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Max-Planck-Institut Für Astronomie, Annual Report 1999

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Max-Planck-Institut Für Astronomie, Annual Report 1999 t für Astron titu om ns i -I e k H c e n id la e l P b - e x r a g M C a e i r n e t r o m l A A s t n ro a n m o le mi A co Hispano The Max Planck Society Max-Planck-Institut The Max Planck Society for the Promotion of Sciences was founded in 1948. In suc- cession to the Kaiser Wilhelm Society, which was founded in 1911, the Max Planck Society operates at present 78 Institutes and other facilities dedicated to basic and für Astronomie applied research. With an annual budget of around 2.3 billion DM in the year 2000, the Max Planck Society has about 11000 employees, of which one quarter are scien- tists. In addition, annually about 6900 junior and visiting scientists are working at the Institutes of the Max Planck Society. Heidelberg-Königstuhl The goal of the Max Planck Society is to promote centers of excellence at the fore- front of the international scientific research. To this end, the Institutes of the Society are equipped with adequate tools and put into the hands of outstanding scientists, who have a high degree of autonomy in their scientific work. Max-Planck-Gesellschaft zur Förderung der Wissenschaften Public Relations Office Annual Report 1999 Hofgartenstr. 8 D-80539 München Tel.: 0049-89-2108-1275 or -1277 Fax: 0049-89-2108-1207 Internet: http://www.mpg.de Cover Picture: In the hot intergalactic particle wind, dwarf galaxies loose their interstellar gas within few billion years. Theoretical studies of this process are described on p. 64–67. Max-Planck-Institut für Astronomie Heidelberg-Königstuhl Annual Report 1999 t für Astro titu nom ns ie -I H ck e n id la e P l - b x e r a g M C a e i n r t e r m o l A A s n tr a on m om Ale ico Hispano Max-Planck-Institute of Astronomy Managing Director: Prof. Immo Appenzeller Scientific Members, Governing Body, Directors: Prof. Immo Appenzeller (until 31. 7. 2000, temporary) Prof. Steven Beckwith (on leave to STScI) Prof. Hans-Walter Rix Emeritus Scientific Members: Prof. Hans Elsässer, Prof. Guido Münch External Scientific Members: Prof. Immo Appenzeller, Heidelberg Prof. Karl-Heinz Böhm, Seattle Prof. George H. Herbig, Honolulu Scientific Oversight Committee: Prof. R. Bender, Munich; Prof. R.-J. Dettmar, Bochum; Prof. G. Hasinger, Potsdam; Prof. P. Léna, Meudon; Prof. M. Moles Villamante, Madrid; Prof. F. Pacini, Florence; Prof. K.-H. Schmidt, Potsdam; Prof. P.A. Strittmatter, Tucson; Prof. S.D.M White, Garching; Prof. L. Woltjer, St. Michel l’Observatoire. The MPIA currently employs a staff of approximately 186 (including externally funded positions). There are 34 scientists and 30 junior and visiting scientists. Students of the Faculty of Physics and Astronomy of the University of Heidelberg work on dissertations at the degree and doctorate level in the Institute. Apprentices are constantly undergoing training in the Institute’s workshops. Address: MPI für Astronomie, Königstuhl 17, D-69117 Heidelberg. Tleelphone: 0049-6221-5280, Fax: 0049-6221-528246. E-mail: [email protected] Anonymous ftp: //ftp.mpia-hd.mpg.de Internet: http://www.mpia-hd.mpg.de CalarAlto Observatory Address: Centro Astronomico Hispano Aleman Calle Jesus Durbán Remón 2/2, E-04004 Almería, Spanien Telefon: 0034-50-230988, -632500, Fax: 0034-50-632504 E-mail: [email protected] Publication Information © 2001 Max-Planck-Institut für Astronomie, Heidelberg All rights reserved. Printed in Germany. Editors: Dr. Jakob Staude, Prof. Hans-Walter Rix Text: Dr. Thomas Bührke Illustrations: MPIA and others Graphics and picture editing: Dipl. Phys. Axel Quetz Layout: Josef Hegele Printing and Production: Colordruck Leimen ISSN: 1437-2932 – Internet: ISSN 1617-0504 Contents I General ....................................................................... 5 From Low-Mass Stars to Brown Dwarfs....................... 46 The Triple System Gliese 866 ................................... 47 I.1 History and Research Goals of the MPIA................. 5 The Quadruple System LHS 1070 ............................ 47 The Calar Alto Observatory .......................................... 5 Dust Clouds in the Sky of Brown Dwarfs ................. 49 International Cooperation Brown Dwarf Candidates in M 35 ............................ 50 in Ground-based Astronomy ......................................... 6 A New Age Scale for Star Clusters ................................ 51 Space Research ............................................................. 8 The Lithium Depletion Method ................................ 51 Teaching and Public Relations Work............................. 10 The Age of the Disk Stars.............................................. 53 Beta Pictoris.............................................................. 54 I.2 Scientific Questions ............................................... 11 Formalhaut and Wega ............................................... 55 Galactic Research.......................................................... 11 The Bar Structure in the Interior of the Milky Way ....... 56 Extragalactic Research.................................................. 11 Galactic Bar Explains HIPPARCOS Data.................... 56 The Solar System .......................................................... 12 CADIS supplies Knowledge of the Structure of the Milky Way........................................................... 58 II Highlights .................................................................. 13 The Structure of our Galaxy...................................... 58 II.1 CADIS and the Evolution of Galaxies ...................... 13 Classification of 300 Stars ........................................ 59 3000 Galaxies to Determine Luminosity Functions ...... 14 Thin and Thick Galactic Disk ................................... 59 Has the Luminosity Function Evolved over Time? ....... 15 The Halo ................................................................... 60 The Luminosity Function.......................................... 60 II.2 Astrophysics with Gravitational Lenses.................. 16 Only the Beginning................................................... 61 The CASTLES Project..................................................... 17 Critical Point: the Models.............................................. 18 IV.2. Extragalactic Astronomy ...................................... 62 The Einstein Ring MG 1131+0456................................ 19 Random Sampling with ISO Provides The Hubble Constant..................................................... 20 an Important Catalogue of Galaxies .............................. 62 The Evolution of Elliptical Galaxies ............................. 21 First Catalogue of Galaxies....................................... 62 Cold Dust in Spiral Galaxies..................................... 62 II.3 Hydrocarbons -– Puzzling Actors in Dust............... 24 When Dwarf Galaxies Lose their Gas ........................... 64 Interstellar Cirrus .......................................................... 24 Dwarf Galaxies in the Particle Wind......................... 65 Diffuse Dust in the Milky Way...................................... 26 How Spiral Galaxies form Elliptical Galaxies The Spiral Galaxy NGC 891 ......................................... 26 by Merging.................................................................... 67 Properties of the PAHs .................................................. 28 Dust in Quasars ............................................................. 72 Black Holes and Star Forming Regions .................... 72 III Instrumental Development...................................... 31 Conclusive Correlations ........................................... 74 ALFA – Adaptive Optics with an Artificial Star ............. 31 Quasars and Ultra-Luminous Infrared Galaxies LAICA – the Wide Field Camera for Calar Alto.............. 33 (ULIRGs) ................................................................... 75 CONICA – High Resolution Infrared Camera for the VLT.................................................................... 34 IV.3. The Solar System.................................................. 76 MIDI – Infrared Interferometer for the VLT................... 35 Did a Nearby Star Disturb the Formation of Planets?.... 76 PACS – Infrared camera for FIRST.................................. 36 Three Groups of Kuiper Objects ............................... 77 A New Secondary Mirror for UKIRT.............................. 37 Did a Nearby Star Shake up the Kuiper Population?......................................... 77 IV Scientific Work........................................................ 39 IV.1. Galactic Astronomy.............................................. 39 Dust around Young and Massive Stars – Staff..................................................................................... 81 Envelopes or Disks?...................................................... 39 Working Groups and Scientific Cooperation............... 82 Migrating Young Planets............................................... 42 Cooperation with Industrial Firms ................................. 84 Planets beyond the Snow Limit................................. 43 Teaching Activities........................................................... 87 How a Planet Loses Angular Momentum ................. 44 Public Lectures ................................................................. 87 Meetings and Invited Talks............................................. 88 Service in Committees..................................................... 89 Publications......................................................................
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