Queen's University Belfast Consolidated Grant 2014 - 2017

Astronomers at Queen’s University Belfast are tracking everything from asteroids in our own solar system to exploding stars in distant galaxies, while also calculating the behaviour of iron atoms in the universe’s brightest objects. This programme combines two research groups—astrophysics and atomic physics—to tackle a fundamental gap: we do not fully understand how matter behaves under extreme conditions, such as inside a supernova or near a quasar. By linking observations of stars, planets, and gas clouds with precise atomic data for complex ions like singly ionised iron (Fe II), the team aims to decode the physical processes that drive these cosmic phenomena. This is primarily curiosity-driven fundamental science. There is no immediate practical application. However, similar work on atomic data has historically underpinned technologies from medical imaging to satellite navigation. A deeper understanding of how atoms behave in extreme environments could, over decades, feed into new materials, better sensors, or improved models of radiation damage in space-based electronics. For now, the value lies in answering basic questions about how stars form, how planets evolve, and what the universe looked like when it was young.