A robotic telescope in the Canary Islands will keep watch on the night sky, ready to catch the split-second flash of a gamma-ray burst—the most powerful explosion in the universe—as it happens. This research tackles fundamental questions about how the universe works on vastly different scales. Gamma-ray bursts, novae, and gravitational microlensing all involve sudden changes in brightness over time—so-called "time-domain" events that are hard to study because they are unpredictable. At the same time, the team will investigate how galaxies evolve and how supermassive black holes shape their surroundings. The gap in knowledge is that many of these processes are poorly understood because they happen too fast or too far away for conventional telescopes to capture. If successful, the work will produce the clearest picture yet of how stars explode, how black holes grow, and how galaxies change over cosmic time. This is fundamental science with no immediate practical application. But similar curiosity-driven astronomy has in the past led to technologies such as CCD sensors (now in every smartphone camera) and GPS time-correction algorithms. A deeper understanding of these extreme events could one day inform everything from nuclear fusion research to high-speed data networks.
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We propose to carry out a programme of research tackling cutting-edge astrophysical problems on a wide range of scales. Our work, which addresses several of PPARC's key scientific priorities, will be conducted under two main and interlinked themes: (i) Tme Domain Astrophysics (ii) Galaxies and Active Galactic Nuclei. In particular we wish to explore: the origin and wider importance of Gamma Ray Bursts, the most powerful explosions in the Universe; the fundamental properties of novae from observations of their explosions in our own and other galaxies; the structure of the Milky Way through microlensing studies; the environmental factors that influence galaxy evolution, and the part played in the development of galaxies by supermassive black holes. Our research uses the most advanced ground-based telescopes, space-borne satellites and data analysis tecniques to carry out observations from gamma rays to radio wavelengths and ARI staff are leading players in many of the new generation surveys. A significant fraction of our work involves time-domain studies, now made possible through our own robotic Liverpool Telescope project and our lead in developing global robotic telescope networks such as RoboNet. These projects are technically demanding and are supported at ARI by the latest developments in scheduling and robotic control software through e-Science programmes. The structure and organisation of the ARI is designed to deliver internationally excellent research, with efficient teaching programmes. Staff benefit from a continual programme of investment in research infrastructure and the ARI is a major international player in developing and exploiting outreach opportunities. The Institute in turn enjoys excellent support from the University which has enabled, for example, the recent appointment of several new staff to strenghten further our research work.
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