Research topics within IMPRS-HD
The International Max Planck Research School for Astronomy and Cosmic Physics at the University of Heidelberg (IMPRS-HD) is a collaborative effort between the Max Planck Society and the University of Heidelberg.
Founded 1385 the University of Heidelberg is the oldest university of present-day Germany. 15 % of Heidelberg's 27,000 students come from outside Germany, over 2,400 of them from Europe and 890 from Asia (in total from 128 countries).
Regularly ranked as one of the best German universities, Heidelberg University successfully brings together old tradition and modern conceptions.
A poll published 2010 by the German Academic Exchange Service (DAAD) concluded that Heidelberg is Germany's most popular university for international doctoral students.
The Heidelberg area has one of the highest densities of astrophysical research in Germany hosting five world-class institutes. More then 30 professors and a total scientific staff (astrophysics) of about 200 people. Additional staff could be acquired by external funding (national and international grants).
The Faculty of Physics and Astronomy at the University of Heidelberg is the largest in Germany concerning the number of Ph.D. graduations per year.
The following institutes take part in IMPRS-HD:
- Max Planck Institute for Astronomy (MPIA)
- Max Planck Institute for Nuclear Physics (MPIK), Astrophysics and Particle Physics divisions
- Institute of Theoretical Astrophysics (ITA)
- Astronomisches Rechen-Institut (ARI), ( ''Institute for Astronomical Computing'' )
- Landessternwarte Königstuhl (LSW), ( '' State Observatory Königstuhl'' )
- Heidelberg Institute for Theoretical Studies (HITS)
Since 2005 the three university institutes ARI, ITA, LSW form the Zentrum für Astronomie der Universität Heidelberg (ZAH) (''Center for Astronomy of Heidelberg University'').
Since autumn 2007 IMPRS-HD is an independent part of the Heidelberg Graduate School for Physics, HGSFP.
Almost any topic of astrophysics is covered by researchers in Heidelberg ...
Phenomenologically, this ranges from elementary particles (astroparticle physics) over the interstellar gas, cosmic rays and microscopic dust particles to sub-stellar bodies as planets, moons, comets, brown dwarfs to stars of different age, size or constituents, to extragalactic objects (galaxies, dark matter) and finally the universe as a whole (cosmology).
Observationally, almost all frequencies are covered. While the emphasis is on optical/infrared frequencies and on very high energy energies of TeV gamma rays, also mm and radio observations aer carried out. Researchers in Heidelberg apply and develop ground-based telescope and instrumentation techniques as well as satellite instrumentation.
In theory various fields are covered with focal points in gravitational lensing, (magneto)-hydrodynamic or SPH simulations, transport, acceleration and non-thermal emission theory for relativistic particles, and radiation transfer modeling.
