Radio Luminosity Functions of Radio-Quiet Quasars with MIGHTEE and SDSS

Project Description:

This project investigates the physical origins of faint radio emission in radio-quiet quasars. While a small fraction of quasars produce powerful relativistic jets, the vast majority are classified as radio-quiet despite still exhibiting faint radio signals. It remains unclear whether this emission is driven by star formation within the host galaxy or by processes linked to the Active Galactic Nucleus itself. To address this, the student will construct and analyze radio luminosity functions for an optically selected sample of quasars. By examining how these distributions change with redshift, the project will help identify the dominant physical mechanisms at play. The research uses deep 1.3 GHz radio continuum data from the MeerKAT MIGHTEE survey combined with optical catalogs from the Sloan Digital Sky Survey. Key tasks include cross-matching datasets, managing selection biases, and performing evolutionary modeling. The results will provide quantitative constraints on the faint radio sky. Students will develop essential Python programming skills while gaining hands-on experience with large astronomical datasets.

Research Area:

Astronomy

Project Level:

Honours

This Project Is Offered At The Following Node(s):

(UCT)(UKZN)(NWU)

Special Requirements:

basic programming skills in Python