
Professor Jeff Cooke
- School of Science
- Centre for Astrophysics and Supercomputing
- Department of Physics and Astronomy
- AR315 Hawthorn campus
Biography
I am currently leading research in the areas of high redshift galaxies (in emission and absorption), high redshift supernovae, and fast transients. The fast transient work includes the search for electromagnetic counterparts to gravitational waves as part of the Centre of Excellence for Gravitational Wave Discovery (OzGrav), in which I am a Chief Investigator.
I conduct and collaborate on large, deep imaging and spectroscopic surveys to detect and study galaxies and supernovae at high redshift. The surveys aim to better understand galaxy evolution, their properties and environments, the supernovae within them, and the impact galaxies had on cosmic reionisation. Some highlights of the many programs I am leading are that we have identified a previously overlooked population of galaxies (the Lyman continuum galaxies) that may have been responsible for the bulk of ionising photons in the early Universe, we have uncovered surprising relationships between the spectral features of galaxies and a number of internal and environmental properties, and we have observed absorption systems illuminated by background galaxies that have provided the first measurements of their most fundamental properties (size and mass) which have remained elusive in the 40 years since their first discovery. These areas of research are in conjunction with my work as an Associate Investigator of the ARC Centre of Excellence for All-sky Astrophysics in 3 Dimensions (ASTRO-3D).
In addition, I pioneered a technique to detect supernovae in high redshift galaxies and at distances far greater than has been previously achieved, including super-luminous supernovae, some of which, may be observational examples of a long-theorised third type of supernova based on the pair-instability process. Our most distant discoveries occurred when the universe was only about 10% its current age. Because many of the first generation of stars (Population III stars) are believed to result in pair-instability supernovae, we now have the capability and may be detecting the deaths of the very first stars. This work requires use of the Hubble Space Telescope and collaborative grants with the USA.
I developed the Deeper, Wider, Faster (DWF) program to search for fast transients, such as supernova shock breakouts, kilonovae, counterparts to fast radio bursts (FRBs), and other events with seconds-to-hours durations that have remained elusive largely due to instrument and technological barriers. Many of these events are predicted to generate gravitational waves. DWF is a new approach that overcomes previous obstacles by coordinating simultaneous, fast-cadenced, deep, multi-wavelength observations using major facilities (e.g., Parkes, Molonglo, Swift space telescope, CTIO DECam), processing the data in seconds using the Swinburne supercomputer, and identifying fast transients in real-time using advanced software, machine learning, and visualisation technology. This work involves over 50 major observatories on every continent and in space and collaboration with over 30 of the most prominent and relevant universities and institutions worldwide.
The real-time analysis enables deep, rapid ToO spectroscopy of the events and their host galaxies acquired within minutes of detection using 8m-class telescopes (e.g., Gemini-South and potentially Keck and VLT). Finally, DWF employs a network of 1-10m facilities for hours-to-days later follow-up imaging and deep spectroscopy, that includes the SALT, AAT, ATCA, SkyMapper, AST3 in the Antarctic, and the Zadko telescopes. DWF aims to resolve the FRB mystery with its multi-wavelength, fast real-time analysis approach and is a key OzGrav program to search for electromagnetic counterparts to gravitational waves.
Research interests
Cosmology; Galaxy Formation; Scientific Computing and Visualisation; Data Visualisation; Human Computer Interactions; Strategic & Transformative Design: Human-Object-Environment Interaction; Supernovae; Gravitational Waves; Fast Transients; Cosmic Reionisation; Absorption-line Systems
PhD candidate and honours supervision
Higher degrees by research
Accredited to supervise Masters & Doctoral students as Principal Supervisor.
PhD topics and outlines
Cosmic Reionisation: Characterising Lyman Continuum Galaxies
Data Science Techniques to detect fast transients and counterparts to gravitational waves 
Exploring the High Energy Dynamic Universe
Multiwavelenth Counterparts to Fast Radio Bursts, Rapid Transients, and Multi-Messinger Astronomy
Superluminous Supernovae in the Early Universe:
Fields of Research
- Stellar Astronomy And Planetary Systems - 510109
- Astronomical Instrumentation - 510102
- Cosmology And Extragalactic Astronomy - 510103
Teaching areas
Galaxy Formation;Introductory Astronomy;Stellar evolution;Cosmic Reionisation;Large-Scale Structure;Supernovae;Gravitational Waves and Electromagnetic Detection;Absorption-line Systems
Awards
- 2017, Swinburne, Vice-Chancellor's Research Excellence Award, Swinburne University
- 2014, Swinburne, Vice-Chancellor's Research Excellence Award, Swinburne University
- 2013, International, Wall of Fame Inaugural Inductee, Westville High School
- 2013, National, ARC Future Fellowship, ARC
- 2009, International, McCue Fellowship Award, University of California, Irvine
- 2006, International, McCue Fellowship Award, University of California, Irvine
- 2002, International, Senior Teaching Assistant Outstanding Service Award, University of California, San Diego
- 2000, International, Teaching Assistant Excellence Award in Physics, University of California, San Diego
- 1997, International, Outstanding Graduate Award, San Diego State University
- 1996, International, Lucas Scholarship Award, San Diego State University
Further information
- http://theconversation.com/profiles/jeffrey-cooke-
Publications
Also published as: Cooke, Jeff; Cooke, J.; Cooke, Jeffrey
This publication listing is provided by Swinburne Research Bank. If you are the owner of this profile, you can update your publications using our online form.
Recent research grants awarded
- 2021: Exploring the Dynamic Universe with DREAMS *; ARC Linkage Infrastructure and Equipment Scheme
- 2020: Deeper, Wider, Faster program: Detecting the fastest bursts in the Universe *; ARC Discovery Projects Scheme
- 2019: Keck Wide-Field Imager: A UV-optimized prime focus wide-field imager for Keck *; W.M. Keck Observatory
- 2017: ARC Centre of Excellence for All Sky Astrophysics in 3 Dimensions *; ARC Centre of Excellence Scheme
- 2017: ARC Centre of Excellence for Gravitational Wave Discovery *; ARC Centre of Excellence Scheme
* Chief Investigator
Recent media
- 2022-12-01: Scientists witness star ‘torn apart’ by ‘super massive black hole’ - Sky News
- 2022-12-01: What happens when a star gets too close to a black hole? - The Australian
- 2022-08-17: Scientists are turning data into sound to listen to the whispers of the universe (and more) - The Conversation
- 2022-06-03: Giant Ancient Galactic Cloud Nurseries - Space Australia
- 2022-05-19: Cosmic telescope! Researchers use galaxy as a giant magnifying glass to study the heart of the young universe - Daily Mail
- 2019-06-29: Inside the amazing, crazy hunt for super-powerful space energy - The Sydney Morning Herald
- 2019-06-21: How blind astronomers discover things their sighted colleagues missed - Radio FM4
- 2019-05-06: Black holes and neutron stars collide in the latest gravitational wave data - The Wire
- 2017-12-21: Waves of joy: why astronomers are ecstatic about colliding neutron stars - Cosmos
- 2017-10-17: Gravitational waves unveil cosmic cataclysm that sparks astronomical gold rush - Scimex
- 2017-10-17: Swinburne researchers led Australian efforts to study gravitationalwave event - Core Sector Communique
- 2016-01-06: New method solves 40 year-old mystery on the size of shadowy galaxies - Swinburne Media
- 2016-01-06: New method solves 40 year-old mystery on the size of shadowy galaxies - Swinburne Media
- 2012-11-15: Driving the field towards astrophysics of the early universe - Nature Scilogs
- 2012-11-05: Supernovas: the early years - The Sydney Morning Herald
- 2012-11-01: Ancient supernovae bigger than modern ones - ABC Science
- 2012-11-01: Ancient supernovae bigger than modern ones - ABC Science
- 2012-11-01: Bright supernovas found - Science Alert
- 2012-11-01: Giant supernovae offer insight into young universe - Cosmos
- 2012-11-01: Super-luminous supernovae: seriously worth the superlatives - The Conversation