Astronomy and Astrophysics Group

The Astronomy & Astrophysics group contributes across a wide range of principally stellar astronomical research fields aimed at the characterisation of stellar populations, study of the formation and evolution of stars and stellar systems, and investigation of the physical properties and chemistry of their circumstellar environments. There is a strong emphasis on a multi-wavelength approach to our research, with ground-based optical, IR and radio observations merged with satellite-based optical, IR and high-energy (UV, gamma- and X-ray) observations and balloon-based X-ray data, to understand the objects and phenomenon that we observe in an astrophysical sense.

Our current research can be categorised into several broad themes:

High-energy astrophysics

Satellite observations of X-ray accreting binary systems, and young magnetically-active T Tauri stars in star-forming regions, are obtained using current space observatories, e.g. Chandra or XMM/Newton, or from satellite data archives, e.g. ROSAT, ROSSI, etc. Ground-based observations are made using radio and optical/IR telescopes located in Australia (Coonabarabran and Narrabri) and overseas (La Silla, Chile or Sutherland, South Africa) to compliment the X-ray data. Some observations are made as part of coordinated campaigns with other ground- and space observatories to determine the nature of the X-ray sources over a range of wavelengths, or their behaviour over an interval of time.

Staff Members: Ravi Sood, Warrick Lawson
Contact: Ravi Sood

Laboratory astrophysics

The groups Fourier Transform IR spectrometers are used to study the formation, evolution and properties of solid material (dust species and ices) in interstellar and circumstellar environments ranging from the study of dust in the disks and bipolar outflows of stars in the late stages of their evolution (proto-planetary nebulae) to the formation of water ice on the dust grains in the envelopes of evolved asymptotic-giant branch (AGB) stars. The laboratory studies are supported by observations, in particular mid- and far-IR spectroscopy obtained with the ISO satellite, and by theoretical modeling of the absorption and scattering properties of the dust (Mie theory and discrete dipole approximation).

Staff Members: Rob Smith, Garry Robinson, Chris Wright
Contact: Robert Smith

Star Formation

We study the chemistry of star formation environments, both interstellar and circumstellar, and investigate the influence of moderating effects such as UV photon radiation fields and stellar winds, principally by obtaining mid-IR spectroscopy of young stellar objects using ground-based telescopes and IR space observatories. This work is complimented by laboratory and theoretical studies. We study the properties of the stellar populations of star formation regions, e.g. magnetic activity in young stars and brown dwarfs, the prevalence of inner dust disks and the timescale of their dissipation or inclusion into proto-planetary grains, and the angular momentum history and dynamical state of young stellar clusters. This research is supported by data obtained with current space missions such as Chandra and the Spitzer Space Telescope.

Staff Members: Warrick Lawson, Robert Smith, Garry Robinson, Chris Wright
Contact: Warrick Lawson

Members of the Astronomy and Astrophysics Research Group

Academic Staff:

Assoc. Prof. Warrick Lawson (w.lawson@adfa.edu.au) BSc, MSc, PhD Cant.
Assoc. Prof. Ravi Sood(r.sood@adfa.edu.au) BSc, PhD Lond., DIC, MIAU, FASA, FAIP
Dr Garry Robinson (g.robinson@adfa.edu.au) BSc, PhD Melb., ARMIT
Dr Robert Smith (r.smith@adfa.edu.au) BSc, PhD Melb., MASA, MIAU

ARC Research Fellow:

Dr Chris Wright (c.wright@adfa.edu.au) BSc Melb., PhD UNSW

Research Student:

Flight Officer Richard Lane - Research Topic - Relationship between spin rate change and x-ray flux from neutron star x-ray binaries

Recent Graduate Student:

Dr Sean Adam Farrell - Research Topic - Temporal studies of x-ray binaries

Recent Honours Students:

Michael Varga - Research Topic - Future RADIAC capability for the Australian Defence Force

Paul Andrews - Research Topic - Infrared signatures of aircraft: a theoretical approach to the infrared signature of the Boeing 737-700

Research Collaborators:

Prof. M. Bessell ( Australian National University)
Dr T. Bourke (Harvard Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics, USA )
Dr J. Bouwman (Max Planck Institute for Astronomy, Heidelberg, Germany )
Prof. M. Burton (UNSW)
Dr H. Butner (Department of Physics, James Madison University , Harrisonburg , VA , USA)
Dr S. Charnley (NASA Ames Research Center, Space Sciences Division, CA , U.S.A.)
Dr C. Clarke (University of Cambridge, UK)
Prof. G. Clayton (Louisiana State University, USA )
Dr L. Crause (South African Astronomical Observatory, South Africa )
Dr S. Dieters (University of Tasmania, Hobart, Australia )
Prof. E. van Dishoeck (Leiden University, The Netherlands)
Dr S. Farrell (Centre d'Etude des Rayonnements, Toulouse, France)
Prof. E. Feigelson (Pennsylvania State University, USA)
Dr A. Glasse (United Kingdom Astrophysical Technology Centre, Edinburgh)
Prof. T. R. Ireland (Research School of Earth Sciences, The Australian National University)
Dr D. Lommen (Leiden University, The Netherlands)
Dr A-R. Lyo (Korea Astronomical Observatory, Korea)
Dr S. Maddison (Swinburne University)
Dr M. M. Maldoni (Geoscience Australia, Canberra, Australia)
Prof. R. K. Manchanda (Tata Institute of Fundamental Research, Mumbai, India)
Prof. H. Misawa (Tohoku University, Sendai, Japan)
Dr E. Moraux (Observatoire de Grenoble, France)
Dr P. O'Neill (Imperial College, London, & Charles Sturt University, Wagga Wagga, Australia)
Dr Y. Pendleton (NASA Ames Research Center, Space Sciences Division, CA , U.S.A.)
Dr S. Rodgers (NASA Ames Research Center, Space Sciences Division, CA , U.S.A.)
Dr R. Siebenmorgen (European Southern Observatory, Germany)
Dr M. Sterzik (European Southern Observatory Chile)
Dr B. Stecklum (Thuringer Landessternwarte, Tautenburg, Germany)
Dr Y. Unruh (Imperial College London, UK)