Professor Isobel Hook
Professor of AstrophysicsResearch Overview
My research is focused on using distant supernovae for cosmology, specifically to measure the effects of Dark Energy in the universe. I am also involved in telescope projects including ESA's Euclid mission, the Rubin Observatory that will carry out the Legacy Survey of Space and Time (LSST), the 4-metre Multi-Object Spectroscopic Telescope (4MOST) and the European Extremely Large telescope (ELT).
Web Links
My recent publications can be found in the tab below. For a complete list, see my public ORCID profile here.
PhD Supervision Interests
Project Title: The environments of Type Ia Supernovae.Dark energy is often invoked as the cause of the acceleratingexpansion of the universe, but its nature remains unknown. Newtelescopes and instruments will soon detect vast numbers of Type Iasupernovae (SNe) that can be used as cosmological distance indicatorsto address this problem. We expect the new facilities, which includeRubin Observatory, ESA's Euclid mission, 4MOST (the 4meterMulti-Object Spectrograph Telescope) and the Roman Space Telescope, todetect tens of thousands of new supernovae and their host galaxies viaa range of imaging and spectroscopic observations. This PhD projectaims to use a combination of the new data to study the environments ofthe supernovae within their host galaxies. It is known that hostgalaxy environments are connected to subtle differences in the peakbrightness of Type Ia SNe; the project goal is to better understandthese correlations in order to advance the use of Type Ia supernovaeas distance indicators for cosmology.The project will start by collecting and combining relevantmeasurements from the new datasets. This information will then be usedto study correlations between SN Ia brightness and host galaxyproperties, both globally and locally near the SN positions. Thestudent will work with collaborators in major survey projects toincorporate the results into a cosmological analysis and henceultimately improve constraints on the nature of Dark Energy. Pleasecontact Prof Isobel Hook for further information. This PhD projectrepresents just one component of the research performed by the widerAstrophysics group at Lancaster University. Funding is available on acompetitive basis. To be considered for funding, please submit yourapplication by 31st January 2027.
-
UKCosmo: Transient Cosmology into the 2030s
01/04/2027 → 31/03/2032
Research
-
ERC Adv: Supernova environments and implications for cosmology (SPARKLES)
01/01/2027 → 31/12/2031
Research
-
Support for Euclid Consortium Board Roles
01/04/2026 → 31/12/2029
Research
-
MC PDF: Mapping the diversity of Type Ia supernovae explosions (Georgios Dimitriadis)
01/06/2025 → 31/05/2027
Research
-
A new wave of transients: supernova cosmology with the Rubin Observatory, 4MOST and Euclid
01/04/2024 → 29/09/2027
Research
-
Joint processing of Euclid and Rubin data
01/01/2024 → 28/02/2025
Research
-
First Data from Next Generation Supernova Surveys
01/09/2023 → 30/09/2025
Research
-
Talent and Research Stabilisation Fund 2022 (Manus Hayne)
21/11/2022 → 31/03/2023
Research
-
Lancaster University Observational Astrophysics 2021-2024 (OAstro21)
01/04/2021 → 31/03/2025
Research
-
Lancaster University: Observational Astrophysics PATT grant 2018-2020
01/10/2018 → 30/09/2020
Research
-
Lancaster University Astrophysics
01/04/2017 → 31/03/2018
Research
-
Observational Astrophysics PATT grant
01/10/2016 → 30/09/2018
Research
-
UK-E-ELT
01/01/2016 → 31/03/2019
Research
-
OPTICON: Optical Infrared Co-ordination Network for Astronomy
01/03/2015 → 31/12/2016
Research
Supernovae, Advanced Telescopes and the Search for Dark Energy
Public Lecture/ Debate/Seminar
ESLAB Euclid symposium 2025
Participation in conference - Academic
Transients from Space
Participation in conference - Academic
Euclid Consortium Board (External organisation)
Membership of board
European Org Astron Res Southern Hemisphere ESO (External organisation)
Membership of council
National Astronomy Meeting 2019
Participation in conference -Mixed Audience
Caroline Herschel Medal 2025
Prize (including medals and awards)
Observational Astrophysics
- Observational Astrophysics