Mairi O'Brien
About Me
I am a third-year PhD student in the Astronomy & Astrophysics group at the University of Warwick. My supervisor is Pier-Emmanuel Tremblay and I am funded by the ERC. I study the demographics of the local white dwarf population. I began my PhD in October 2021.
My Research
The 40 pc white dwarf sample is the benchmark volume-limited sample of white dwarfs. This sample was created using Gaia photometry and parallaxes. My first PhD paper involved the confirmation of ~250 new white dwarfs within the 40 pc volume, and the sample is now 99% complete with spectroscopic follow-up.
With atmospheric compositions determined from spectroscopy, we now have accurate parameters such as mass and age for all white dwarfs within 40 pc. My second PhD paperLink opens in a new window focused on the demographics of the unbiased 40 pc sample, including magnetic white dwarfs, binaries, and mass and age distributions.
Accessing Data
Table 3 from O'Brien et al. (2023) is available at CDSLink opens in a new window.
Tables 1 and 6 from O'Brien et al. (2024) are available at CDSLink opens in a new window. All tables from O'Brien et al. (2024) are also available to download hereLink opens in a new window.Publications
First-author:
M. W. O'Brien, P.-E. Tremblay et al. "The 40 pc sample of white dwarfs with GaiaLink opens in a new window". In: MNRAS 527, 3, 8687 (Jan. 2024). arXiv: 2312.02735Link opens in a new window
M. W. O'Brien, P.-E. Tremblay et al. “
Contributing:
P.-E Tremblay, A. Bédard, M. W. O'Brien, J. Munday, A. K. Elms, N. P. Gentillo Fusillo and S. Sahu. "The Gaia white dwarf revolutionLink opens in a new window". Submitted to New Astronomy Reviews (Feb. 2024). arXiv: 2402.14960
T. Cunningham, P.-E. Tremblay and M. W. O'Brien. “Initial-final mass relation from white dwarfs within 40 pcLink opens in a new window". MNRAS 527, 2, 3602 (Jan. 2024). arXiv: 2310.15410Link opens in a new window
E. Cukanovaite, P.-E. Tremblay, S. Toonen, K. D. Temmink, C. J. Manser, M. W. O'Brien and J. McCleery. “Local stellar formation history from the 40 pc white dwarf sampleLink opens in a new windowLink opens in a new window Link opens in a new window". In: MNRAS 522, 2, 1643 (June 2023). arXiv: 2209.13919Link opens in a new windowLink opens in a new windowLink opens in a new window
S. Scaringi, P. J. Groot, C. Knigge, A. J. Bird, E. Breedt, D. A. H. Buckley, Y. Cavecchi, N. D. Degenaar, D. de Martino, C. Done, M. Fratta, K. Ilkiewicz, E. Koerding, J. -P. Lasota, C. Littlefield, C. F. Manara, M. O'Brien, P. Szkody, F. X. Timmes “Localized thermonuclear bursts from accreting magnetic white dwarfsLink opens in a new windowLink opens in a new windowLink opens in a new window". In: Nature 604, 447 (Apr. 2022). arXiv: 2204.09070. I wrote about my contribution to this project here.
My ADS publication library is linked hereLink opens in a new window.
Conference Talks/Posters
National Astronomy Meeting, July 2022 - Warwick, UK: Completing the 40 pc sample of Gaia white dwarfs. Parallel Session Talk.
EuroWD22, August 2022 - Tübingen, Germany: Completing the 40 pc sample of Gaia white dwarfs. Talk.
Exoplanet Systems and Stellar Life Cycles: Late-Stage and Post-MS Systems, March 2023 - Aspen, Colorado, USA: Metal-polluted white dwarfs in the local 40 pc volume. Poster.
Current Challenges in the Physics of White Dwarf Stars, March 2024 - Santa Fe, New Mexico, USA: The significance of the low-mass issue on the local white dwarf population. Poster.
Telescope Time Awarded
January 2023 - X-Shooter on the ESO Very Large Telescope (VLT) - PI: 4.7 hours - 111.24FZLink opens in a new window. "Ultra-cool White Dwarf Candidates Within 40 pc".
EDI, Outreach & Teaching
2023 - 2024
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Chair of PG-SSLCLink opens in a new window (Staff-Student Liaison Committee) - Organise meetings and feed back PG student concerns to staff.
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Warwick Astronomy Equitea GroupLink opens in a new window: Committee member (Speaker Liaison) - Organise sessions and speakers for our monthly Equitea seminars.
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Coding with SophieLink opens in a new window: Teaching coding to 7 - 11 year olds. An article about our outreach activities including Coding with Sophie is linked here.
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Undergraduate Lab Demonstrator
2022 - 2023
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Physics Welfare & Communication GroupLink opens in a new window: Postgraduate Wellbeing Representative - Organise weekly wellbeing coffee sessions for the physics postgraduate students.
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Warwick Astronomy Equitea GroupLink opens in a new window: Committee member (Speaker Liaison) - Organise sessions and speakers for our monthly Equitea seminars.
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Coding with SophieLink opens in a new window: Teaching coding to 7 - 11 year olds. An article about our outreach activities including Coding with Sophie is linked here.
- Big Bang Science Fair - June 2023: An article about the event is linked hereLink opens in a new window.
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Undergraduate Lab Demonstrator
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Undergraduate Exam Invigilator
2021 - 2022
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Warwick White Dwarf GroupLink opens in a new window Weekly Meeting Organiser.
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Warwick Astronomy Knowledge Exchange (WAKE)Link opens in a new window: Ran a workshop and organised group introduction sessions with our white dwarf group.
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Undergraduate Lab Demonstrator
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Undergraduate Exam Invigilator
Write to:
Mairi O'Brien,
Department of Physics,
University of Warwick,
Coventry CV4 7AL
Office: A1.24, Millburn House
Contact:
Email: Mairi.O-Brien [at] warwick.ac.uk