Dr. Dean McLaughlin

Title: Lecturer in Astrophysics
Phone: +44 1782 7 34113
Email:
Location: Lennard-Jones 1.49
Role: Admissions Tutor
Contacting me: Phone, email, or come by my office any time
McLaughlin_Dean

I did my undergraduate and postgraduate work in Canada, obtaining a BSc in Mathematical Physics from the University of Alberta, and MSc and PhD degrees in Astrophysics from McMaster University. Subsequently I worked as a research associate in the Astronomy Department of the University of California at Berkeley; as a fibre-optics scientist at a start-up company in Edmonton, Canada; as a research associate at the Space Telescope Science Institute in Baltimore (science headquarters for the Hubble Space Telescope); and as a research associate in the Theoretical Astrophysics Group at the University of Leicester. I came to Keele in 2007.

I am part of the Astrophysics Group at Keele, and a member of the Research Institute for the Environment, Physical Sciences and Applied Mathematics (EPSAM).

Much of my current research is in the general area of stellar dynamics, with emphasis on the internal structure and long-term evolution of massive star clusters; the distribution and motions of star clusters in galaxies, and how the dark-matter content of galaxies can be constrained from this; and the structure and dynamics of dark-matter haloes.

Most recently I have become particularly intrigued by the problem of nuclear star clusters, which are now known to exist at the centres of a majority of galaxies: How do these objects relate to the supermassive black holes that are also found in the centres of most galaxies, and how do the formation and growth of these "central massive objects" influence the evolution of the galaxies around them?

My work is a mixture of theory and data modelling, and I am involved with teams carrying out large observational programmes to investigate some of the issues just mentioned, and more. Please see my personal webpage for further details.

Click here for a full bibliography.

Selected Publications

  • McQuillin RC and McLaughlin DE. 2012. Momentum-driven feedback and the M-s relation in non-isothermal galaxies. MONTHLY NOTICES OF THE ROYAL ASTRONOMICAL SOCIETY, vol. 423(3), 2162-2176. link> doi>
  • Ferrarese L, Cote P, Cuillandre J-C, Gwyn SDJ, Peng EW, MacArthur LA, Duc P-A, Boselli A, Mei S, Erben T, McConnachie AW, Durrell PR, Mihos JC, Jordan A, Lancon A, Puzia TH, Emsellem E, Balogh ML, Blakeslee JP, van Waerbeke L, Gavazzi R, Vollmer B, Kavelaars JJ, Woods D, Ball NM, Boissier S, Courteau S, Ferriere E, Gavazzi G, Hildebrandt H, Hudelot P, Huertas-Company M, Liu C, McLaughlin D, Mellier Y, Milkeraitis M, Schade D, Balkowski C, Bournaud F, Carlberg RG, Chapman SC, Hoekstra H, Peng C, Sawicki M, Simard L, Taylor JE, Tully RB, van Driel W, Wilson CD, Burdullis T, Mahoney B, Manset N. 2012. THE NEXT GENERATION VIRGO CLUSTER SURVEY (NGVS). I. INTRODUCTION TO THE SURVEY. ASTROPHYSICAL JOURNAL SUPPLEMENT SERIES, vol. 200(1), Article ARTN 4. link> doi>
  • Platais I, Cudworth KM, Kozhurina-Platais V, McLaughlin DE, Meibom S, Veillet C. 2011. A NEW LOOK AT THE OLD STAR CLUSTER NGC 6791. ASTROPHYSICAL JOURNAL LETTERS, vol. 733(1), Article ARTN L1. link> doi>
  • Chumak YO, Platais I, McLaughlin DE, Rastorguev AS, Chumak OV. 2010. Numerical simulations of tidal tails for the open cluster NGC 188. MONTHLY NOTICES OF THE ROYAL ASTRONOMICAL SOCIETY, vol. 402(3), 1841-1853. link> doi>
  • McLaughlin DE and Fall SM. 2008. Shaping the globular cluster mass function by stellar-dynamical evaporation. ASTROPHYSICAL JOURNAL, vol. 679(2), 1272-1287. link> doi>

Full Publications List show

Journal Articles

  • McQuillin RC and McLaughlin DE. 2012. Momentum-driven feedback and the M-s relation in non-isothermal galaxies. MONTHLY NOTICES OF THE ROYAL ASTRONOMICAL SOCIETY, vol. 423(3), 2162-2176. link> doi>
  • Ferrarese L, Cote P, Cuillandre J-C, Gwyn SDJ, Peng EW, MacArthur LA, Duc P-A, Boselli A, Mei S, Erben T, McConnachie AW, Durrell PR, Mihos JC, Jordan A, Lancon A, Puzia TH, Emsellem E, Balogh ML, Blakeslee JP, van Waerbeke L, Gavazzi R, Vollmer B, Kavelaars JJ, Woods D, Ball NM, Boissier S, Courteau S, Ferriere E, Gavazzi G, Hildebrandt H, Hudelot P, Huertas-Company M, Liu C, McLaughlin D, Mellier Y, Milkeraitis M, Schade D, Balkowski C, Bournaud F, Carlberg RG, Chapman SC, Hoekstra H, Peng C, Sawicki M, Simard L, Taylor JE, Tully RB, van Driel W, Wilson CD, Burdullis T, Mahoney B, Manset N. 2012. THE NEXT GENERATION VIRGO CLUSTER SURVEY (NGVS). I. INTRODUCTION TO THE SURVEY. ASTROPHYSICAL JOURNAL SUPPLEMENT SERIES, vol. 200(1), Article ARTN 4. link> doi>
  • Platais I, Cudworth KM, Kozhurina-Platais V, McLaughlin DE, Meibom S, Veillet C. 2011. A NEW LOOK AT THE OLD STAR CLUSTER NGC 6791. ASTROPHYSICAL JOURNAL LETTERS, vol. 733(1), Article ARTN L1. link> doi>
  • Chumak YO, Platais I, McLaughlin DE, Rastorguev AS, Chumak OV. 2010. Numerical simulations of tidal tails for the open cluster NGC 188. MONTHLY NOTICES OF THE ROYAL ASTRONOMICAL SOCIETY, vol. 402(3), 1841-1853. link> doi>
  • McLaughlin DE and Fall SM. 2008. Shaping the globular cluster mass function by stellar-dynamical evaporation. ASTROPHYSICAL JOURNAL, vol. 679(2), 1272-1287. link> doi>
  • McLaughlin DE, Barmby P, Harris WE, Forbes DA, Harris GLH. 2008. Structural parameters for globular clusters in NGC 5128 - III. ACS surface brightness profiles and model fits. MONTHLY NOTICES OF THE ROYAL ASTRONOMICAL SOCIETY, vol. 384(2), 563-590. link> doi>
  • Jordan A, Sivakoff GR, McLaughlin DE, Blakeslee JP, Evans DA, Kraft RP, Hardcastle MJ, Peng EW, Cote P, Croston JH, Juett AM, Minniti D, Raychaudhury S, Sarazin CL, Worrall DM, Harris WE, Woodley KA, Birkinshaw M, Brassington NJ, Forman WR, Jones C, Murray SS. 2007. Low-mass X-ray binaries and globular clusters in centaurus A. ASTROPHYSICAL JOURNAL LETTERS, vol. 671(2), L117-L120. link> doi>
  • Chandar R, Fall SM, McLaughlin DE. 2007. Density dependence of the mass function of globular star clusters in the sombrero galaxy and its dynamical implications. ASTROPHYSICAL JOURNAL, vol. 668(2), L119-L122. link> doi>
  • Jordan A, McLaughlin DE, Cote P, Ferrarese L, Peng EW, Mei S, Villegas D, Merritt D, Tonry JL, West MJ. 2007. The ACS Virgo Cluster Survey. XII. The luminosity function of globular clusters in early-type galaxies. ASTROPHYSICAL JOURNAL SUPPLEMENT SERIES, vol. 171(1), 101-145. link> doi>
  • Barmby P, McLaughlin DE, Harris WE, Harris GLH, Forbes DA. 2007. Structural parameters for globular clusters in M31 and generalizations for the fundamental plane. ASTRONOMICAL JOURNAL, vol. 133(6), 2764-2786. link> doi>
  • Harris WE, Harris GLH, Barmby P, McLaughlin DE, Forbes DA. 2006. Structural parameters for globular clusters in NGC 5128. II. Hubble Space Telescope ACS imaging and new clusters. ASTRONOMICAL JOURNAL, vol. 132(5), 2187-2197. link> doi>
  • Jordan A, McLaughlin DE, Cote P, Ferrarese L, Peng EW, Blakeslee JP, Mei S, Villegas D, Merritt D, Tonry JL, West MJ. 2006. Trends in the globular cluster luminosity function of early-type galaxies. ASTROPHYSICAL JOURNAL, vol. 651(1), L25-L28. link> doi>
  • MCLAUGHLIN DE, King AR, Nayakshin S. 2006. The M-σ Relation for Nucleated Galaxies. The Astrophysical Journal, vol. 650(1), L37-L40. doi>
  • MCLAUGHLIN DE, Anderson J, Gebhardt K, Meylan G. 2006. Hubble Space Telescope Proper Motions and Stellar Dynamics in the Core of the Globular Cluster 47 Tucanae. The Astrophysical Journal Supplement Series, vol. 166(1), 249-297. doi>
  • Dehnen W, McLaughlin DE, Sachania J. 2006. The velocity dispersion and mass profile of the Milky Way. MONTHLY NOTICES OF THE ROYAL ASTRONOMICAL SOCIETY, vol. 369(4), 1688-1692. link> doi>
  • MCLAUGHLIN DE and van der Marel RP. 2005. Resolved Massive Star Clusters in the Milky Way and Its Satellites: Brightness Profiles and a Catalog of Fundamental Parameters. The Astrophysical Journal Supplement Series, vol. 161(2), 304-360. doi>
  • Jordan A, Cote P, Blakeslee JP, Ferrarese L, McLaughlin DE, Mei S, Peng EW, Tonry JL, Merritt D, Milosavljevic M, Sarazin CL, Sivakoff GR, West MJ. 2005. The ACS Virgo Cluster Survey. X. Half-light radii of globular clusters in early-type galaxies: Environmental dependencies and a standard ruler for distance estimation. ASTROPHYSICAL JOURNAL, vol. 634(2), 1002-1019. link> doi>
  • MCLAUGHLIN DE and Dehnen W. 2005. Dynamical insight into dark matter haloes. Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society, vol. 363(4), 1057-1068. doi>
  • Hayegan M, Jordan A, Cote P, Djorgovski SG, McLaughlin DE, Blakeslee JP, Mei S, West MJ, Peng EW, Ferrarese L, Milosavljevic M, Tonry JL, Merritt D. 2005. The ACS Virgo Cluster Survey. VII. Resolving the connection between globular clusters and ultracompact dwarf galaxies. ASTROPHYSICAL JOURNAL, vol. 627(1), 203-223. link>
  • Boker T, Sarzi M, McLaughlin DE, van der Marel RP, Rix HW, Ho LC, Shields JC. 2004. A Hubble Space Telescope census of nuclear star clusters in late-type spiral galaxies. II. Cluster sizes and structural parameter correlations. ASTRONOMICAL JOURNAL, vol. 127(1), 105-118. link>
  • Cote P, McLaughlin DE, Cohen JG, Blakeslee JP. 2003. Dynamics of the globular cluster system associated with M49 (NGC 4472): Cluster orbital properties and the distribution of dark matter. ASTROPHYSICAL JOURNAL, vol. 591(2), 850-877. link> doi>
  • Harris WE, Harris GLH, Holland ST, McLaughlin DE. 2002. Structural parameters for globular clusters in NGC 5128. ASTRONOMICAL JOURNAL, vol. 124(3), 1435-1451. link> doi>
  • Hanes DA, Cote P, Bridges TJ, McLaughlin DE, Geisler D, Harris GLH, Hesser JE, Lee MG. 2001. Dynamics of the globular cluster system associated with M87 (NGC 4486). I. New CFHT MOS spectroscopy and the composite database. ASTROPHYSICAL JOURNAL, vol. 559(2), 812-827. link> doi>
  • Cote P, McLaughlin DE, Hanes DA, Bridges TJ, Geisler D, Merritt D, Hesser JE, Harris GLH, Lee MG. 2001. Dynamics of the globular cluster system associated with M87 (NGC 4486). II. Analysis. ASTROPHYSICAL JOURNAL, vol. 559(2), 828-850. link> doi>
  • McLaughlin DE. 2000. Binding energy and the fundamental plane of globular clusters. ASTROPHYSICAL JOURNAL, vol. 539(2), 618-640. link> doi>
  • McLaughlin DE. 1999. The efficiency of globular cluster formation. ASTRONOMICAL JOURNAL, vol. 117(5), 2398-2427. link> doi>
  • McLaughlin DE. 1999. Evidence in Virgo for the universal dark matter halo. ASTROPHYSICAL JOURNAL, vol. 512(1), L9-L12. link> doi>
  • Harris WE, Harris GLH, McLaughlin DE. 1998. M87, globular clusters, and galactic winds: Issues in giant galaxy formation. ASTRONOMICAL JOURNAL, vol. 115(5), 1801-1822. link> doi>
  • Kaisler D, Harris WE, McLaughlin DE. 1997. Palomar 10 and NGC 6749: A study in contrasts. PUBLICATIONS OF THE ASTRONOMICAL SOCIETY OF THE PACIFIC, vol. 109(738), 920-926. link> doi>
  • McLaughlin DE and Pudritz RE. 1997. Gravitational collapse and star formation in logotropic and nonisothermal spheres. ASTROPHYSICAL JOURNAL, vol. 476(2), 750-765. link> doi>
  • Cote P, Hanes DA, McLaughlin DE, Bridges TJ, Hesser JE, Harris GLH. 1997. Discovery of a probable CH star in the globular cluster M14 and implications for the evolution of binaries in clusters. ASTROPHYSICAL JOURNAL, vol. 476(1), L15-+. link> doi>
  • McLaughlin DE and Pudritz RE. 1996. A model for the internal structure of molecular cloud cores. ASTROPHYSICAL JOURNAL, vol. 469(1), 194-208. link> doi>
  • Durrell PR, McLaughlin DE, Harris WE, Hanes DA. 1996. Globular cluster systems in dwarf elliptical galaxies .1. The dE,N galaxy NGC 3115 DW1. ASTROPHYSICAL JOURNAL, vol. 463(2), 543-554. link> doi>
  • McLaughlin DE and Pudritz RE. 1996. The formation of globular cluster systems .1. The luminosity function. ASTROPHYSICAL JOURNAL, vol. 457(2), 578-597. link> doi>
  • MCLAUGHLIN D. 1995. WAS THE COMPACT NUCLEUS IN M87 FORMED BY DESTROYED GLOBULAR-CLUSTERS. ASTRONOMICAL JOURNAL, vol. 109(5), 2034-2037. link> doi>
  • SECKER J, GEISLER D, MCLAUGHLIN D, HARRIS W. 1995. WASHINGTON PHOTOMETRY OF THE GLOBULAR-CLUSTER SYSTEM AROUND NGC-3311 .1. ANALYSIS OF THE METALLICITIES. ASTRONOMICAL JOURNAL, vol. 109(3), 1019-1032. link> doi>
  • MCLAUGHLIN D, SECKER J, HARRIS W, GEISLER D. 1995. WASHINGTON PHOTOMETRY OF THE GLOBULAR-CLUSTER SYSTEM AROUND NGC-3311 .2. SPATIAL STRUCTURE AND MASS-SPECTRUM. ASTRONOMICAL JOURNAL, vol. 109(3), 1033-1043. link> doi>
  • MCLAUGHLIN D, HARRIS W, HANES D. 1994. THE SPATIAL STRUCTURE OF THE M87 GLOBULAR-CLUSTER SYSTEM. ASTROPHYSICAL JOURNAL, vol. 422(2), 486-507. link> doi>
  • MCLAUGHLIN D. 1994. AN ANALYTICAL STUDY OF THE GLOBULAR-CLUSTER LUMINOSITY FUNCTION. PUBLICATIONS OF THE ASTRONOMICAL SOCIETY OF THE PACIFIC, vol. 106(695), 47-55. link> doi>
  • MCLAUGHLIN D, HARRIS W, HANES D. 1993. GLOBULAR-CLUSTERS AND CD FORMATION - THE CASE OF M87. ASTROPHYSICAL JOURNAL, vol. 409(2), L45-L48. link> doi>

Other

  • McLaughlin DE. 2005. The fundamental plane of globular clusters. HIGHLIGHTS OF ASTRONOMY, VOL 13 (vol. 13, pp. 181-182). link>
  • McLaughlin DE. 2003. Fitting dynamical models to observations. NEW HORIZONS IN GLOBULAR CLUSTER ASTRONOMY (vol. 296, pp. 101-116). link>
  • McLaughlin DE, Meylan G, Anderson J, King IR, Gebhardt K, Pryor C. 2003. HST/WFPC2 proper motions in the core of 47 Tucanae. NEW HORIZONS IN GLOBULAR CLUSTER ASTRONOMY (vol. 296, pp. 147-148). link>
  • McLaughlin DE. 2003. The globular cluster luminosity function. EXTRA-GALACTIC GLOBULAR CLUSTER SYSTEMS (pp. 329-335). link> doi>
  • McLaughlin DE and Meylan G. 2003. Velocity dispersion in the halo of omega Centauri: No need for MOND given the present data. NEW HORIZONS IN GLOBULAR CLUSTER ASTRONOMY (vol. 296, pp. 153-154). link>
  • McLaughlin DE. 2000. Constraints on cluster formation from old globular cluster systems. MASSIVE STELLAR CLUSTERS (vol. 211, pp. 281-287). link>
  • McLaughlin DE. 2000. The formation history of globular clusters. 33RD ESLAB SYMPOSIUM ON STAR FORMATION FROM THE SMALL TO THE LARGE SCALE (vol. 445, pp. 77-86). link>
  • McLaughlin DE and Pudritz RE. 1996. A model for the globular cluster luminosity function. NEW LIGHT ON GALAXY EVOLUTION (p. 418). link>

Year 1

  • Physics Problem Classes (a component of all year-1 modules)
  • PHY-10012 Oscillations and Waves (module leader)