Doctoral students of IMPRS-HD


Here is more detailed information about the research projects of our IMPRS students (alphabetic order).
Check for students of our 6th, 5th, 4th, 3rd, 2nd generation, or our IMPRS alumni.

6th generation students (joined IMPRS-HD 2010)
Dario Colombo (Italy)
colombo @ mpia.de

The evolutionary sequence of giant molecular clouds in M51
Thesis abstract:
Supervisor: Eva Schinnerer (MPIA)
Gabriele Maier (Germany)
maier @ mpia.de

The transverse proximity effect in close quasar pairs
Thesis abstract:
Supervisors: Joe Hennawi (MPIA)
Paola Pinilla Ortiz (Colombia)
pinilla @ mpia.de

Dust evolution in disks - theory & observations
Thesis abstract:
Supervisor: Kees Dullemond (ITA)
Trifon Trifonov (Bulgaria)
ttrifono @ lsw.uni-heidelberg.de

A spectrograph the 2m telescope in Rozhen and planet search with the RV method
Thesis abstract:
Supervisor: Andreas Quirrenbach (LSW)
5th generation students (joined IMPRS-HD 2009)
Rene Andrae (Germany)
andrae @ mpia.de

Spin correlation of spiral galaxies
Thesis abstract:
Supervisors: Knud Jahnke (MPIA) / Matthias Bartelmann (ITA)
Paul Boley (USA)
boley @ mpia.de

The inner regions of the youngest massive stars
Thesis abstract: Massive stars are in many ways the most influential members of star-forming clusters. Expanding ionized regions created by such stars can trigger further star formation at the interface with the surrounding ISM, while shocks and outflows associated with these objects play important roles in grain reprocessing in the vicinity and can trigger further collapse of surrounding molecular material.
However, despite being the most luminous stars, the most massive stars are often highly extincted, sometimes even entirely undetectable, at optical wavelengths during the youngest stages of their evolution. In studying such deeply-embedded objects, I will make extensive use of observations in the mid-infrared, including interferometric observations with the MIDI, high-resolution spectroscopy with CRIRES and direct imaging with VISIR -- all instruments at ESO Paranal. Such observations, when combined with radiative transfer modeling, will allow for a sounding of the inner-most regions of these massive stars.
Supervisors: Thomas Henning / Roy van Boekel (MPIA)
Crystal Brasseur (Canada)
brasseur @ mpia-hd.mpg.de

The faintest galaxies
Thesis abstract:
Supervisors: Hans-Walter Rix (MPIA)
Federica Capranico (Italy)
capranico @ ari.uni-heidelberg.de

Angular momentum correlations between galaxies
Thesis abstract:
Supervisors: Bjoern-Malte Schaefer (ARI)
Gustavo Dopcke (Brasil)
gdopcke @ ita.uni-heidelberg.de

The transition from Pop. III to Pop. II/I star formation
Thesis abstract: We make use of numerical models to find the 'critical metallicity' for the transition of Pop. III to Pop. II star formation. Making use of the Gadget2 SPH code, we successfully reproduce previous results in the literature for a spherical symmetric collapse and then show results from a full 3D treatment. We conclude that dust cooling affects the fragmentation of low metallicity gas clouds and can determine the evolution of the stellar IMF.
We address questions like: What is the expected mass spectrum of stars in metal-free and metal-poor conditions? At what metallicity do we expect to find the transition from forming predominantly high-mass stars to the IMF we observe today?
What are the dominant physical processes that govern fragmentation and determine the mass spectrum? To answer those questions we investigate the effects of the cooling due to dust grains on the collapse of low metallicity star-forming clouds. Making use of 3D numerical models to follow the thermal evolution of clouds with different metallicities, we study self-consistently the evolution of the gas and dust temperatures during the collapse, and determine the properties of the cloud at the point at which it undergoes gravitational fragmentation. This allows us to investigate the role that dust cooling may play in the transition from a Pop III IMF composed predominantly of high-mass stars to the IMF we observe today.
Supervisors: Simon Glover / Ralf Klessen (ITA)
Aram Giahi (Germany)
aram @ ari.uni-heidelberg.de

T B C
Thesis abstract:
Supervisor: Bjoern Schaefer (ARI)
Philipp Girichidis (Germany)
girichidis @ ita.uni-heidelberg.de

T B C
Thesis abstract:
Supervisor: Robi Banerjee (ITA)
Alessandra Grassi (Italy)
sandri @ ari.uni-heidelberg.de

T B C
Thesis abstract:
Supervisors: Bjoern-Malte Schaefer (ARI)
Oleksiy Golubov (Ukraine)
golubov @ ari.uni-heidelberg.de

Modelling the Milky Way disk
Thesis abstract:
Supervisors: Andreas Just (ARI)
Meiert Grootes (Netherlands)
Meiert.Grootes @ mpi-hd.mpg.de

Panchromatic investigation of the mass assembly history of galaxies using the GAMA ans ATLAS surveys
Thesis abstract:
Supervisors: Richard Tuffs / Werner Hofmann (MPIK)
Raoul Haschke (Germany)
haschke @ ari.uni-heidelberg.de

Structure and evolution of the Magellanic Clouds
Thesis abstract: The metallicities and three-dimensional structure of the old stellar populations in the Magellanic Clouds (MCs) are mostly unknown. RR Lyrae are excellent tracers of Population II stars and can therefore be used to examine these properties. In addition, we are using Cepheids in order to study the structure of the young populations and the recent star formation history of the MCs.  Moreover, these studies yield detailed extinction maps.
Supervisor: Eva Grebel (ARI)
Mathias Jaeger Austria
mjaeger @ mpia.de

Evolution of the galaxy population since redshift z=2
Thesis abstract: To get better information about the evolution and creation of blue and red galaxies at high redshifts the COMBO17+4 survey is going to be reduced and analysed. Therefore the MPIAPHOT pipeline is used which is based on MIDAS. Depending on the results of the first reductions, further observations of interesting objects are possible.
Supervisor: Klaus Meisenheimer (MPIA)
Fazeel Mahmood Khan (Pakistan)
khan @ ari.uni-heidelberg.de

Dynamics and Evolution of Supermassive Black Hole Binaries in Merging Galaxies
Thesis abstract:
Supervisor: Andreas Just (ARI)
Ervin Kafexhiu (Albania)
Ervin.Kafexhiu @ mpi-hd.mpg.de

Nuclear processes in accretion flows
Thesis abstract:
Supervisor: Felix Aharonian (MPIK)
Natalia Kudryavtseva (Russia)
natkud @ mpia.de

Micro-arcsecond astrometry of exoplanet host stars and starburst clusters
Thesis abstract: The 2nd generation Very Large Telescope Interferometer instrument GRAVITY aims at achieving micro-arcsecond accuracy astrometry. In a study of the GRAVITY science cases I investigate the astrometric detection of exoplanets around very low mass stars. This includes defining the actual sample of M-dwarfs to be surveyed and doing simulations to identify the "best" survey strategy.
The second science case involves astrometric detection of intermediate mass black holes in starburst clusters. As a starting point I want to measure proper motions and internal velocity dispersions for starburst cluster Westerlund 1. It is a massive young cluster, which might not be in virial equilibrium. The data for Westerlund 1 was obtained with the VLT adaptive optics system NAOS-CONICA. Analysis and interpretation of this data will help us to understand formation and evolution of starburst clusters and to study the motion of the stars around black holes.
Supervisors: Wolfgang Brandner/Stefan Hippler (MPIA)
Eva Lefa (Greece)
Eva.Lefa @ mpi-hd.mpg.de

Synchrotron-Compton emission from AGN jets
Thesis abstract: The formation and propagation of relativistic jets is expected to lead to an internal flow profile that could have a significant impact on its non-thermal emission properties. Based on theoretical and empirical techniques, we will analyze possible spectral characteristics for AGNs at high energies and calculate the synchrotron-Compton emission of stratified relativistic jets.
Supervisors: Frank Rieger (MPIK) / Stefan Wagner (LSW)
Chia-Chun Lu (Taiwan)
chia-chun.lu @ mpi-hd.mpg.de

High-energy observations with the HESS telescope system
Thesis abstract:
Supervisor: Werner Hofmann (MPIK)
Johannes Ludwig (Germany)
ludwig @ ari.uni-heidelberg.de

tbd
Thesis abstract:
Supervisor: Eva Grebel (ARI)
Iwona Mochol (Poland)
Iwona.Mochol @ mpi-hd.mpg.de

Pair cascades in black hole magnetospheres
Thesis abstract: Vacuum gaps of spinning supermassive black holes threaded by externally supported magnetic fields are promissing sites of particle acceleration up to ultra-high energies. Such processes are accompanied by emission of TeV curvature photons, which can in turn create subsequent pairs e+e- if the magnetic field is strong enough. The whole process is self-supporting until the vacuum is discharged. In our work we model this cascade production and acceleration, taking into account energy losses resulting from radiation damping forces.
Supervisors: John Kirk (MPIK)
Faviola Molina (Venezuela)
fmolina @ ita.uni-heidelberg.de

Analysis of CO, density, and temperature in simulated molecular clouds
Thesis abstract:
Supervisors: Ralf Klessen (ITA)
Natalie Raettig (Germany)
raettig @ mpia.de

The global baroclinic instability: physical conditions and implication on planet formation
Thesis abstract:
Supervisors: Hubert Klahr / Thomas Henning (MPIA)
Ellen Simmat (Germany)
Ellen.Simmat @ mpi-hd.mpg.de

Photometry with GALEX GAMA
Thesis abstract:
Supervisors: Richard Tuffs (MPIK)
Daniel Seifried (Germany)
dseifried @ ita.uni-heidelberg.de

Evolution of large scale outflows from collapsing molecular cloud cores
Thesis abstract:
Supervisors: Robi Banerjee (ITA)
Jochen Tackenberg (Germany)
tackenberg @ mpia.de

The early evolution of high-mass star formation
Thesis abstract:
Supervisors: Henrik Beuther / Thomas Henning (MPIA)
Tessel van der Laan (Netherlands)
vdlaan @ mpia.de

Formation and evolution of nuclear starburst rings
Thesis abstract: My research focusses on the formation and evolution of circumnuclear starburst rings in galaxies. These starburst rings can occur anywhere between 50pc and 1kpc distance from the nucleus. They have star formation rates of up to 5% of the total star formation in a galaxy, which makes them an important part of the secular evolution of the galactic nuclear region. The general theoretical picture on the formation of nuclear rings is fairly clear, the detailed mechanism of how star formation occurs and proceeds within the ring is not. Are there preferred locations for star formation within the ring, or is star formation randomly distributed throughout the ring? How does stellar evolution affect the ring? Are starburst rings short lived phenomena and what happens to their stars? Observational tests for these questions are basically non-existent, due to the difficulties associated with the small angular size of most circumnuclear rings and the need to obtain a complete inventory of high quality datasets. For the nearby galaxies NGC5248 and NGC6951 we have managed to get suchs datasets together. The former is a SAB spiral galaxy at a distance of 15Mpc. It harbors two (!) prominent starburst rings at radii 180pc and 1kpc from the nucleus, respectively. The latter, also an SAB galaxy at a distance of 24Mpc, has a single starburst ring at 580pc radius. For each galaxy we have obtained subarcsecond 3-dimensional data of the stellar, ionized and molecular gas in the circumnuclear rings. Together with state-of-the-art modelling, we hope to use these datasets to get a detailed understanding of circumnuclear starburst rings.
Supervisors: Eva Schinnerer / Hans-Walter Rix (MPIA)
4th generation students (joined IMPRS-HD 2008)
Christian Angrick (Germany)
cangrick @ ita.uni-heidelberg.de

Statistics of gravitational potential perturbations
Thesis abstract: While halo mass functions based on the well-known Press-Schechter formalism (recently modified by Sheth & Tormen to include effects from elliptical collapse) is theoretically a very sensitive measure of cosmological models, masses of dark-matter (DM) halos are poorly defined, global and unobservable quantities. In order to compare theoretical predictions with observations, they have to be related to observable quantities as X-ray fluxes or temperatures. Although theoretical scaling relations exist, one has to rely on purely empirical results as it is impossible to include complicated baryonic physics in the DM dominated cosmological framework properly.
As X-ray temperatures of clusters are themselves local quantities, we try to directly compare them to theoretical predictions without invoking masses, thus, trying to derive the X-ray temperature function directly from Gaussian random fluctuations in the gravitational potential. This approach will be useful to reduce scatter in observed cluster distributions and thus on cosmological conclusions drawn from them.
The formalism that has already been established dealing with the gravitational potential shall be extended in order to apply it to other cosmological applications as well, e.g. lensing and cluster dynamics.
Supervisor: Matthias Bartelmann (ITA)
Carolina Bergfors (Sweden)
bergfors @ mpia.de

Characterisation of substellar objects
Thesis abstract: More than 40 planetary systems have been discovered to date in which the planet host star is part of a binary or multiple stellar system. Since more than 50% of solar-type stars are part of a binary/multiple system, and a close stellar or brown dwarf companion affects the formation of planets, knowing the fraction of exoplanet hosts that are part of a binary/multiple system and the relations between properties of the stars and planets such as orbital period and eccentricity will provide clues as to how planets form and evolve as well as to how common they are.
M dwarfs are the most common stars in the Galaxy, but their binary frequency is however not as well known as it is for solar-type stars. The binary frequency and properties such as the mass-ratio and orbital separation may tell us how very-low-mass stars and brown dwarfs form. In addition, knowing in advance if a star is part of a binary/multiple system is useful information for eg. transit photometry and astrometric searches for exoplanets.
We are adressing these questions about binary/multiple frequency and the planetary systems' characteristics by searching for stellar and brown dwarf companions to known exoplanet host stars and to a sample of young, nearby M dwarfs.
Supervisors: Wolfgang Brandner/ Thomas Henning (MPIA)
Anne Bochow (Germany)
Anne.Bochow @ mpi-hd.mpg.de

The HESS Central Trigger System
Thesis abstract:
H.E.S.S. (High Energy Stereoscopic System) consists of 4 Imaging Atmospheric Cherenkov Telescopes situated in the Khomas Highlands in Namibia. The telescopes detect Cherenkov flashes that are emitted from particle showers which are created when 100 GeV-100 TeV gamma-ray radiation interacts in the atmosphere. Each telescope independently triggers, when a certain number of pixels in the camera exceeds a given trigger threshold. H.E.S.S. uses a stereoscopic reconstruction technique whereby only those events are considered in which at least two of the four telescopes triggered. A Central Trigger System (CTS) is used to decide whether the detected light in the different telescopes results from the same particle shower. It accepts an event when the participating telescopes triggered within a certain coincidence window, and assigns each event a global event number. This event number permits one to merge the individual telescope data into a global event. During the 1st part of my Ph.D., I am working on the upgrade of the CTS for H.E.S.S. Phase 2, when a fifth telescope will be added to the existing array. The CTS consists of the Central Trigger electronics board, a telescope interface board and several other electronic components which have to be set up and tested in the laboratory before commissioning. The 2nd part of my thesis will focus on data analysis. Supervisor: Werner Hofmann (MPIK)
Mauricio Cisternas (Chile)
cisternas @ mpia.de

Morphological indicators for merging in AGN host galaxies
Thesis abstract: Does a merging event always precede AGN activity? In this project, we will try to address this question by quantifying the distortions and interaction signatures that can be detected on a sample of AGN in comparison to inactive galaxies from the ACS-COSMOS survey. In order to do this we will first attempt at a visual classification, with the long-term goal of developing an automatic morphological classification pipeline. We will investigate and combine all the different available galaxy descriptors to find which combination of parametric and non-parametric estimators yield a quantitative indicator of interaction on the host galaxy, and also define the strength level of these signatures that we are able to detect.
Supervisor: Knud Jahnke / Josef Fried (MPIA)
Gisella De Rosa (Italy)
derosa @ mpia.de

Tracking black-hole growth and reionization with quasars at redshift 7
Thesis abstract: Luminous quasars at high redshift provide probes of the evolution of supermassive black holes and the intergalactic medium at early cosmic time. The Sloan Digital Sky Survey has for the first time detected substantial numbers of quasars at z>5: currently more than 80 QSOs are known at z>5 and 15 of them are at z>6. This sample has provided a powerful tool to examine fundamental properties of the early Universe only 900 Myr after the Big Bang. In this thesis project we will assemble a much larger sample of quasars at z>6 pushing the detection to z>7: we will create the first ever statistically complete sample of quasars up to z=7.5 and extend existing samples at z~6. The candidate sample will be selected as i- and z-band dropouts in the Pan-STARRS survey. Studying the new sample and the known sources at date we will try to address the following open questions: 1) What is the accretion history of the first supermassive black holes? How do they relate to the properties of their hosts? What is the evolution of the AGN's structures? 2) Does the IGM become largely neutral by z~7?
Supervisors: Sebastian Jester / Fabian Walter (MPIA)
Min Fang (China)
fang @ mpia.de

Disks and accretion behaviour of YSOs
Thesis abstract: Goal: To acquire a better understanding of the relation between the properties of the central stars and the properties of the disks surrouding young stellar objects. We wish to achieve this by studying several star forming regions at optical and infrared wavelengths, characterizing their central stars and disks, respectively. The accretion rates are estimated using optical spectroscopy and, in regions of low extinction, optical photometry (U-band excess). X-ray fluxes are included in our analysis where available.
Supervisor: Roy van Boekel / Thomas Henning (MPIA)
Roman Follert (Germany)
follert @ mpia.de

Origins, measurement, and correction of differential atmospheric piston turbulence around the LBT site
Thesis abstract: Fizeau interferometry allows true, wide-field imaging of an astronomical source with a spatial resolution set by the maximum, edge-to-edge separation of the feed telescopes. The technique of adaptive optics (AO) is essential to ensure flat wavefronts, but AO cannot control the arrival time, or differential piston, of the incoming wavefronts. Removal of this differential piston is a prerequisite for high quality, scientifically useful interferograms. For this purpose LINC-NIRVANA, the near Infrared interferometric camera for the LBT telescope, will be equipped with a Fringe Tracker. To test this device already in the lab under realistic conditions comparable to the LBT site, a differential piston simulator shall be constructed and fed with atmospheric data measured at Mt. Graham. Then, the piston simulator will be attached to the Linc-Nirvana fringe tracking unit in order to conduct the aforementioned tests.
Supervisor: Tom Herbst (MPIA)
Mario Gennaro (Italy)
gennaro @ mpia.de

The initial mass function with PanSTARRS 1 and UKIDSS
Thesis abstract: We present the discovery of three new cluster candidates in the inner galaxy. Those cluster have been identified using near infrared data from the UKIDSS Galactic Plane Survey. The importance of this work relies on the fact that the details of star formation history of our Galaxy are poorly known in regions far away from the Sun; finding new clusters and new star forming regions close to the center of the Galaxy will help us to understand the mechanism of star formation in a different environment.
We surveyed UKIDSS catalog for regions close to molecular bubbles in the inner galaxy ($ | l | \le 10^\circ$; $| b | \le 1^\circ$); some those bubbles are also associated with HII region, and this is a hint for the possible presence of young stellar cluster candidates. In three of these regions we identified young stellar association. An important evidence for the presence of young clusters is the clear overabundance in these regions of stars with Infrared excess. Upper main sequence members have been identified by a color-color selection in the (H-K) vs. (J-K) diagram. Comparing the magnitude of the most massive and luminous stars of this associations to theoretical isochrones of the Geneva group (see Lejeune \& Schaerer, 2001) we were able to give an estimate of the total masses which are $\sim1400 M_\odot$, $\sim2900 M_\odot$ and $\sim2100 M_\odot$ respectively.
Supervisor: Wolfgang Brandner / Thomas Henning (MPIA)
Alexander Hansson (Sweden)
hansson @ ari.uni-heidelberg.de

The origin of the local early-type dwarf galaxy population
Thesis abstract: Early-type dwarf galaxies (dEs) are the most abundant type of galaxies in clusters though only a small number of these objects are known in the field so far. This suggests that many cluster dEs are products of their environment. We are conducting a study of the local dE population which will reveal important clues regarding the formation and evolution of these systems, including an assessment of the role of the environment in which these objects reside.
Supervisor: Torsten Lisker (ARI)
Alexander Karim (Germany)
karim @ mpia.de

A radio view on AGN and star formation activity in the COSMOS survey
Thesis abstract: The star formation activity in the universe has dramatically declined since the epoch when the universe reached (roughly) half of its present age. Pan-chromatic cosmological surveys over larger areas on the sky are key to study in detail how star formation activity is evolving - not only as a function of time (redshift), but also of galaxy type, mass, environment etc. These studies are important for our understanding of galaxy formation and also provide stringent constraints for cosmological models. As galaxies at earlier epochs contain more gas and dust, tracers of star formation that are insensitive to the presence of dust are required.
IR surveys would be ideal to probe the emission peak arising from the dust heated by star formation, but lack the angular resolution and/or sensitivity. Currently only radio observations achieve angular resolutions similar to optical ground-based imaging data. In order to reach the very faint end of the radio luminosity function to estimate the dust unbiased star formation rate (SFR) one has to go even beyond the sensitivity of the deep VLA-COSMOS project (20cm radio continuum).
I am thus using the stacking technique to estimate the average SFR taking into account sufficiently large and complete mass selected samples out to a redshift of z=1. Furthermore, repeating stacking in the COSMOS Spitzer map at 24um gives us the possibility to calibrate the faint-end of the radio-infrared correlation. Since stacking, when applied properly, is a powerful technique, follow-up projects in different contexts and higher redshift ranges are likely. Another part of my project is to use optical and (sub)mm data in order to study interesting objects from the COSMOS field, in particular massively star forming merger systems at high redshift or in dust obscured quasars.
Supervisor: Eva Schinnerer/Hans-Walter Rix (MPIA)
Hagen Meyer (Germany)
hmeyer @ ari.uni-heidelberg.de

Identifying the progenitors of early-type dwarf galaxies
Thesis abstract: In the local universe dwarf galaxies form 80 % of the galaxy population. It is therefore reasonable to assume that they are the most numerous type of galaxies in the universe. Dwarf galaxies can roughly be divided into star-forming dwarf galaxies (e.g. Blue Compact Dwarfs, Dwarf Irregulars) and passive (red and dead), early-type dwarfs (dwarf ellipticals) with (almost) no star-formation and only little gas. The latter are most commonly found in galaxy clusters, like the Virgo-Cluster.
Candidate mechanisms to explain the transformation of star-forming dwarfs into passive dwarf galaxies are ram-pressure stripping, or fast gravitational perturbations of the dwarf by other cluster members. Details of these transformation processes are, however, currently not well understood.
To answer these questions we use a optical multi-wavelength sample from the SDSS and additional UV/NIR-data to study dwarf galaxies in the nearby Virgo-Cluster. We will investigate structural properties and colours of likely progenitors of early-type dwarf galaxies as well the early-type galaxies themselves.
Supervisor: Torsten Lisker (ARI)
Milica Milosavljevic (Serbia)
milica @ ita.uni-heidelberg.de

Molecular cloud formation in convergent flows
Thesis abstract: Stars form within massive clouds of molecular gas known as giant molecular clouds, or GMCs. Understanding how these clouds are formed is therefore a crucial part of the study of the birth of stars. A promising theory for GMC formation suggests that these clouds form in places where streams of warm atomic gas collide. The collision compresses the gas, which becomes thermally unstable, breaking up into cold, dense clumps embedded within a largerscale turbulent flow. However, current studies of this process have a number of drawbacks that limit their usefulness. They use a highly simplified treatment of the thermal energy balance of the gas, and have ignored its chemical evolution. It has therefore been difficult to directly compare the clouds formed in these simulations with observations of real GMCs in a meaningful fashion, and hence difficult to properly test the predictions of the theory. We will address this problem by performing threedimensional adaptive mesh refinement simulations of cloud assembly with the FLASH code. These simulations will for the first time selfconsistently model the assembly of the clouds, the thermal energy balance within them, and the chemical transition from atomic to molecular gas.
Supervisor: Ralf Klessen (ITA)
Dading Nugroho (Indonesia)
nugroho @ mpia.de

Star formation properties and kinematics of nearby AGN host galaxies
Thesis abstract: My thesis work centers on a study of star formation and kinematics of the Active Galactic Nuclei (AGN) host galaxies at nearby universe (z < 0.2). There are two spectroscopic data sets that will form basis of my thesis. The first is data from observation using VIMOS-Integral Field Unit mounted at VLT-Melipal and second from observation with FORS2 instrument at VLT-Kueyen.
The study will help constrain the fuelling mechanisms of AGN and relation between AGN activity with star formation in host galaxies to understand the role of AGN to the transition of galaxies from blue cloud to the red sequence population in the color magnitude diagram. In more general, this study is a part of our effort to understand the relation of the Supermassive Black Hole (SMBH) and their host galaxies.
Supervisor: Knud Jahnke / Hans-Walter Rix (MPIA)
Xiaoying Pang (China)
xiaoying @ ari.uni-heidelberg.de

Galactic and extragalactic star cluster evolution
Thesis abstract: NGC3603 which is one of the most compact star clusters in the Milky Way and is considered as a Galactic starburst cluster.NGC3603 is an arena of star formation in which we can find very luminous OB stars, and pre-main sequence stars which are still undergo formation of which pro-disk are observed, and aslo molecular clouds. Depite the young age of NGC3603 which is only about 1Myr old, it already shows distinct mass segregation. My work is to research on the dynamical evolution of the it which is based on HST-WFPC2 data of 1997 (PI.Drissen) and 2007 (PI.Brandner). Then estimate dynamical timescels of NGC3603 to see whether it is already undergone dynamical disolution, which is also another way to see whether primodial mass segregation or dynamical evolution plays more important role in initial mass funcion(IMF).
Supervisor: Eva Grebel (ARI)
Sanjaya Paudel (Nepal)
sjy @ ari.uni-heidelberg.de

Stellar populations of early-type dwarf galaxies and their nuclei
Thesis abstract: Though diffuse elliptical galaxies represent majority of the galaxy populations in dense regions of the nearby Universe like rich clusters, their origin and evolution remain still a matter of debate. Several recent and past studies show that these galaxies exhibit a great variety of kinematics and stellar population properties, posing a number of questions to the current understanding of external and internal evolution of dwarf elliptical galaxies.
However, some of the proposed mechanisms for nucleus formation are based on late nucleus formation, e.g. out of merging globular clusters or from intense star formation in centrally accumulated gas. Can the nuclei thus tell us something about the formation history of their host galaxies?
Given the importance of the stellar population difference between the nuclei and the outskirts of the dEs (or maybe: between the nuclei and the host dEs) of the virgo cluster, I am studying the stellar population of 26 nucleated dEs using the medium resolution spectroscopy with aiming to probe it further.
Supervisor: Torsten Lisker (ARI)
Oliver Porth (Germany)
porth @ mpia.de

Formation of relativistic MHD jets
Thesis abstract: We investigate jet acceleration and collimation using full special relativistic magneto- and hydro- dynamics including gravity in an approximate manner. In this scenario, the jet is launched as a disk wind in Keplerian rotation. Due to the scale-free nature of our formulation this has applications to active galactic nuclei as well as to galactic microquasars. Special focus is on the asymptotic force balance - unraveling the decollimating nature of electric forces.
Supervisor: Christian Fendt (MPIA)
Ana Uribe Uribe (Colombia)
uribe @ mpia.de

Interaction between circumstellar disks and embedded protoplanets.
Thesis abstract: Circumstellar disks are a natural and necessary outcome of the process of star formation due to angular momentum conservation in the collapse of molecular cloud cores. Understanding the mechanisms by which matter is accreted into the central young star is not only of fundamental importance in star formation theory but also in acquiring a complete picture of the properties and evolution of circumstellar disks themselves, which are believed to be the birthplaces of planets. The problem of planet formation is one that encompasses many orders of magnitude and thus involves a broad range and sequence of physical processes. In this project we concentrate on studying, form a theoretical and numerical approach, properties of circumstellar disks such as angular momentum transport, general structure and the interaction of the disk with embedded protoplanets.
Supervisor: Thomas Henning / Hubert Klahr (MPIA)
Kasper Borello Schmidt (Denmark)
kschmidt @ mpia.de

Identifying the multiply-imaged and strongly magnified QSOs in PS1
Thesis abstract: Lensed QSOs (at various luminosities) have proven over the last years to be a productive astrophysical tool: the separation statistics is a powerful and independent tool to probe the concentration of potential wells (galaxies and groups); the relative image brightnesses may be one of the best ways to constrain dark-matter sub-halos; and the high magnifications that occur allow studies of the host galaxies at unprecedented flux sensitivity and physical resolution. Drawing on the sample of photometrically-identified QSO candidates, we plan to devise a statistically well-defined sample of multiply-images QSO candidates, and to follow-up the most promising candidates. Following the experience with SDSS (14), we will employ two separate approaches, one to identify “small separation lenses” (< few arcsec); and one to search for wide-separation lenses (> few arcsec). In the first case, the underlying assumption is that IPP only detects on source, that the subsequent analysis shows that this source has QSO-like colors, but that the source shape is not consistent with the PSF; subsequent multi-band deblending exercises can help remove QSO–star projection pairs. In the second, ’wide-separation’ case the approach will be to search for separate “catalog entries” or sources, that have similar, QSO-like colors and that lie within < 20" of each other. We expect dozends of wide-separation candidates, and many hundreds of small separation candidates Using the PMAS IFU spectrometer at CAHA we then plan to get follow-up spectra for all wide-separation candidates, and selected small-separation candidates (e.g. very high redshift objects)
Supervisor: Hans-Walter Rix / Sebastian Jester (MPIA)
Bhargav Vaidya (India)
vaidya @ mpia.de

Theory of outflows from massive stars
Thesis abstract: Massive stars play a vital role in the dynamical evolution of clusters in which they are the major source of heavy elements and UV radiation. During their short life time, they undergo a number of physical processes like winds, photo evaporation, jet like outflows, expanding H II regions and supernova explosions. Outflows from these massive stars are ubiquitous and are observed for stars having wide range in luminosity and age. Observations of large number of massive star forming regions, predict a rather simple and self explanatory picture of the outflow evolution, however, the real physical understanding is missing.
Are these massive jet like outflows magneto-centrifugally driven? What kind of interaction is present between the disc and jet? If magnetic fields are important, where do they come from?
In my thesis I will work on the theory of these outflows from massive accretion disc including simulations to investigate physical processes behind the simple outflow evolutionary picture can be understood.
Supervisor: Christian Fendt / Henrik Beuther (MPIA)
Ana Valente (Portugal)
avalente @ ita.uni-heidelberg.de

Cross-correlation studies between weak lensing and the Sunyaev-Zel'dovich effect
Thesis abstract: We use the halo model of large scale structure in order to compute the angular power spectrum of both wear shear and Sunyaev-Zel'dovich effect. While the weak shear constrains the classical cosmological parameters, a model for the SZ effect which has an empirical parameterization for the mass-temperature relation can be used. A more sophisticated approach involving the baryon fraction and an entropy floor is also possible. By correlating both signals, we aim to answer questions regarding measurability, constraints on baryonic physics and biasing model.
Supervisor: Matthias Bartelmann (ITA)
3rd generation students (joined IMPRS-HD 2007)
Ioanna Arka (Greece)
Ioanna.Arka @ mpi-hd.mpg.de

Particle-wave interactions: laboratory and astrophysics
Thesis abstract: The interaction of particles with electromagnetic waves is of interest in astrophysics and also in the laboratory. In my work I am computing the acceleration, radiation and pair production of electrons in ultra-high intensity lasers, and using the knowledge gained by this paradigm to investigate the interaction of particles with electromagnetic waves carried in relativistic outflows. Of particular interest are the phenomena that arise when these outflows create relativistic shocks, and these are the focus of my work.
Supervisor: John Kirk (MPIK)
Leonard Burtscher (Austria)
burtscher @ mpia.de

Resolving the central dust structure in nearby Seyfert galaxies
Thesis abstract: To further test the unified model of Active Galactic Nuclei, the properties of the dusty torus, which encapsulates the central engine, need to be determinded. In this project, the interferometric observation of tori of active galaxies (e.g. PhD thesis Tristram et al., 2007) will be extended to more than the few sources currently available. Those data will then be compared to model calculations to gain insights into e.g. the geometry and clumpiness of AGN tori. The measurements will be carried out using the MIDI instrument at the VLTI on Cerro Paranal and will be compared to radiative transfer and hydrodynamical models (e.g. PhD thesis Schartmann et al., 2007).
Supervisor: Klaus Meisenheimer (MPIA)
Denija Crnojevic (Italy)
denija @ ari.uni-heidelberg.de

Nearby groups of galaxies
Thesis abstract: My Thesis topic is the study of Nearby Groups of galaxies within 2-4 Mpc. I am currently concentrating on the Centaurus A group of galaxies, and in the future I will be considering the Sculptor and Canes Venatici ones. The Cen A group presents about 30 dwarf members of different morphological types and stellar content, for which I am analysing archival data from the Hubble Space Telescope. These kind of data can provide information on the detailed stellar content of the galaxies, and possibly constrain their star formation histories. The result can be then compared with the properties of the galaxies in our Local Group, or in other nearby groups. Moreover, it is crucial to understand the role played by the environment in the evolution of dwarf galaxies. In the future it would then also be interesting to consider other data sets, like for example GALEX, SDSS, or SPITZER.
Supervisor: Eva Grebel (ARI)
Nicola Da Rio (Italy)
dario @ mpia.de

Clustered star formation in the Magellanic Clouds
Thesis abstract: My thesis project is focused on the study of pre-main sequence phase of star formation in stellar associations of the Magellanic Clouds. Galactic OB associations are known to host low-mass PMS populations, and recently it has been possible to confirm the detection of such populations also in the Magellanic Clouds. Here, the much lower dust extinction -- due to both lower metallicity than that of the Milky Way and a lower dust-to-gas ratio -- makes these neighboring galaxies ideal laboratories for the observational study of young stellar system, and of star formation in general. I focus on these young stellar populations to analyze for the first time their Initial Mass Function down to the subsolar regime and study the age distribution and eventual age spread, both key questions fundamental for the understanding of how star form. Approaches and findings will be tested and compared on other nearby galactic star forming regions which I am going to study, such as the Orion Nebula Cluster.
Supervisor: Dimitrios Gouliermis / Thomas Henning (MPIA)
Christoph Deil (Germany)
Christoph.Deil @ mpi-hd.mpg.de

Gamma-ray Astronomy with H.E.S.S.
Thesis abstract: H.E.S.S. is an array of imaging atmospheric Cherenkov telescopes in Namibia consisting of four 100 m^2 telescopes at the corners of a square of 120 m side length. Currently, an additional 600 m^2 telescope, H.E.S.S.II, is being constructed in the array center, which will significantly lower its energy threshold and improve sensitivity. In the first year of my thesis I am testing the H.E.S.S.II drive and control system (commissioned in early 2009). Another aspect of the technical part of my thesis is to develop the remote control software and integrate it into the existing H.E.S.S. data acquisition system. In the remaining two years I plan to work with H.E.S.S. I and II data to address current questions in very high energy gamma-ray astronomy.
Supervisor: Werner Hofmann (MPIK)
Kelly Foyle (Canada)
foyle @ mpia.de

Galaxies and angular momentum transfer
Thesis abstract: Using simulations and observations of disk galaxies I will investigate how significant angular momentum transfer is in galaxies and to what extent it is responsible for redistributing matter in the disk. Stellar mass density maps will be generated in order to determine the gravitational torques on stars.
Supervisor: Hans-Walter Rix (MPIA)
Ronny Zhao-Geisler (Germany)
rgeisler @ lsw.uni-heidelberg.de

Astrometrical planet search with PRIMA at the VLT interferometer
Thesis abstract: My Ph.D. thesis is a research project concerning the detection and characterization of extrasolar planets by use of high precision astrometry. With the infrared interferometry measurements, one can obtain precise star movements, and in the event there is an existing planet nearby, orbital parameters can be calculated. At the State Observatory Heidelberg, our research group is developing the reduction software for the PRIMA facility at the VLTI and is working together with other institutes for developing a scientific observation plan.
Supervisor: Andreas Quirrenbach (LSW)
Baybars Kuelebi (Turkey)
bkulebi @ ari.uni-heidelberg.de

Analysis of the magnetic white dwarf RE J0317-853
Thesis abstract: RE J0317-853 is a massive, highly magnetic (~300 MG) White Dwarf (WD) that is rapidly rotating. In my project we will analyze the magnetic field structure and geometry of this object through a fitting process that takes advantage of numerous pre-calculated spectra and an evolutionary code for the actual fitting. The succesful analysis of this object will hopefully present an important addition to the high B WD studies, which in turn hope to contribute to the magnetic field ancestory question, possible WD-WD merger scenerios for these objects, and finally a better understanding of these objects will be useful in tests of non-metric field theories
Supervisor: Stefan Jordan (ARI)
Sophia Lianou (Greece)
lianou @ ari.uni-heidelberg.de

The interacting group of galaxies around M81
Thesis abstract: We study the properties of the dwarf galaxies in the M81 group and compare them to those of other nearby groups. In particular, we are interested in investigating to what extent environment affects dwarf galaxy evolution.
Supervisor: Eva Grebel (ARI)
Ekaterina Luettjohann (Russia)
eluettjohann @ ita.uni-heidelberg.de

Mineralogical and chemical composition in the solar nebula
Thesis abstract: The main goal of the project is to develop a model of the early mineralogical and chemical evolution in a pre-planetary disk based on numerical simulations. This model will include hydrodynamical calculations of the disk structure and also chemical and physical processes.
Supervisor: Hans-Peter Gail (ITA)
Benjamin Moster (Germany)
moster @ mpia.de

SPH realizations of semi-analytical merger trees
Thesis abstract: State-of-the-art merger simulations using Smoothed Particle Hydrodynamics (SPH) have investigate many physical processes in Galaxy formation, such as the efficiency of starbursts, morphological transformations and stellar streams. However, these simulations have used initial conditions which have been derived from grid parameters. Also, only binary mergers have been simulated.
The goal of the PhD thesis is to perform SPH simulations (using Gadget2) of galaxy mergers with cosmologically motivated constraints, i.e. initial conditions that are taken from a semi-analytic model of galaxy formation (SAM). By using merger trees from a SAM (which may include multiple mergers), the results are expected to trace the processes in the universe better than in binary mergers with standard initial conditions. The goal is to form/create a galaxy (main branch) at a given redshift (e.g. z=1) and then merge satellite galaxies onto the main branch as specified by the semi-analytic merger tree. The advantages over cosmological simulations (box) are a better spacial and mass resolution, since particles are only in the locations of interest.
Supervisor: Rachel Somerville (STScI) / Andrea Maccio (MPIA)
Maximiliano Moyano D'Angelo (Chile)
moyano @ mpia.de

Data analysis and frequency of transiting extrasolar planets based on the detections in the Pan-Planets survey
Thesis abstract: When extrasolar planets are observed to transit their parent stars, we can have access to several of their physical properties. The strength of the transit method is to yield a direct estimate of the radius of the planet, as well as to obtain the orbital inclination, which in turn allows to measure the true planetary mass from radial velocity measurements. In particular, a radius measurement allows to determine the planetary density and thus to constrain evolutionary models and the migration history of the planet. The data for my PhD will be acquired with the Pan-Planets and the LAIWO surveys. It is expected to find more than 50 new transiting planets with the Pan-Planets survey. This homogeneous sample will allow a comprehensive statistical study of planetary parameters, serving as an input for improved models of planet formation (to be developed at MPIA).
Supervisors: Cristina Afonso / Thomas Henning (MPIA)
Nikolay Nikolov (Bulgaria)
nikolov @ mpia-hd.mpg.de

Search for extrasolar planets
Thesis abstract: A transiting extrasolar planet can be observed when the planetary orbit lies nearly in the plane of the observer's line of sight. Then once per orbital period the planet passes in front of the stellar disk, causing a temporary drop in the brightness of the exoplanet host star.
Planetary transits may yield many properties (radius and orbital distance of the planet and inclination angle), provided the light curve has a high photometric accuracy (~ 1 %), a high time sampling and the parent star is well characterized (star radius is known or stellar mass-radius relation is assumed).
During my PhD I will work with data from the Pan-STARRS and LAIWO surveys. The objective is to discover new transiting extrasolar planets and to characterize them. The results will be used for an improved planet population synthesis.
Supervisors: Cristina Afonso / Thomas Henning (MPIA)
Christine Ruhland (Germany)
ruhland @ mpia.de

Understanding the assembly of disk galaxies
Thesis abstract: The diffuse outer stellar envelope of galaxies (their stellar halos) are a gold-mine of information about the assembly of galaxies owing to their long dynamical times and the relative absence of in-situ star formation. My thesis project is to study the populations, kinematics and (sub-)structure of the stellar halo of the Milky Way and other galaxies using the SDSS, PanSTARRS-1 and data from HST.
Supervisor: Eric Bell (MPIA)
Olaf Schulz (Germany)
Olaf.Schulz @ mpi-hd.mpg.de

Muon reconstruction with the IceCube neutrino detector
Thesis abstract: I work on the reconstruction of muon tracks within the IceCube detector. IceCube is a km^3 array of photomultiplier tubes currently being deployed in the antarctic ice, 1500 to 2500 meters below the southpole. When high energy neutrinos interact, highly relativistic charged particles are produced which can be detected by their Cerenkov-light in the ice. In my work I put special emphasis on an improvement of the reconstruction performance at low neutrino energies (E<10TeV). This includes the use of combined data from IceCube and its predecessor AMANDA.
Supervisor: Elisa Resconi (MPIK)
Tatiana Vasyunina (Russia)
vasyunina @ mpia.de

Very early stages of massive stars
Thesis abstract: What is the mechanism by which massive stars form? What are the initial conditions for this? Despite of the importance of these questions, up to date there are no clear answers for them. This thesis is devoted to the investigation of two stages of the massive star formation: the first phase is represented by Infrared Dark Clouds (IRDCs). Their properties (low temperature, high column density, and so on) let us assume that they are ideal sites for the very early stages of massive star formation; a later stage relates to embedded, newly formed massive stars in typical cluster environments. Assuming this, we address following questions: Does pronounced pre-stellar phase exist for massive star formation at all? How important is the gas and dust environment for the further evolution of high mass stars? Answering these questions will help to better understand the physics of the massive star formation processes.
Supervisors: Hendrik Linz / Thomas Henning (MPIA)
Massimo Viola (Italy)
mviola @ ita.uni-heidelberg.de

Cosmological weak lensing: effects of dark energy and analysis techniques
Thesis abstract: My project is to further develope, calibrate and apply linear filters to detect dark matter halos through their weak lensing signature.  In particular  I am interested to use this technique to infer properties of the halos such as their concentration or the inner slope of their density profile. I will test and calibrate the methods on numerical simulation and I plan to apply it to available wide field data .
Supervisor: Matthias Bartelmann (ITA)
Hsiang-Hsu Wang (Taiwan)
hhwang @ mpia-hd.mpg.de

Evolution and formation of disk galaxies
Thesis abstract: The formation of disk galaxies is one of the major remaining puzzles in the theory of galaxy formation in a hierarchical context. Neither analytical models nor numerical simulations can explain the rotation curve shapes, the Tully-Fisher zeropoint, or the exponential surface brightness distributions of disks. In particular, numerical simulations suffer from an 'angular momentum catastrophe', and have thus far been unable to yield realistic disks: the disks are too compact and/or are dominated by a large bulge component. It is generally believed that a better understanding of star formation and feedback are required to solve these problems. I will run and analyze numerical simulations of (i) isolated disks and (ii) the formation of disk galaxies in a cosmological setting.
Supervisors: Frank van den Bosch (MPIA) / Rachel Somerville (STScI)
Olga Zacharopoulou (Greece)
Olga.Zacharopoulou @ mpi-hd.mpg.de

MHD, particle accelaration and high energy radiation signatures of AGN jets
Thesis abstract: The attenuation due to pair production in photon-photon scattering is the reason why the observed intrinsic spectra from some sources is highly modified. In this project the optical depth of such an interaction will be evaluated taking into consideration the different models of the extra-galactic background light. Then it will be used for the estimation of the intrinsic spectra of high energy sources. A radiation model will be applied to the data in an attempt to understand the physical processes behind them.
Supervisors: Felix Aharonian (MPIK) / Christian Fendt (MPIA)
Andras Zsom (Hungary)
zsom @ mpia.de

Monte Carlo simulations of dust aggregation in protoplanetary disks
Thesis abstract: I'm developing a Monte Carlo based dust particle coagulation and fragmentation code which will be used in hydrodynamical simulations modeling a circumstellar disk to trace the evolution of dust particles. I'm planning to investigate how dust particles evolve in non-equilibrium velocity fields like spiral arms, shock waves, gaps opened by planets.
Supervisor: Kees Dullemond (MPIA)
2nd generation students (joined IMPRS-HD 2006)
Peter Melchior (Germany)
pmelchior @ ita.uni-heidelberg.de

Detection and characterisation of dark-matter halos by gravitational shear and flexion
Thesis abstract: The project aims to develop methods to employ the shapelet decomposition of galaxy images. We want to achieve precise measurements of the shapes of weakly lensed background galaxies and of the telescope's PSF in order to obtain accurate estimates of the gravitational shear and flexion. With this, we plan to produce mass maps of galaxy clusters at yet unreached resolution and constrain cosmological parameters related to structure formation via a combination of the shear and the flexion power spectrum.
Supervisor: Matthias Bartelmann (ITA)
Christian Schwab (Germany)
C.Schwab @ lsw.uni-heidelberg.de

Waverfront sensor calibration strategy and design for LBTs laserguidestar facility ARGOS
Thesis abstract: During my thesis I am developing a calibration strategy for the Laser guide star facility ARGOS at LBT. This includes the design, integration and test of the optics and optomechanics of a dedicated calibration light source. To mimick the scenario as seen on-sky, the light source will project different light spots in the primary focal plane of LBT, which are then imaged onto the wavefront sensors by the adaptive secondary. This saves expensive night time for calibration and tweaking the AO system. Additionally, I am involved in the LSW's extrasolar planet search program at Lick observatory, conducting observing runs and analysing the data. Emphasis lies on characterizing the spatial and temporal variations of the line spread function (LSP) of the used high-resolution spectrograph. I am working with groups from San Francisco State University and UC Berkley to implement a fibre-feed behind the spectrograph slit to improve the LSP stability and uniformity, leading to sub-1 m/s precision in radial velocity measurements of chromospherically quiet stars.
Supervisor: Andreas Quirrenbach (LSW)
Jean-Claude Waizmann (Germany)
waizmann @ ita.uni-heidelberg.de

Observational consequences of Early Dark Energy on the tSZ effect and the upcoming Planck mission
Thesis abstract: Models of Early Dark Energy predict, among other effects, an enhancement of non-linear structures (like galaxy clusters) at redshift ~1, leaving their fingerprint on the cosmic microwave background via the thermal Sunyaev Zeldovich Effect (tSZ). Due to its spectral range the Planck satellite will be able to observe the tSZ effect on the full sky. Using analytical estimates and numerical simulations I want to find out, how the satellite data can be used to distinguish between different cosmological models.
Supervisor: Matthias Bartelmann (ITA)
Isabel Franco Rico (Mexico)
franco @ ari.uni-heidelberg.de

A stellar population picture of galaxy harassment
Thesis abstract: Along the lines of "N-Body meets stellar population", we are interested in the scenario of galaxy harassment, in which a disk galaxy falls into a galaxy cluster, and gets (by close encounters) tidally transformed in a rather violent way, resulting in an early-type dwarf galaxy. For understanding the origin of early-type dwarfs, it would be very good to not only have this rather qualitative picture, but to simulate what happens to the stellar content of the progenitor. E.g. do the leftover stars mainly come from the central part of the progenitor? How does the final observable stellar pop. compare with that of the progenitor and with that of typical dEs?
Supervisors: Thorsten Lisker / Rainer Spurzem (ARI)
Stephanie Schwemmer (Germany)
S.Schwemmer @ lsw.uni-heidelberg.de

Identification of Galactic Gamma-ray sources
Thesis abstract: The H.E.S.S. experiment is a system of four Imaging Atmospheric Cherenkov Telescopes located in Namibia, which detects gamma-rays above a treshold of 100 GeV. In 2004 and 2005 H.E.S.S. observed the Galactic Plane between +/- 30 degree Galactic longitude and +/- 3 degree Galactic latitude. Many of the new sources detected in the scan are not yet identified and therefore the nature of the sources is unknown. My PhD project focuses on the identification of these Galactic gamma-ray sources, using observations in other wave bands, especially in X-rays. I investigate the spatial and morphological coincidences of possible counterparts and the different radiation processes within the sources.
Supervisor: Stefan Wagner (LSW)
Emanuel Ziegler (Germany)
eziegler @ ita.uni-heidelberg.de

Divergence-free smoothed particle hydrodynamics
Thesis abstract: Smoothed Particle Hydrodynamics is a numerical method that performs very well on problems of structure formation. But when trying to include cosmic magnetic fields in these simulations one experiences several problems that lead to the formation of unphysical magnetic fields with non-vanishing divergence. The goal of this work is to develop a formalism that is completely free of these divergence artefacts.
Supervisor: Matthias Bartelmann (ITA)