Thesis

Astrophysical exploitation of the GRAVITY instrument

• Call:

  IDPASC Portugal - PHD Programme 2015

• Academic Year:

  2015 / 2016

• Domain:

  Astrophysics

• Supervisor:

  Paulo Garcia

• Co-Supervisor:

  Antonio Amorim

• Institution:

  Universidade do Porto

• Host Institution:

  CENTRA

• Abstract:

  GRAVITY is the second generation European Southern Observatory/Very Large Telescope Interferometer instrument for precision narrow-angle astrometry and interferometric imaging. GRAVITY will allow imaging at an impressive angular resolution of 4 milli-arcseconds in the K-band at varying spectral resolutions. An astonishing precision astrometry of up to 10 micro-arcseconds will be enabled. By combining adaptive optics, fringe tracking and metrology GRAVITY will deliver unprecedented sensitivity with regards previous interferometric instruments, greatly expanding the astrophysical realm of its applications. The CENTRA/SIM team is a full member of the GRAVITY consortium with the responsibility of the instrument acquisition camera and beam monitoring system. The instrumentation activities lasted from 2009 to 2015. Currently GRAVITY is integrated in the PI institute (the MPE – Max-Planck-Institut für extraterrestrische Physik) in Garching. In mid-2015 GRAVITY will be shipped to Chile for commissioning. The thesis topic is the astrophysical exploitation of the GRAVITY instrument. The consortium is currently preparing several large programmes in the domains of: a) planet forming disks; b) young star forming clusters; c) active galaxies; d) galactic centre. The student will be integrated in one of the previous programmes. S/he will have specific responsibilities and tasks within the consortium including a well-defined astrophysical programme leading to a PhD thesis. Overall the tasks will include: a) state-of-the-art review; b) scientific target selection and observing programme definition; c) observations at Paranal Observatory – Chile; d) data reduction; e) results interpretation and publications. PROFILE: Student with strong interest in astrophysics, data/signal processing and mathematical/physical numerical modelling. The student will be fully integrated in the GRAVITY consortium, mobility across Europe and Chile is required. REFERENCES: Eisenhauer et al., “GRAVITY: Observing the Universe in Motion”, The Messenger, vol. 143, p. 16, http://cdsads.u-strasbg.fr/cgi-bin/nph-data_query?bibcode=2011Msngr.143...16E Garcia et al., “Pre-main-sequence binaries with tidally disrupted discs: the Brgamma in HD 104237”, MNRAS; 430, 1839, http://dx.doi.org/10.1093/mnras/stt005