research overview
- Prof Stocke's research interests is in the area of observational cosmology, specifically the cosmic evolution of galaxies, the large-scale structure of gas in intergalactic space, and of fundamental constants of nature. Currently his top priority research project is the study of gas clouds in inter-galactic space as discovered through UV spectra obtained with the Hubble Space Telescope (HST) using guaranteed time with the Cosmic Origins Spectrograph (COS). COS was installed on HST in May 2009 and has finished obtaining ~200 orbits of spectroscopy for Stocke's research. Approximately 100 new HST orbits have been awarded to Stocke in the last 4 years to continue this line of research. Prof Stocke also conducts research on the nature of the power source for radio-loud quasars (HST project in-progress) and on the question of whether fundamental constants of nature change with time. As a sidelight he conducts field work investigating indigenous and ancient cosmologies and star knowledge.
