Relevant material
(Although not all my own) |
Project |
Goals |
Observations |
Doherty, Bunker and Sharp et al 2006 MNRAS 370 331 |
"The star formation history of the universe" |
Measurement of the Star formation rate
of the Universe using state-of-the-art multi-object infrared
spectrograph system to overcome the biases inherent in performing
these observations at optical wavelengths for objects at higher
redshifts. |
We have an extensive data set over the near infra-red J,H and K bands using a range of telescopes (AAT, WHT Subaru) to provide H-alpha emission line spectroscopy. |
It's hard to get a good picture to put in here, so here is a gratuitous one of Centaurus A, which does at least host a black hole.
 |
"Quasar host galaxies" |
We are using the new breed of Integral
Field Spectrograph (IFS) systems, at a number of telescopes, in order
to study the galaxies that host Active Galactic Nuclei (AGN).
Quasars and other AGN are thought to be powered by Black Holes in the
center of galaxies, but due to the brightness of the AGN emission it has
been difficult in the past to study the properties of the galaxies that
host the AGN, which has hampered our understanding of how they form.
IFS instruments allow one to look at these host galaxies in 3D to disentangle the problems of subtracting off the AGN in order to study the galaxy below. |
We have observations of a range of
quasar which populate the parameter space of AGN brightness and host
galaxy properties (taken from an earlier study with the Hubble Space
Telescope, HST). These IFS observations have been (or are being)
taken with the AAT, Gemini and ESO-VLT telescopes. |
 
Schmidt and Sharp 2005 Aust.J.Chem 58N2 69 |
"Sequence structure emission in the Red Rectangle bands" |
Working with the laser spectroscopy group at the University of Sydney, we have been attempting to identify the interstellar molecules, with a view to understanding the Diffuse Interstellar Bands.
The work involves comparing observations from interstellar space
with the debris found in the vacuum chamber in the lab here on earth
after we've shot the sample up a bit with a few lasers. |
We have a suite of IFS observations of the Red rectangle Nebula made with the ESO-VLT and the AAT-SPIRAL system. |
Veilleus, Cecil & Bland-Hawthorn 2005 ARA&A 43 769 |
"Galactic Winds" |
It is becoming increasingly obvious
that the feed back from star formation and AGN activity in galaxies has
a significant effect on their evolution. However, there are few
detailed observational studies on the nature of galaxy winds and
outflows. We will combine wide field narrow band imaging and
targeted spectroscopic observations to reveal the energetics and
dynamics of these fascinating systems. The project could be
skewed towards numerical modeling or observational data analysis, as
both components are vital here. |
A range of IFS data sets from the AAT-SPIRAL instrument. |
 |
"Emission line properties of the WiggleZ survey galaxies" |
The WiggleZ Dark Energy survey aims to determine the evolutionary properties of the mysterious Dark Energy. It will achieve this by measuring the distance to several hundred thousand galaxies and then looking carefully at the correlation function
(the density of galaxies as a function of their separation from
other galaxies). Small oscillations in this function (baryon wiggles) are the signature of baryon acoustic oscillations.
A side effect of measuring the redshifts of all these galaxies is that
we acquire a data base of galaxies with strong emission line spectra.
A range of projects can be tackled with these spectra, looking at
for example: AGN properties; the evolution of star formation as measured
by a range of indicators; or galaxy density dependent star
formation rates.
Members of the core project team are tackling these studies. |
The survey is based on an extensive array of archival photometric observations from the far UV (GALEX satellite observations) into the Near IR (SDSS and CFHT-RCS2
optical observations). Spectroscopic observations are then
obtained with the AAOmega multi-object spectrograph at the AAT to
confirm the redshift of each target. |