Kieran O'Brien

Professor Kieran O'Brien is a faculty member at the Department of Physics, Durham University, serving as Head of the Centre for Advanced Instrumentation. His research spans two primary domains: interacting binary star systems involving compact objects (black holes, neutron stars, white dwarfs) and innovative instrumentation development using Kinetic Inductance Detectors (KIDs).

Using multiwavelength observations (X-ray, optical, UV, infrared) across telescopes like VLT, Keck, and HST, O'Brien investigates accretion disk dynamics, relativistic jets, and light variability to indirectly image binary components. His instrumentation work focuses on superconducting photon-counting detectors with microsecond timing precision and 5-10% energy resolution, enabling instruments like CUBES and KIDSpec.

His 15 most recent publications (2016-2024) highlight advancements in infrared/X-ray correlation analysis, image slicer design for E-ELT's HARMONI spectrograph, and computational models for high-contrast imaging. Key subfields include jet dynamics, accretion-ejection mechanisms, microwave kinetic inductance detectors, and time-resolved photometry.

O'Brien supervises postgraduate researchers including Benjamin Shaw, Isabelle Crossley, and Jeremi Grabas. His collaborations extend to European and US institutions working on next-generation astronomical instruments.