Dr S. P. S. Eyres, BSc, MSc, PhD, PGCert, FRAS, MInstP, MIAU, FHEA

Achievements

Achievements summary

Leadership of newly formed School of Physical Sciences and Computing.
Management of change within the Faculty of Computing, Engineering and Science, as well as previously the School of Computing, Engineering and Physical Sciences.
Movement of entire Astronomy by Distance Learning on-line course support to WebCT.
Development and tutoring of IT for Astronomy and Introduction to Astrobiology (distance learning modules) for the first time.
Early detection of radio emission brightening in recurrent nova RS Oph
First detection (in collaboration with Worters) of resumption of accretion post-outburst in recurrent nova RS Oph
First detection of radio emission from the classical novae V705 Cas, V723 Cas, V1494 Aql and the final-helium shell-flash object V4334 Sgr
First correlation of radio and HST images of HM Sge
Detection of IR molecular emission in V4334 Sgr
Completion of HST observations of symbiotic stars
Detecting wind absorption features in V4334 Sgr
Tracking dust evolution in V4334 Sgr
Separation of the binary components of HM Sge
Imaging of ejecta from CH Cyg

Achievements details

Leadership of new School: As a result of reorganisation of the University into Colleges, the School of Physical Sciences and Computing was formed. Bringing together Chemistry, Computing, Mathematics, Physics and Astronomy, my role included establishing a new School identity, developing a set of clear priorities with staff, and working with the Executive Dean to form a School leadership team. This has been achieved while continuing to deliver our commitments on teaching and research.
Management of change: Starting with my role as Acting Head of Physics, I have supported staff through the changes stemming initially from the merger that formed the School, and more recently as a result of changes to government funding and priorities. As Acting Head of School I also managed the transition between the outgoing and incoming Head of School, including supporting the new Head of School in getting to grips with his new role. As Deputy Dean I have been working with Professional Services and Schools to ensure changed structures continue to meet the needs of students and staff.
WebCT: In 2002 we decided to move our on-line support for the distance learning courses in Astronomy to WebCT, the University's virtual learning environment. I established the WebCT space for each module, along with a pilot Programme Space for all distance learning students. I also supported academic and support staff learning to use WebCT and working out how best to use it to support their work.
IT for Astronomy: The University Certificate in IT for Astronomy ran for the first time in 2001-2002. I developed the course materials, marked assignments and tutored the course. Astrobiology: In collaboration with Ian Butchart we developed this course through validation, development of materials and deployment. I took an innovative approach involving staff from biology and psychology to develop a unique course in this fascinating new area of science.
RS Oph radio detection: Following the 2006 (and 6th) outburst of this recurrent nova, I rapidly acquired observing time on the Very Large Array and activated target of opportunity time on the Multi-Element Radio-Linked Interferometer Network, making observations only 4 days after optical peak. This led to the discovery of an unexpectedly rapid rise and subsequent decline, completed over 18 days. This period was earlier than the first radio observations made following the previous outburst in 1985. At later times I also found evidence of the extended emission being non-thermal.
RS Oph optical flickering: During observations in South Africa in 2006, my research student Hannah Worters acquired data showing the reappearance of flickering on 10-20 second timescales. We were able to demonstrate that if the flickering is due to accretion, the mass transfer rate was too low to drive outbursts at the observed rate under the accepted mechanism.
Radio emission: Target of opportunity observations with MERLIN lead to the earliest reported detection of emission from the remnant of Nova Cas 1993 & 1995 (V705 Cas, V723 Cas) and Nova Aql 1999 (V1494 Aql). The show irregular structure and as yet unexplained development. VLA observations of V4334 Sgr (Sakurai's Object) provided images of the associated faint planetary nebula. These provided mass, distance and interstellar extinction estimates.
HM Sge nebula: Comparison of MERLIN 6-cm and HST FOC UV images demonstrated that the structure of the inner nebula matched closely. This lead in part to the HST WFPC2 campaigns on symbiotic stars. It also began to test competing models of bipolar-ejecta and binary interaction to explain the structure.
Molecules in V4334 Sgr: The development of numerous absorption bands in V4334 Sgr heralded a change in the conditions of the recent ejecta, as molecules formed. These observations are still under analysis, due to the tremendous number of absorption features detected.
HST observations: From Phase II proposal through the observations up to analysis of the data, I have handled the HST observations under GO programme #8330 and snapshot programme #8332. All four GO observations were successfully completed, and eight snapshot observations.
V4334 Sgr wind: The detection of strong 1.083 micron absorption attributed to doubly ionised helium (He II) in 1998 demonstrated that a 600 km/s wind had developed in the recent ejecta.
Dust in V4334 Sgr: In 1999 dust obscured V4334 Sgr in the optical. IR spectroscopy became dominated by continuum dust emission, with the molecular bands disappearing. Analysis of these data show the dust is evolving as the grains grow and it expands away from the central star.
HM Sge binary components: Using HST WFPC2 images acquired under GO programme #8330, I have measured the positions of the hot and cool components in the central binary for the first time. This has direct consequences for the theories of nebula shaping and binary interaction.
CH Cyg ejecta: During the 1998-2000 outburst of CH Cyg, spectroscopy showed high velocity material associated with the inner binary. This has been resolved in HST WFPC2 images acquired under GO programme #8330. These images demonstrate that jets associated with previous outbursts are due to ejecta. I have also determined the electron densities and temperatures in the ejecta; the former is sufficiently high that the radio emission can expect to be short-lived, in keeping with the absence of emission between outbursts.

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Stewart Eyres @ CES , USW | Wed Dec 30 10:11:05 2020 |