Astrophysics


Cosmology

A particularly exciting period has arrived for studying the overall properties of the Universe. A wide range of ground and space experiments are gathering an unprecedented amount of high-quality data, which allow us to tackle some of the most interesting and fundamental physical problems: the nature of dark energy and dark matter, the properties of the early Universe and structure formation from the scale of galaxies to the scale of the largest known matter configurations, galaxy superclusters and filaments. 


Galaxy Physics

Galaxies are the largest single objects in the Universe. Within them, some of the most important processes take place: the circulation of the cosmic material from gas to stars and back, resulting in the enrichment of matter with various chemical elements. In our galaxy physics team we study the structure and composition of both local and distant galaxies. We also consider the influence of neighbouring galaxies and the general distribution of the surrounding matter on the evolution of galaxies.


Stellar Physics

Stars are the main building blocks of the visible universe. They act as
thermonuclear reactors, synthesizing all the chemical elements heavier than
hydrogen and helium. Stellar physicists at Tartu Observatory are studying
single and binary stars, both theoretically and observationally. The main
research areas are as follows: variability and evolution of massive stars; shells, discs and other outflows from stars; symbiotic and related binary stars; preparations to the analysis of the Gaia data; computations of stellar model atmospheres and synthetic spectra; relativistic physics in the sources of gamma-ray-bursts; statistical analysis of astronomical time series.


Current Reasearch Projects in the Field of Astrophysics


European Space Agency (ESA PECS) Projects

Estonian Science Agency Projects

Personal Research Grants

European Regional Development Fund Projects for Improving of the Research Infrastructure

  • Improvement of accessibility to telescope buildings and pavilions of Tartu Observatory
    2011 - 2012   JUP  3.2.0902.11–0003

Publications in the field of Astrophysics

Cosmology

 Galaxy Physics

Stellar Physics


Teaching in the Field of Astrophysics

  • LOFY.04.014, 3 ECP, Hydrodynamics I (B.S. Students) - Peeter Tenjes
  • LOFY.04.022, 3 ECP Physical Cosmology (B.S. Students) - Mirt Gramann
  • LOFY. 04.023, 3 ECP, Astronomy (B.S. Students, algebra based) - Rain Kipper
  • LOFY.04.026, 6 ECP, General Astronomy (B.S. Students, calculus based) - Peeter Tenjes
  • LOFY.01.010, 3 ECP, Large Scale Physics (B.S. Students) - Mirt Gramann
  • LOFY.04.035, 6 ECP, Equations of Mathematical Physics (B.S. Students) - Tõnu Viik
  • LOFY.04.027, 12 ECP, Seminar in Astrophysics (B.S. and M.S. Students) - Rain Kipper
  • LOFY.04.058, 6 ECP Practical astronomy (M.S. and PhD Students) - Tõnis Eenmäe, Tiina Liimets, Uno Veismann
  • LOFY.04.071, 6 ECP, Theoretical astrophysics (M.S. and PhD Students) - Tõnu Viik
  • LOFY.04.069, 3 ECP, Hydrodynamics II (M.S. and PhD Students) - Peeter Tenjes
  • LOFY.04.075, 3 ECP, High Energy Astrophysics (M.S. and PhD Students) - Jukka Nevalainen
  • LOFY.04.060, 6 ECP, Methods of Mathematical Physics (M.S. and PhD Students) - Peeter Tenjes
  • LOFY.04.028, 6 ECP, Physics of Stellar Systems and Galaxies (M.S. and PhD Students) - Peeter Tenjes
  • LOFY.04.072, 6 ECP, Cosmology (M.S. and PhD Students) - Enn Saar