Topics in Astronomy that pique my interest

Active Galaxies

Feedback in active galaxies span a range of processes which couple the energetic output of an accreting nuclear Supermassive Black Hole (SMBH) with the gas in the host galaxy. Under this umbrella, one may find feedback from photoionization heating, cosmic ray and radio jet pressure, radiation pressure, magnetic and radiative disk winds, and shock-driven acceleration and heating. My overarching research goal is to understand the detailed physics of AGN feedback, both in itself and as a force in galaxy evolution. One way is to look at galaxies where AGN feedback is at play and use the best possible data around explore what effects energy from the AGN has on the circumnuclear environment.

- HST imaging and spectroscopy of Seyfert galaxies with radio jets
With STIS spectra from the Hubble Space Telescope, as well as images in the optical, Near-IR and radio from HST/VLA/MERLIN, I have studied a set of local Seyfert galaxies with radio jets and emission line outflows. We uncover a great deal of complex kinematic behaviour and show the importance of such things as the gas density of the circum-nucleqr environment or the presence of a gas disc in determining how the outflow and feedback from the jet interacts with the gas around the nucleus. For e.g., in NGC 5929 (see right), we show that a shock from the jet can ionize gas directly and that the jet itself can carry a large fraction of nuclear energy.

- Multi-wavelength Properties of High-Redshift AGN

- Double-peaked Narrow-Line AGN - What are they?

Astronomical Surveys

Galaxy Kinematics and Outflows

Abundance Evolution in Galaxies