Up to three post-doc positions available (ad)

Several PhD and Master projects in radio astronomy are available in Bonn: Positions can be filled immediately.

Projects KM01 and KM02 at the International Max Planck Research School for Astronomy and Astrophysics.

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"The evolution of the radio supernova SN 2008iz"

Code: KM01

Radio supernovae are rare events. So far only about two dozen have been detected and most of them were quite distant and rather weak. This makes it difficult to study them in great detail. We have discovered a new radio supernova (SN 2008iz) in the nearby starburst galaxy M82. It is the nearest and brightest radio supernova for 15 years. The evolution of this supernova will be followed in the radio over the next few years. High resolution VLBI observations will directly measure the expansion of the ejecta from the supernova explosion. Very Large Array observations will measure the radio lightcurve at different frequencies. So far, the evidence indicates that either the explosion or the surrounding medium were highly asymmetric. Following the expansion of the ring will allow studies of many different phenomena, e.g. measure the expansion speed more reliably (currently it is based on two epochs), pinpoint the date of explosion, detect deceleration of the shock front, estimate the mass loss rate of the progenitor star, the magnetic field in the radiating region, or measure/limit the proper motion of the supernova shell relative to M81.

Contact: Dr. Andreas Brunthaler

Site: Bonn, Max-Planck-Institut für Radioastronomie, Millimeter and Submillimeter Astronomy Group

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"Mapping the Milky Way"

Code: KM02

Since we are located in the disk of the Milky Way, our knowledge about the structure and the dynamics of the Milky Way is still rather poor. Values of the circular rotation speed between 170 and 250 km/s are reported in the current literature, the distance to the Galactic Center is not known with high accuracy, and the mass of the Milky Way is not known within a factor of 2. Most conclusions about Galactic structure are based on measurements of radial velocities and relatively uncertain spectrophotometric distance determinations. Longitude--velocity plots of CO emission clearly show the existence of spiral-like enhancements, but the locations and even the number of spiral arms is controversial. Using VLBI astrometry one can measure very accurate trigonometric parallaxes and proper motions of masers sources in Galactic star forming regions. These observations will be used to pinpoint the locations of the spiral arms, measure the rotation curve of the Milky Way and measure the distance to the Galactic center with unprecedented accuracy.

Contact: Dr. Andreas Brunthaler

Site: Bonn, Max-Planck-Institut für Radioastronomie, Millimeter and Submillimeter Astronomy Group

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