My Research
My research has primarily focused on the dynamical evolution of binary star systems, and how discs form and evolve in them. My current work looks at understanding the multiplicity statistics of protostars, and determining the contributions of core and disc fragmentation. I have also worked with observers to help disentangle complex velocity structures observed in young binaries using my simulations.
The work of my Master of Research concerned the inspiral of binary stars undergoing common envelope evolution. The work of my PhD focused on the dynamics of material about forming binary star systems.
"Considerations on the role of fall-back discs in the final stages of the common envelope binary interaction" compiled together work done during my Master of Research concerning the impact that the return of bound material would have on common envelope evolution. Previous simulations of the common envelope phase failed to unbind the envelope of the primary star and reproduce observed separations of post common envelope binaries. We hypothesised that systems undergoing this evolution might have multiple rebounds of material which would further decrease the binary separation and unbind more material. We used hydro simulations run with ENZO to investigate this hypothesis. Here we found that the fall-back of bound material did contribute to further inspiral, but does not significantly unbind more gas. This work was published in MNRAS and can be found here.
My PhD research was focused on the formation of binary star systems and the implications for planet formation around binary stars. My PhD research primarily consisted of ideal MHD simulations with FLASH of binary star formation. The first paper concerns the impact binarity has on the protostellar outflows and launching mechanisms (click here to go to the paper and simulations). The second paper concerned the disruption of protoplanetary discs in forming binary star systems, and how turbulence influences circumbinary disc evolution (click here to go to the paper and simulations). I also had an observational component where I determined the binary fraction of disc-bearing young stars in Upper Scorpius and Upper Centaurus Lupus. This is to determine if binarity could significantly influence disc lifetimes. This work was published in MNRAS and can be found here.
The work of my Post-doc continues to investigation accretion bursts triggered by a binary companion. This work was published in A&A and can be found here. I have also been using simulations of a giant molecular cloud to understand multiplicity statistics of protostars (available on arXiv). I also use zoom-in simulations from the giant cloud simulations to understand accretion and velocity profiles measured in observations (publish in Nature).