Dr Timothy Clifton

Senior Lecturer in Theoretical Cosmology
Email: t.clifton@qmul.ac.ukTelephone: 020 7882 7024Room Number: G. O. Jones Building, Room 508
Profile
I'm a theoretical cosmologist who builds mathematical models of the Universe, in order to understand what cosmological observations can tell us about relativistic gravity and the large-scale structure of space-time.
I graduated with a PhD from the University of Cambridge in 2016, and have worked as a post-doctoral researcher at Stanford University as a Lindemann Fellow, at the University of Oxford as a Junior Research Fellow of Jesus College, and at CERN as a CERN Fellow. I joined Queen Mary in 2012 as a Advanced Fellow of the STFC research council, and am now a senior lecturer in the Astronomy Unit of the School of Physics and Astronomy. I am a long standing member of the Gravitational Physics Group at the Institute of Physics, and am a part of the Scientific Advisory Panel for Classical and Quantum Gravity. I am also the admissions tutor for PhD programmes in astronomy at Queen Mary.
Teaching
I lecture modules on Quantum Mechanics A and Relativity & Gravitation, and supervise projects in relativity and cosmology.
In the past I have taught Quantum Mechanics, Electromagnetism and Special Relativity at the universities of Cambridge and Oxford.
Research
Research Interests:
My research interests are in relativity, gravitation, and cosmology. I am particularly interested in the large-scale behaviour of inhomogeneous spacetimes, the emergence of homogeneity and isotropy in the context of the averaging and backreaction problems, the construction of tests for determining the geometry of the Universe, and the understanding and constraining of alternative theories of gravity. As well as being of foundational importance to cosmology, the study of these areas is strongly motivated by the apparent need for the universe to be more than two thirds filled with dark energy.
Publications
Recent publication and preprints can be found here.
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Clifton T, Carrilho P, Fernandes PGS et al. (2020). Observational constraints on the regularized 4D Einstein-Gauss-Bonnet theory of gravity. nameOfConference
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Fernandes PGS, Carrilho P, Clifton T et al. (2020). Derivation of Regularized Field Equations for the Einstein-Gauss-Bonnet Theory in Four Dimensions. nameOfConference
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Clifton T, Gallagher CS, Goldberg S et al. (2020). Viable Gauge Choices in Cosmologies with Non-Linear Structures. nameOfConference
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Gallagher CS, Clifton T, Clarkson C (2020). Multi-scale perturbation theory. Part I. Methodology and leading-order bispectrum corrections in the matter-dominated era. nameOfConference
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Clifton T, Sussman RA (2019). Cosmological Backreaction in Spherical and Plane Symmetric Dust-Filled Space-Times. nameOfConference
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Durk J, Clifton T (2019). Discrete Cosmological Models in the Brans-Dicke Theory of Gravity. nameOfConference
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Clifton T, Sanghai VAA (2019). Parametrizing theories of gravity on large and small scales in cosmology. nameOfConference
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Gallagher CS, Clifton T (2018). Relativistic Euler equations in cosmologies with nonlinear structures. nameOfConference
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CLIFTON TA, Bentivegna E, DURK J et al. (2018). Black-Hole Lattices as Cosmological Models. nameOfConference
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Goldberg SR, Gallagher C, Clifton T (2017). Perturbation theory for cosmologies with non-linear structure. nameOfConference
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Durk J, Clifton T (2017). A quasi-static approach to structure formation in black hole universes. nameOfConference
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Sanghai VAA, Fleury P, Clifton T (2017). Ray tracing and Hubble diagrams in post-Newtonian cosmology. nameOfConference
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Clifton T, Carr B, Coley A (2017). Persistent black holes in bouncing cosmologies. nameOfConference
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Bibi R, Clifton T, Durk J (2017). Cosmological solutions with charged black holes. nameOfConference
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CLIFTON TA, Durk J (2017). Exact initial data for black hole universes with a cosmological constant. nameOfConference
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Clifton T, Barrow JD (2017). Decay of the Cosmic Vacuum Energy. nameOfConference
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CLIFTON TA, Sanghai V (2017). Parameterized post-Newtonian cosmology. nameOfConference
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Goldberg S, Clifton TA, Malik K (2017). Cosmology on all scales: A two-parameter perturbation expansion. nameOfConference
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Clifton T, Gregoris D, Rosquist K (2017). The Magnetic Part of the Weyl Tensor, and the Expansion of Discrete Universes. nameOfConference
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Clifton T, Gregoris D, Rosquist K (2017). The magnetic part of the Weyl tensor, and the expansion of discrete universes. nameOfConference
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Sanghai VAA, Clifton T (2016). Cosmological backreaction in the presence of radiation and a cosmological constant. nameOfConference
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Sanghai VAA, Clifton T (2016). Erratum: Post-Newtonian cosmological modelling (Physical Review D - Particles, Fields, Gravitation and Cosmology (2015) 91 (103532)). nameOfConference
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Sanghai VAA, Clifton T (2015). Post-Newtonian cosmological modelling. nameOfConference
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Clifton T, Dunsby PKS (2015). On the emergence of accelerating cosmic expansion in f(R) theories of gravity. nameOfConference
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Clifton T, Gregoris D, Rosquist K (2015). Applications of black hole lattices in relativistic cosmology. nameOfConference
DOI: 10.1063/1.4937219
QMRO: qmroHref -
Clarkson C, Clifton T, Coley A et al. (2014). Publisher’s Note: Observational constraints on the averaged universe [Phys. Rev. D 85, 043506 (2012)]. nameOfConference
QMRO: qmroHref -
Clifton T (2014). The method of images in cosmology. nameOfConference
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Clifton T, Gregoris D, Rosquist K (2014). Piecewise silence in discrete cosmological models. nameOfConference
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Clifton T, Gregoris D, Rosquist K et al. (2013). Exact Evolution of Discrete Relativistic Cosmological Models. nameOfConference
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Clifton T, Ellis GFR, Tavakol R (2013). A Gravitational Entropy Proposal. nameOfConference
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CLIFTON TA (2013). BACK-REACTION IN RELATIVISTIC COSMOLOGY. nameOfConference
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CLIFTON TA (2013). G. F. R. Ellis, R. Maartens and M. A. H. MacCallum: Relativistic cosmology. nameOfConference
QMRO: qmroHref -
Clifton T, Coley A, van den Hoogen R (2012). Observational cosmology in macroscopic gravity. nameOfConference
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Clifton T, Dunsby P, Goswami R et al. (2012). On the absence of the usual weak-field limit, and the impossibility of embedding some known solutions for isolated masses in cosmologies with f(R) dark energy. nameOfConference
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Clifton T, Rosquist K, Tavakol R (2012). An exact quantification of backreaction in relativistic cosmology. nameOfConference
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Clifton T, Clarkson C, Bull P (2012). Isotropic Blackbody Cosmic Microwave Background Radiation as Evidence for a Homogeneous Universe. nameOfConference
QMRO: qmroHref -
Clifton T, Clarkson C, Bull P (2012). The isotropic blackbody CMB as evidence for a homogeneous universe. nameOfConference
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CLIFTON TA, Bull P (2012). Local and non-local measures of acceleration in cosmology. nameOfConference
DOI: doi
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Bull P, Clifton T (2012). Local and nonlocal measures of acceleration in cosmology. nameOfConference
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Clifton T, Ferreira PG, Padilla A et al. (2012). Modified gravity and cosmology. nameOfConference
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Clarkson C, Clifton T, Coley A et al. (2012). Observational constraints on the averaged universe. nameOfConference
QMRO: qmroHref -
Clifton T, Ferreira PG, O¿Donnell K (2012). Improved treatment of optics in the Lindquist-Wheeler models. nameOfConference
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CLIFTON TA, BULL, P, FERREIRA PG (2012). The kSZ effect as a test of general radial inhomogeneity in LTB cosmology. nameOfConference
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Shafieloo A, Clifton T, Ferreira P (2011). The crossing statistic: dealing with unknown errors in the dispersion of Type Ia supernovae. nameOfConference
QMRO: qmroHref -
Clifton T (2011). Cosmology without averaging. nameOfConference
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Clifton T, Ba?ados MX, Skordis C (2010). The parameterized post-Newtonian limit of bimetric theories of gravity. nameOfConference
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Clifton T, Zlosnik TG (2010). FRW cosmology in Milgrom’s bimetric theory of gravity. nameOfConference
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Clifton T, Barrow JD (2010). Observational constraints on the completeness of space near astrophysical objects. nameOfConference
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Clifton T, Zuntz J (2009). Hubble diagram dispersion from large‐scale structure. nameOfConference
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Clifton T, Ferreira PG (2009). Errors in estimating ΩΛ due to the fluid approximation. nameOfConference
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Clifton T, Ferreira PG (2009). Archipelagian Cosmology: Dynamics and Observables in a Universe with Discretized Matter Content. nameOfConference
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Clifton T, Ferreira PG, Zuntz J (2009). What the small angle CMB really tells us about the curvature of the Universe. nameOfConference
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Clarkson C, Clifton T, February S (2009). Perturbation theory in Lemaȋtre-Tolman-Bondi cosmology. nameOfConference
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Clifton T (2008). Higher powers in gravitation. nameOfConference
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Clifton T (2008). Properties of black hole radiation from tunnelling. nameOfConference
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Clifton T, Ferreira PG, Land K (2008). Living in a Void: Testing the Copernican Principle with Distant Supernovae. nameOfConference
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Clifton T, Weisberg JM (2008). A Simple Model for Pulse Profiles from Precessing Pulsars, with Special Application to Relativistic Binary PSR B1913+16. nameOfConference
DOI: 10.1086/587049
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Clifton T (2008). Parametrized post-Newtonian limit of fourth-order theories of gravity. nameOfConference
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Clifton T (2007). Exact Friedmann solutions in higher-order gravity theories. nameOfConference
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Clifton T, Shenker S, Sivanandam N (2007). Volume weighted measures of eternal inflation in the Bousso-Polchinski landscape. nameOfConference
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Clifton T, Barrow JD (2007). Ups and downs of cyclic universes. nameOfConference
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Clifton T, Linde A, Sivanandam N (2007). Islands in the landscape. nameOfConference
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Clifton T (2006). Spherically symmetric solutions to fourth-order theories of gravity. nameOfConference
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Barrow JD, Clifton T (2006). Cosmologies with energy exchange. nameOfConference
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Clifton T, Barrow JD (2006). Decaying gravity. nameOfConference
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Clifton T, Barrow JD (2006). Further exact cosmological solutions to higher-order gravity theories. nameOfConference
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Clifton T, Barrow JD (2005). The existence of Gödel, Einstein, and de Sitter universes. nameOfConference
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Barrow JD, Clifton T (2005). Exact cosmological solutions of scale-invariant gravity theories. nameOfConference
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Clifton T, Barrow JD (2005). The power of general relativity. nameOfConference
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Clifton T, Barrow JD, Scherrer RJ (2005). Constraints on the variation of G from primordial nucleosynthesis. nameOfConference
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Clifton T, Mota DF, Barrow JD (2005). Inhomogeneous gravity. nameOfConference
Supervision
This is not an exhaustive list and I would be happy to discuss other project possibilities.