Heidelberg University Faculty of Physics and Astronomy
Encyclopedia
The Faculty of Physics and Astronomy is one of twelve faculties at the University of Heidelberg. It comprises the Kirchhoff Institute of Physics, the Institute of Physics, Theoretical Physics, Environmental Physics and Theoretical Astrophysics.
.jpg)
The Kirchhoff-Institut für Physik (Kirchhoff Institute of Physics), built in 2002, is a research institute located in Heidelberg
, Germany
. It shares faculty with the physics and astronomy departments at the University of Heidelberg. The institute is named after Gustav Kirchhoff
, who collaborated in Heidelberg in 1854 with Robert Bunsen
in spectroscopic work.
The scope of its research is broad. Many projects exist, from low temperature physics and neuronal information processing
to surface physics.
Facilities include (apart from several laboratories) a cleanroom
, an ASIC
laboratory, an experimental hall and, as it is also serves undergraduates, there are 2 auditoriums with a capacity of over 300 people, several seminar rooms and a CIP pool. Current director is Prof. Dr. Karlheinz Meier.
Research Interests
.jpg)
The Institute of Environmental Physics was founded in 1975. Its current director is Prof. Dr. Ulrich Platt.
Research Interests
(the Heidelberg-Königstuhl State Observatory).
.jpg)
The Astromomisches Rechen-Institut (Astronomical Calculation Institute) is part of the Center of Astronomy
of the University of Heidelberg. Before it was a research institute for astrometry
and stellar dynamics
belonging to the state
of Baden-Württemberg
.
It is the most important international institution for astronomical data calculations. The Astronomisches Rechen-Institut is responsible among other things for the Gliese catalog of nearby stars, the fundamental catalog FK5
and FK6 and the annual published Apparent places
, a high precision catalog with pre-calculated positions for over 3 thousand stars for each day.
The ARI was founded in the year 1700 in Berlin-Dahlem
by Gottfried Kirch
. It has its origin from the catalog patent application in this time by Frederick I of Prussia
, who introduced a monopoly on publishing star catalogs in Prussia. In 1945 the Institute was moved by the occupying force (Americans) nearer to their headquarters in Heidelberg
. Since January 1, 2005 it has been integrated into the Center of Astronomy
and as of today is not limited to publishing star catalogs but has a wide research scope.
.jpg)
Research Interest
Kirchhoff Institute of Physics
Heidelberg
-Early history:Between 600,000 and 200,000 years ago, "Heidelberg Man" died at nearby Mauer. His jaw bone was discovered in 1907; with scientific dating, his remains were determined to be the earliest evidence of human life in Europe. In the 5th century BC, a Celtic fortress of refuge and place of...
, Germany
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
. It shares faculty with the physics and astronomy departments at the University of Heidelberg. The institute is named after Gustav Kirchhoff
Gustav Kirchhoff
Gustav Robert Kirchhoff was a German physicist who contributed to the fundamental understanding of electrical circuits, spectroscopy, and the emission of black-body radiation by heated objects...
, who collaborated in Heidelberg in 1854 with Robert Bunsen
Robert Bunsen
Robert Wilhelm Eberhard Bunsen was a German chemist. He investigated emission spectra of heated elements, and discovered caesium and rubidium with Gustav Kirchhoff. Bunsen developed several gas-analytical methods, was a pioneer in photochemistry, and did early work in the field of organoarsenic...
in spectroscopic work.
The scope of its research is broad. Many projects exist, from low temperature physics and neuronal information processing
Artificial neural network
An artificial neural network , usually called neural network , is a mathematical model or computational model that is inspired by the structure and/or functional aspects of biological neural networks. A neural network consists of an interconnected group of artificial neurons, and it processes...
to surface physics.
Facilities include (apart from several laboratories) a cleanroom
Cleanroom
A cleanroom is an environment, typically used in manufacturing or scientific research, that has a low level of environmental pollutants such as dust, airborne microbes, aerosol particles and chemical vapors. More accurately, a cleanroom has a controlled level of contamination that is specified by...
, an ASIC
ASIC
ASIC may refer to:* Application-specific integrated circuit, an integrated circuit developed for a particular use, as opposed to a customised general-purpose device.* ASIC programming language, a dialect of BASIC...
laboratory, an experimental hall and, as it is also serves undergraduates, there are 2 auditoriums with a capacity of over 300 people, several seminar rooms and a CIP pool. Current director is Prof. Dr. Karlheinz Meier.
Research Interests
- BiophysicsBiophysicsBiophysics is an interdisciplinary science that uses the methods of physical science to study biological systems. Studies included under the branches of biophysics span all levels of biological organization, from the molecular scale to whole organisms and ecosystems...
- Complex Quantum Systems condensed matter systems at ultra-low temperatures and matter waves.
- Particle PhysicsParticle physicsParticle physics is a branch of physics that studies the existence and interactions of particles that are the constituents of what is usually referred to as matter or radiation. In current understanding, particles are excitations of quantum fields and interact following their dynamics...
calorimetry and trigger processor development for the ATLASATLAS experimentATLAS is one of the six particle detector experiments constructed at the Large Hadron Collider , a new particle accelerator at the European Organization for Nuclear Research in Switzerland...
and H1H1 (particle detector)H1 is a particle detector in operation at HERA in DESY, Hamburg. It began operating together with HERA in 1992. Leptons are collided with protons by HERA in the interaction point of H1. H1 is operated by an internationalcollaboration of about 400 physicists from 42 institutes in 15 countries...
particle detectors. - Technical Computer ScienceComputer scienceComputer science or computing science is the study of the theoretical foundations of information and computation and of practical techniques for their implementation and application in computer systems...
Institute of Environmental Physics
Research Interests
- Atmosphere and Remote Sensing, Radiative Transfer and Solar Energy Deposition
- Terrestrial Systems, Water Flow, Solute Transport and Permafrost
- Aquatic Systems, Groundwater and Paleoclimate, and LimnologyLimnologyLimnology , also called freshwater science, is the study of inland waters. It is often regarded as a division of ecology or environmental science. It covers the biological, chemical, physical, geological, and other attributes of all inland waters...
- Small-Scale Air-Sea Interaction, Image Processing
- Atmospheric Aerosols, Aerosols and Climate
Center for Astronomy
The Zentrum für Astronomie der Universität Heidelberg (Center for Astronomy of Heidelberg University) was founded in 2005 and is an association of three research institutes: the Astronomical Calculation Institute, the Institute of Theoretical Astrophysics and the Landessternwarte Heidelberg-KönigstuhlLandessternwarte Heidelberg-Königstuhl
The Heidelberg-Königstuhl State Observatory is an historic astronomical observatory located near the summit of the Königstuhl hill in the city of Heidelberg in Germany...
(the Heidelberg-Königstuhl State Observatory).
Astronomical Calculations Institute
Center of Astronomy (University of Heidelberg)
The Zentrum für Astronomie der Universität Heidelberg in Heidelberg, Germany, founded in 2005, is an association of three, formerly state-run research institutes: the Astronomisches Rechen-Institut, the Institut für Theoretische Astrophysik and the Landessternwarte Heidelberg-Königstuhl...
of the University of Heidelberg. Before it was a research institute for astrometry
Astrometry
Astrometry is the branch of astronomy that involves precise measurements of the positions and movements of stars and other celestial bodies. The information obtained by astrometric measurements provides information on the kinematics and physical origin of our Solar System and our Galaxy, the Milky...
and stellar dynamics
Stellar dynamics
Stellar dynamics is the branch of astrophysics which describes in a statistical way the collective motions of stars subject to their mutual gravity. The long range of gravity and the slow "relaxation" of stellar systems prevent the use of the methods of statistical physics...
belonging to the state
States of Germany
Germany is made up of sixteen which are partly sovereign constituent states of the Federal Republic of Germany. Land literally translates as "country", and constitutionally speaking, they are constituent countries...
of Baden-Württemberg
Baden-Württemberg
Baden-Württemberg is one of the 16 states of Germany. Baden-Württemberg is in the southwestern part of the country to the east of the Upper Rhine, and is the third largest in both area and population of Germany's sixteen states, with an area of and 10.7 million inhabitants...
.
It is the most important international institution for astronomical data calculations. The Astronomisches Rechen-Institut is responsible among other things for the Gliese catalog of nearby stars, the fundamental catalog FK5
Fifth Fundamental Catalogue
The Catalogue of Fundamental Stars is a series of six astrometric catalogues of high precision positional data for a small selection of stars to define a celestial reference frame, which is a standard coordinate system for correlation of star positions....
and FK6 and the annual published Apparent places
Apparent places
The wrong place of an object is the position in space as seen by the observer. Because of physical and/or geometrical effects it has a deviation from the "true position"....
, a high precision catalog with pre-calculated positions for over 3 thousand stars for each day.
The ARI was founded in the year 1700 in Berlin-Dahlem
Dahlem (Berlin)
Dahlem is a locality of the Steglitz-Zehlendorf borough in southwestern Berlin. Until Berlin's 2001 administrative reform it was a part of the former borough of Zehlendorf. Dahlem is one of the most affluent parts of the city and home to the main campus of the Free University of Berlin with the...
by Gottfried Kirch
Gottfried Kirch
Gottfried Kirch was a German astronomer. The son of a shoemaker in Guben, Electorate of Saxony, Kirch first worked as a calendar-maker in Saxonia and Franconia. He began to learn astronomy in Jena, and studied under Hevelius in Danzig...
. It has its origin from the catalog patent application in this time by Frederick I of Prussia
Frederick I of Prussia
Frederick I , of the Hohenzollern dynasty, was Elector of Brandenburg and Duke of Prussia in personal union . The latter function he upgraded to royalty, becoming the first King in Prussia . From 1707 he was in personal union the sovereign prince of the Principality of Neuchâtel...
, who introduced a monopoly on publishing star catalogs in Prussia. In 1945 the Institute was moved by the occupying force (Americans) nearer to their headquarters in Heidelberg
United States Army Garrison Heidelberg
The ' is made up of a number of United States military installations in and around Heidelberg, Germany, in the state of Baden-Württemberg, plus Germersheim Depot in the neighboring German state of The ' is made up of a number of United States military installations in and around Heidelberg,...
. Since January 1, 2005 it has been integrated into the Center of Astronomy
Center of Astronomy (University of Heidelberg)
The Zentrum für Astronomie der Universität Heidelberg in Heidelberg, Germany, founded in 2005, is an association of three, formerly state-run research institutes: the Astronomisches Rechen-Institut, the Institut für Theoretische Astrophysik and the Landessternwarte Heidelberg-Königstuhl...
and as of today is not limited to publishing star catalogs but has a wide research scope.
Institute of Theoretical Astrophysics
The Institute of Theoretical Astrophysics was founded in 1976.- CosmologyCosmologyCosmology is the discipline that deals with the nature of the Universe as a whole. Cosmologists seek to understand the origin, evolution, structure, and ultimate fate of the Universe at large, as well as the natural laws that keep it in order...
, Gravitational lensGravitational lensA gravitational lens refers to a distribution of matter between a distant source and an observer, that is capable of bending the light from the source, as it travels towards the observer...
ing and Galaxy groups and clustersGalaxy groups and clustersGalaxy groups and clusters are the largest known gravitationally bound objects to have arisen thus far in the process of cosmic structure formation. They form the densest part of the large scale structure of the universe... - Star formationStar formationStar formation is the process by which dense parts of molecular clouds collapse into a ball of plasma to form a star. As a branch of astronomy star formation includes the study of the interstellar medium and giant molecular clouds as precursors to the star formation process and the study of young...
, interstellar turbulences and development of galactic gas clouds - Planet formation, through gravitation collapse of interstellar molecular gas clouds
- Accretion discAccretion discAn accretion disc is a structure formed by diffuse material in orbital motion around a central body. The central body is typically a star. Gravity causes material in the disc to spiral inward towards the central body. Gravitational forces compress the material causing the emission of...
s, theory of accretion discs, winds and mass loss from discs