy Group was founded in 1999 The Group has subsequently grown to comprise 9 permanent members of staff: Peter Coles Professor Michael Merrifield Professor Alfonso Aragón-Salamanca Reader Steve Maddox Reader Frazer Pearce PPARC AF  Lecturer Loretta Dunne Lecturer Omar Almaini Royal Society URF  Lecturer Ed Copeland Professor (from 2005) Chris Conselice Lecturer (from 2005) plus 5 post-doctoral research fellows Sebastien Foucaud, Meghan Gray, Mustapha Mouhcine, Osamu Nakamura & Jun Pan plus 15 postgraduate students. Associated member: Reynier Peletier (Groningen)

4. PETER COLES Theoretical Cosmology Origin and evolution of galaxies and large-scale structure Anisotropy and polarisation of the cosmic microwave background ED COPELAND Particle and String Cosmology Cosmological probes of string/M-theory e.g. Formation of cosmic superstrings in the early Universe Constraining particle physics inspired models for the Dark Energy in the Universe

5. FRAZER PEARCE N-body and hydro simulations theory of the formation of structure in the Universe Evolution of clusters of galaxies using parallel supercomputers X-ray emission from clusters Feedback due to supernova explosions He has a new 1000+ processor supercomputer!!!!!

6. MICHAEL MERRIFIELD Properties of nearby galaxies Dynamics Stellar Populations Morphologies

7. STEVE MADDOX Large-scale structure Large galaxy surveys LORETTA DUNNE Dust in nearby and distant galaxies Far-infrared and sub-mm Dust formation from stars and supernova remnants

8. OMAR ALMAINI The formation and evolution of quasars and galaxies Deep X-ray surveys Deep optical and infrared studies of high redshift galaxies.

9. CHRIS CONSELICE Galaxy morphology Galaxy formation Dwarf galaxies Starburst galaxies The Palomar Observatory Wide-Field Infrared Survey (will start mid-2005)

10. MEGHAN GRAY (+COMBO-17) Environment and galaxy evolution mass weak lensing gas: X-rays galaxies: SEDs from COMBO-17, dynamics from 2dF, obscured SF from Spitzer, morphologies from HST/ACS A901 supercluster @ z=0.16 17-band imaging + lensing mass map: see clear spatial segregation of bimodal galaxy population lensing reveals surface mass threshold for truncation of star-formation A multiwavelength view of the A901 supercluster Gray et al 2004

11. CL1354.1-1231 z=0.76 ALFONSO ARAGON-SALAMANCA Galaxy formation and evolution in different environments The origin of galaxy morphology The links between morphology, stellar populations and environment The evolution of star formation in the universe

12. CL1232.3-1250 z=0.54 Galaxy formation and evolution in different environments: The ESO Distant Cluster Survey • Obtain a uniform imaging and spectroscopic database for a large and representative sample of galaxy clusters covering at least half of the Hubble time • Characterise the sizes, luminosities, morphologies, internal kinematics, star formation and stellar populations of cluster galaxies. • Compare cluster samples at z=0.8, 0.5 and 0.1 (SDSS) to establish trends as a function of redshift exploring a large cluster mass range • Compare with high-resolution simulations of galaxy and galaxy cluster formation to determine the role of the relevant physical processes

13. The origin of galaxy morphology: The formation of S0 galaxies • Tully-Fisher relation of high-z spirals (with Osamu Nakamura, Bo Milvang-Jensen & Steven Bamford) • Tully-Fisher relation of low-z S0s (with Alejandro Garcia-Bedregal and Mike Merrifield) • Globular Clustersin S0s (with Osamu Nakamura and Alejandro Garcia-Bedregal) • IFU studies of the dynamics and stellar populations of cluster E+A S0s at intermediate redshifts (with Steven Bamford)

14. The evolution of Star Formation: H surveys at different redshifts What we want What we have What we get