The LMU/USM - MPE extragalactic research group is a joint effort of the University Observatory of Munich (USM) and the Max Planck Institute for Extraterrestical Physics. The group is located both at the LMU/USM (see 'Extragalactic Astronomy') and at
MPE. Senior group members are Prof. Ralf Bender, Dr. Maximilian Fabricius, Prof. O. Gerhard, Dr. Ulrich Hopp, P.D. Dr. Roberto P. Saglia, Dr. Ariel G. Sánchez, Dr. Stella Seitz and Dr. Jens Thomas.
The research of the group focuses on dark energy and dark matter in the Universe, on the properties of local and distant galaxies, and on extrasolar planets. The aims of our current science projects are:
- to constrain the nature of dark matter, by analysing cluster and galaxy dark matter halo profiles with strong and weak lensing in combination with dynamical and photometric information for nearby galaxies
- to derive constraints on the nature of dark energy, by studying the large-scale structure of the Universe by means of weak lensing and clustering measurements
- to understand the structure and dynamics of local and distant galaxies, their stellar populations, their formation and evolution
- to reconstruct the dark matter mass distribution and chemodynamical history of the Milky Way from the current revolutionary survey data, giving us a template for galaxy formation
- to quantify the role of black holes and dark matter in galaxies
- to search for extrasolar planets using the transit method in wide field surveys and understand their properties (mass, density, atmosphere)
We pursue these science questions with a combination of optical and near-infrared observations, theory, numerical modelling, and data interpretation.
The observational data necessary for our scientific programs come from a large variety of telescopes, primarily
ESO, the Hobby-Eberly Telescope HET, the 2.7m telescope of the McDonald observatory, the USM 2m Fraunhofer telescope at the Wendelstein observatory in the Bavarian Alps and also space (HST) and survey (e.g. SDSS) telescopes. We also have guaranteed access to telescopes for providing instruments (e.g.OmegaCAM,
KMOS,
MICADO).
We carry out studies of black holes in local galaxies without active galactic nuclei, measuring their masses through stellar dynamics. Using similar techniques we reconstruct the stellar orbital distributions and dark matter halos of dwarf and giant early-type galaxies or globular clusters. Exploiting the multiplexing capabilities of our KMOS spectrograph, we study galaxy evolution up to redshift 2.5 by observing large samples of star forming and passive galaxies.
Our group also participates with a significant role in large international surveys. Examples are the completed Baryon Oscillation Spectroscopic Survey
BOSS, the on-going extended BOSS (eBOSS) and Dark Energy Survey (DES), and future surveys such as the Hobby-Eberly Telescope Dark Energy Experiment (HETDEX) and the ESA space mission
Euclid. Galaxy clustering and gravitational lensing measurements based on these data sets probe the large-scale structure of the universe with unprecedented precision, providing invaluable information on the nature of dark matter and dark energy, the growth of structure, neutrino masses and inflationary physics. The design, construction, analysis, modelling and interpretation of these data sets are some of the main activities of our group.
The numerical modelling required for our projects is based on state-of-the-art algorithms run on supercomputers. Some of these methods are developed or implemented within our group. Recent examples are Schwarzschild's orbit superposition method used for measuring black hole masses, and the NMAGIC adaptive N-body code for modelling galaxy dynamics.
This year we offer PhD projects within our group in the following science areas:
- Gravitational lensing
- Dynamical modelling galaxies
- Stellar content and structure of the Milky Way
- Cosmological analysis of galaxy clustering measurements
- Instrument development
For more details visit our homepages