PhD Offer - Properties of satellite galaxies and the impact on the Galactic disc evolution (Heidelberg, Germany)

PhD Offer - Properties of satellite galaxies and the impact on the Galactic disc evolution (Heidelberg, Germany)

Location: ARI/ZAH at Heidelberg University, Germany (Supervisor: Prof. Dr. A. Just).

The inverstigations focus on the impact of satellite galaxies on the formation and evolution of the Milky Way. Merger trees extracted from CDM simulations, properties of the stellar content of the satellites and high resolution merger simulations should be combined to extract observable signatures dynamical heating, remnant streams and abundance patterns) of the present day Galactic thin and thick discs.

The Zentrum fuer Astronomie der Universitaet Heidelberg (ZAH) is the largest university astronomy group within Germany with the Astronomisches Rechen-Institut as the biggest institute. The ZAH hosts the collaborative research center 'The Milky Way System' (SFB 881) with about 20 additional research positions. The collaborative research center encompasses the three institutes of the 'Zentrum fuer Astronomie der Universitaet Heidelberg (ZAH)' (http://www.zah.uni-heidelberg.de) as well as the Heidelberg Institute for Theoretical Studies (HITS) (http://www.h-its.org/english/index.php), and the Max-Planck-Institute for Astronomy (MPIA) (http://www.mpia.de). The offered PhD position is in the sub-project A1 on the Milky Way formation in a cosmological context.

The PhD position runs for three years (Supervisor: Prof. Dr. A. Just) and can be filled at 1. Jan. 2013 or at some later time. Applications should consist of a vita, a statement of research experience, and two letters of recommendation submitted electronically to the address above. The University of Heidelberg welcome applications from women and members of underrepresented groups.

Closing date: 2012-12-31