Project overview
Black hole and neutron star studies lie at the forefront of astrophysics research. The birth processes of these massive 'compact objects' still remain unclear. There is evidence that some of these sources are imparted a 'kick' at the instant of formation, like the recoil of a shot gun. This kick can profoundly influence the subsequent fate of the compact object, and is thus important to constrain from observations. The research focus of our project is two-fold. (1) State-of-the-art accurate positional and kinematic data will be analysed to measure the current space motions of black holes and neutron stars in gravitationally bound binary orbits with stars in our Galaxy. These will deliver the best understanding of how birth kicks depend upon compact object mass and gravitational binding energy. These data will also enable us to trace the evolutionary history of known compact object binaries, and to refine predictions for the numbers of merging compact objects that will be found by the gravitational wave observatories. (2) Only about 25 well-characterised black holes are currently known in our Galaxy, whereas the expectation is that many thousands ought to exist, if not more. Our second focus is to expand the census of known compact objects in binary systems. This is now becoming feasible with the confluence of new synoptic surveys of the sky across the electromagnetic spectrum. We intend to combine X-ray and visible light signatures, together with precision positions, to isolate and confirm the presence of massive compact objects. In particular, we expect to create the most complete census of interacting massive binaries to-date within ~8,000 light-years of the Sun. FoCUS will answer long-standing questions on the origins of these mysterious monsters in our Galaxy, and will enable a range of new follow-up studies. The project goals have been aligned to optimally exploit upcoming sky surveys. The project team have a history of demonstrated leadership on black hole studies, and appropriate measures have been put in place to account for risks associated with frontline research projects of this scope. Finally, we intend to impart the results of this survey to traditionally under-represented audiences using novel multi-sensorial techniques.
