Profiles
Ross Turner
Ross Turner
Lecturer and Research Fellow
Room 436 , Physics
03 6226 2411 (phone)
Ross Turner is a Lecturer in Physics and ARC Research Fellow at the University of Tasmania. His primary area of research is computational physics with applications in theoretical astrophysics and Antarctic Sciences. He is particularly interested in modelling the physics of jet-inflated lobes emanating from active supermassive black holes (Active Galactic Nuclei; AGN) both to understand the formation history of distant galaxies and as standard rulers in cosmology. He interests in Antarctic Sciences relate to the clustering seismic signals from active glaciers using unsupervised machine learning and developing techniques to explain correlations between climate indicators in the age of big data. Ross is the Tasmanian Chair and Head of Digital Transformation for QueersInScience.
Biography
Ross received his PhD from the University of Tasmania in 2018. He was appointed as an ARC Research Fellow in Mathematical and Computational Geophysics in 2018, and as a Lecturer in 2019. Ross had previously lectured and tutored mathematics and physics units whilst completing his PhD commencing in 2014. Ross has contributed more than ten first-author peer-reviewed publications in astrophysics and computational Earth Sciences, and has won over $2 million in competitive research funding.
Career summary
Qualifications
Degree | Thesis Title | University | Country | Date of Award |
|---|---|---|---|---|
PhD | Dynamics and Synchrotron Emission from Radio-loud AGN | University of Tasmania | Australia | 23/03/2018 |
BSc (1st Class Hons) | Evolution of Radio-loud Active Galactic Nuclei | University of Tasmania | Australia | 16/12/2013 |
View more on Dr Ross Turner in WARP
Expertise
- Astrophysics
- Bayesian Inference
- Computational Earth Sciences
- Machine Learning
- Radio Astronomy
Research Themes
Ross’ primary research interest is computational physics with applications in theoretical astrophysics and Antarctic Sciences. This research aligns to the University’s themes of Data, Knowledge and Decisions, and Marine, Antarctic and Maritime. Ross created the RAiSE (Radio AGN in Semi-Analytic Environments) software package to simulate the physics of jet-inflated lobes emanating from active supermassive black holes (Active Galactic Nuclei; AGN), and the RAiSERed (RAiSE Redshift) package to constrain the expansion rate of the universe at the cosmological distances of these objects. He is particularly interested in applying these and other theoretical tools to interpret next-generation large sky surveys such as the Square Kilometre Array and its pathfinders. In Antarctic Sciences, Ross is interested in clustering seismic signals from active glaciers using unsupervised machine learning and developing techniques to explain correlations between climate indicators in the age of big data.
Collaboration
Ross’ external research collaborations include those with colleagues at the Australian Antarctic Division, Curtin University, University of Hertfordshire, University of Western Australia, and CSIRO Astronomy and Space Science.
Awards
- 2016 Research Excellence Award, University of Tasmania
- 2014 Bok Prize, Astronomical Society of Australia
- 2013 Ken McCracken Honours Prize in Physics, Australian Institute of Physics
- 2013 University Medal, University of Tasmania
Current projects
Ross’ research portfolio spans a diverse range of theoretical astrophysics and computational Earth Sciences projects:
- Breaking the Hubble Constant Dichotomy with High-Redshift Radio AGNs
- Clustering Seismic Events from Active Glaciers using Unsupervised Machine Learning
- Finding Linkages between Climate Indicators in the Age of Big Data
- Properties of Remnant Radio Galaxies in Multi-frequency Surveys
- RAiSERed: Radio Continuum Redshifts for Next Generation Large Sky Surveys
Fields of Research
- Cosmology and extragalactic astronomy (510103)
- Geodynamics (370604)
- Computational methods in fluid flow, heat and mass transfer (incl. computational fluid dynamics) (401204)
- Structural geology and tectonics (370511)
- Seismology and seismic exploration (370609)
Research Objectives
- Expanding knowledge in the physical sciences (280120)
- Geological hazards (e.g. earthquakes, landslides and volcanic activity) (190403)
- Expanding knowledge in the environmental sciences (280111)
- Applied computing (220402)
- Expanding knowledge in the earth sciences (280107)
Publications
Ross Turner has a track record of novel publications in the field of astrophysics, and more recently computational Earth Sciences, with over ten first-author papers accepted in peer-reviewed since 2015. He has averaged three first-author publications a year, in addition to his contributions as a co-author, since completing his doctoral thesis in 2018. Ross regularly reviews for all the major international astrophysics journals.
Total publications
16
Highlighted publications
(3 outputs)| Year | Type | Citation | Altmetrics |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2020 | Journal Article | Turner RJ, Shabala SS, 'RAiSE X: searching for radio galaxies in X-ray surveys', Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society, 493, (4) Article staa702. ISSN 0035-8711 (2020) [Refereed Article] DOI: 10.1093/mnras/staa702 [eCite] [Details] Citations: Scopus - 3Web of Science - 3 Co-authors: Shabala SS | |
| 2018 | Journal Article | Turner RJ, Rogers JG, Shabala SS, Krause MGH, 'RAiSE II: resolved spectral evolution in radio AGN', Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society, 473, (3) pp. 4179-4196. ISSN 0035-8711 (2018) [Refereed Article] DOI: 10.1093/mnras/stx2591 [eCite] [Details] Citations: Scopus - 21Web of Science - 20 Co-authors: Shabala SS; Krause MGH | |
| 2015 | Journal Article | Turner RJ, Shabala SS, 'Energetics and lifetimes of local radio active galactic nuclei', The Astrophysical Journal, 806, (1) Article 59. ISSN 0004-637X (2015) [Refereed Article] DOI: 10.1088/0004-637X/806/1/59 [eCite] [Details] Citations: Scopus - 56Web of Science - 57 Co-authors: Shabala SS |
Journal Article
(14 outputs)| Year | Citation | Altmetrics |
|---|---|---|
| 2020 | Seymour N, Huynh M, Shabala SS, Rogers J, Davies LJM, et al., 'PKS 2250-351: A giant radio galaxy in Abell 3936', Publications of the Astronomical Society of Australia, 37 Article e013. ISSN 1323-3580 (2020) [Refereed Article] Co-authors: Shabala SS | |
| 2020 | Shabala SS, Jurlin N, Morganti R, Brienza M, Hardcastle MJ, et al., 'The duty cycle of radio galaxies revealed by LOFAR: remnant and restarted radio source populations in the Lockman Hole', Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society, 496, (2) pp. 1706-1717. ISSN 0035-8711 (2020) [Refereed Article] DOI: 10.1093/mnras/staa1172 [eCite] [Details] Citations: Scopus - 5Web of Science - 4 Co-authors: Shabala SS | |
| 2020 | Turner RJ, Drouart G, Seymour N, Shabala SS, 'RAiSERed: radio continuum redshifts for lobed active galactic nuclei', Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society, 499, (3) pp. 3660-3672. ISSN 0035-8711 (2020) [Refereed Article] DOI: 10.1093/mnras/staa3067 [eCite] [Details] Co-authors: Shabala SS | |
| 2020 | Turner RJ, Gal M, Hemer MA, Reading AM, 'Impacts of the cryosphere and atmosphere on observed microseisms generated in the Southern Ocean', Journal of Geophysical Research: Earth Surface, 125, (2) Article e2019JF005354. ISSN 2169-9003 (2020) [Refereed Article] DOI: 10.1029/2019JF005354 [eCite] [Details] Citations: Scopus - 1Web of Science - 1 Co-authors: Gal M; Reading AM | |
| 2020 | Turner RJ, Reading AM, King MA, 'Separation of tectonic and local components of horizontal GPS station velocities: a case study for glacial isostatic adjustment in East Antarctica', Geophysical Journal International, 222, (3) pp. 1555-1569. ISSN 0956-540X (2020) [Refereed Article] DOI: 10.1093/gji/ggaa265 [eCite] [Details] Co-authors: Reading AM; King MA | |
| 2020 | Turner RJ, Shabala SS, 'RAiSE X: searching for radio galaxies in X-ray surveys', Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society, 493, (4) Article staa702. ISSN 0035-8711 (2020) [Refereed Article] DOI: 10.1093/mnras/staa702 [eCite] [Details] Citations: Scopus - 3Web of Science - 3 Co-authors: Shabala SS | |
| 2019 | Turner RJ, Shabala SS, 'Cosmology with powerful radio-loud AGNs', Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society, 486, (1) pp. 1225-1235. ISSN 0035-8711 (2019) [Refereed Article] DOI: 10.1093/mnras/stz922 [eCite] [Details] Citations: Scopus - 5Web of Science - 5 Co-authors: Shabala SS | |
| 2018 | Rodman PE, Turner RJ, Shabala SS, Banfield JK, Wong OI, et al., 'Radio Galaxy Zoo: observational evidence for environment as the cause of radio source asymmetry', Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society, 482, (4) pp. 5625-5641. ISSN 0035-8711 (2018) [Refereed Article] DOI: 10.1093/mnras/sty3070 [eCite] [Details] Citations: Scopus - 6Web of Science - 5 Co-authors: Rodman PE; Shabala SS | |
| 2018 | Turner RJ, 'Duty-cycle and energetics of remnant radio-loud AGN', Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society, 476, (2) pp. 2522-2529. ISSN 0035-8711 (2018) [Refereed Article] DOI: 10.1093/mnras/sty433 [eCite] [Details] Citations: Scopus - 9Web of Science - 10 | |
| 2018 | Turner RJ, Rogers JG, Shabala SS, Krause MGH, 'RAiSE II: resolved spectral evolution in radio AGN', Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society, 473, (3) pp. 4179-4196. ISSN 0035-8711 (2018) [Refereed Article] DOI: 10.1093/mnras/stx2591 [eCite] [Details] Citations: Scopus - 21Web of Science - 20 Co-authors: Shabala SS; Krause MGH | |
| 2018 | Turner RJ, Shabala SS, Krause MGH, 'RAiSE III: 3C radio AGN energetics and composition', Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society, 474, (3) pp. 3361-3379. ISSN 0035-8711 (2018) [Refereed Article] DOI: 10.1093/mnras/stx2947 [eCite] [Details] Citations: Scopus - 20Web of Science - 20 Co-authors: Shabala SS; Krause MGH | |
| 2017 | Shabala SS, Deller A, Kaviraj S, Middelberg E, Turner RJ, et al., 'Delayed triggering of radio active galactic nuclei in gas-rich minor mergers in the local Universe', Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society, 464, (4) pp. 4706-4720. ISSN 0035-8711 (2017) [Refereed Article] DOI: 10.1093/mnras/stw2536 [eCite] [Details] Citations: Scopus - 27Web of Science - 25 Co-authors: Shabala SS | |
| 2015 | Turner RJ, Shabala SS, 'Energetics and lifetimes of local radio active galactic nuclei', The Astrophysical Journal, 806, (1) Article 59. ISSN 0004-637X (2015) [Refereed Article] DOI: 10.1088/0004-637X/806/1/59 [eCite] [Details] Citations: Scopus - 56Web of Science - 57 Co-authors: Shabala SS | |
| 2012 | Turner RJ, Ellingsen SP, Shabala SS, Blanchard J, Lovell JEJ, et al., 'BL LAC OBJECT PKS B1144−379: An extreme scintillator', The Astrophysical Journal Letters, 754, (2) Article L19. ISSN 2041-8205 (2012) [Refereed Article] DOI: 10.1088/2041-8205/754/2/L19 [eCite] [Details] Citations: Scopus - 5Web of Science - 4 Co-authors: Ellingsen SP; Shabala SS; Blanchard J; Lovell JEJ; McCallum JN |
Conference Publication
(2 outputs)| Year | Citation | Altmetrics |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | Stal T, Reading AM, Cracknell MJ, Halpin JA, Latto RB, et al., 'Data-driven tectonic regionalization of Antarctica: Appreciate the similarity', Australian Earth Sciences Convention 2021 - 'Core to Cosmos', 9-12 February 2021, Virtual Conference, Online (Australia) (2021) [Conference Extract] Co-authors: Stal T; Reading AM; Cracknell MJ; Halpin JA; Latto RB; Morse PE; Whittaker JM | |
| 2020 | Staal T, Reading AM, Fox J, Halpin JA, Kelly I, et al., 'Multivariate geothermal heat flow models of Antarctica, towards Aq2', American Geophysical Union Fall Meeting 2020, 7-11 December, Virtual Conference, Online (USA) (2020) [Conference Extract] Co-authors: Staal T; Reading AM; Fox J; Halpin JA; Phipps SJ; Whittaker JM |
Ross has successfully led or co-led numerous competitive research proposals including a Legacy Project on the Australia Telescope Compact Array (2016-2020), an ambitious project to observe redshift z=10 galaxies with the Hubble Telescope (2020-2021), and more targeted proposals using uGMRT (2019) and eRosita (2020).
Research Supervision
Ross has been an active supervisor of research students since 2015 on topics with a focus on theoretical astrophysics and computational Earth Sciences. These projects generally require a decent knowledge of programming in high-level languages such as python and some familiarity with lower-level languages including C++. A limited number of research projects may be available for prospective students wishing to study astrophysics in the fields of active galactic nuclei or cosmology. Students wishing to join the Computational Geophysics and Earth Informatics Group are encouraged to contact Professor Anya Reading to discuss potential projects.
Current
1
Current
| Degree | Title | Commenced |
|---|---|---|
| Masters | Active Glacier Processes from Seismology | 2020 |