Astrophysics researcher building open-source tools to study the early Universe · MSc Astrophysics (Distinction), University of Hertfordshire
For my MSc research, supervised by Prof. Kristen Coppin, I analysed ALMA observations of the submillimetre galaxy SGP 38326 at z = 4.4. I used both neutral-carbon [CI] lines to measure its excitation temperature and molecular gas mass, and Bayesian (MCMC) non-LTE radiative-transfer modelling to constrain the physical conditions of its gas. I validated my pipeline by reproducing published results for a comparison source before applying it to my own target. A paper from this work is in preparation.
Beyond galaxies, I'm drawn to the physics of the early Universe: hydrogen recombination, the formation of the cosmic microwave background, and the wider questions where cosmology meets particle physics.
CMB-Decoupling models hydrogen recombination with the Saha equation (including helium) and the Peebles three-level atom, then computes the Thomson optical depth and the visibility function of last scattering. Validated against CAMB/RECFAST: last scattering at z* = 1089.44, compared with CAMB's 1089.89. Tested with pytest and CI.
Visibility function (left) and optical depth (right). The Peebles model tracks CAMB/RECFAST closely; Saha equilibrium puts last scattering about 200 in redshift too early.
Python (NumPy, SciPy, Astropy, Matplotlib) · emcee / MCMC · CASA · RADEX · Git & GitHub Actions · LaTeX
Applying for funded PhD positions in cosmology, starting September 2027.