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Faculties & Departments
Department of Experimental Physics
Welcome
NUIM Researchers involved in Two
European Space Agency Satellite Missions
The Ariane 5 ECA launcher, carrying on board the Herschel and Planck spacecraft,
lifts off from the Ariane launch pad at the European spaceport in Kourou on 14 May 2009, at 13:12:02 UTC.
For HIFIs 'first-light' observation on 22 June 2009 a giant molecular cloud DR21 was targeted. Deeply hidden within the cloud are newly formed massive stars. The observations were performed as part of the initial testing of different HIFI observing modes. The blue and red boxes show the areas that have been surveyed for ionized carbon (C+ at 1900 GHz), a key diagnostic of the molecular cloud material. Detailed information on the mission to date can be sen at http://herschel.esac.esa.int/FirstLight.shtml
Staff of the Experimental Physics Department at NUI Maynooth are playing a key role in two of the most ambitious missions ever attempted to unveil the secrets of the darkest, coldest and oldest parts of the Universe. The missions got off to a successful start at 14:12 on Thursday 14 May with the dual launch of ESA's far infrared space telescope Herschel and cosmic background mapper Planck on an Ariane 5 rocket from Europe's Spaceport in French Guiana.
The Planck Surveyor will study the Cosmic Microwave Background radiation, the fading glow of the Big Bang, looking back in time almost 14 billion years to the origin of the universe. The Herschel Space Observatory will observe the cold material in galaxies where stars are born and observe the evolution of galaxies since the early universe.
Researchers belonging to the Terahertz Optics Group led by Prof. Anthony Murphy and Dr. Neil Trappe and also involving Dr. Creidhe O’Sullivan have been key players in international consortia of scientists and engineers who have designed, built and tested exquisitely sensitive receivers at the heart of major instruments on board the two satellites. Maynooth has also made a critical contribution to the analysis of the satellite telescope mirrors using techniques pioneered by senior research fellow Tully Peacocke. The research has been funded by grants from Enterprise Ireland, the Irish Council for Science Engineering and Technology, Science Foundation Ireland and a Prodex awards administered by the European Space Agency on behalf of Enterprise Ireland.
The Tertahertz Optics Group have played a crucial role supporting the development and construction of the state-of-the-art technologies for HIFI (the Heterodyne Instrument for the Far Infrared) on board Herschel and for the High Frequency Instrument on Planck. The group’s particular niche expertise is in optics design and analysis in the far infrared and terahertz bands. The group has been heavily involved in the optical system design, verification and calibration for both instruments.
The Herschel 3.5m telescope mirror, the largest single mirror ever built for a space telescope, will collect long-wavelength radiation from some of the coldest and most distant objects in the Universe. The HIFI instrument in particular will be able to observe water molecules in dense galactic gas clouds impossible from the ground and examine in great detail the molecular chemistry of the universe.
Over the decade since NUI Maynooth got involved a total of 1 MSc and 12 PhD students have worked on these ambitious missions and 5 research fellows have been funded including Dr. Emily Gleeson, who now works for Met Eireann. The group will continue to play a role supporting the post launch commissioning and analysis of the scientific data which Planck and Herschel will produce over the coming years.
Welcome to Experimental Physics at NUIM
Welcome to the webpages for the Department of Experimental Physics at N.U.I., Maynooth. An informal and friendly atmosphere exists within the department. We pride ourselves in Experimental Physics on the attention we offer students. Our website provides details of all of the department’s activities and courses. 
These range from undergraduate to postgraduate to research and include laboratory sessions for second level students..
Physics
Here we see some of our students using the laboratory facilities to perform experiments on light using an optical bench (above), and to analyse musical notes using an oscilloscope and computer (left).
Information on the B.Sc. degree in Physics with Astrophysics (MH204) is available from the menu to the left. Feel free to browse our website and contact us with any queries, or to arrange a visit.
Experimental Physics Department on Facebook.
!!! Attention Students !!!
Higher Diploma in Applied Physics.
Places are available on this course for 2009/2010. This is a one-year, full-time course running from September to May. The course is part-funded by the Higher Education Authority 'Graduate Skills Conversion Programme'. EU students are required to pay €2000 for the course, with the HEA subsidising the remainder. For further details, please go to the following web page:
http://physics.nuim.ie/courses/hdipmain.shtml
Prospective New Entrants
Click here to find information specific to taking up a degree in Experimental Physics (MH201) or in Physics with Astrophysocs (MH204).
The Experimental Physics Dept representing NUI Maynooth on the IOP stand at the Young Scientist exhibition in the RDS Jan 2009
Department News:
4th year Astrophysics research project : observations taken at Obsevatoire de Haute-Provence, France, October, 2009
View photos of the Obsevatoire de Haute-Provence trip here
Astrophysics field trip to Jodrell Bank, England, 2009
View photos of the Jodrell Bank trip here
4th year Astrophysics research project : observations taken at Obsevatoire de Haute-Provence, France, October, 2008
View photos of the Obsevatoire de Haute-Provence trip here
Astrophysics field trip to Jodrell Bank, England, 2008
View photos of the Jodrell Bank trip here
4th year Astrophysics research project : observations taken at Obsevatoire de Haute-Provence, France, October, 2007
View photos of the Obsevatoire de Haute-Provence trip here
May 2007 Field Trip to European Space Agency Labs at Noordwijk, Holland
View photos of ESA field trip here
2nd year Astrophysics field trip to Jodrell Bank, England, 2007
View photos of the Jodrell Bank trip here
4th year Astrophysics research project : observations taken at Obsevatoire de Haute-Provence, France, October, 2006
View photos of the Obsevatoire de Haute-Provence trip here
2nd year Astrophysics field trip to Jodrell Bank, England, 2006
View photos of the Jodrell Bank trip here
4th year Astrophysics research project : observations taken at Obsevatoire de Haute-Provence, France, October 2005
View photos of the Obsevatoire de Haute-Provence trip here
Astrophysics field trip to the European Space Research and Technology facility at Noordwijk, Holland 2004
View photos of the Noordwijk trip here
NUI Maynooth Society Astro2 wins prestigious award
Astro2, the Astronomy and Physics Society at NUI Maynooth, was presented with the Nexus Award for Best Student Physics Society in the UK and Ireland on 19 January 2006. Nexus is the student branch of the Institute of Physics, the professional body for physicists in the UK and Ireland. Visit the Astrophysics Section of this website here.
Pictured above l to r: President of the Institute of Physics, Professor Sir John Enderby is pictured with Emily Duffy and Eoin Butler.
Where To Now? - Essential Information for 3rd & 4th year students