Astronomers will use space telescopes to watch black holes shred matter, track gamma-ray bursts across the universe, and measure auroras on Saturn, Jupiter, and Mercury. This programme tackles fundamental unknowns about how extreme gravity works near black holes, what dwarf stars and brown dwarfs are made of, and how planetary magnetic fields generate auroral light shows. It also searches for planets orbiting nearby stars using the WASP sky survey, and begins characterising the composition of asteroids, comets, and interstellar dust grains entering our solar system. The research is primarily curiosity-driven fundamental science. There is no immediate practical application. However, the space instrumentation strand aims to develop X-ray interferometry—a technique that could eventually produce ultra-high-resolution images of high-energy phenomena. A second instrument concept, a very low-mass X-ray optic, could monitor the entire sky daily for transient X-ray events and image Solar Wind Charge Exchange in Earth’s magnetosphere. Past fundamental work in X-ray astronomy led directly to technologies now used in medical imaging and materials analysis; similar unexpected applications could emerge from this programme. The team also commits to public outreach and knowledge transfer.
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We propose a world-class programme of research encompassing astrophysics, planetary science and space instrumentation. In high energy astrophysics, we will investigate a range of extreme phenomena including gamma-ray bursts and accreting black holes, primarily through the use of space observatories such as XMM-Newton and Swift combined with multiwaveband follow-up. Our programme also focuses on the astrophysics of dwarf stars, from hot white dwarfs through to brown dwarfs, utilising observational data in the infrared through to the ultraviolet. We will also continue to search for planets in orbit around nearby stars, exploiting the novel sky survey being conducted by WASP. In planetary science we intend to progress our comparative study of auroral processes on Saturn, Jupiter and Mercury using a combination of remote imaging, in situ spacecraft measurements and modelling. A new strand of research aims at characterising the composition of asteroids and comets and also grains entering the solar system from interstellar space. In space instrumentation, we are engaged in ground-breaking research into X-ray interferometry with the eventual goal of providing, for the first time, an ultra-high resolution imaging capability in high energy astrophysics. We will also investigate the potential of a very low-mass X-ray optic for a diverse range of applications including monitoring the whole sky on a daily basis with an unprecedented sensitivity for transient X-ray events and the imaging of Solar Wind Charge Exchange in the Earth's magnetosphere. Finally we also propose to maintain a very strong commitment to knowledge transfer and to public outreach.
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