Somak Raychaudhury
Encyclopedia
Dr Somak Raychaudhury is
an astrophysicist at the University of Birmingham
, England
. Besides teaching various courses in Astronomy
& Cosmology
, and supervising postgraduate research students, Dr Raychaudhury has also been very actively involved in several public outreach activities throughout his academic career in the USA, India and in England.
Dr Raychaudhury is interested in studying the Large-scale structure of the Universe
and its influence on galaxy formation and galaxy evolution. He is involved in various projects observing galaxies, galaxy groups and clusters
and superclusters at optical, X-ray and radio wavelengths. In particular, he has studied the properties of galaxies on the Cosmic Web, as well as in groups and clusters. He has studied the distribution of dark matter, and of light in galaxies and clusters, using optical photometry
and spectroscopy
, by tracing the distribution of X-ray emitting hot gas between galaxies in clusters, and by gravitational lensing.
Dr Raychaudhury's interest also lies in developing novel algorithms for astronomical data analysis and data mining
, and this has led to inter-disciplinary research with academics in Machine learning
and Statistics
.
One of his major contributions to Astronomy is the discovery of the Shapley supercluster
, the largest and most massive structure of galaxies in the local Universe. He is a frequent user of the Giant Metrewave radio telescope (GMRT) in the study of groups and clusters.
an astrophysicist at the University of Birmingham
University of Birmingham
The University of Birmingham is a British Redbrick university located in the city of Birmingham, England. It received its royal charter in 1900 as a successor to Birmingham Medical School and Mason Science College . Birmingham was the first Redbrick university to gain a charter and thus...
, England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
. Besides teaching various courses in Astronomy
Astronomy
Astronomy is a natural science that deals with the study of celestial objects and phenomena that originate outside the atmosphere of Earth...
& Cosmology
Cosmology
Cosmology is the discipline that deals with the nature of the Universe as a whole. Cosmologists seek to understand the origin, evolution, structure, and ultimate fate of the Universe at large, as well as the natural laws that keep it in order...
, and supervising postgraduate research students, Dr Raychaudhury has also been very actively involved in several public outreach activities throughout his academic career in the USA, India and in England.
Dr Raychaudhury is interested in studying the Large-scale structure of the Universe
Universe
The Universe is commonly defined as the totality of everything that exists, including all matter and energy, the planets, stars, galaxies, and the contents of intergalactic space. Definitions and usage vary and similar terms include the cosmos, the world and nature...
and its influence on galaxy formation and galaxy evolution. He is involved in various projects observing galaxies, galaxy groups and clusters
Galaxy groups and clusters
Galaxy groups and clusters are the largest known gravitationally bound objects to have arisen thus far in the process of cosmic structure formation. They form the densest part of the large scale structure of the universe...
and superclusters at optical, X-ray and radio wavelengths. In particular, he has studied the properties of galaxies on the Cosmic Web, as well as in groups and clusters. He has studied the distribution of dark matter, and of light in galaxies and clusters, using optical photometry
Photometry (astronomy)
Photometry is a technique of astronomy concerned with measuring the flux, or intensity of an astronomical object's electromagnetic radiation...
and spectroscopy
Spectroscopy
Spectroscopy is the study of the interaction between matter and radiated energy. Historically, spectroscopy originated through the study of visible light dispersed according to its wavelength, e.g., by a prism. Later the concept was expanded greatly to comprise any interaction with radiative...
, by tracing the distribution of X-ray emitting hot gas between galaxies in clusters, and by gravitational lensing.
Dr Raychaudhury's interest also lies in developing novel algorithms for astronomical data analysis and data mining
Data mining
Data mining , a relatively young and interdisciplinary field of computer science is the process of discovering new patterns from large data sets involving methods at the intersection of artificial intelligence, machine learning, statistics and database systems...
, and this has led to inter-disciplinary research with academics in Machine learning
Machine learning
Machine learning, a branch of artificial intelligence, is a scientific discipline concerned with the design and development of algorithms that allow computers to evolve behaviors based on empirical data, such as from sensor data or databases...
and Statistics
Statistics
Statistics is the study of the collection, organization, analysis, and interpretation of data. It deals with all aspects of this, including the planning of data collection in terms of the design of surveys and experiments....
.
One of his major contributions to Astronomy is the discovery of the Shapley supercluster
Shapley Supercluster
The Shapley Supercluster or Shapley Concentration is the largest concentration of galaxies in our nearby universe that forms a gravitationally interacting unit, thereby pulling itself together instead of expanding with the universe. It appears as a striking overdensity in the distribution of...
, the largest and most massive structure of galaxies in the local Universe. He is a frequent user of the Giant Metrewave radio telescope (GMRT) in the study of groups and clusters.