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Laurea Specialistica:
ASTROFISICA E
FISICA SPAZIALE ->



Università degli Studi
di Trieste ->

Research activities

(updating in progress)

The research activities carried on at the Department of Astronomy are supported by the Italian Ministry for the University and the Research (MURST) through national and local grants, and by the Italian Space Agency (ASI).

The researchers belonging to the Department work together with researchers of the Trieste Astronomical Observatory, of the Center for Advanced Research in Space Optics (CARSO) at the Research Area of Trieste, as well as with professors and researchers of the International School for Advanced Studies (ISAS-SISSA) of Trieste and of the International Center for Theoretical Physics (ICTP) of Trieste.

The most important researchs are the following:

STRUCTURE AND EVOLUTION OF MILKY WAY, OF NORMAL AND ACTIVE GALAXIES, AND OF GALAXY SYSTEMS.

Group configuration:

Stefano Borgani, Steno Ferluga, Marisa Girardi, Margherita Hack, Maria Lucia Malagnini, Fabio Mardirossian, Maria Francesca Matteucci, Marino Mezzetti, Pierluigi Monaco, Silvia Ameglio, Silvia Kuna Ballero, Walter Boschin, Francesco Calura, Gabriele Cescutti, Alessandro Ederoclite, Fabio Fontanot, Antonio Pipino, Francesco Saitta, Srdjan Samurovic, Luca Tornatore.

The study of the structure and evolution of our galaxy, of normal and active galaxies, and of galaxy systems is a natural convergence point of modern stellar and extragalactic astrophysics. Actually, these topics are now characterized by so many interactions that it is hard to draw a sharp border between them.

In this framework the stellar astrophysics research topics carried out at the DAUT are the following:

  • phenomenology of single and multiple stars (rotation, oscillation and magnetic fields);
  • physics of stellar atmospheres, with particular emphasis on the abundances of the chemical elements which are fundamental for galaxy evolution;

Stellar evolution and nucleosinthesys represent a strategic knowledge in order to understand the dynamics and the evolution of our galaxy and of galaxies, in particular of those at high redshift.

Galaxies and galaxy systems represent the visible component of the large-scale structure of the universe. Galaxies constrain the evolution of systems they belong to and, vice versa, the environment constrains their dynamics, evolution and energy release. In fact, the presence of active galactic nuclei (quasars, radiogalaxies, Seyfert galaxies) seems to be strongly related to the environment. The formation of galaxies and quasars at high redshift is a critical test for modern, theoretical and observational cosmology.

Galaxy systems, in particular galaxy clusters, are the largest, dynamically relaxed, structures in the universe. They represent the best, natural laboratory where to test galaxy evolution and formation, the dynamical connections between visible (hot gas and galaxies) and dark matter, and the development of large-scale structures. These studies are very relevant to understand the large and growing amount of data on high-redshift objects, now available from ground and space observatories.

These research fields, which naturally link stellar, galactic and extragalactic astrophysics, are among the most promising in modern astrophysics and cosmology.

The research group of the DAUT working on these topics has long-term and substantial experience, testified by numerous publications and citations, and by many collaborations in Italy and abroad.

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