Terminplan Berufungsvorträge

Berufungsverfahren: Astrophysik
Montag, 2. Mai 2016
Hörsaal E, VFH-Haus
PD Dr. Francesco MINIATI
Physics Department, Institute of Astronomy, ETH Zürich
09.00 – 09.45
Vortrag mit Diskussion
Supercomputer Simulations of Galaxy Clusters
Galaxy Clusters (GC) are the largest virialized structures in the cosmic web,
serving at the same time as cosmological probes and unique laboratory of
plasma astrophysics. While a GC’s mass is dominated by non baryonic dark
matter, the majority of the baryonic matter is in the form of a hot and optically
thin plasma, namely the intra-cluster-medium (ICM).
GCs form through gravitational instability which drives supersonic accretion
flows, large scale shocks, and giant turbulent eddies. GCs cause significant
Faraday rotation effect on the polarised emission from background radio
galaxies, indicating the presence of magnetic field, and often host giant sources
of diffuse radio emission, indicating ongoing acceleration of relativistic particles.
In this talk I will present recent advances in the understanding of the origin of
magnetic field and acceleration of relativistic particles in the ICM based on a
novel supercomputer simulation of GC formation, which allows us to resolve for
the first time the ICM turbulent motions in a fully cosmological context. I will
describe the connection to observations and future directions.
MontaMittwoch, 4. Mai 2016
Seminarraum 13, Erdgeschoss Architekturgebäude
Prof. Dr. Robi BANERJEE
Hamburger Sternwarte (StwB); Universität Hamburg (UHH)
09.00 – 09.45
Vortrag mit Diskussion
Challenges of Star Formation: The Influence of Magnetic Fields
Magnetic fields are an elemental part of the interstellar medium (ISM) where
the magnetic energy density is at least comparable to the thermal one. Yet, the
dynamical impact of magnetic fields on the various scales involved in ISM
physics is not yet understood. In this talk, I'll discuss the long-standing issue of
how to generate magnetically supercritical cloud cores, which are essential to
understand star formation in our own Galaxy. I will argue that this issue is still
unexplained. Hence, despite our recent advances, including sophisticated
numerical simulations, one of the most fundamental problems of present-day
star formation is not yet solved.

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