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Physics and Astronomy

Professor Malcolm Coe FRAS, FHEA, FRCS

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Malcolm Coe is an Emeritus Professor of Astronomy at the University of Southampton. He originally trained as an astronomer at Imperial College, London University before winning an National Science Foundation Fellowship to NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center, Washington DC for several years. In summer 1979 he took up his current post at the University of Southampton, UK. In 1988 he won a Fulbright Scholarship to spend a sabbatical at Caltech, USA.

Throughout his time at Southampton he has played a significant and creative role in the education and outreach activities of the school. From 2005-2008 he was Head of the School of Physics & Astronomy at the University of Southampton, UK. During that time the school was rated at the highest level for research in the Research Assessment Exercise. He has played many major roles in school, perhaps most significantly, whilst Head, he helped persuade HEFCE to invest £12.5M in physics departments in the SE England.

For several years he was Senior Tutor in the department, supporting students with welfare issues, and in 2018 he won the Student Union award for the best pastoral support in the faculty. He is a Fellow of the Royal Astronomical Society.

In 2017 the International Astronomical Union named a Main Belt asteroid after him - 9015Coe

Research

Research interests

His PhD involved participating in the construction of the UK's first  space-based X-ray telescope and, subsequently, analyzing data from that instrument. At NASA, and since, he worked with other space-based telescopes to investigate the Universe at extreme temperatures and gravities, exploring the boundaries of Einstein's theory of General Relativity. Since then he has also been a frequent user of international ground-based telescopes. He has a list of over 200 professional scientific publications in major journals and is a frequent speaker at international conferences.

Teaching

He was responsible for creating the combined MPhys degree programme physics and astronomy, and for many years was programme leader for MPhys-with-Astronomy and MPhys Astrophysics-with a Year Abroad. He created the annual Tenerife Field Trip (now running for over 25 years) which won the Nuclear Electric Prize for the most innovative physics course. Subsequently he also set up the annual placement programme for the 5 best final-year astrophysics students at the Center for Astrophysics, Harvard University (now running for over 10 years). Currently he is delivering the 3rd year astrophysivs cource "Photons in Astrophysics".

Publications

Coe, M.J., Haigh, N.J., Laycock, S.G.T., Negueruela, I. and Kaiser, C.R. (2002) Observations of the unusual counterpart to the X-ray pulsar AX J0051-733. Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society, 332 (2), 473-478.

Corbet, R.H.D., Marshall, F.D, Coe, M.J., Laycock, S. and Handler, G (2001) The discovery of an outburst and pulsed X-ray flux from SMC X-2 using the Rossi X-ray timing explorer. Astrophysical Journal, 548 (2), L41-L44. (doi:10.1086/318929).

Coe, M.J., Edge, W.R.T., Galache, J.L. and McBride, V.A. (2005) Optical properties of small magellanic cloud X-ray binaries. Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society, 356 (2), 502-514. (doi:10.1111/j.1365-2966.2004.08467.x).

Wilson, C.A., Finger, M.H., Coe, M.J., Laycock, S. and Fabregat, J. (2002) A decade in the life of EXO 2030+375: a multiwavelength study of an accreting X-ray pulsar. Astrophysical Journal, 570 (1), 287-302. (doi:10.1086/339739).

Negueruela, I., Okazaki, A.T., Fabregat, U., Coe, M.J., Munari, U. and Tomov, T. (2001) The Be/X-ray transient 4U 0115+63/V635 Cassiopeiae. II. Outburst mechanisms. Astronomy & Astrophysics, 369 (2001), 117-131. (doi:10.1051/0004-6361:20010077).

Clarkson, W.I., Charles, P., Coe, M.J., Laycock, S., Tout, M.D. and Wilson, C.A. (2003) Long-term properties of accretion discs in X-ray binaries - I.The variable third period in SMC X-1. Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society, 339 (2), 447-454. (doi:10.1046/j.1365-8711.2003.06176.x).

Negueruela, I. and Coe, M.J. (2002) The population of massive x-ray binaries. Astronomy & Astrophysics, 385 (2002), 517-532. (doi:10.1051/0004-6361:20020139).

Buckley, D.A.H., Coe, M.J., Stevens, J.B., van der Hayden, K., Angelini, L., White, N. and Giommi, P. (2001) Multiwaveband studies of the hard ROSAT SMC transient 1WGA J0053.8-7226: a new X-ray pulsar. Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society, 320 (2), 281-288. (doi:10.1046/j.1365-8711.2001.03982.x).

Townsend, L.J., Coe, M.J., McBride, V.A., Bird, A.J., Schurch, M.P.E., Corbet, R.H.D., Haberl, F., Galache, J.L. and Udalski, A. (2010) Be/X-ray binary SXP6.85 undergoes large type II outburst in the small magellanic cloud. Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society, 403 (3), 1239-1245. (doi:10.1111/j.1365-2966.2009.16211.x).

McBride, V.A., Bird, A.J., Coe, M.J., Townsend, L.J., Corbet, R.H.D. and Haberl, F. (2010) The Magellanic Bridge: evidence for a population of X-ray binaries. Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society, 403 (2), 709-713. (doi:10.1111/j.1365-2966.2009.16178.x).

Coe, M.J., McBride, V.A. and Corbet, R.H.D. (2010) Exploring accretion theory with X-ray binaries in the small magellanic cloud. Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society, 401 (1), 252-256. (doi:10.1111/j.1365-2966.2009.15631.x).

İnam, S.Ç., Townsend, Lee J., McBride, V.A., Baykal, A., Coe, Malcolm J. and Corbet, R.H.D. (2009) RXTE-PCA observations of XMMU J054134.7-682550. Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society, 395 (3), 1662-1668. (doi:10.1111/j.1365-2966.2009.14659.x).

Coe, M.J., Schurch, M., McBride, V.A., Corbet, R.H.D., Townsend, L.J., Udalski, A. and Galache, J.L. (2009) An X-ray and optical study of the new SMC X-ray binary pulsar system SXP7.92 and its probable optical counterpart, AzV285. Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society, 394 (4), 2191-2196. (doi:10.1111/j.1365-2966.2009.14501.x).

Schurch, M.P.E., Coe, Malcolm J., Galache, J.L., Corbet, R.H.D., McGowan, K.E., McBride, V.A., Townsend, Lee J., Udalski, A. and Haberl, Frank (2008) High-mass X-ray binary SXP18.3 undergoes the longest type II outburst ever seen in the small magellanic cloud. Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society, 392 (1), 361-366. (doi:10.1111/j.1365-2966.2008.14048.x).

Lucas, P.W., Hoare, M.G., Schröder, A.C., Davis, C.J., Adamson, A., Bandyopadhyay, R.M., De Grijs, R., Smith, M., Gosling, A., Mitchison, S., Gáspár, A., Coe, Malcolm, Tamura, M., Parker, Q., Irwin, M., Hambly, N., Bryant, J., Collins, R.S., Cross, N., Evans, D.W., Gonzalez-Solares, E., Hodgkin, S., Lewis, J., Read, M., Riello, M., Sutorius, E.T.W., Lawrence, A., Drew, J.E., Dye, S. and Thompson, M.A. (2008) The UKIDSS galactic plane survey. Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society, 391 (1), 136-163. (doi:10.1111/j.1365-2966.2008.13924.x).

Niemela, V.S., Gamen, R.C., Barbá, R.H., Fernández Lajús, E., Benaglia, P., Solivella, G.R., Reig, P. and Coe, Malcolm J. (2008) The very massive X-ray bright binary system Wack 2134 (= WR 21a). Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society, 389 (3), 1447-1452. (doi:10.1111/j.1365-2966.2008.13684.x).

Galache, J.L., Corbet, R.H.D., Coe, M.J., Laycock, S., Schurch, M.P.E., Markwardt, C., Marshall, F.E. and Lochner, J. (2008) A long look at the Be/X-ray binaries of the small magellanic cloud. The Astrophysical Journal Supplement Series, 177 (1), 189-215. (doi:10.1086/587743).

Coe, M.J., Schurch, M., Corbet, R.H.D., Galache, J., McBride, V.A., Townsend, L.J. and Udalski, A. (2008) An optical and X-ray study of the counterpart to the small magellanic cloud X-ray binary pulsar system SXP327. Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society, 387 (2), 724-728. (doi:10.1111/j.1365-2966.2008.13257.x).

McGowan, K.E., Coe, M.J., Schurch, M.P., Corbet, R.H., Galache, J.L. and Udalski, A. (2008) Optical and X-ray variability of two Small Magellanic Cloud X-ray binary pulsars - SXP46.6 and SXP6.85. Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society, 384 (2), 821-826. (doi:10.1111/j.1365-2966.2007.12762.x).

McGowan, K.E., Coe, M.J., Schurch, M.J., McBride, V.A., Galache, J.G., Edge, W.R.T., Corbet, R.H.D., Laycock, S.G. and Buckley, D.A. (2008) The chandra small magellanic cloud wing survey - the search for X-ray binaries. Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society, 383 (1), 330-338. (doi:10.1111/j.1365-2966.2007.12559.x).

McBride, V.A., Coe, M.J., Negueruela, I., Schurch, M.P.E. and McGowan, K.E. (2008) Spectral distribution of Be/X-ray binaries in the small magellanic cloud. Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society, 388 (3), 1198-1204. (doi:10.1111/j.1365-2966.2008.13410.x).

Coe, Malcolm J., Bird, Anthony J., Buckley, D.A.H., Corbet, R.H.D., Dean, Anthony J., Finger, M., Galache, José L., Haberl, Frank, McBride, Vanessa, Negueruela, I., Schurch, Matthew, Townsend, Lee J., Udalski, A., Wilms, J. and Zezas, A. (2010) Integral deep observations of the small magellanic cloud. Pre-print, (arXiv:1004.221). (Submitted)

Knigge, Christian, Coe, Malcolm J. and Podsiadlowski, Philipp (2011) Two populations of X-ray pulsars produced by two types of supernovae. Nature, 479, 372-375. (doi:10.1038/nature10529).

Consortium, Fermi LAT, Coe, M.J., di Mille, F., Edwards, P.G., Filopovic, M., Payne, J.L., Stevens, J. and Torres, M. (2012) Periodic emission from the gamma-ray binary 1FGL J1018.6-5856. Science, 335 (6065), 189-193. (doi:10.1126/science.1213974).

Bartlett, Elizabeth, Coe, Malcolm J. and Ho, Wynn C.G. (2013) XMM-Newton observation of the highly magnetised accreting pulsar Swift J045106.8-694803: evidence of a hot thermal excess. Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society, 436 (3), 2054-2062. (doi:10.1093/mnras/stt1711).

Klus, Helen, Ho, Wynn C.G., Coe, Malcolm J., Corbet, Robin H.D. and Townsend, Lee J. (2014) Spin period change and the magnetic fields of neutron stars in Be X-ray binaries in the Small Magellanic Cloud. Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society, 437 (4), 3863-3882. (doi:10.1093/mnras/stt2192).

Ho, Wynn C.G., Klus, Helen, Coe, Malcolm J. and Andersson, Nils (2014) Equilibrium spin pulsars unite neutron star populations. Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society, 437 (4), 3664-3669. (doi:10.1093/mnras/stt2193).

Reig, P., Nersesian, A., Zezas, A., Gkouvelis, L. and Coe, M.J. (2016) Long-term optical variability of high-mass X-ray binaries. II. Spectroscopy. Astronomy & Astrophysics, 590 (A122), 1-31. (doi:10.1051/0004-6361/201628271).

Ho, Wynn C.G., Ng, C.-Y., Lyne, Andrew G., Stappers, Ben W., Coe, Malcolm, Halpern, Jules P., Johnson, Tyrel J. and Steele, Iain A. (2017) Multiwavelength monitoring and X-ray brightening of Be X-ray binary PSR J2032+4127/MT91 213 on its approach to periastron. Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society, 464 (1), 1211-1219. (doi:10.1093/mnras/stw2420).

Coe, M.J., Bartlett, E S, Bird, A.J., Haberl, F., Kennea, J.A., McBride, V.A., Townsend, L.J. and Udalski, A. (2015) SXP 5.05 = IGR J00569-7226: using X-rays to explore the structure of a Be star’s circumstellar disk. Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society, 447 (3), 2387-2403. (doi:10.1093/mnras/stu2568).

Corbet, R.H.D., Chomiuk, L., Coe, Malcolm, Coley, J.B., Dubus, G., Edwards, P.G., Martin, P., McBride, V.A., Stevens, J., Strader, J., Townsend, L.J. and Udalski, A. (2016) A luminous gamma-ray binary in the Large Magellanic Cloud. The Astrophysical Journal, 829 (105), 1-10. (doi:10.3847/0004-637X/829/2/105).

Monageng, I.M., McBride, V.A., Coe, Malcolm, Steele, I.A. and Reig, P. (2017) On the relationship between circumstellar disc size and X-ray outbursts in Be/X-ray binaries. Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society, 464 (1), 572-585. (doi:10.1093/mnras/stw2354).

Yang, J., Laycock, S.G.T., Christodoulou, D.M., Fingerman, S., Coe, M.J. and Drake, J.J. (2017) A comprehensive library of x-ray pulsars in the Small Magellanic Cloud: Time evolution of their luminosities and spin periods. The Astrophysical Journal, 839 (2), [119]. (doi:10.3847/1538-4357/aa6898).

Bird, Antony and Coe, Malcolm (2017) Confirmation of six be X-ray binaries in the small Magellanic cloud. Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society, 467 (2), 1526-1530. (doi:10.1093/mnras/stx181).

Townsend, L.J., Kennea, J.A., Coe, M.J., McBride, V.A., Buckley, D.A.H., Evans, P.A. and Udalski, A. (2017) The 2016 super-Eddington outburst of SMC X-3: X-ray and optical properties and system parameters. Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society, 471 (4), 3878-3887. (doi:10.1093/mnras/stx1865).

Alfonso-Garzon, J., Fabregat, J., Reig, P., Kajava, J.J.E., Sanchez-Dernandez, C., Townsend, L.J., Mas-Hesse, J.M., Crawford, S.M., Kretschmar, P. and Coe, M.J. (2017) Long-term optical and X-ray variability of the Be/X-ray binary H 1145–619: Discovery of an ongoing retrograde density wave. Astronomy & Astrophysics, 607, [A52]. (doi:10.1051/0004-6361/201630211).

Yang, J., Laycock, S.G.T., Drake, J.J., Coe, M.J., Fingerman, S., Hong, J., Antoniou, V. and Zezas, A. (2017) A multi-observatory database of X-ray pulsars in the Magellanic Clouds. Astronomische Nachrichten, 338 (2-3), 220-226. (doi:10.1002/asna.201713334).

Petropoulou, M., Vasilopoulos, G., Christie, I.M., Giannios, D. and Coe, M.J. (2018) X-ray mapping of the stellar wind in the binary PSR J2032+4127/MT91 213. Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society: Letters, 474 (1), L22-L26. (doi:10.1093/mnrasl/slx185).

Brown, Rory O., Ho, Wynn C. G., Coe, Malcolm J. and Okazaki, Atsuo T. (2018) Simulating the X-ray luminosity of Be X-ray binaries: the case for black holes versus neutron stars. Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society, 477 (4), 4810-4816. (doi:10.1093/mnras/sty973).

Bartlett, E.S., Coe, M.J., Israel, G., Clark, J.S., Esposito, P., D'Elia, V. and Udalski, A. (2017) SXP 7.92: a recently rediscovered Be/X-ray binary in the Small Magellanic Cloud, viewed edge on. Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society, 466 (4), 4659-4671. (doi:10.1093/mnras/stx032).

Yang, Jun, Zezas, Andreas, Coe, Malcolm J., Drake, Jeremy J., Hong, Jae Sub, Laycock, Silas G.T. and Wik, Daniel R. (2018) Anticorrelation between X-ray luminosity and pulsed fraction in the Small Magellanic Cloud pulsar SXP 1323. Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society: Letters, 479 (1), L1-L6. (doi:10.1093/mnrasl/sly085).

Kennea, J.A., Coe, M.J., Evans, P.A., Waters, J. and Jasko, R.E. (2018) The first year of S-CUBED: the Swift Small Magellanic Cloud Survey. Astrophysical Journal, 868 (1), [47]. (doi:10.3847/1538-4357/aae839).

Boon, C.M., Bird, A.J., Coe, M.J., Corbet, R.H.D., Evans, P.A., Kennea, J.A., Krimm, H.A., Laycock, S.G.T. and Udalski, A. (2017) Multiwavelength observations of the Be/X-ray binary IGR J01217−7257 (=SXP 2.16) during outburst. Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society, 466 (1), 1149-1159. (doi:10.1093/mnras/stw3169).

Coe, M.J., Okazaki, A.T., Steele, I.A., Ng, C.-Y., Ho, Wynn C.G., Lyne, A.G., Stappers, B., Johnson, T.J., Ray, Paul S. and Kerr, M. (2019) The semicentennial binary system PSR J2032+4127 at periastron: X-ray photometry, optical spectroscopy and SPH modelling. Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society, 485 (2), 1864-1875. (doi:10.1093/mnras/stz515).

Monageng, I.M., Coe, Malcolm, Townsend, Lee, Buckley, David, McBride, Vanessa, Roche, Paul, Kennea, Jamie, Udalski, Andrzej and Evans, Phil (2019) The SMC X-ray binary SXP4.78 : a new Type II outburst and the identification and study of the optical counterpart. Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society, 485 (4), 4617-4624. (doi:10.1093/mnras/stz723).

Coe, Malcolm and Kirk, James (2015) Catalogue of Be/X-ray binary systems in the Small Magellanic Cloud: X-ray, optical and IR properties. Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society, 452, 969-977. (doi:10.1093/mnras/stv1283).

Brown, R.O., Coe, M.J., Ho, W.C.G. and Okazaki, A.T. (2019) Modelling the observable behaviour of SXP 5.05. Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society, 486 (3), 3078-3086. (doi:10.1093/mnras/stz1037).

Cappallo, R., Laycock, S.G.T., Christodoulou, D., Coe, M.J. and Zezas, A. (2019) On the geometry of the X-ray emission from pulsars: the changing aspect of the Be/X-ray pulsar SXP348. Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society, 486 (3), 3248-3258. (doi:10.1093/mnras/stz1087).

Brown, Rory Oliver, Coe, Malcolm J., Ho, Wynn C.G. and Okazaki, Atsuo T. (2019) Modelling decretion discs in Be/X-ray binaries. Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society, 488 (1), 387-394. (doi:10.1093/mnras/stz1757).

Ng, C.-Y., Ho, Wynn C.G., Eric V., Gotthelf, Halpern, Jules P., Coe, Malcolm J., Stappers, Benjamin W., Lyne, Andrew G., Wood, Kent S. and Kerr, Matthew (2019) X-ray and radio variabilities of PSR J2032+4127 near periastron. Astrophysical Journal, 880 (2), 1-11, [147]. (doi:10.3847/1538-4357/ab2adb).

Monageng, I.M., Coe, M.J., Kennea, J.A., Townsend, L.J., Buckley, D.A.H., McBride, V.A., Udalski, A., Evans, P.A. and Roche, P.D. (2019) An X-ray and optical study of the outbursting behaviour of the SMC Be X-ray binary SXP 91.1. Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society, 489 (1), 993-999. (doi:10.1093/mnras/stz2262).

Corbet, R.H.D., Chomiuk, L., Coe, M.J., Coley, J.B., Dubus, G., Edwards, P.G., Martin, P., McBride, V.A., Stevens, J., Strader, J. and Townsend, L.J. (2019) Discovery of the galactic high-mass gamma-ray binary 4FGL J1405.1-6119. The Astrophysical Journal, 884 (1). (In Press)

Coe, Malcolm, Monageng, I.M., Bartlett, E.S., Buckley, D.A.H. and Udalski, A. (2020) A major optical and X-ray outburst from the Magellanic Bridge source RX J0209.6-7427. Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society: Letters. (In Press)

Capallo, R.C., Laycock, S.G.T., Christodoulou, D.M., Roy, A., Bhattacharya, S., Coe, Malcolm and Zezas, A. (2020) On the Geometry of the X-ray emission from pulsars a consistent inclination and beaming solution for the Be/X-ray pulsar SXP 1062. Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society, 495 (2), 2152–2161. (doi:10.1093/mnras/staa1320).

Kennea, J.A., Coe, M.J., Evans, P.A., Monageng, I.M., Townsend, L.J., Siegel, M.H., Udalski, A. and Buckley, D.A.H. (2020) The newly discovered Be/X-ray binary Swift J004516.6-734703 in the SMC: witnessing the emergence of a circumstellar disc. Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society: Letters, 499 (1), L41-L46. (doi:10.1093/mnrasl/slaa154).

Kennea, J.A., Coe, Malcolm J., Evans, P.A., Townsend, L.J., Campbell, Z.A. and Udalski, A. (2021) Swift J011511.0-725611: Discovery of a rare Be star/white dwarf binary system in the SMC. Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society.

Monageng, I.M., Coe, Malcolm, Townsend, L.J., Laycock, S.G.T., Kennea, J.A., Roy, A., Udalski, A., Bhattacharya, S., Christodoulou, D.M., Buckley, D.A.H. and Evans, P.A. (2022) Disentangling the neighbouring pulsars SXP 15.3 and SXP 305. Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society, 511 (4), 6075 - 6086.

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