Associate Professor Helen Johnston
People_

Associate Professor Helen Johnston

Phone
+61 2 9036 9259
Fax
+61 2 9351 7726
Address
A28 - Physics Building
The University of Sydney
Associate Professor Helen Johnston

Member of The Sydney Institute for Astronomy (SIfA).SIfA scientists conduct research in many exciting frontline areas including stellar astrophysics, plasma astrophysics, cataclysmic variables, black-hole binaries, masers, pulsars, supernovae and their remnants, the interstellar medium and the Galactic Centre. Beyond our Galaxy, we study normal galaxies, the Magellanic Clouds, clusters of galaxies, active galaxies & quasars, gravitational lensing and cosmology.

Publications

Journals

  • Zic, A., Murphy, T., Lynch, C., Heald, G., Lenc, E., Kaplan, D., Cairns, I., Coward, D., Gendre, B., Johnston, H., Wheatland, M., et al (2020). A Flare-type IV Burst Event from Proxima Centauri and Implications for Space Weather. The Astrophysical Journal, 905(1), 23. [More Information]
  • Sadler, E., Moss, V., Allison, J., Mahony, E., Whiting, M., Johnston, H., Ellison, S., del Lagos, C., Koribalski, B. (2020). A successful search for intervening 21 cm H I absorption in galaxies at 0.4 < z <1.0 with the Australian square kilometre array pathfinder (ASKAP). Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society, 499(3), 4293-4311. [More Information]
  • Curran, S., Hunstead, R., Johnston, H., Whiting, M., Sadler, E., Allison, J., Athreya, R. (2019). Ionization of the atomic gas in redshifted radio sources. Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society, 484(1), 1182-1191. [More Information]

Conferences

  • Hill, M., Sharma, M., Johnston, H. (2013). Developing representational skills through weekly online learning modules for first-year undergraduate physics students. 19th Annual UniServe Science Conference: Australian Conference on Science and Mathematics Education (ACSME 2013), Canberra: University of Sydney.
  • Johnston, H., Hunstead, R., Sadler, E., Cotter, G., Morganti, R. (2004). MRC B1221-423: Forming an AGN in a merger. IAU Symposium, No. 222, UK: Cambridge University Press.
  • Wu, K., Soria, R., Johnston, H., Hunstead, R. (2002). Formation of optical lines in black-hole binaries. The Ninth Marcel Grossmann Meeting, Singapore: World Scientific Publishing.

2020

  • Zic, A., Murphy, T., Lynch, C., Heald, G., Lenc, E., Kaplan, D., Cairns, I., Coward, D., Gendre, B., Johnston, H., Wheatland, M., et al (2020). A Flare-type IV Burst Event from Proxima Centauri and Implications for Space Weather. The Astrophysical Journal, 905(1), 23. [More Information]
  • Sadler, E., Moss, V., Allison, J., Mahony, E., Whiting, M., Johnston, H., Ellison, S., del Lagos, C., Koribalski, B. (2020). A successful search for intervening 21 cm H I absorption in galaxies at 0.4 < z <1.0 with the Australian square kilometre array pathfinder (ASKAP). Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society, 499(3), 4293-4311. [More Information]

2019

  • Curran, S., Hunstead, R., Johnston, H., Whiting, M., Sadler, E., Allison, J., Athreya, R. (2019). Ionization of the atomic gas in redshifted radio sources. Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society, 484(1), 1182-1191. [More Information]

2018

  • Urquhart, R., Soria, R., Johnston, H., Pakull, M., Motch, C., Schwope, A., Miller-Jones, J., Anderson, G. (2018). Multiband counterparts of two eclipsing ultraluminous X-ray sources in M51. Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society, 475(3), 3561-3576. [More Information]

2017

  • Curran, S., Hunstead, R., Johnston, H., Whiting, M., Sadler, E., Allison, J., Bignell, C. (2017). Further observational evidence for a critical ionizing luminosity in active galaxies. Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society, 470(4), 4600-4607. [More Information]
  • Ching, J., Croom, S., Sadler, E., Robotham, A., Brough, S., Baldry, I., Bland-Hawthorn, J., Colless, M., Driver, S., Holwerda, B., Johnston, H., Pracy, M., et al (2017). Galaxy And Mass Assembly (GAMA): the environments of high- and low-excitation radio galaxies. Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society, 469(4), 4584-4599. [More Information]
  • Titov, O., Pursimo, T., Johnston, H., Stanford, L., Hunstead, R., Jauncey, D., Zenere, K. (2017). Optical Spectra of Candidate International Celestial Reference Frame (ICRF) Flat-spectrum Radio Sources. III. Astronomical Journal, 153(4), 1-8. [More Information]

2016

  • Collet, C., Nesvadba, N., de Breuck, C., Lehnert, M., Best, P., Bryant, J., Hunstead, R., Dicken, D., Johnston, H. (2016). Kinematic signatures of AGN feedback in moderately powerful radio galaxies at z ∼ 2 observed with SINFONI. Astronomy & Astrophysics, 586, 1-28. [More Information]
  • Johnston, H., Soria, R., Gibson, J. (2016). The nature of the companion star in Circinus X-1. Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society, 456(1), 347-355. [More Information]

2015

  • Collet, C., Nesvadba, N., de Breuck, C., Lehnert, M., Best, P., Bryant, J., Dicken, D., Johnston, H., Hunstead, R., Wylezalek, D. (2015). Defying jet-gas alignment in two radio galaxies at z ∼ 2 with extended light profiles: Similarities to brightest cluster galaxies. Astronomy & Astrophysics, 579, 1-17. [More Information]
  • Hill, M., Sharma, M., Johnston, H. (2015). How online learning modules can improve the representational fluency and conceptual understanding of university physics students. European Journal of Physics, 36(4), 1-20. [More Information]

2014

  • Schaefer, A., Hunstead, R., Johnston, H. (2014). How Accurate are SuperCOSMOS Positions? Publications of the Astronomical Society of Australia (PASA), 31(1), 1-6. [More Information]

2013

  • Hill, M., Sharma, M., Johnston, H. (2013). Developing representational skills through weekly online learning modules for first-year undergraduate physics students. 19th Annual UniServe Science Conference: Australian Conference on Science and Mathematics Education (ACSME 2013), Canberra: University of Sydney.
  • Anderson, C., Johnston, H., Hunstead, R. (2013). Galactic interaction as the trigger for the young radio galaxy MRC B1221-423. Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society, 431(4), 3269-3281. [More Information]
  • Titov, O., Stanford, L., Johnston, H., Pursimo, T., Hunstead, R., Jauncey, D., Maslennikov, K., Boldycheva, A. (2013). Optical spectra of candidate international celestial reference frame (ICRF) flat-spectrum radio sources. Astronomical Journal, 146(1), 1-10. [More Information]

2012

  • Saripalli, L., Subrahmanyan, R., Thorat, K., Ekers, R., Hunstead, R., Johnston, H., Sadler, E. (2012). ATLBS extended source sample: The evolution in radio source morphology with flux density. The Astrophysical Journal Supplement Series, 199(2), 1-13. [More Information]

2011

  • Mahony, E., Sadler, E., Croom, S., Ekers, R., Bannister, K., Chhetri, R., Hancock, P., Johnston, H., Massardi, M., Murphy, T. (2011). Optical properties of high-frequency radio sources from the Australia Telescope 20 GHz (AT20G) Survey. Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society, 417(4), 2651-2675. [More Information]
  • Titov, O., Jauncey, D., Johnston, H., Hunstead, R., Christensen, L. (2011). Optical Spectra of Candidate Southern Hemisphere International Celestial Reference Frame (ICRF) Radio Sources. Astrophysical Journal Letters, 142(5), 1-10. [More Information]
  • Sarty, G., Pilecki, B., Reichart, D., Ivarsen, K., Haislip, J., Nysewander, M., LaCluyze, A., Johnston, H., Shobbrook, R., Kiss, L., Wu, K. (2011). Photometric observations of three high mass X-ray binaries and a search for variations induced by orbital motion. Research in Astronomy and Astrophysics, 11(8), 947-964. [More Information]

2010

  • Johnston, H., Broderick, J., Cotter, G., Morganti, R., Hunstead, R. (2010). The extraordinary radio galaxy MRC B1221-423: Probing deeper at radio and optical wavelengths. Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society, 407(2), 721-733. [More Information]
  • Sharma, M., Johnston, I., Johnston, H., Varvell, K., Robertson, J., Hopkins, A., Stewart, C., Cooper, I., Thornton, R. (2010). Use of interactive lecture demonstrations: A ten year study. Physical Review Special Topics - Physics Education Research, 6(2), 020119-1-020119-9. [More Information]

2009

  • Bryant, J., Broderick, J., Johnston, H., Hunstead, R., Gaensler, B., De Breuck, C. (2009). A new search for distant radio galaxies in the Southern hemisphere - II. 2.2m imaging*. Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society, 394(4), 2197-2222. [More Information]
  • Bryant, J., Johnston, H., Broderick, J., Hunstead, R., De Breuck, C., Gaensler, B. (2009). A new search for distant radio galaxies in the Southern hemisphere - III. Optical spectroscopy and analysis of the MRCR - SUMSS sample. Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society, 395(2), 1099-1120. [More Information]
  • Sarty, G., Kiss, L., Huziak, R., Catalan, L., Luciuk, D., Crawford, T., Lane, D., Pickard, R., Grzybowski, T., Closas, P., Johnston, H., et al (2009). Periodicities in the high-mass X-ray binary system RX J0146.9+6121/LSI+61º235. Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society, 392(3), 1242-1252. [More Information]

2008

  • Johnston, H., Sadler, E., Cannon, R., Croom, S., Ross, N., Schneider, D. (2008). Radio galaxies in the 2SLAQ Luminous Red Galaxy survey - II. The stellar populations of radio-loud and radio-quiet LRGs. Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society, 384(2), 692-700. [More Information]
  • Wake, D., Croom, S., Sadler, E., Johnston, H. (2008). The clustering of radio galaxies at z ~ 0.55 from the 2SLAQ LRG survey. Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society, 391, 1674-1684. [More Information]

2007

  • Sadler, E., Cannon, R., Mauch, T., Hancock, P., Wake, D., Ross, N., Croom, S., Drinkwater, M., Edge, A., Eisenstein, D., Hopkins, A., Johnston, H., et al (2007). Radio galaxies in the 2SLAQ Luminous Red Galaxy Survey - I. The evolution of low-power radio galaxies to z similar to 0.7. Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society, 381(1), 211-227. [More Information]
  • Johnston, H., Hopkins, A., Varvell, K., Sharma, M., Thornton, R. (2007). The research-teaching nexus in physics: scholarship into teaching and learning. Australian Physics, 44(2), 66-70.

2006

  • De Breuck, C., Feain, I., Johnston, H., Hunstead, R., Bryant, J., Rocca-Volmerange, B., Sadler, E. (2006). A search for distant radio galaxies from SUMSS and NVSS - II. Optical spectroscopy. Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society, 366(1), 58-72. [More Information]

2005

  • Johnston, H., Hunstead, R., Cotter, G., Sadler, E. (2005). MRC B1221-423: a compact steep-spectrum radio source in a merging galaxy. Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society, 356(2), 515-523. [More Information]

2004

  • Fender, R., Wu, K., Johnston, H., Tzioumis, T., Jonker, P., Spencer, R., van der Klis, M. (2004). An Ultra-Relativistic Outflow From A Neutron Star Accreting Gas From A Companion. Nature, 427(6971), 222-224. [More Information]
  • Johnston, H., Hunstead, R., Sadler, E., Cotter, G., Morganti, R. (2004). MRC B1221-423: Forming an AGN in a merger. IAU Symposium, No. 222, UK: Cambridge University Press.

2003

  • Jauncey, D., Johnston, H., Bignall, H., Lovell, J., Kedzioa-Chudczer, L., Tzioumis, A., Macquart, J. (2003). Interstellar scintillation and annual cycles in the BL Lac source PKS 1519-273. Astrophysics and Space Science, 288(1-2), 63-68. [More Information]

2002

  • Wu, K., Soria, R., Johnston, H., Hunstead, R. (2002). Formation of optical lines in black-hole binaries. The Ninth Marcel Grossmann Meeting, Singapore: World Scientific Publishing.
  • Wu, K., Campbell-Wilson, D., Hunstead, R., Johnston, H., McIntyre, V., Soria, R., Hannikainen, D., Harmon, B., McCollough, M. (2002). The 1998 Outburst of the XTE J1550-564: A model based on multiwavelength observations. The Astrophysical Journal, 565(2), 1161-1168. [More Information]

2001

  • Johnston, H., Wu, K., Fender, R., Cullen, J. (2001). Secular and orbital variability of Cir X-1 observed in optical spectra. Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society, Vol 328(4), 1193-1199. [More Information]

Selected Grants

2006

  • The environments of massive galaxies, Johnston H, Australian Nuclear Science and Technology Organisation/Access to Major Research Facilities Program