Astrophysics and Particle Physics @ UJ Active Galaxies, Atmosphere, Sun Prof Hartmut Winkler (Head of Department and Head of the Group) is studying the variations and optical spectral characteristics of active galactic nuclei (AGN). He is developing a web-based atlas of the visual spectra of comparatively nearby Seyfert galaxies, as well as a catalogue of AGN based on a revised, more sophisticated, spectral characterization scheme. He is in addition investigating the Earth atmosphere’s transparency through solar and astronomical measurements, including the night sky brightness. This has important applications in fields as diverse as solar energy generation and astronomical site testing.” His Ph D students are involved in the study of dust interaction with radio jets of active galaxies ( Mr. Bernard Duah Asabere), and solar energy in order to reproduce ground level solar radiation characteristics observed in tropical climates (Ms. Marie Chantal Cyulinyana). Astroparticle physics group/ High Energy Astrophysics, AGNs and GRBs Head: Prof. Soebur Razzaque The astroparticle physics group at UJ is involved in gamma-ray and neutrino astrophysics research, using data from large international facilities such as the Fermi-Large Area Telescope and the IceCube neutrino observatory. Research topics include active galactic nuclei, gamma ray bursts, extragalactic diffuse background and search for new physics. Results from research by the group members have been published in over 7 journal articles in the last year. Other members: Dr. Richard Britto (postdoctoral fellow), Mr. Bantipo Kamoua-Kolani (PhD student), Ms. Jessymol K. Thomas (Ph D student) Astrophysics and Particles Physics at UJ Department of Physics Hot and Dense Matter Head: Prof. Azwindini Muronga “Our research field lies in the intersection of Nuclear, Particle, Astrophysics and Cosmology. At the moment we are studying the the nature and properties of Hot and Dense Matter in Heavy Ion Collisions and in Astrophysics. The study focuses on the properties of a new state of matter - the Quark Gluon Plasma (QGP)- which existed just for a microsecond at the beginning of the Universe after the big bang and might also exist in the deep interior of neutron stars. Scientists are now able to recreate this new state of matter in the terrestrial laboratories such as the Relativistic Heavy Ion Collider experiments in Brookhaven National Laboratory, Long Island New York and the Large Hadron Collider experiments at CERN, Geneva, Switzerland. Studying the properties of QGP by studying its transport properties and the equation of state will help us to understand how our Universe begins, how it evolves, where is it going, and how will it ends.” M Sc Students: Ms Rotondwa Mudau, Mr Thendo Nemakhavhani High Energy Physics Group / Dark Matter from SUSY at ATLAS High Energy Physics Group / Dark Matter from SUSY at ATLAS Head: Prof. Simon H. Connell Head: Prof. Simon H. Connell The UJ High Energy Physics Group pioneered the South African participation at ATLAS. The Group’s analysis focuses on the recently discovered Higgs boson as a portal to the discovery of new physics beyond the Standard Model. In this scenario, the Standard Model Higgs mixes with a Dark Sector, and decays via a Dark Force back to Standard Model Particles. Our search is in the channel H->Z’Z’->4 leptons. The excess in the rate of observation of the Higgs in the channel H->ZZ->4 leptons, though not yet significant, is another motivation. This work is related to dark matter, whose presence has been evidenced by astronomy.. The Group has contributed to the development of an important tool for the ATLAS Detector which tracks missing transverse energy and momentum. This is used in nearly all searches, particularly those involving invisible particles like neutrinos and dark matter candidates. The Group participates in software development for the Control Room, and the development and operation of the ATLAS nerve centre, where all data is acquired and stored, the so called TDAQ system, and in the upgrade of the muon detectors in preparation for Run II. Finally, the group makes extensive use of High Performance Computing and has assisted in the roll-out of these technologies to UJ and to other disciplines. The Group has brought about 300 publications in highly cited journals to UJ. Other members: S. Ballestrero (100% at CERN), C. Lee (100% at CERN), Visiting Professor (also at BNL), Prof K. Assamagan, Post-docs: Dr M. Aurousseau, Dr E. Castaneda (100% at CERN, shared with UCT), Students: CJ. Lee, (PhD, 100% at CERN), P. Ntsoele (Msc), D Unwuchola (PhD), N. Govender http://infraredtv.com/IR_Explained.html KAT-7, MeerKAT, SKA Stellar Physics Group Head: Dr Chris Engelbretch The stellar physics group at UJ use 'stellar music' to work out the interior structure and evolution of stars (hence: 'asteroseismology'). The Kepler space telescope has brought about a revolution in this very important field of study, which impacts on models of galaxy formation, large-scale structure of the universe and cosmology. Kepler was launched in 2009 and the UJ group joined various multi-national Kepler Working Groups in 2010. We are working on 2 separate Kepler-based projects at the moment. Ultimately, this work will feed into our involvement with MeerKAT and SKA through models of pulsar formation. Ph D Students: Mr. Pierre van Heerden, Mr. Chris Middleton Msc Student: Ms. Refilwe Kgoadi Artist concept of Kepler in space. Credit: NASA/JPL
Search for potential collaborators and students in UJ research fields: Nuclear, Particle, Astrophysics and Cosmology at the University of Johannesburg
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Astrophysics and Particle Physics @ UJActive Galaxies, Atmosphere, SunProf Hartmut Winkler (Head of Department and Head of the Group) is studying the variations and optical spectral characteristics of active galactic nuclei (AGN). He is developing a web-based atlas of the visual spectra of comparatively nearby Seyfert galaxies, as well as a catalogue of AGN based on a revised, more sophisticated, spectral characterization scheme. He is in addition investigating the Earth atmosphere’s transparency through solar and astronomical measurements, including the night sky brightness. This has important applications in fields as diverse as solar energy generation and astronomical site testing.”
His Ph D students are involved in the study of dust interaction with radio jets of active galaxies (Mr. Bernard Duah Asabere), and solar energy in order to reproduce ground level solar radiation characteristics observed in tropical climates (Ms. Marie Chantal Cyulinyana).
Astroparticle physics group/High Energy Astrophysics, AGNs and GRBs
Head: Prof. Soebur Razzaque
The astroparticle physics group at UJ is involved in gamma-ray and neutrino astrophysics research, using data from large international facilities such as the Fermi-Large Area Telescope and the IceCube neutrino observatory. Research topics include active galactic nuclei, gamma ray bursts, extragalactic diffuse background and search for new physics. Results from research by the group members have been published in over 7 journal articles in the last year.
Other members: Dr. Richard Britto (postdoctoral fellow), Mr. Bantipo Kamoua-Kolani (PhD student), Ms. Jessymol K. Thomas (Ph D student)
Astrophysicsand Particles
Physicsat UJ
Department of Physics
Hot and Dense Matter
Head: Prof. Azwindini Muronga
“Our research field lies in the intersection of Nuclear, Particle, Astrophysics and Cosmology. At the moment we are studying the the nature and properties of Hot and Dense Matter in Heavy Ion Collisions and in Astrophysics. The study focuses on the properties of a new state of matter - the Quark Gluon Plasma (QGP)- which existed just for a microsecond at the beginning of the Universe after the big bang and might also exist in the deep interior of neutron stars. Scientists are now able to recreate this new state of matter in the terrestrial laboratories such as the Relativistic Heavy Ion Collider experiments in Brookhaven National Laboratory, Long Island New York and the Large Hadron Collider experiments at CERN, Geneva, Switzerland.Studying the properties of QGP by studying its transport properties and the equation of state will help us to understand how our Universe begins, how it evolves, where is it going, and how will it ends.”
M Sc Students: Ms Rotondwa Mudau, Mr Thendo Nemakhavhani
High Energy Physics Group / Dark Matter from SUSY at ATLASHigh Energy Physics Group / Dark Matter from SUSY at ATLAS
Head: Prof. Simon H. ConnellHead: Prof. Simon H. Connell
The UJ High Energy Physics Group pioneered the South African participation at ATLAS.The Group’s analysis focuses on the recently discovered Higgs boson as a portal to the discovery of new physics beyond the Standard Model. In this scenario, the Standard Model Higgs mixes with a Dark Sector, and decays via a Dark Force back to Standard Model Particles. Our search is in the channel H->Z’Z’->4 leptons. The excess in the rate of observation of the Higgs in the channel H->ZZ->4 leptons, though not yet significant, is another motivation. This work is related to dark matter, whose presence has been evidenced by astronomy.. The Group has contributed to the development of an important tool for the ATLAS Detector which tracks missing transverse energy and momentum. This is used in nearly all searches, particularly those involving invisible particles like neutrinos and dark matter candidates. The Group participates in software development for the Control Room, and the development and operation of the ATLAS nerve centre, where all data is acquired and stored, the so called TDAQ system, and in the upgrade of the muon detectors in preparation for Run II. Finally, the group makes extensive use of High Performance Computing and has assisted in the roll-out of these technologies to UJ and to other disciplines. The Group has brought about 300 publications in highly cited journals to UJ.
Other members: S. Ballestrero (100% at CERN), C. Lee (100% at CERN), Visiting Professor (also at BNL), Prof K. Assamagan,Post-docs: Dr M. Aurousseau, Dr E. Castaneda (100% at CERN, shared with UCT),Students: CJ. Lee, (PhD, 100% at CERN), P. Ntsoele (Msc), D Unwuchola (PhD), N. Govender
http://infraredtv.com/IR_Explained.html
KAT-7, MeerKAT, SKA
Stellar Physics GroupHead: Dr Chris Engelbretch
The stellar physics group at UJ use 'stellar music' to work out the interior structure and evolution of stars (hence: 'asteroseismology'). The Kepler space telescope has brought about a revolution in this very important field of study, which impacts on models of galaxy formation, large-scale structure of the universe and cosmology. Kepler was launched in 2009 and the UJ group joined various multi-national Kepler Working Groups in 2010. We are working on 2 separate Kepler-based projects at the moment. Ultimately, this work will feed into our involvement with MeerKAT and SKA through models of pulsar formation.
Ph D Students: Mr. Pierre van Heerden, Mr. Chris MiddletonMsc Student: Ms. Refilwe Kgoadi
Artist concept of Kepler in space. Credit: NASA/JPL
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