Welcome to Andrew's Homepage!

(Top.) X-ray image of the inner Crab nebula, taken by the Chandra X-ray Observatory. The torus and interior ring lie in the equatorial plane of the relativistic wind of the Crab pulsar. The jet is directed along the poles. The radius of the torus is approximately 0.1 parsecs.
(Bottom.) The Theorist Ignites a Supernova Behind his Whiteboard, or Life Imitates Art. (Click for full sized version.)

Contact details

Curriculum vitae (abridged)

Research interests

• Gravitational waves
  • Theory of new LIGO sources: magnetic mountains on accreting neutron stars
  • Theory of new LIGO sources: superfluid turbulence in neutron stars
  • Theory of new LIGO sources: pulsar glitches
  • Dynamics in f(R) gravity
  • LIGO data analysis: continuous-wave searches directed at low-mass X-ray binaries and young supernova remnants
  • LIGO signal processing: frequency tracking with hidden Markov models
• Isolated neutron stars
  • Theory of wave-like, relativistic pulsar winds (e.g. sigma paradox)
  • Pulsar-powered supernova remnants (e.g. Crab nebula)
  • Electromagnetic particle-in-cell simulations of ultra-high-energy particle acceleration in pulsar wind termination shocks
  • Disruptive magnetic storms in ultra-magnetized (1e15 G!) soft gamma-ray repeaters
  • Spin-down physics (e.g. braking index)
  • Precession
• Pulsar timing
  • Systematic glitch detection with hidden Markov models
  • Anomalous braking indices
  • Tracking timing noise with a two-component crust-superfluid model and a Kalman filter
  • Pulsar timing arrays: continuous wave sources
• Superfluid dynamics
  • Fundamental physics of bulk matter above nuclear density (e.g. exotic strange-quark phases)
  • Kelvin-Helmholtz instability and vorticity transfer in helium 3
  • Global, time-dependent flow of superfluid in a neutron star (e.g. first-ever 3D simulations of spherical Couette superflow)
  • Superfluid turbulence
  • Dynamics of quantum vortices in superfluids and Bose-Einstein condensates
  • Dynamics of quantum flux tubes in type II superconductors
  • Pulsar glitches and timing noise
• Accreting neutron stars
  • Analytic theory and MHD simulations of polar magnetic burial
  • Instabilities in the disk-magnetosphere boundary layer
  • Physics of time-dependent accretion (e.g. torque flip-flops)
  • X-ray spectroscopy: cyclotron resonance scattering features
  • Kalman filter measurements of magnetic dipole moment, accretion efficiency, and magnetospheric fluctuations
• Galaxy structure
  • Statistical mechanics of cold dark matter haloes
• Pattern formation in far-from-equilibrium systems
  • Cellular automaton models of pulsar glitches
  • Statistical mechanics of biological populations
  • Econophysics: the role of credit in the global stability of financial systems
  • Opinion dynamics: perceptions of media bias in networks of Bayesian learners
  • Art: tape drawing and undrawing (with visual artist Briony Barr; check out these cool photos and movies and Briony's home page)
• Nonlinear plasma physics
  • Numerical simulations of beam-driven, electromagnetic Zakharov turbulence
  • Coherent wave-particle interactions: transit-time scattering and heating
  • Lower-hybrid wave collapse in the Earth's auroras

• Gravitational wave spectrum emitted by (1) an oscillating neutron star magnetic mountain - PDF file, 0.33MB - and (2) Taylor-Gortler vortices in a differentially rotating neutron star - PDF file, 0.50MB
• Two-dimensional oscillations of a magnetic mountain at the poles of an accreting neutron star - magnetic field lines (solid curves) and density contours (dashed curves) - MPG movie, 6.2MB
• Three-dimensional oscillations of a magnetic mountain - magnetic field lines (green tubes) and isodensity surface (red surface) - WMV movie, 1.3MB - and snapshot after 20 Alfven times (magnetic tension = yellow shading) - JPEG image, 0.18MB
• Helical Taylor-Gortler vortices travelling around the equator of a differentially rotating neutron star - surface of constant vorticity - AVI movie, 11MB
• Global meridional circulation of a neutron superfluid inside a differentially rotating neutron star - meridional streamlines - AVI movie, 34MB
• Three-dimensional hydro simulation of the bow shock enclosing a pulsar zooming through the interstellar medium - density colour scale - JPG image, 32kB

Postdoctoral fellows

• Pedro Rossetto: PhD in general relativity, U. Otago, New Zealand -> short-term postdoctoral fellowship on neutron star magnetic mountains (U. Melb, 2023-present) ->
• Joe O'Leary: PhD in applied mathematics, general relativity, and space tracking, University of South Australia -> research fellow, Electro Optic Systems (EOS) Space Systems, Australia -> postdoctoral fellow in pulsar timing (U. Melb, 2022-present) ->
• Tom Kimpson: PhD in general relativity and compact object astrophysics, University College London, UK -> postdoctoral fellowship in machine learning and climate science, University of Oxford, UK -> postdoctoral fellow in gravitational wave data analysis and pulsar timing (U. Melb, 2022-present) ->
• Meg Millhouse: PhD in gravitational wave burst searches with LIGO, Montana State University, USA -> postdoctoral fellow in gravitational wave data analysis (U. Melb, 2018-2022) -> postdoctoral fellow in LIGO data analysis, Georgia Institute of Technology, USA ->
• Pat Meyers: PhD in LIGO detector characterisation and LIGO searches for stochastic gravitational waves, University of Minnesota, USA -> postdoctoral fellow in gravitational wave data analysis (U. Melb, 2018-2021) -> postdoctoral fellow with the NANOGrav pulsar timing array, Jet Propulsion Laboratory and California Institute of Technology, USA ->
• Hannah Middleton: PhD in LIGO and pulsar timing array astrophysics, University of Birmingham, UK -> postdoctoral fellow in gravitational wave data analysis (U. Melb, 2018-2021) -> postdoctoral fellow in LISA data analysis, University of Birmingham, UK ->
• Sofia Suvorova: postdoctoral fellow in gravitational wave signal processing (U. Melb, 2017-present) ->
• Brynmor Haskell: postdoctoral fellow, Max-Planck Institute for Gravitational Wave Physics (Albert Einstein Institute), Germany -> Discovery Early Career Research Award, Australian Research Council (U. Melb, 2013-2015) in neutron star theory -> tenure-track faculty, Nicolaus Copernicus Astronomical Centre, Polish Academy of Sciences, Warsaw, Poland ->
• Paul Lasky: Humboldt Fellow, University of Tuebingen, Germany -> postdoctoral fellow (U. Melb, 2011-14) in theoretical and observational gravitational wave astrophysics -> postdoctoral fellow in pulsar timing array research, Monash University -> Australian Research Council Future Fellow, Monash University (2018 Pawsey Medal of the Australian Academy of Science) -> tenured faculty, Monash University
• Duncan Galloway: postdoctoral associate, Kavli Institute for Astrophysics and Space Research, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, USA -> Centenary Fellow (U. Melb, 2005-07) in observational high-energy astrophysics -> Australian Research Council Future Fellow, Monash University -> tenured faculty, Monash University ->

Research students

• Postgraduate
  • Jarra Horstman: MSc on opinion dynamics (U. Melb, 2024) ->
  • Wenhao (Eric) Dong: MSc on gravitational waves from accretion-driven neutron star oscillations (U. Melb, 2023) ->
  • Thippayawis (Tong) Cheunchitra: MSc on inhomogeneous cosmology (U. Melb, 2023) ->
  • Yutong (Tracy) Bu: MSc on partisan disruption in networks of Bayesian learners (U. Melb, 2022) -> PhD on opinion dynamics and gravitational wave data analysis (w/ Robin Evans, Department of Electrical and Electronic Engineering, U. Melb, 2027) ->
  • Kok Hong (Jacky) Thong: MSc on quantum mechanical interactions between superfluid vortices and superconductor flux tubes (U. Melb, 2022) -> PhD on general relativity, exotic spacetimes, and quantum fluids in neutron stars (U. Melb, 2027) ->
  • Changrong Liu: PhD on signal processing, control theory, and algorithm design in the context of detecting sinusoidal signals with wandering frequency and phase (w/ Robin Evans, Department of Electrical and Electronic Engineering, U. Melb, 2023) -> postdoctoral fellowship in control and autonomous systems, U. Melb ->
  • Ryan Brunet: PhD on magnetic mountains in neutron stars (U. Melb, 2025) ->
  • Kah Yean (Nicholas) Low: MSc on opinion dynamics and perceptions of media bias by a network of Bayesian learners (U. Melb, 2021) -> data science consultant, Kasatria Technologies, Malaysia -> PhD on opinion dynamics and gravitational wave data analysis (U. Melb, 2027) ->
  • Matthew Thomas: MSc on variational methods in the kinetic theory of rarefied gases (w/ John Sader, School of Mathematics and Statistics, U. Melb, 2021) ->
  • Scarlett Abramson: PhD on signal processing in astrophysics (w/ Robin Evans, Department of Electrical and Electronic Engineering, U. Melb, 2024) ->
  • Andres Vargas: PhD on gravitational wave data analysis and general relativity (U. Melb, 2023) -> short-term postdoctoral fellowship on pulsar timing and LIGO searches, U. Melb ->
  • Filippo Anzuini: PhD on magnetic fields in bulk nuclear matter (U. Melb, 2021) -> postdoctoral fellowship on neutron star and axion astrophysics, Monash U., Australia -> short-term postdoctoral fellowship on neutron star and axion astrophysics, U. Melb ->
  • Alex Kerin: PhD on fracture in neutron star crusts and the dynamics of ultracold few-body systems (w/ Andy Martin, U. Melb, 2023) ->
  • Yi Shuen (Christine) Lee: MSc on gravitational wave burst searches (U. Melb, 2020) -> PhD on gravitational wave burst searches (U. Melb, 2024) ->
  • Bailey Sykes: MSc on supermassive black hole mergers (U. Melb, 2020) -> PhD on core-collapse supernova simulations, Monash U., Australia ->
  • Nicholas O'Neill: MSc on neutron star astrophysics (U. Melb, 2020) -> PhD on stochastic processes in neutron star and gravitational wave astrophysics (U. Melb, 2025) ->
  • Deeksha Beniwal: PhD on laser optics and gravitational wave data analysis (w/ David Ottaway, U. Adelaide, 2024) ->
  • Lucy Strang: PhD on multimessenger gravitational wave astrophysics (U. Melb, 2022) -> research fellow in regional climate emulation, U. Melb ->
  • Oliver Anagnostou: MSc on black hole mergers in globular clusters (U. Melb, 2019) -> PhD on black hole mergers in globular clusters (U. Melb, 2024) ->
  • Liam Dunn: MSc on automated pulsar glitch detection and GPU acceleration of LIGO searches (U. Melb, 2019) -> PhD on pulsar timing (including with the Molonglo Synthesis Radio Telescope) and LIGO searches for globular clusters (U. Melb, 2024) ->
  • Jack Lonnborn: MSc on crust cooling in accreting neutron stars (U. Melb, 2018) -> software development for PV solar forecasting at Proa Analytics ->
  • Julian Carlin: MSc on statistics of pulsar glitches (U. Melb, 2018) -> PhD on neutron star astrophysics, solar flare astrophysics, and gravitational wave data analysis (U. Melb, 2023) -> short-term postdoctoral fellowship in LIGO data analysis ->
  • Sussan Elhafez: PhD on artistic exploration of the nature of nominal and emergent time (w/ Elizabeth Presa, Victorian College of the Arts) (U. Melb, 2019) ->
  • Lisa Drummond: MSc on quantum mechanical interactions between superfluid vortices and superconductor flux tubes (U. Melb, 2016) -> PhD on general relativity and gravitational waves, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, USA ->
  • Will Fulgenzi: MSc on far-from-equilibrium statistical mechanics of pulsar glitches (U. Melb, 2016) -> community organiser ->
  • Dasith da Silva: MSc on the econophysics of credit (U. Melb, 2017) -> educational software developer -> Masters in information technology, Swinburne University, Australia -> PhD in artificial intelligence, Deakin University, Australia ->
  • Ling (Lilli) Sun: PhD on gravitational wave data analysis (ASGRG Prize) (U. Melb, 2017) -> postdoctoral fellowship in gravitational wave data analysis, California Institute of Technology, USA -> tenured academic, Australian National University ->
  • Arthur Suvorov: PhD on classical field theory, general relativity, and gravitational wave theory (U. Melb, 2017) -> Humboldt Fellow, University of Tuebingen, Germany ->
  • James Douglass: MSc on nonequilibrium processes (e.g. vortex avalanches) in Bose-Einstein condensates (U. Melb, 2014) ->
  • George Howitt: MSc on superfluid dynamics in neutron stars (U. Melb, 2014) -> PhD on superfluid dynamics in neutron stars (U. Melb, 2020) -> short-term postdoctoral fellowship on N-body superfluid vortex simulations, U. Melb -> bioinformatics research fellow, Sir Peter Maccallum Department of Oncology, Australia ->
  • Hochan Cheon: MSc on gravitational waves from accreting neutron stars (U. Melb, 2014) -> research technician, Walter and Eliza Hall Institute of Medical Research, Australia -> PhD in immunology and mathematical biology, Hamilton Institute, Maynooth University, Ireland ->
  • Nicole Darman: MSc on gravitational wave data analysis (U. Melb, 2014) -> engagement director at educational consultant Maths Pathway -> education specialist, Beacon Foundation -> analytics learning and development coordinator, National Australia Bank ->
  • Patrick Clearwater: MSc on smoothed-particle hydrodynamics simulations of neutron star oscillations (U. Melb, 2013) -> PhD on gravitational wave data analysis and Virtual Laboratory design (U. Melb, 2023) -> project scientist, Astronomy Data and Computing Services (ADACS) ->
  • Andrey Sokolov: PhD on the econophysics of credit (w/ Rachel Webster, U. Melb, 2012) (with a break as a volunteer at the Australian Marine Sciences Institute, Darwin) -> software engineer, Australian Centre for Field Robotics, University of Sydney ->
  • Rhyan Hoey: MSc on superfluid dynamics in neutron stars (U. Melb, 2011) -> ship design optimisation at BMT Design and Technology, Melbourne ->
  • Craig Burnett: MSc on neutron star magnetospheres (U. Melb, 2011) -> PhD on observational cosmology (U. Melb, 2015) ->
  • Sarah Traine: MSc on neutron star magnetospheres (U. Melb, 2010) -> PhD (at Macq. U.) on planetary and protostellar disks ->
  • Maxim Priymak: PhD on gravitational waves from accreting neutron stars (U. Melb, 2011) ->
  • Mark Bennett: PhD on gravitational and high-energy radiation from magnetars (U. Melb, 2014) -> research position in bioinformatics at the University of Cincinnati, USA -> research position in bioinformatics at the Walter and Eliza Hall Institute of Medical Research, Australia ->
  • Letizia Sammut: PhD on gravitational wave data analysis (SCALE2011 Prize) (U. Melb, 2011) -> postdoctoral fellowship in gravitational wave data analysis, Monash University (co-chair, LIGO Scientific Collaboration Stochastic Search Group) -> senior scientific software engineer, Australian Synchrotron (ANSTO) ->
  • Lila Warszawski: PhD on turbulence in quantum condensates (U. Melb, 2011) -> postdoctoral fellowship at the Potsdam Institute for Climate Impact Research, Germany ->
  • Anthony van Eysden: PhD in astroparticle physics studying gravitational waves and dense nuclear matter in compact objects (2012 Charlene Heisler Prize) (U. Melb, 2011) -> postdoctoral prize fellowship at the Nordic Institute for Theoretical Physics (NORDITA), Stockholm -> postdoctoral researcher at Montana State University ->
  • Karl Wette: PhD on gravitational wave data analysis (w/ Susan Scott and David McClelland, ANU, 2009) -> postdoctoral fellowship at the Max-Planck-Institute for Gravitational Physics (Albert Einstein Institute), Hannover, Germany -> senior postdoctoral researcher at the AEI -> postdoctoral research fellow at the Australian National University ->
  • Christine Chung: PhD on accreting neutron stars (Honourable Mention, 2010 GWIC Prize) (U. Melb, 2010) -> data visualization and climate change research at the Bureau of Meteorology, Melbourne ->
  • Matthias Vigelius: PhD on gravitational waves from accreting neutron stars (U. Melb, 2008) -> postdoctoral fellowship in theoretical astrophysics and numerical relativity at Cornell University, USA (declined) -> postdoctoral fellowship in computational biology (decision making in self-organising systems like ant colonies) at Monash University, Australia -> traffic management software research and development at PTV Group, Germany -> senior software developer in database systems at SAP, Germany ->
  • Alpha Mastrano: MSc on superfluid dynamics (U. Melb, 2006) -> PhD on the origin of magnetic fields in relativistic stars (U. Melb, 2010) -> postdoctoral fellowship in plasma astrophysics and solar physics, University of Sydney -> physics and Latin teacher in high schools in metropolitan Melbourne ->
  • Carlos Peralta: PhD on superfluid dynamics in neutron stars (U. Melb, 2006) -> postdoctoral fellowship at the Max Planck Institute for Gravitational Physics (Albert Einstein Institute), Potsdam, Germany -> research position in computational fluid dynamics and meteorology at the Deutscher Wetterdienst -> researcher at the Danish Meteorological Institute, Copenhagen, Denmark ->
  • Travis Stenborg: MSc on minor planets (w/ Rachel Webster, U. Melb, 2006) -> software engineer -> solo desert crossing -> MComp(Hons) (ANU, 2009) -> PhD (at Macq. U.) on planetary nebulae ->
  • Donald Payne: PhD on accreting neutron stars (U. Melb, 2005) -> scientific advisor for the Highfields sustainable living demonstrator, a project to retrofit a cattle property with geothermal, wind, and solar power -> co-chair of Technical Interest Group 7, Australian Geothermal Energy Group -> scientific and technical director, DirectEnergy (geothermal start-up company) ->
  • Cathy Trott: PhD on gravitational lensing and dark matter (w/ Rachel Webster, U. Melb, 2004) -> business analyst at McKinsey -> research fellow in nuclear medicine physics, Brigham and Women's Hospital, USA -> postdoctoral research in radio astronomy, ICRA (Curtin U.) -> tenured faculty, Curtin U. ->
  
  
• Undergraduate
  • Matthew Young: honours project on oscillation modes and stability of strongly magnetized stellar atmospheres (U. Melb, 2008) -> research assistant in bioinformatics, Walter and Eliza Hall Institute of Medical Research -> world travel -> PhD (at Cambridge, UK) in theoretical astrophysics focused on planet formation -> tech start up -> postdoctoral researcher in childhood cancer genomics at the Wellcome Sanger Institute, UK and Jesus College, Cambridge, UK ->
  • Alex Lee: honours project on gravitational waves from precessing neutron stars (U. Melb, 2008) -> world travel -> PhD on loop models in random geometries (U. Melb, 2013)
  • Maxim Priymak: honours project on the structure of accreting neutron star crusts (U. Melb, 2007) -> PhD on gravitational waves from neutron stars (see above)
  • Mark Bennett: honours project on gravitational waves from glitches (U. Melb, 2007) -> PhD on gravitational waves from supernovae (see above)
  • Sebastian Saliba: honours project on hydromagnetic stability of accreting neutron stars (U. Melb, 2006) -> PhD on ultracold plasmas (U. Melb, 2010) ->
  • Anthony van Eysden: honours project on gravitational waves from pulsar glitches (U. Melb, 2006) -> vacation project on fluid flow around cantilevers -> PhD in astroparticle physics (see above)
  • John Haasz: honours project on texture-driven superfluid instabilities (U. Melb, 2006) -> world travel -> further university studies in politics and philosophy -> independent quantitative research on novel modes of public transport ->
  • Andre Trosky: honours project on superfluid dynamics and neutron star glitches (U. Melb, 2005) -> final year of BE degree (U. Melb, 2006) -> recording engineer and performing artist at Spinning Half Studios ->
  • Christine Chung: honours project on time-dependent black hole accretion (w/ Rachel Webster, U. Melb, 2005) -> PhD on accreting neutron stars (see above)
  • Melissa Wals: honours project on accretion disk dynamos (U. Melb, 2004) -> MSc on random matrix theory (U. Melb, 2007) -> PhD in quantum computing (U. Melb, 2010) ->
  • Caley Finn: part-time research on pulsar winds (U. Melb, 2003) -> honours project in experimental particle physics (Belle) (U. Melb, 2004) -> associate software engineer in signal processing at Canon Research Labs -> world travel -> Victorian Partnership for Advanced Computing web developer -> PhD in mathematical physics (statistical mechanics) (U. Melb, 2014) ->
  • Tobias Locsei: honours project on accreting neutron stars (U. Melb, 2003, Laby Medal) -> PhD (DAMTP, Cambridge) in biophysics studying the locomotion of plankton -> innovation consultant, Innovia, UK ->
  • Caroline Andrzejewski: part-time research on fluid turbulence (U. Melb, 2002) -> honours project on glitches (U. Melb, 2003) -> production assistant at Blackwell Publishing -> production editor at Blackwell Publishing -> concurrent Graduate Diploma in Editing and Publishing at RMIT University (Society of Editors Award, Australian Publishers Association Award) -> assistant production manager and new journal coordinator at Wiley-Blackwell -> managing/project editor at Palgrave Macmillan -> editor (English language) at the World Meteorological Organization -> communication adviser (climate), Bureau of Meteorology, Melbourne ->
  • Tom Faulkner: part-time research on pulsar winds (U. Melb, 2002) -> honours project in particle theory (U. Melb, 2003) -> PhD (at MIT) in elementary particle physics and cosmology -> postdoctoral fellow in string theory and many-body physics, Kavli Institute for Theoretical Physics, University of California at Santa Barbara -> postdoctoral fellow in quantum gravity, Institute of Advanced Study, Princeton -> assistant professor, Department of Physics, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, USA ->
  • Alpha Mastrano: part-time research on pulsar winds (U. Melb, 2002) -> honours project in particle theory (U. Melb, 2003) -> MSc on superfluid dynamics (see above)
  • Grant Schuster: part-time research on nonlinear dynamics (U. Melb, 2002) -> honours project in X-ray spectroscopy (U. Melb, 2003) -> business consultant at Ernst & Young -> manager in the sustainability auditing group at Ernst & Young ->
  • Dione Scheltus: honours project on pulsar winds (U. Melb, 2002) -> internship in optical data analysis (Gemini North Telescope, 2003) -> world travel -> DipEd (UMelb, 2004) in physics teaching and part-time teaching assistant at Scotch College secondary school -> graduate traineeship at the Australian Department of Defence ->
  • Petra Majewski: honours project on high-energy emission from AGN (w/ Rachel Webster, U. Melb, 2001) -> PhD (Technical University of Munich) in low-temperature physics ->
  • Ronak Bhatt: SURF summer project on pulsar winds (Caltech, 1997) -> PhD (MIT) in plasma and beam physics ->
  • Paul Withers: SURF summer project on pulsar winds (Caltech, 1997) -> PhD (U. Arizona) in lunar and planetary science -> senior research associate (Boston U.) in space physics ->

Resources for Lecture Courses