Research profile

The Faculty carries out research into many crucial aspects of modern physics, astronomy and applied computer science. The results of the research have a wide range of possible applications in the modern technology. A short summary of the research conducted by the Faculty units is presented below.

The Institute of Physics conducts research into classical and quantum field theory, general theory of relativity, statistical physics, the issues related to chaos in classical and quantum physics, physics of high energies, elementary particle physics (including the structure of hadrons), astrophysics (including simulating phenomena that occur in interstellar space), neutrino astronomy, nuclear physics (properties of atomic nuclei and mesons, exotic nuclear excitations, and hot nuclear matter), atomic physics, molecular and quantum optics (especially lasers, non-linear optics, atomic and molecular spectroscopy), condensed state physics, materials science (with special focus on intermetallic compounds, semiconductors, magnetics, dielectics, liquid crystals, and polymers), phase transition physics, surface physics, including physics of nanostructures and nanotechnology, high temperature superconduction, medical physics, environmental protection physics, biophysics, organic molecules synthesis, processes of biomineralization in organisms, and computer physics.    

The Astronomical Observatory conducts research in the following fields:

Department of Stellar and Extragalactic Astrophysics:

1. Investigation of dynamical, physical and chemical processes in comets.
2. Evolution of galaxies and large scale structures in the Universe.
3. Investigation of spectrocscopic properties of active galaxies.
4. Study of mechanisms of multiple radio activity in active galaxies.
5. Investigation of properties of stars and stellar evolution.

Department of High Energy Astrophysics:

1. Astrophysics of highest energy gamma rays - High Energy Stereoscopic System (H.E.S.S.) and Cherenkov Telescope Array (CTA) projects
2. Astrophysics of accretion discs
3. Astrophysics of relativistic jets
4. Studies of coronal mass ejections (CME) and of radio emission of Sun
5. Studies of geophysical phenomena and heliospheric influences on Earth
using measurements of extremely low frequency (ELF) electromagnetic waves

Department of Relativistic Astrophysics and Cosmology:

1. Mathematical formulations of gravitational physics and their applications to astrophysics.
2. The theory of structure formation in the early Universe.
3. Gravitational lensing in cosmology.
4. Chaos and critical phenomena in general relativity.
5. Computer algebra systems with application to general relativity.

Department of Radioastronomy and Space Physics

1. Investigation of gas and magnetic fields in galaxies, galaxy clusters,
and intergalactic medium
2. Radio polarimetric observations of galaxies with largest radio
telescopes and interferometric systems (EVLA, LOFAR, WSRT, ATCA,
Effelsberg), and space observatories (XMM-Newton, Herschel)
3. Numerical modelling of evolution of cosmic magnetic fields and
gravitational interactions of galaxies
4. Theoretical investigations of primordial cosmic structures: filaments
and galactic superclusters
5. Research of planetary ionospheres

 

The research carried out by the Departments of Computer Science concentrates on advanced methods of data analysis, which may be applied, inter alia, in medical diagnostics. The second major area of research focuses on computer aided design methods.