Professor Francesco Shankar from the School of Physics and Astronomy is part of an international consortium working on the Euclid satellite, which was launched into space earlier this month. The satellite is on a six-year mission to shed light on dark energy and dark matter, which scientists say account for 95% of the known universe.

Southampton is a founding member of Space South Central, the UK's largest regional space cluster. The cluster champions the space industry across the region to fuel innovation through new business and academic collaborations.

Professor Francesco Shankar, an expert in the evolution of galaxies and supermassive black holes, is part of the international consortium working on Euclid with NASA and the European Space Agency.

Commenting on the launch of the Euclid satellite earlier this month, Professor Shankar said that it will create a giant map of the structure of the universe by observing billions of galaxies. This data will be used to test dark energy, dark matter, and alternative gravity theories.

"The Euclid space telescope will chart the distribution of galaxies across cosmic space and time to reveal the rate of expansion and formation of the universe" said Professor Shankar. "These are invaluable observational constraints which can shed light on the nature of dark energy."

The Euclid satellite is fitted with telescopic space cameras that will photograph more than one-third of the extragalactic sky outside the Milky Way. It will also perform near-infrared spectroscopy of hundreds of millions of galaxies and stars.

The mission is funded by the European Space Agency and is expected to last until at least 2029. The quality of the images will be four times sharper than those taken from the ground.

Professor Shankar is excited about the potential of the Euclid satellite to solve some of the biggest mysteries in astronomy. "Dark energy and dark matter are elusive components and we don't know much about either" he said. "By imaging billion of galaxies, Euclid will give us data on the structure of the universe up to very large scales and at different cosmic epochs, providing invaluable observational constraints on the nature of dark matter and dark energy."

The Euclid satellite is a major step forward in our understanding of the universe. With the help of Professor Shankar and his team, we may finally be able to solve some of the most fundamental mysteries of our cosmos.

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In a resounding achievement for Southampton, Professor Hendrik Ulbricht and his team have emerged victorious in the prestigious ESA Payload Masters competition. The competition, organised by the European Space Agency (ESA) as part of its commitment to driving innovation and development in the European space industry, saw Southampton's groundbreaking experiment on levitated optomechanics take center stage.

The ESA Payload Masters initiative aims to identify and promote cutting-edge in-orbit experiments and novel technologies for payloads. Southampton's winning entry into this program represents a significant milestone in the field of space exploration. By demonstrating the feasibility of levitated optomechanics for space applications, the team opens up a whole new world of possibilities for the space industry and scientific research alike.

The experiment conducted by Professor Ulbricht and his team involves loading silica nanoparticles into an optical trap during the flight. Through meticulous feedback-based manipulation, they stabilise the particles' motion, introducing a breakthrough technique that can revolutionise space-based applications. The Southampton team's achievement will be featured in an upcoming mission called "Mission Possible" on Nyx, a modular and reusable orbital vehicle developed, manufactured, and operated by The Exploration Company.

Professor Hendrik Ulbricht said:

"This launch with The Exploration Company is an amazing opportunity for us to demonstrate our quantum technology in space. I am thrilled that we have won this one. It usually takes a decade or so to reach readiness for space and to get an opportunity to fly new technology, but with ?Mission Possible? we have the unique chance and indeed face the immense challenge to move much fast. I like that challenge, as it makes us to work more focused. I hope we will be able to demonstrate that our Levitated Optomechanics Sensors (LOMS) are exceptional accelerometers & gravimeters for satellite geodesy and will be very useful to enhance capabilities and resilience in Earth Observation (EO) for monitoring climate change and weather forecast using even small satellite platforms."

Nyx, known for its ability to be refueled in orbit, offers a versatile platform for various missions. The "Mission Possible" flight, which marks a significant milestone for Nyx's development, will carry a total of 300 kg of customer payloads, including Southampton's levitated optomechanics experiment. During the flight, the experiment will showcase the remarkable potential of performing microgravity experiments and in-orbit technology demonstrations, providing invaluable insights for future space endeavors.

The recognition received through the ESA Payload Masters competition amplifies Southampton's prominence in the space research community. Professor Ulbricht's team has not only secured a remarkable win but also positioned themselves at the forefront of cutting-edge research in space exploration. Their success underscores the University's dedication to pushing boundaries and driving innovation in the field of space science.

The official award ceremony, set to take place in Paris on June 20th, will honour Southampton's exceptional achievement in the ESA Payload Masters competition. This recognition not only showcases the exceptional talent and expertise within the Southampton team but also highlights the University's commitment to advancing space research and technology.

As Southampton's triumph in the ESA Payload Masters competition demonstrates, the European space industry continues to foster groundbreaking advancements and facilitate cross-disciplinary collaboration. The ESA's commitment to innovation and the promotion of pioneering experiments propels the European space sector to the forefront of global space exploration and technology development.

Professor Ulbricht concluded:

"Well, just as an extra bonus we may solve one of the hardest puzzles in fundamental physics, namely on how to interface general relativity and quantum theory. That may sound like science fiction, but we have a real chance as space provides a unique environment for macroscopic quantum systems and they can exist for much longer than on earth. With "Mission Possible" we are the first to gain access to this special environment and to attempt performing nanoparticle matterwave interferometry in space"

We are delighted to announce that Senior Research Fellow, Dr Ömer Gürdoğan, has been awarded the highly prestigious Royal Society University Research Fellowship in recognition of his contributions to the field of Scattering Amplitudes in Quantum Field Theory. 

This fellowship acknowledges Dr Gürdoğan's pioneering research programme, titled "New Perspectives in Quantum Field Theory," and aims to support his projects aimed at advancing our understanding of this complex subject. By employing innovative mathematical concepts, Dr Gürdoğan intends to develop a comprehensive framework capable of addressing previously intractable calculations.

A key objective of Dr Gürdoğan's research is to provide a more comprehensive and satisfactory insight into Quantum Field Theory, addressing the limitations of traditional approaches. His work seeks to elucidate the intriguing phenomena observed in results of complex calculations, leading to a deeper understanding of the theory's underlying mechanisms.

This fellowship will strengthen Southampton's role as a prominent hub for yet another field of theoretical and mathematical physics. Dr Gürdoğan's presence and work are anticipated to attract other researchers keen to contribute to this flourishing field.

Dr Ömer Gürdoğan, Physics and Astronomy, FEPS, says:  "I am delighted to have been awarded a Royal Society University Research Fellowship. It means a lot to me to have this recognition and support. I am very excited about all the research that this award will enable me and my team to pursue here at Southampton."

Since 2021, Ömer has been serving as a UKRI Stephen Hawking Fellow at Southampton, further solidifying his position as a distinguished physicist. Prior to this, he gained valuable experience through postdoctoral positions at esteemed institutions such as the University of Oxford, University of Southampton, and École Normale Supérieure in Paris. Ömer's academic journey began with his PhD from Queen Mary, University of London, where he laid the foundation for his career in the field of physics.

The scientific community eagerly awaits the outcomes of Dr Gürdoğan's research, anticipating significant advancements in Quantum Field Theory. His work has the potential to reshape our understanding of this fundamental theory and pave the way for exciting future developments in the field of physics. His exceptional achievements and dedication to advancing our understanding of Quantum Field Theory make him a truly deserving recipient of the Royal Society University Research Fellowship.

Dr Phil Wiseman, a post-doctoral Research Fellow in Physics and Astronomy, has spearheaded a team of astronomers in observing the most significant cosmic explosion ever recorded, caused by a massive black hole. The findings of their study have been published in the Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society.

The explosion, known as AT2021lwx, has currently lasted over three years, compared to most supernovae which are only visibly bright for a few months. It took place nearly 8 billion light years away, when the universe was around 6 billion years old, and is still being detected by a network of telescopes.

Analyses conducted across a range of wavelengths, from X-rays to infra-red, revealed characteristics akin to the gravitational shredding of a star by a supermassive black hole weighing over 100 million times the mass of the sun. However, the brightness of this flare far exceeds expectations for a typical stellar disruption.

Dr Wiseman and his team have concluded that a colossal gas cloud experienced a violent disruption and was engulfed by the black hole, resulting in shockwaves propagating through the cloud remnants and the surrounding dusty "donut" structure. This extraordinary event provides a rare and explosive glimpse into the growth mechanisms of black holes.

“With new facilities, like the Vera Rubin Observatory’s Legacy Survey of Space and Time, coming online in the next few years, we are hoping to discover more events like this and learn more about them. It could be that these events, although extremely rare, are so energetic that they are key processes to how the centres of galaxies change over time.”

Dr Phil Wiseman, Physics and Astronomy, FEPS, says: ‘By meticulously analysing the light's spectrum and evaluating its distinct absorption and emission features across various wavelengths, the team successfully determined the object's distance.’

Professor Sebastian Hoenig, a co-author of the study, highlighted the significance of these calculations, stating: "Once you know the distance to the object and how bright it appears to us, you can calculate the brightness of the object at its source. Once we’d performed those calculations, we realised this is extremely bright.”

Professor Mark Sullivan, another co-author, elaborated on the uniqueness of AT2021lwx, remarking: ""With a quasar, we see the brightness flickering up and down over time. But looking back over a decade there was no detection of AT2021lwx, then suddenly it appears with the brightness of the brightest things in the universe, which is unprecedented.” 

The research paper titled "Multiwavelength observations of the extraordinary accretion event AT2021lwx" has been published in the Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society.

The University of Southampton is proud to have recently joined the Planet Possibility consortium. Working with partners that include the University of Birmingham, the Blair project, Future First and All About Group, the consortium aims to improve the diversity of people learning, researching and working in the field of physics. 

Negative perceptions held by young people toward the topic of physics and a lack of relatable role models are key issues that need addressing to help generate interest and nurture talent. The Institute of Physics has provided the consortium with £1.9m from its IoP Challenge Fund to help deliver a new digital platform and coordinated programme of activity to support the initiative in encouraging and developing talent into physics related careers. 

The University of Southampton is offering bespoke, one-to-one support to neurodiverse physics and astronomy undergraduates in finding placement opportunities tailored to their specific needs. This includes adapting work patterns and skills required for the placement, as well as tailored support in locating placements in specific industries. They are also running a series of workshops that will address industry skills gaps and better place graduates on the jobs market. 

All partners involved, from consortium members to industry placement hosts, will build their experience in diversity and inclusion, whilst engaging and inspiring young people with STEM subjects and careers. 

Professor Malgosia Kaczmarek, Professor of Physics and Astronomy and lead researcher for the project commented: 

‘The challenges that the neurodiverse community in Physics face are not in any way negligible. Engaging in placement activities with industry, in a fast-paced commercial setting which, while helping to address many skills gaps, is not often an activity that the community wants to, or feels able to engage with. Working as part of a consortium through Planet Possibility to embrace challenges at many different levels, and to share skills and expertise that each partner brings respectively to the table, will go a long way in changing current mind-sets, facilitating access to opportunities, free of barriers and ensuring that inclusivity is very firmly placed on the Physics agenda.’