Welcome! I am a radio astronomer at Durham University. In my research, I focus on the effect that supermassive black holes have on the formation and evolution of galaxy clusters. In particular, I primarily study the radio properties of these black hole systems, which reveal how these black holes heat up the cluster environment and affect the formation of new stars.

Observationally, I specialize in high-resolution radio observations taken at low frequencies, and am therefore a member of the LOFAR Surveys KSP Collaboration and the Square Kilometer Array VLBI Science Working Group. Within these collaborations, I contribute to the development of calibration strategies and software, which have resulted in multiple observational breakthroughs.

Prior to my current position at Durham University, I obtained my PhD at Leiden Observatory. Before that, I studied at the University of Groningen.

Please feel free to contact me via email at roland.timmerman durham.ac.uk

New high-resolution radio images of galaxy clusters made with LOFAR

Following the release of the new LOFAR-VLBI pipeline, we published a series of high-resolution radio maps of active galactic nuclei in galaxy clusters. Notably, these maps beautifully show the interaction between the magnetized plasma orginating from the central AGN (shown here in red) with the surrounding intracluster medium (shown in blue). Thanks to these new observations, we are able to measure the total energy output of these AGNs in more detail, helping us understand how galaxy clusters form. Currently, we are working on using these new observational capabilities to study these systems in the early Universe.

Our paper on these results was published in the peer-reviewed journal Astronomy & Astrophysics.

Deep radio observations of galaxy clusters in the early Universe

Following up on our previous project in the nearby Universe, we received 50 hours of LOFAR observing time on a sample of high-redshift galaxy clusters. Using the resulting images, we are able to study the effect supermassive black holes have on the formation and evolution of galaxy clusters. The example shown here, with the 144 MHz radio emission shown in red, shows part of a galaxy cluster at less than half the current age of the Universe. Two radio lobes formed by jetted outflows from the central supermassive black hole are shown to shoot out of their galaxy and into the cluster environment. These are some of the most distant radio lobes ever observed with such rich detail.

Our paper on these results was published in the peer-reviewed journal Astronomy & Astrophysics.