Melbourne Astrophysics Research

Field lines of a precessing sphere by C. Peralta.	University of Melbourne Astrophysics Group Research Publications 2004 2003 2002 2001 2000 1999 1998 1997 1996 1995 1994

Highlights

2003 October ARC Success: The ARC has funded 2 new Discovery Projects: Gravitational lensing probes of quasar structure (Webster) and The first objects in the universe (Wyithe, APD) and a LIEF grant led by Melbourne: Australian astronomy grid.
2002 January 1 Our new 5-year ARC-funded Discovery Project: Formation and Evolution in the Extragalactic Universe
2001 March 5 Galaxies in collision setting off fireworks
2000 May 24 A cosmic window on the Universe (BBC story) (Spaceflightnow story) (HIPASS data release)
2000 February 14: Our Successful Hubble Space Telescope Proposals (and on the ABC)

Honours Theses

The astrophysics group offers a range of projects in astronomy and astrophysics to students completing their honours thesis. In 2003 the following theses were completed by honours students in astrophysics:

Andrzejewski, C., My Unpredictable Pet Neutron Star. Instabilities in Spherical Taylor-Couette Flow: Towards a Theory of Pulsar Glitches (abstract)
Locsei, T., Torque Reversals in Accreting Pulsars (abstract)
Rhook, K., Gravitational Waves and the Formation of Supermassive Black Holes (abstract)
Taylor, E., Star Formation and the State of Hydrogen in the Universe- or- Which came first H1 oe H2? (abstract)

Research areas

The Melbourne Astrophysics group is involved in observational and theoretical research in a range of areas. The observational program spans radio to X-ray wavelengths, using the Australia Telescope Compact Array, the Gemini Telescopes, the Hubble Space Telescope, and the Chandra X-ray Observatory among other instruments. The theoretical programs currently extend from pen-and-paper calculations to the development of numerical codes, including relativistic particle-in-cell plasma codes and spectral Navier-Stokes and vortex-in-cell codes for numerical hydrodynamics.

Current Scientific Interests

Formation and evolution of galaxies

Epoch of re-ionisation
Structure and formation of AGN, including broad emission line regions
Formation and evolution of galactic black holes
Neutral hydrogen studies, including the HIPASS survey, Tully-Fisher relation
Local large-scale structure, including groups and clusters of galaxies
Statistical mechanics of dark matter haloes and baryonic mass profiles

Gravitational Lensing

Mass models of gravitational lensing galaxies
Optical and radio observations of lenses
Microlensing
Quasar structure from lensing

Physics of Compact Objects

Relativistic pulsar winds and pulsar-powered supernova remnants (eg Crab nebula)
Ultra-magnetized neutron stars (magnetars, eg AXPs, SRRs)
Superfluid dynamics in neutron star interiors and the origin of pulsar glitches
Time-dependant physics of the disk-magnetoshpere interation in magnetized compact objects (X-ray binaries, Galactic microquasars, protostars, AGN)

Emerging Scientific Interests

Gravitational waves

Coalescing black holes in merging galaxies
Accreting neutron stars
Observational signatures detectable by pulsar timing arrays (microhertz frequencies)

Bio-astronomy

Detection and polarimetry of complex moleclues detectable by next generation radio telescopes (eg LOFAR, SKA)
Formation of complex moledcules in far from equilibrium chemical reactions in molecular clouds

Knowledge Management in Astrophysics

Australian Virtual Observatory
Development of software tools and standards for on-line databases
Grid computing
Image and spectral data processing

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© The University of Melbourne 1994-2000. Disclaimer and Copyright Information. Authorised by: Head of Astrophysics Group, School of Physics
Last modified: ; Created: 1999 November 11; Maintained by: M. Waugh; Email: mwaugh@physics.unimelb.edu.au

University of Melbourne Astrophysics Group Research

Publications

Highlights

Honours Theses

Research areas

Current Scientific Interests

Emerging Scientific Interests

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