The Partners of the School and their Authority

The School for Physical Processes in the Solar System and Beyond is a joint effort of the Max Planck Institute for Solar System Research, the Institute of Astrophysics and the Institute of Geophysics of the University of Göttingen, as well as the Institute for Geophysics and Extraterrestrial Physics and the Institute of Theoretical Physics of the Technical University of Braunschweig. The presence of considerable theoretical expertise, outstanding data from space- and ground-based programmes, as well as the involvement of the institutes in the development of space missions and ground-based observatories make the MPS and the partner university institutes the natural location for a school on Physical Processes in the Solar System and comparable systems of other sun-like stars.

The school is implemented in parallel with the PhD program at the Technical University of Braunschweig and the Göttingen Graduate School of Physics. For students enrolled at the University of Göttingen, it is part of the Göttingen Graduate School of Physics and appears as one of the seven Graduate Programs of this school. At the same time, the curriculum is compatible with the PhD requirements of the Technical University of Braunschweig.

Max-Planck-Institut für Sonnensystemforschung (formerly MPI für Aeronomie)

Subjects of investigations are the Sun and its atmosphere and the interplanetary medium, the surfaces, atmospheres, ionospheres and magnetospheres of the planets, their rings and moons, comets and asteroids. The solar corona is observed with optical instruments in space over the entire spectral range from the visible to soft X-rays. Its plasma properties are determined by spectroscopic methods and by in-situ observations in interplanetary space. The lower solar atmosphere is investigated with spectropolarimetric techniques, both from ground and space. The main aim is to study the Sun's magnetic field and its fundamental role in driving a large number of solar phenomena, many of which constitute the cause for space weather or are suspected drivers of global climate change.

The planets, specifically Mars, and their moons, asteroids and comets are investigated with space-borne and ground-based imaging techniques and with in-situ measurements. Research topics comprise the interior structure and dynamics of planets and small bodies, the composition and evolution of their surfaces and atmospheres and the planetary plasma environment. The basic goal is to understand the origin and evolution of the solar system.

The institute plays a leading role in a vast number of space missions, with Helios, Giotto, Ulysses, SOHO, Cluster and Rosetta being prominent examples, and operates or has a stake in a number of ground-based observatories. In the course of this involvement the institute has built up a unique know-how in the design, construction, qualification, and operation of a wide variety of specialised instruments. These instruments are or will be providing high-quality data, which constitute an excellent basis for many PhD theses. There is also a strong background in theoretical plasma physics at the institute, which is now being augmented by a strong emphasis on numerical simulations applied to geophysics, planetary science and solar physics. A state of the art multiprocessor computer system allows demanding numerical calculations to be performed.

Besides the directors (Prof. U. Christensen, Prof. S. K. Solanki, Dr. H. Rosenbauer and Prof. V. M. Vasyliunas) eight habilitated scientists with a long-standing experience in lecturing participate in the Solar System School (Dr. J. Büchner, Dr. H. U. Keller, Prof. E. Marsch, Prof. K. Jockers, Prof. K. Sauer, Dr. D. Schmitt, Prof. M. Schüssler, Prof. R. Schwenn). Furthermore, younger staff members participate with great enthusiasm. The institute thus provides opportunities for students with a wide range of scientific interests and an excellent basis for studies combining experimental and theoretical methods.

Technische Universität Braunschweig

The Technical University of Braunschweig has a long-standing tradition in space science. Major activities include the development of space-borne magnetometers by the Institute of Geophysics and Extraterrestrial Physics and space electronics by the Institute of Computer and Communication Network Engineering (IDA). Currently the university is strongly involved in several space missions such as Galileo, Cassini, Cluster, Double Star, Rosetta, Themis, and Venus Express. The institutes contribute to highly sophisticated satellite experiments by advanced sensor concepts, near sensor electronics and space proofed efficient microcomputers.

The focus of interest is not only to develop new space system and instrument technology, but also to concentrate on the data analysis for these missions and to develop numerical and theoretical models for data interpretation. The numerical simulations of comets, asteroids and weakly magnetized planets contribute to the understanding of the structure, dynamics and evolution of these bodies. Furthermore they support the design of satellite experiments and mission scenarios. Thus, the Technical University offers a very broad field of activities, experimental as well as theoretical, to any student in space science.

Profs. K.-H. Glassmeier (Institute of Geophysics and Extraterrestrial Physics) and U. Motschmann (Institute of Theoretical Physics) actively participate in the School. Their research interests are in space plasma physics, cometary physics, planetary science, and geomagnetism. Since 2003, a further professorship for planetology at the Institute of Geophysics and Extraterrestrial Physics, held by Prof. J. Blum, extends the research fields to laboratory astrophysical methods. Agglomeration of dust in early stages of the solar system evolution is studied in the laboratory, in parabola flights and in satellite experiments. This professorship has increased the involvement in the School by the Technical University of Braunschweig even further.

Institut für Geophysik, Universität Göttingen

Research and teaching at the Institute of Geophysics concentrates on the structure and dynamics of the Earth's interior and the interior of other planets. Aside from work on seismology and electromagnetic induction, questions of the internal dynamics of solid and fluid planets are addressed by means of computer simulations augmented by laboratory experiments. This comprises convective flow in the silicate mantles and in the outer fluid shell of gas planets, the thermal evolution of terrestrial planets, MHD flow, and magnetic field generation by self-sustained dynamo action in the conducting liquid cores of planets.

Participation in the School is mainly through the group Prof. A. Tilgner, whose expertise is in geophysical fluid dynamics with large-scale numerical simulations.

Institut für Astrophysik Göttingen

The Institut für Astrophysik Göttingen has a 250 years long tradition as an internationally leading astronomical institute. For the past 60 years it has been involved in experimental, observational, and theoretical solar physics. The Institute is a partner of the consortium of astronomical institutes which operate the German ground-based solar telescopes on Tenerife and possesses a high degree of competence in solar physics, instrumentation techniques, data analysis, and theory.

A large part of the Institut für Astrophysik is involved in extra-solar astrophysics, that is, in astronomical instrumentation, observation, and theory including numerical simulations. The astrophysical fields intimately related to solar system research comprise young stars, protoplanetary discs, and extra-solar planets, stellar evolution and nucleosynthesis, stellar rotation, pulsation, radiation hydrodynamics and mass loss (related to solar- and asteroseismology).

Further research areas, both observational and theoretical include dense matter (white dwarfs, neutron stars, black holes), stellar and galactic accretion physics (discs, instabilities, plasma diagnostics, magnetic fields), the formation of galaxies and their morphological, chemical and dynamical evolution, interacting galaxies, active galaxies and active galactic nuclei.

The Institut für Astrophysik has built, within a German consortium, the two Focal Reducer Spectrographs (FORS) for the ESO VLT and is involved in the 11-m Hobby Eberly Telescope (HET) in Texas and in its twin, the South Africa Large Telescope (SALT). It contributes to the instrumentation of Very Large Telscopes, such as the VLT and SALT, and to the construction of telescopes, such as the 1.5m GREGOR solar telescope for Tenerife. It operates the two robotic telescopes MONET, which are also available for general education purposes.

Participation in the School is through Profs. S. Dreizler, W. Glatzel, F. Kneer and W. Kollatschny.