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Dr Marco Bruni

Position: Reader in Cosmology and Gravitation
E-mail: marco.bruni(at port.ac.uk)
Telephone: +44 (0)2392 843136
Office: DS3.22

Research interests: My current interests focus on the modelling of the late universe. The universe is observed to expand at an accelerated rate, with structures - from galaxies to clusters of thousands of galaxies and giant voids of hundreds of light years across - arranged in a cosmic web that started to form and evolved since soon after the ``big bang". I am particularly interested in two aspects. These structures evolved from small fluctuations into a non-linear regime, and this process has been so far investigated assuming a Newtonian approximation: I would like to understand the unavoidable contribution from Einstein general relativity theory that must arise on the largest scales and due to the nonlinearity of Einstein equations. Within general relativity, the simplest explanation for the observed accelerated expansion is a constant form of "dark energy", Einstein cosmological constant. However, an evolving form of dark energy may exist, possibly interacting with dark matter, responsible for structure formation. I therefore also work on models of dark energy and its interaction, or unified dark matter models where a single dark component tries to explain both the acceleration and structure formation. The beauty of this physics is that it will be put to severe tests by galaxy surveys of the next decade. I also worked on exact solutions of Einstein equations, and in general I am interested in applications of exact and approximated methods in general relativity and cosmology. I made pioneering work on second-order relativistic perturbation theory and considered applications in cosmology as well as to neutron stars. More recently, I made a pioneering contribution to the study of nonlinear structure formation using for the first time simulations based on Einstein general relativity theory.

Biography:

I studied physics at the University of Rome “La Sapienza” where I graduated in 1987, with a thesis on colliding gravitational waves, supervised by Valeria Ferrari. I then obtained a studentship from SISSA (Trieste, Italy) where I worked with George Ellis on covariant and gauge-invariant cosmological perturbations, completing my PhD in 1991. After postdocs in QMUL (London), ICTP and SISSA (Trieste), and Cardiff, in 1999 I joined the Relativity and Cosmology Group of the mathematics department at the University of Portsmouth as senior lecturer. In 2002 I became member of the newly formed Institute of Cosmology and Gravitation. In 2005 I was awarded a two year visiting professorship by the Italian government, which I spent at the University of Rome “Tor Vergata”. In 2006 I was promoted to reader. I have lectured undergraduates and postgraduate students in the UK, Italy, Greece and India, I have published over 50 scientific papers in international journals and given talks in five continents, Australia finally included in 2018. I am a keen photographer/traveller/mountaineer.

Qualifications: Laurea in Fisica, Universita' di Roma "La Sapienza" (1987). Master in Astrophysics at SISSA (Trieste, Italy, 1989). PhD in Astrophysics at SISSA (Trieste, Italy, 1991).

Achievements and recognition: In 2010 I was part of the UK-Japan research team awarded the Daiwa Adrian Prize 2010. In 2005 I was awarded a Visiting Professorship by the Italian government; this allowed me to spend two years on sabbatical at the University of Rome “Tor Vergata”.

Grants: Co-investigator STFC Consolidated Grant "Cosmology and Astrophysics at Portsmouth" (2016-19); Co-investigator STFC Consolidated Grant "Cosmology and Astrophysics at Portsmouth" (2013-16); Co-investigator STFC Rolling Grant "Theoretical Cosmology" (2010-13).

Roles and Collaborations: UK member of the Management Committee, EU COST-Action CANTATA, Cosmology and Astrophysics Network for Theoretical Advances and Training Actions, approved December 2015, Action CA15117. I was External Examiner for the Physics Degree, University of Kent (2010-2014). In 2013-2015 I led and coordinated the ICG involvement in the development of the new Physics, Astrophysics and Cosmology MPhys degree program; in 2008-2009 I co-developed a new BSc Degree in Applied Physics. I am member of the Faculty Student Experience Committee, Ethic Committee and Library Committee of the faculty of Technology.

Postgraduate students supervised: Cristian Cherubini (2004; Joint PhD with Salerno, Italy), Andrea Nerozzi (2004, EU Network), Frances White (2005), Andrea Passamonti (2005), Kishore Ananda (2006), Irene Milillo (2010; joint PhD with Rome ``Tor Vergata", Italy), Nikolai Meures (2012), Hedda Gressel (2018). Cristiano Germani (2003), Virginia Re (2003, University of Salerno, Italy), Davide Pietrobon (2010, joint PhD with Rome ``Tor Vergata", Italy), Oliver Piattella (2010, University of Insubria, Italy), Valentina Salvatelli and Najla Said (2015, University of Rome "La Sapienza") also did part of their PhD work with me. My current PhD student is Natalie Hogg.

Teaching responsibilities: Currently I teach and coordinate the module Introduction to General Relativity and Cosmology, and co-teach Mathematical Methods for Physics, both third year courses on the Physics, Astrophysics and Cosmology and the Physics programmes.

Professional memberships: I am a member of the Institute of Physics, of the International Society for General Relativity and Gravitation and of SIGRAV (Societa' Italiana di GRAVitazione).

Publications from UKADS
Publications from INSPIRE
Publications from arXiv
Publications from the UoP Research Portal
External talks (academic)
  • Weak field and full GR cosmological simulations on 17th Jan 2019 Location:  University of Milan “Statale” (Italy). In this talk I will describe progresses in considering GR effects in the dynamics of structure formation. First I will present results of a nonlinear post-Friedman approximation, a kind of post-Newtonian formalism. Then I will focus on recent fully nonlinear  numerical relativity simulations. Numerical relativity is a fundamental tool in...
  • Weak field and full GR cosmological simulations on 22nd May 2018 Location: Monash University, Melbourne (Australia).   In this talk I will describe progresses in considering GR effects in the dynamics of structure formation. First I will present results of a nonlinear post-Friedman approximation, a kind of post-Newtonian formalism. Then I will focus on recent fully nonlinear  numerical relativity simulations. Numerical relativity is a fundamental tool in...
  • Synergy between exact solutions, numerical relativity and approximation methods in cosmology on 5th Dec 2017 Location: Texas Symposium, Cape Town.   The concordance model, LCDM, is based on 3 main ingredients: a FLRW background, relativistic perturbation theory to trap sell flections on large scales, e.g. the CMB, and Newtonian N-body simulations (or non-linear Newtonian perturbation theory) to study the nonlinear growth of inhomogeneities in large scale structure. Observational cosmology has...
  • weak field and full GR cosmological simulations on 21st Jul 2017 Location: University of Trento (Italy)   In this talk I will describe progresses in considering GR effects in the dynamics of structure formation. First I will present results of a nonlinear post-Friedman approximation, a kind of post-Newtonian formalism. Then I will focus on recent fully nonlinear  numerical relativity simulations. Numerical relativity is a fundamental tool in...
  • weak field and full GR cosmological simulations on 3rd Jul 2017 Location: invited talk at the meeting “Inhomogeneous Cosmologies”, Torun (Poland)   In this talk I will describe progresses in considering GR effects in the dynamics of structure formation. First I will present results of a nonlinear post-Friedman approximation, a kind of post-Newtonian formalism. Then I will focus on recent fully nonlinear  numerical relativity simulations. Numerical relativity...
  • Full GR cosmological simulations and back-reaction on 27th Jun 2017 Location: SISSA, Trieste (Italy) The numerical solution of Einstein field equations, numerical relativity, has been essential in computing the merger of two black holes, predicting the signal that has been observed by LIGO in 2015, the centennial year of General Relativity.  A century after the foundation of cosmology as a physical theory, while we are...
  • Full GR cosmological simulations with numerical relativity on 27th Apr 2017 Location: invited talk at the conference PONT 2017, Avignon (France) In this talk I will describe progresses in considering GR effects in the dynamics of structure formation. First I will present results of a nonlinear post-Friedman approximation, a kind of post-Newtonian formalism. Then I will focus on recent fully nonlinear  numerical relativity simulations. Numerical relativity is...
  • Cosmological simulations with numerical relativity and back-reaction  on 22nd Mar 2017 Location: The London Relativity and Cosmology Seminar, QMUL In this talk I will illustrate the results obtained with the first fully relativistic cosmological simulations in numerical relativity. These simulations  represent the fully nonlinear GR evolution  of  perturbations in a Einstein de Sitter background, and show that: 1) voids expansion rate is significantly higher than that...
  • Full GR Cosmological Simulations with numerical relativity on 14th Feb 2017 10:50:am Location: Cape Town Workshop: GR Effects in Cosmological Surveys Abstract: Traditionally structure formation in the  Universe is dealt with Newtonian N-body simulations. Solving the mystery of Dark Energy is one of the fundamental questions of today’s physics, and “backreactionistas”have argued that the observed acceleration of the cosmic expansion maybe due to the nonlinear effect of...
  • Nonlinear GR effects in structure formation: from approximations to full numerical relativity simulations on 2nd Nov 2016 10:15:am Location: Helsinki Institute for Physics. Abstract: In this talk I will describe progresses in considering general relativistic effects in the dynamics of structure formation in cosmology. First I will briefly describe results obtained with a nonlinear post-Friedman approach, a kind of post-Newtonian formalism, results validated and extended by others. Then I will focus on recent...
  • Nonlinear GR effects in structure formation: from approximations to full numerical relativity simulations on 14th Sep 2016 11:00:am Location: XXII meeting of the Italian Relativity and Gravitation Society SIGRAV, Cefalu’,  Italy. Abstract: In this talk I will describe progresses in considering general relativistic effects in the dynamics of structure formation in cosmology. First I will briefly describe results obtained with a nonlinear post-Friedman approach, a kind of post-Newtonian formalism, results validated and extended by...
  • Nonlinear GR effects in structure formation: from approximations to full numerical relativity simulations on 13th Jul 2016 2:40:pm Speaker: Marco Bruni Location: Workshop “Theoretical challenges for precision galaxy clustering”, Sexten Center for Astrophysics, Italy Abstract: In this talk I will describe progresses in considering GR effects in the dynamics of structure formation. First I will present results of a nonlinear post-Friedman approximation, a kind of post-Newtonian formalism. Then I will focus on recent...
  • Nonlinear GR effects in structure formation: from approximations to full numerical relativity simulations on 7th Jul 2016 5:00:pm Speaker: Marco Bruni Location: Rifugio Falier, Marmolada, Alpine Cosmology Workshop Abstract: In this talk I will describe progresses in considering general relativistic effects in the dynamics of structure formation in cosmology. First I will briefly describe results obtained with a nonlinear post-Friedman approach, a kind of post-Newtonian formalism, results validated and extended by others. Then I...
  • Large Scale Structure with interacting Vacuum: the non-linear regime in the post-Friedman approximation on 14th Dec 2015 4:55:pm Speaker: Marco Bruni Location: 28th Texas Symposium, Geneva Abstract: General-relativistic cosmological models where vacuum interacts with cold dark matter (iV-CDM models) maybe a good alternative to the standard LCDM scenario. The post-Friedmann approximation generalises to cosmology post-Newtonian methods and we have used it to extract frame-dragging, a pure GR effect, from standard N-body simulations in...
  • Backrection of voids in a Friedman background with constant w equation of state on 14th Dec 2015 2:40:pm Speaker: Marco Bruni Location: 28th Texas Symposium, Geneva Abstract: I introduce new exact solutions of the Szekeres-Szafron type describing voids on a Friedmann-Roberson-Walker background with w=constant equation of state. At least in the linear regime the inhomogeneities can be thought of as large scale perturbations of the background. Using these exact solutions the averaged quantities of...
  • Accounting for GR effects in large scale structure formation: a nonlinear post-Friedmann framework on 14th Jul 2015 4:00:pm Speaker: Marco Bruni Location: Marcel Grossman Meeting, Rome Abstract: Nonlinear structure formation  at scales much smaller than the Hubble horizon  is traditionally studied with Newtonian  methods, for instance N-body simulations, while early Universe and horizon scales perturbations are investigated with relativistic perturbation theory.  In view of new large scale galaxy surveys that will provide data...
  • Bridging the gap between small and large scales: a nonlinear post-Friedmann framework for relativistic structure formation on 14th May 2015 3:45:pm Speaker: Marco Bruni Location: Advanced Workshop on Cosmological Structures – ICTP, Trieste   Non-linear structure formation  at scales much smaller than the Hubble horizon  is traditionally studied with Newtonian  methods, for instance N-body simulations, while early Universe and horizon scales perturbations are investigated with relativistic perturbation theory.  In view of new large scale galaxy surveys that will...
  • Interacting Vacuum: Indications for a Late Time Interaction in the Dark Sector? on 8th May 2015 Speaker: Marco Bruni Location: Trieste Observatory In this talk I will illustrate a simple alternative scenario to LCDM where, assuming general relativity, the vacuum can interact with CDM; when the interaction vanishes the vacuum becomes the cosmological constant. When the interaction is switched on, vacuum can be inhomogeneous and thus it affects the evolution of...
  • The non-linear post-Friedmann framework and Einstein’s signature in large-scale structure on 5th May 2015 2:30:pm Speaker: Marco Bruni Location: SISSA, Trieste Non-linear structure formation  at scales much smaller than the Hubble horizon  is traditionally studied with Newtonian  methods, for instance N-body simulations, while early Universe and horizon scales perturbations are investigated with relativistic perturbation theory.  In view of new large scale galaxy surveys that will provide data with an unprecedented accuracy,...
  • The non-linear post-Friedmann framework and Einstein’s signature in large-scale structure on 24th Apr 2015 2:30:pm Speaker: Marco Bruni Location: Centre de Physique Théorique, Marseille Non-linear structure formation  at scales much smaller than the Hubble horizon  is traditionally studied with Newtonian  methods, for instance N-body simulations, while early Universe and horizon scales perturbations are investigated with relativistic perturbation theory.  In view of new large scale galaxy surveys that will provide data with...
  • Bridging the gap between small and large scales: a nonlinear post-Friedmann framework for relativistic structure formation on 18th Mar 2015 4:30:pm Speaker: Marco Bruni Location: QMUL, London   Non-linear structure formation  at scales much smaller than the Hubble horizon  is traditionally studied with Newtonian  methods, for instance N-body simulations, while early Universe and horizon scales perturbations are investigated with relativistic perturbation theory.  In view of new large scale galaxy surveys that will provide data with an...
  • Nonlinear cosmological dynamics and large-scale structure on 24th Nov 2014 9:25:am Speaker: Marco Bruni   Location: invited talk at the meeting GE@75 for the 75th birthday of George F. R. Ellis, Cape Town   Following up from George’s talk “Cosmology then and now”, in this talk I will first present my perspective on  “Cosmology and General Relativity then”  as a student entering these fields of research....
  • Interacting vacuum: indications for a late time interaction in the dark sector on 21st Nov 2014 11:30:am Speaker: Marco Bruni Location: plenary talk at the meeting Dark Side of the Universe 2014, Cape Town http://www.acgc.uct.ac.za/dsu2014/   Measurements of anisotropies of the CMB, combined with independent measurements of the cosmic expansion history, such as baryon acoustic oscillations, have provided strong support for the standard model of cosmology, the ΛCDM model. However the latest measurements...
  • Steps toward relativistic structure formation: a nonlinear post-Friedmann framework for small and large scales on 10th Nov 2014 1:00:pm Speaker: Marco Bruni Location: DAMTP, Cambridge Deviations from homogeneity in cosmology are traditionally studied with different methods at small and large scales. In studies of the early Universe and at scales of the order of the Hubble horizon today, small fluctuations are investigated with relativistic perturbation theory. Non-linear structure formation at small scales is instead...
  • Structure formation from small scales to the horizon: a nonlinear post-Friedmann framework. on 19th Sep 2014 5:20:pm Location: XXI SIGRAV Conference, Alessandria, Italy
  • Structure formation from small scales to the horizon: a nonlinear post-Friedmann framework on 12th Sep 2014 2:00:pm Location: Yukawa Institute for Theoretical Physics, Kyoto, Workshop on Relativistic Cosmology
  • The covariant fluid-flow approach and non-linearity in cosmology on 9th Sep 2014 2:00:pm Location: Yukawa Institute for Theoretical Physics, Kyoto, Workshop on Relativistic Cosmology
  • Non-linear structure formation beyond the Newtonian approximation on 12th Dec 2013 11:30:am Location: Texas Symposium, Dallas
  • Dynamics of the dark side: Unified Dark Matter models with fast transition on 26th Oct 2012 1:30:pm Location: Department of Physics, Naples University
  • Cosmology from small scales to the horizon: a nonlinear post-Friedmann framework for structure formation on 23rd Oct 2012 12:30:am Location: invited plenary talk at the XX SIGRAV COnference, Naples Observatory
  • Dynamics of the dark side: Unified Dark Matter models with fast transition on 27th Sep 2012 1:30:pm Location: Mullard Space Science Laboratory, Surrey
  • From small scales to the horizon: a nonlinear post-Friedmann framework for structure formation in LCDM on 14th Aug 2012 5:00:pm Location: Benasque, Spain, workshop on "Modern Cosmology: Early Universe, CMB and LSS"
  • Relativistic effects and large-scale structure: post-Friedmann dynamics on 15th Dec 2011 3:30:pm Location: International Conference on Gravitation and Cosmology, Goa, India
  • two lectures on Cosmological non-linearity and back-reaction on 10th Dec 2011 12:00:am Location: Summer School on Cosmology and Gravity Waves, Pune, India
  • Cosmology from small scales to the horizon: relativistic effects in structure formation on 29th Nov 2011 4:00:pm Location: Tata Institute for Fundamental Research - Mumbai
  • From small scales to the horizon: relativistic effects in structure formation on 18th Nov 2011 3:30:pm Location: Astronomy Centre, University of Sussex
  • From small scales to the horizon: relativistic effects in structure formation on 25th Oct 2011 11:00:am Location: Albert Einstein Institute - Max Planck Institute for Gravitational Physics, Potsdam
  • From small scales to the horizon: relativistic effects in structure formation on 19th Oct 2011 5:00:pm Location: Institut für Theoretische Physik, University of Heidelberg
  • Steps toward Relativistic Cosmology on 27th May 2011 11:58:pm Location: Imperial College, London
  • Exact non-linear inhomogeneities in LambdaCDM cosmology on 2nd Mar 2011 4:30:pm Location: School of Mathematical Sciences, Queen Mary University of London
  • Unified Dark Matter models with fast transition and observational constraints on 8th Sep 2010 3:00:pm Location: Spanish Relativity Meeting ERE 2010, Granada
  • Relativistic Perturbations in Astrophysics and Cosmology on 4th Jun 2010 11:00:am Location: ICTP - Trieste - Italy
  • Unified Dark Matter models with fast transition on 28th May 2010 11:00:am Location: IASF - Bologna - Italy
External talks (outreach)
  • Einstein puzzles: Black Holes and Gravitational Waves on 6th Jan 2017 8:30:pm Speaker: Dr Marco Bruni Location: South Downs Astronomical Society Starting from the first detection of gravitational waves emitted by the merging of two black holes, announced n February 2016, in this talk I will introduce the fundamental ideas that are at the base of Einstein theory of General Relativity, the modern gravity theory that replaces Newtonian...
  • Einstein puzzles: Black Holes and Gravitational Waves on 19th Oct 2016 2:20:pm Speaker: Dr Marco Bruni Location: Havant College, Havant.   Abstract: In this talk I will introduce the fundamental ideas that are at the base of Einstein theory of General Relativity, the modern gravity theory that replaces Newtonian gravitation. I will illustrate how space and time, once separated, are unified into a new concept, that of...
  • 100 years of General Relativity: from mercury precession and bending of light to blackholes and gravitational waves on 22nd Jan 2016 7:30:pm Speaker: Marco Bruni Location: Vectis Astronomical Society, Isle of Wight In this talk I will summarise the developments of the applications in astrophysics and cosmology of Einstein theory of gravity, General Relativity, presented in 1915. Einstein was successful in explaining the known precession of Mercury’s perihelion, and his theory predicted bending of light, which was observed in...
  • A Century of Relativity in Astrophysics and Cosmology on 7th Oct 2014 8:00:pm Location: Cody Astronomical Society, Farnborough
  • Black Holes and Gravity Waves on 5th Dec 2012 2:30:pm Location: Havant Sixth Form College
  • The puzzling Universe of Dr Albert on 28th Feb 2012 4:30:pm Location: Education Centre, Royal Bournemouth hospital
  • A brief history of the Universe: rewind on 16th Mar 2011 7:00:pm Location: Cody Astronomical Society
  • Gravitational Wave Astronomy on 3rd Nov 2009 6:30:pm Location: Cody Astronomical Society, Farnborough
  • Gravitational Wave Astronomy on 19th Oct 2009 6:30:pm Location: Worthing Astronomical Society
  • Gravitational Wave Astronomy on 7th Nov 2008 8:00:pm Location: South Down Astronomical Society

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