Staff profile

Dr Tim Roberts, B.Sc., Ph.D., PG Cert

Personal web page

Senior Lecturer in the Department of Physics

Telephone: +44 (0) 191 33 43767

Room number: 332

(email at t.p.roberts@durham.ac.uk)

Biography

Responsibilities within department

Health & Safety committee; General Problems paper committee chair; Teaching Review committee

Teaching activity

Current: L1 Thermodynamics lecture course; L1 Astrobiology lecture course; L3 General Problems class organiser; L4 project supervisor; Postgrad lectures on Black Holes

Previous: L1 tutor; L2 tutor; L2 labs.

Research Groups

Astronomy and Astrophysics

Research Interests

Ultraluminous X-ray sources
The X-ray emission of nearby normal galaxies
Starburst galaxies
Low-luminosity active galactic nuclei

Publications

Journal papers: academic

Middleton, Matthew J., Miller-Jones, James C. A., Markoff, Sera, Fender, Rob, Henze, Martin, Hurley-Walker, Natasha, Scaife, Anna M. M., Roberts, Timothy P., Walton, Dominic, Carpenter, John, Macquart, Jean-Pierre, Bower, Geoffrey C., Gurwell, Mark, Pietsch, Wolfgang, Haberl, Frank, Harris, Jonathan, Daniel, Michael, Miah, Junayd, Done, Chris, Morgan, John S., Dickinson, Hugh, Charles, Phil, Burwitz, Vadim, Della Valle, Massimo, Freyberg, Michael, Greiner, Jochen, Hernanz, Margarita, Hartmann, Dieter H., Hatzidimitriou, Despina, Riffeser, Arno, Sala, Gloria, Seitz, Stella, Reig, Pablo, Rau, Arne, Orio, Marina, Titterington, David & Grainge, Keith (2013). Bright radio emission from an ultraluminous stellar-mass microquasar in M 31. NATURE 493(7431): 187-190.
Roberts, T. P., Fabbiano, G., Luo, B., Kim, D. -W., Strader, J., Middleton, M. J., Brodie, J. P., Fragos, T., Gallagher, J. S., Kalogera, V., King, A. R. & Zezas, A. (2012). A VARIABLE ULTRALUMINOUS X-RAY SOURCE IN A GLOBULAR CLUSTER IN NGC 4649. ASTROPHYSICAL JOURNAL 760(2): 135.
Gruyters, P., Exter, K., Roberts, T. P. & Rappaport, S. (2012). A VLT VIMOS IFU study of the ionisation nebula surrounding the supersoft X-ray source CAL 83. ASTRONOMY \& ASTROPHYSICS 544: A86.
Prestwich, A. H., Galache, J. L., Linden, T., Kalogera, V., Zezas, A., Roberts, T. P., Kilgard, R., Wolter, A. & Trinchieri, G. (2012). CHANDRA OBSERVATIONS OF THE COLLISIONAL RING GALAXY NGC 922. ASTROPHYSICAL JOURNAL 747(2): 150.
Rasmussen, Jesper, Bai, Xue-Ning, Mulchaey, John S., van Gorkom, J. H., Jeltema, Tesla E., Zabludoff, Ann I., Wilcots, Eric, Martini, Paul, Lee, Duane & Roberts, Timothy P. (2012). HOT AND COLD GALACTIC GAS IN THE NGC 2563 GALAXY GROUP. ASTROPHYSICAL JOURNAL 747(1): 31.
Middleton, M.J., Cackett, E.M., Shaw, C., Ramsay, G., Roberts, T.P. & Wheatley, P.J. (2012). Identifying a new intermediate polar using XMM-Newton and INTEGRAL. Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society 419: 336-341.
Middleton, M.J., Sutton, A.D., Roberts, T.P., Jackson, F.E. & Done, C. (2012). The missing link: a low mass X-ray binary in M31 seen as an ultraluminous X-ray source. Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society 420(4): 2969-2977.
Sutton, Andrew D., Roberts, Timothy P., Walton, Dominic J., Gladstone, Jeanette C. & Scott, Amy E. (2012). The most extreme ultraluminous X-ray sources: evidence for intermediate-mass black holes? MONTHLY NOTICES OF THE ROYAL ASTRONOMICAL SOCIETY 423(2): 1154-1177.
Jonker, P. G., Heida, M., Torres, M. A. P., Miller-Jones, J. C. A., Fabian, A. C., Ratti, E. M., Miniutti, G., Walton, D. J. & Roberts, T. P. (2012). THE NATURE OF THE BRIGHT ULX X-2 IN NGC 3921: A CHANDRA POSITION AND HST CANDIDATE COUNTERPART. ASTROPHYSICAL JOURNAL 758(1): 28.
Roberts, T.P., Gladstone, J.C., Goulding, A.D., Swinbank, A.M., Ward, M.J., Goad, M.R. & Levan, A.J. (2011). (No) dynamical constraints on the mass of the black hole in two ULXs. Astronomische Nachrichten 332: 398.
Walton, D.J., Roberts, T.P., Mateos, S. & Heard, V. (2011). 2XMM ultraluminous X-ray source candidates in nearby galaxies. Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society 416(3): 1844-1861.
Walton, D.J., Gladstone, J.C., Roberts, T.P. & Fabian A.C. (2011). A large catalogue of ultraluminous X-ray source candidates in nearby galaxies. Astronomische Nachrichten 332: 354.
Middleton, M.J., Roberts, T.P., Done, C. & Jackson, F.E. (2011). Challenging times: a re-analysis of NGC 5408 X-1. Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society 411(1): 644-652.
Walton, D.J., Gladstone, J.C., Roberts, T.P., Fabian, A.C., Caballero-Garcia, M.D., Done, C. & Middleton, M.J. (2011). Comparing spectral models for ultraluminous X-ray sources with NGC 4517 ULX1. Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society 414: 1011-1022.
Middleton, M.J., Roberts, T.P., Done, C. & Jackson, F.E. (2011). Does NGC 5408 X-1 really contain an intermediate-mass black hole?. Astronomische Nachrichten 332: 388-391.
Jenkins, L.P., Brandt, W.N., Colbert, E.J.M., Koribalski, B., Kuntz, K.D., Levan, A.J., Ojha, R., Roberts, T.P., Ward, M.J. & Zezas, A. (2011). Investigating the Nuclear Activity of Barred Spiral Galaxies: The Case of NGC 1672. Astrophysical Journal 734: 33.
Sutton, A.D., Roberts, T.P. & Walton, D.J. (2011). Key results from an XMM-Newton and Chandra study of a new sample of extreme ULXs from the 2XMM catalogue. Astronomische Nachrichten 332: 362.
Russell, D.M., Yang, Y.-J., Gladstone, J.C., Wiersema, K. & Roberts, T.P. (2011). New observations of ULX supershells, and their implications. Astronomische Nachrichten 332: 371.
Gladstone, J.C., Roberts, T.P. & Done, C. (2011). Unlocking the nature of ultraluminous X-ray sources using their X-ray spectra. Astronomische Nachrichten 332: 345.
Middleton, M.J., Sutton, A.D. & Roberts, T.P. (2011). X-ray spectral evolution in the ultraluminous X-ray source M33 X-8. Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society 417(1): 464-471.
Lehmer, B.D., Alexander, D.M., Bauer, F.E., Brandt, W.N., Goulding, A.D., Jenkins, L.P., Ptak, A. & Roberts, T.P. (2010). A Chandra Perspective on Galaxy-wide X-ray Binary Emission and its Correlation with Star Formation Rate and Stellar Mass: New Results from Luminous Infrared Galaxies. Astrophysical Journal 724: 559-571.
Irwin, J.A., Brink, T.G. Bregman, J.N. & Roberts, T.P. (2010). Evidence for a Stellar Disruption by an Intermediate-mass Black Hole in an Extragalactic Globular Cluster. Astrophysical Journal Letters 712: L1-L4.
Richings, A.J., Fabbiano, G., Wang, J. & Roberts, T.P. (2010). The Hot Interstellar Medium of the Interacting Galaxy NGC 4490. Astrophysical Journal 723: 1375-1392.
Vierdayanti, K., Done, C., Roberts, T.P. & Mineshige, S. (2010). X-ray spectral variability in the ultraluminous X-ray source Holmberg IX X-1. Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society 403: 1206-1212.
Heil L.M., Vaughan S. & Roberts T.P. (2009). A Systematic Study of Variability in a Sample of Ultraluminous X-ray Sources. Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society 397(2): 1061-1072.
Zampieri L. & Roberts T. P. (2009). Low-metallicity natal environments and black hole masses in Ultraluminous X-ray Sources. Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society 400(2): 677-686.
Gladstone J.C., Roberts T. P. & Done C. (2009). The ultraluminous state. Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society 397(4): 1836-1851.
Gladstone J.C. & Roberts T.P. (2009). The ultraluminous X-ray source population of NGC 4485/4490. Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society 397: 124-134.
Roberts, T. P. , Levan, A. J. & Goad, M. R. (2008). New Hubble Space Telescope imaging of the counterparts to six ultraluminous X-ray sources. Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society 387: 73-78.
Berghea C.T., Weaver K. A., Colbert E. J. M. & Roberts T. P. (2008). Testing the Paradigm that Ultra-Luminous X-ray Sources as a Class Represent Accreting Intermediate-Mass Black Holes. Astrophysical Journal 687: 471-487.
Warwick, RS, Jenkins, LP, Read, AM, Roberts, TP & Owen, RA (2007). An XMM-Newton view of M101 - III. Diffuse X-ray emission. Monthly Notices Of The Royal Astronomical Society 376(4): 1611-1620.
Vazquez, GA, Hornschemeier, AE, Colbert, E, Roberts, TP, Ward, MJ & Malhotra, S (2007). Constraints on accretion in ultraluminous X-ray sources from Spitzer IRS observations of NGC 4485/4490: Infrared diagnostic diagrams. Astrophysical Journal 658(1): L21-L24.
Prestwich, A. H., Kilgard, R., Crowther, P. A., Carpano, S., Pollock, A. M. T., Zezas, A., Saar, S. H., Roberts, T. P. & Ward, M. J. (2007). The Orbital Period of the Wolf-Rayet Binary IC 10 X-1: Dynamic Evidence that the Compact Object Is a Black Hole. Astrophysical Journal 669: L21-24.
Barcons, X., Carrera, F. J., Ceballos, M. T., Page, M. J., Bussons-Gordo, J., Corral, A., Ebrero, J., Mateos, S., Tedds, J. A., Watson, M. G., Baskill, D., Birkinshaw, M., Boller, T., Borisov, N., Bremer, M., Bromage, G. E., Brunner, H., Caccianiga, A., Crawford, C. S., Cropper, M. S., Della Ceca, R., Derry, P., Fabian, A. C., Guillout, P., Hashimoto, Y., Hasinger, G., Hassall, B. J. M., Lamer, G., Loaring, N. S., Maccacaro, T., Mason, K. O., McMahon, R. G., Mirioni, L., Mittaz, J. P. D., Motch, C., Negueruela, I., Osborne, J. P., Panessa, F., Pérez-Fournon, I., Pye, J. P., Roberts, T. P., Rosen, S., Schartel, N., Schurch, N., Schwope, A., Severgnini, P., Sharp, R., Stewart, G. C., Szokoly, G., Ullán, A., Ward, M. J., Warwick, R. S., Wheatley, P. J., Webb, N. A., Worrall, D., Yuan, W. & Ziaeepour, H. (2007). The XMM-Newton serendipitous survey. IV. Optical identification of the XMM-Newton medium sensitivity survey (XMS). Astronomy & Astrophysics 476: 1191-1203.
Roberts, T.P. (2007). X-ray observations of ultraluminous X-ray sources. Astrophysics & Space Science 311: 203-212.
Goad, MR, Roberts, TP, Reeves, JN & Uttley, P (2006). A deep XMM-Newton observation of the ultraluminous X-ray source Holmberg II X-1: the case against a 1000-M-circle dot black hole. Monthly Notices Of The Royal Astronomical Society 365(1): 191-198.
Roberts, TP, Kilgard, RE, Warwick, RS, Goad, MR & Ward, MJ (2006). Chandra monitoring observations of the ultraluminous X-ray source NGC 5204 X-1. Monthly Notices Of The Royal Astronomical Society 371(4): 1877-1890.
Stobbart, AM, Roberts, TP & Warwick, RS (2006). The X-ray properties of the dwarf Magellanic-type galaxy NGC 55. Monthly Notices Of The Royal Astronomical Society 370(1): 25-42.
Stobbart, A-M., Roberts, T. P. & Wilms, J. (2006). XMM-Newton observations of the brightest ultraluminous X-ray sources. Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society 368(1): 397-413.
Jenkins, LP, Roberts, TP, Warwick, RS, Kilgard, RE & Ward, MJ (2005). An XMM-Newton view of M101 - II. Global X-ray source properties. Monthly Notices Of The Royal Astronomical Society 357(2): 401-419.
Watson, MG, Roberts, TP, Akiyama, M & Ueda, Y (2005). Discovery of multiple ultra-luminous X-ray sources in the galaxy KUG 0214-057. Astronomy & Astrophysics 437(3): 899-904.
Krauss, MI, Kilgard, RE, Garcia, MR, Roberts, TP & Prestwich, AH (2005). M74 X-1 (CXOU J013651.1+154547): An extremely variable ultraluminous X-ray source. Astrophysical Journal 630(1): 228-237.
Roberts, TP, Warwick, RS, Ward, MJ, Goad, MR & Jenkins, LP (2005). XMM-Newton EPIC observations of the ultraluminous X-ray source NGC 5204 X-1. Monthly Notices Of The Royal Astronomical Society 357(4): 1363-1369.
Jenkins, LP, Roberts, TP, Ward, MJ & Zezas, A (2005). XMM-Newton observations of the interacting galaxy pairs NGC 7771/0 and NGC 2342/1. Monthly Notices Of The Royal Astronomical Society 357(1): 109-123.
Stobbart, AM, Roberts, TP & Warwick, RS (2004). A dipping black hole X-ray binary candidate in NGC 55. Monthly Notices Of The Royal Astronomical Society 351(3): 1063-1070.
Jenkins, LP, Roberts, TP, Warwick, RS, Kilgard, RE & Ward, MJ (2004). An XMM-Newton view of M101 - I. The luminous X-ray source population. Monthly Notices Of The Royal Astronomical Society 349(2): 404-424.
Roberts, TP, Warwick, RS, Ward, MJ & Goad, MR (2004). Chandra observations of five ultraluminous X-ray sources in nearby galaxies (vol 349, pg 1193, 2004). Monthly Notices Of The Royal Astronomical Society 350(4): 1536-1536.
Roberts, T. P., Warwick, R. S., Ward, M. J. & Goad, M. R. (2004). Chandra observations of five ultraluminous X-ray sources in nearby galaxies. Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society 349(4): 1193-1210.
Jenkins, LP, Roberts, TP, Ward, MJ & Zezas, A (2004). XMM-Newton observations of the starburst merger galaxies NGC 3256 and NGC 3310. Monthly Notices Of The Royal Astronomical Society 352(4): 1335-1346.
Roberts, TP & Colbert, EJM (2003). Chandra reveals a black hole X-ray binary within the ultraluminous supernova remnant MF 16. Monthly Notices Of The Royal Astronomical Society 341(4): L49-L54.
Roberts, T. P., Goad, M. R., Ward, M. J. & Warwick, R. S. (2003). The unusual supernova remnant surrounding the ultraluminous X-ray source IC 342 X-1. Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society 342(3): 709-714.
Roberts, TP, Warwick, RS, Ward, MJ & Murray, SS (2002). A Chandra observation of the interacting pair of galaxies NGC 4485/4490. Monthly Notices Of The Royal Astronomical Society 337(2): 677-692.
Schurch, NJ, Roberts, TP & Warwick, RS (2002). High-resolution X-ray imaging and spectroscopy of the core of NGC 4945 with XMM-Newton and Chandra. Monthly Notices Of The Royal Astronomical Society 335(2): 241-246.
Goad, MR, Roberts, TP, Knigge, C & Lira, P (2002). The optical counterpart of the ultraluminous X-ray source NGC 5204 X-1. Monthly Notices Of The Royal Astronomical Society 335(3): L67-L70.
Barcons, X, Carrera, FJ, Watson, MG, McMahon, RG, Aschenbach, B, Freyberg, MJ, Page, K, Page, MJ, Roberts, TP, Turner, MJL, Barret, D, Brunner, H, Ceballos, MT, Della Ceca, R, Guillout, P, Hasinger, G, Maccacaro, T, Mateos, S, Motch, C, Negueruela, I, Osborne, JP, Perez-Fournon, I, Schwope, A, Severgnini, P, Szokoly, GP, Webb, NA, Wheatley, PJ & Worrall, DM (2002). The XMM-Newton serendipitous survey - II. First results from the AXIS high galactic latitude medium sensitivity survey. Astronomy & Astrophysics 382(2): 522-536.
Roberts, TP, Schurch, NJ & Warwick, RS (2001). Do LINER 2 galaxies harbour low-luminosity active galactic nuclei?. Monthly Notices Of The Royal Astronomical Society 324(3): 737-746.
Roberts, T. P., Goad, M. R., Ward, M. J., Warwick, R. S., O'Brien, P. T., Lira, P. & Hands, A. D. P. (2001). The identification of an optical counterpart to the super-Eddington X-ray source NGC 5204 X-1. Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society 325(2): L7-L11.
Watson, MG, Augueres, JL, Ballet, J, Barcons, X, Barret, D, Boer, M, Boller, T, Bromage, GE, Brunner, H, Carrera, FJ, Cropper, MS, Denby, M, Ehle, M, Elvis, M, Fabian, AC, Freyberg, MJ, Guillout, P, Hameury, JM, Hasinger, G, Hinshaw, DA, Maccacaro, T, Mason, KO, McMahon, RG, Michel, L, Mirioni, L, Mittaz, JP, Motch, C, Olive, JF, Osborne, JP, Page, CG, Pakull, M, Perry, BH, Pierre, M, Pietsch, W, Pye, JP, Read, AM, Roberts, TP, Rosen, SR, Sauvageot, JL, Schwope, AD, Sekiguchi, K, Stewart, GC, Stewart, I, Valtchanov, I, Ward, MJ, Warwick, RS, West, RG, White, NE & Worrall, DM (2001). The XMM-Newton serendipitous survey I. The role of XMM-Newton Survey Science Centre. Astronomy And Astrophysics 365(1): L51-L59.
Pietsch, W, Roberts, TP, Sako, M, Freyberg, MJ, Read, AM, Borozdin, KN, Branduardi-Raymont, G, Cappi, M, Ehle, M, Ferrando, P, Kahn, SM, Ponman, TJ, Ptak, A, Shirey, RE & Ward, M (2001). XMM-Newton observations of NGC 253: Resolving the emission components in the disk and nuclear area. Astronomy And Astrophysics 365(1): L174-L180.
Hopwood, MEL, Evans, A, Roberts, TP, Burleigh, MR, Odenkirchen, M, Beardmore, AP, O'Brien, T, Jeffries, RD, Penny, A & Eyres, SPS (2000). A possible detection of diffuse extended X-ray emission in the environment of the globular cluster NGC 6779. Monthly Notices Of The Royal Astronomical Society 316(1): L5-L8.
Roberts, TP & Warwick, RS (2000). A ROSAT High Resolution Imager survey of bright nearby galaxies. Monthly Notices Of The Royal Astronomical Society 315(1): 98-114.
Roberts, TP, Warwick, RS & Ohashi, T (1999). The X-ray properties of the nearby LINER galaxy NGC 4736. Monthly Notices Of The Royal Astronomical Society 304(1): 52-60.
Roberts, TP & Warwick, RS (1998). Nuclear X-ray sources in nearby galaxies. Astronomische Nachrichten 319(1-2): 34-34.
Warwick, RS & Roberts, TP (1998). The extragalactic X-ray background at 0.25 keV. Astronomische Nachrichten 319(1-2): 59-62.
Barber, CR, Roberts, TP & Warwick, RS (1996). Shadowing of the 0.25-keV extragalactic X-ray background by the disc of NGC 55. Monthly Notices Of The Royal Astronomical Society 282(1): 157-166.