• Question: What theory's are you currently working on ? Have made any progress?

    Asked by shasow15 to Colm, Eoin, Joseph, Lauren, Stephen on 14 Nov 2013.
    • Photo: Stephen Scully

      Stephen Scully answered on 14 Nov 2013:

      I am working on Quasi-Optical-Bolometric-Interferometry for use in next generation telescopes for the study of the origins of the universe, specifically for the detection and mapping of B-Mode polarisation in the Cosmic Microwave Background Radiation.

      I have made loads of progress, but there is soooooooooo much still left to do.

    • Photo: Eoin O Colgain

      Eoin O Colgain answered on 14 Nov 2013:

      T-duality is a symmetry of String theory when the spacetime has one direction that corresponds to a circle. I am studying a natural generalisation of this duality for spheres and have recently uncovered some interesting features of the corresponding spacetimes.

    • Photo: Lauren Mc Keown

      Lauren Mc Keown answered on 14 Nov 2013:

      I’m currently looking at the magnetic structure of red giant stars which are a bit different from our Sun (which we know a lot about!) and have atmospheres which are considered to be cold. I’m beginning to do this by first modelling the magnetic structure using computer codes and then comparing the predictions from various models with actual data that one of my colleagues has taken. This will tell me if the models I am testing are accurate – whether experiment agrees with theory. I’m sure I will do a lot more than that, hopefully take my own data (involving a bit of travel) and hopefully figure out what exactly is going on with the atmospheres of these stars! It’s all a bit of an adventure from here on in 🙂

    • Photo: Joseph Roche

      Joseph Roche answered on 16 Nov 2013:

      I have a theory for taking over the world. But so far I have not made much progress.

    • Photo: colm bracken

      colm bracken answered on 18 Nov 2013:

      My current job is to develop a type of theory called mode-matching theory and then apply it to simulations of microwave antennas. The antennas are then used in space telescopes that are launched into orbit.
      However in my spare time I play around with quantum theory and theoretical astrophysics. Currently I am trying to develop an alternative to the Dark Matter theory. This is obviously a big job and I do not have many supporters since most physicists believe in the Dark Matter theory. But I am making small steps in the right direction. The maths that are needed can be a bit tricky at times so I need to do lots of background reading. Pursuits like these are really worth it because if and when you make the big breakthrough then there is nothing like that feeling (I imagine).

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