Supervisor: Dr Megan Argo
Galaxies in the nearby universe are close enough that they can be studied in detail, and radio interferometry gives us spectacular resolution images which can be used to understand both star formation and black hole activity in these systems. That knowledge can then be applied to unresolved high-redshift systems, allowing us to investigate star formation and black hole activity as a function of time across the entire history of the universe.
Various projects will be available in this theme including:
- spectral line observations of nearby galaxies investigating neutral hydrogen gas or maser activity
- continuum imaging of nearby galaxies looking at the morphology of the components to separate the SF and accretion components
- studying distant radio sources with ultra-steep radio spectra that have no optical counterparts
- combining radio observations with other parts of the EM spectrum to search for intermediate-mass black holes
- investigating the reliability of calibrator sources and the implications for observational programmes