Science Activities

Here is a brief summary of the research done by faculty members. Click on a name to see the research profile of that person, or simply scroll down the page to see all profiles in alphabetical order.

	Astronomy/Astrophysics		Planetary Science		Solar/Terrestrial Science
	Morten Andersen Giacomo Beccari Stephan Birkmann Torsten Boeker Stefania Carpano Guido De Marchi Giovanna Giardino Paul Mc Namara Maria Messineo Jens Rodmann Loredana Spezzi Jakob Walcher Christoph Winkler		Jessica Agarwal Fabrice Cipriani Maria Gritsevich Detlef Koschny Sandra Schumacher Pierre Vernazza Olivier Witasse Ruth Ziethe		Alexander Afanasiev Richard Marsden Daniel Müller Bernhard Fleck Matt Taylor Bartolomeo Viticché

	Jessica Agarwal Post-doctoral fellow jagarwal@rssd.esa.int Tel: +31 71 565 4928		Main research field My main research area is the physics of cometary dust. I am developing models and simulation tools to study the mm-cm sized particles found in cometary dust trails, and I am involved in the observation (visible and IR imaging) of the dust trail of 67P/Churyumov-Gerasimenko and the subsequent data analysis. These efforts are aimed at characterising the physical properties of the grains (e.g. porosity, optical properties) and at quantifying their emission from the comet. Keywords Cometary dust trails: observations and dynamical modelling Churyumov-Gerasimenko Observation of small bodies and data analysis Ongoing collaborations Eberhard Gruen (MPIK, Heidelberg) Hermann Boehnhardt (MPS, Katlenburg-Lindau) Michael Mueller (ESOC, Darmstadt) Mark Sykes (PSI, Tucson) William Reach (IPAC/SSC/Caltech, Pasadena) John Stansberry (Steward Observatory, Tucson) Publications Project/mission at ESA None ESA Research supervisor Rene Laureijs
	Alexander Afanasiev Post-doctoral fellow aafanasiev@rssd.esa.int Tel: +31 71 565 8645		Main research field I am investigating radio propagation effects in the solar corona, based on theoretical modelling of various characteristics of emission from radio sources of the Sun and from distant radio sources (satellites, pulsars). The main purpose of my activity is to diagnose parameters of large-scale formations in the solar corona and of turbulence spectrum, using radio data from WIND, STEREO and coronal radio sounding experiments. Keywords Solar corona Solar radio bursts Radio refraction, scattering Ongoing collaborations Institute for Solar-Terrestrial Physics (Russia) Irkutsk State University (Russia) Publications Project/mission at ESA None ESA Research supervisor Bernhard Fleck
	Morten Andersen Post-doctoral fellow manderse@rssd.esa.int Tel: +31 71 565 3935		Main research field My research is focused on star formation with an emphasis on the low-mass content in young embedded star clusters. The goal is to establish if the Initial Mass Function varies as a function of environment and if so how. This is determined through resolved observations of star clusters in as extreme environment we can find in terms of e.g. cluster mass and metallicity. Due to the clusters compactness and large distances from us we are forced to utilize high spatial resolution observations through Hubble Space Telescope observations or ground-based Adaptive Optics observations on large aperture telescopes, e.g. the VLTs. I am further investigating the dust properties of material in molecular clouds that have been shocked by a Supernova explosion. Supernovae shocks provide us with a laboratory to study shocks interact with molecular clouds. We are probing the dust through Spitzer observation which cover the emission from PAHs, very small grains and big grains. Through modeling of the dust emission we are examining dust destruction through shattering and the consequences on the post shock dust properties. Keywords Star formation Resolved stellar populations Near infrared photometry High spatial resolution observations Supernovae Far infrared observations Dust emission Ongoing collaborations Hans Zinnecker (Potsdam, Germany) Jeonghee Rho, William Reach (CalTech, USA) Wolfgang Brandner (MPIA, Germany) Andrea Stolte (Cologne, Germany) Michael Meyer (Zurich, Switzerland) Jean-Philippe Bernard (Toulouse, France) Guido De Marchi (ESTEC, Netherlands) Publications Project/mission at ESA None ESA Research supervisor Guido De Marchi
	Giacomo Beccari Post-doctoral fellow gbeccari@rssd.esa.int Tel: +31 71 565 8637		Main research field My research interest mainly concerns the study of stellar populations in Globular Clusters, with particular interest in the exotic populations like Blue Straggler Stars, Millisecond Pulsars and the evolution of binary stars. I am specialised in PSF photometry in crowded fields and detailed astrometry of large data- sets both from high resolution HST imaging and wide field ground based data. In the last two years I was involved by the LBC-team at Rome Observatory as support astronomer at the Large Binocular Telescope. Keywords Exotic stellar populations in globular clusters (BSS, MSP) Multi-band/telescope PSF photometry in high density environments Resolved stellar populations Star formation history of the Magellanic clouds Ongoing collaborations Bologna Astronomy Department (Francesco R. Ferraro) University of Virginia (Robert T. Rood) Rome Observatory (LBC-team, Luigi Pulone) Publications Project/mission at ESA None ESA Research supervisor Guido De Marchi
	Stephan Birkmann Astronomer sbirkmann@rssd.esa.int Tel: +31 71 565 8598		Main research field Studying the initial conditions of massive star formation by multi-wavelength observations. Searching for light echoes from ancient supernovae and determining their spectral type. Characterization of infrared detectors. Keywords Star formaion Light echoes from supernovae IR detector characterisation Ongoing collaborations Oliver Krause (MPIA) Thomas Henning (MPIA) Publications Project/mission at ESA JWST
	Torsten Boeker Astronomer tboeker@rssd.esa.int Tel: +31 71 565 8272		Main research field Extragalactic astronomy at optical and infrared wavelengths, in particular the nuclear regions of spiral galaxies. Current science activities nuclear star clusters, their formation mechanisms, and their effect on host galaxy evolution molecular gas in galaxy centers, especially high-resolution CO observations near-infrared integral-field studies of circumnuclear starburst rings dust structures in spiral galaxies mid-infrared observations of AGN/starburst nuclei Ongoing collaborations MPIA Heidelberg (Rix, Schinnerer) STScI (van der Marel) IAC (Knapen Ohio (Martini) Personal home page Publications Project/mission at ESA JWST (Deputy Project Scientist)
	Stefania Carpano Astronomer scarpano@rssd.esa.int Tel: +31 71 565 4827		Main research field My main scientific interests include X-ray astronomy using XMM-Newton data, focusing on X-ray sources from nearby normal galaxies and in particular from NGC 300 and its brightest source NGC 300 X-1. I am also active in the search for extrasolar planets, using the transit method, through the analysis of data from the CoRoT satellite. Keywords X-ray binaries, X-ray population of nearby galaxies Wolf-Rayet/black-holes X-ray binaries extrasolar planets, the transit method, CoRoT data Ongoing collaborations A. Nucita (ESAC) A. Pollock (ESAC) P. Crowther (Univ of Sheffield, UK) M. Fridlund (ESTEC) H. Deeg (IAC, Spain) Publications Project/mission at ESA XMM, CoRoT, JWST
	Fabrice Cipriani Post-doctoral fellow fciprian@rssd.esa.int Tel: +31 71 565 8649		Main research field Numerical modelling of planetary exospheres (Galilean Satellites, Mars, Phobos). Interaction between radiative fields (plasma/photons) and planetary surfaces and atmospheres. Development of in-situ instrumentation for planetary exploration (mass spectrometry, gas sensors), based on nanotechnologies. Keywords Planetary exospheres/Space weathering Galilean/Icy satellites Energetic neutrals, Escape processes Sputtering, SIMS (surface composition) Mass spectrometry/Pressure and gas sensors Carbon nanotubes Ongoing collaborations Francois Leblanc, Jean-Jacques Berthelier (CETP, France) R.E. Johnson (University of Virginia, Charlottesville) Nick Schneider (LASP, U of Colorado) Olivier Witasse, Pierre Vernazza (ESTEC) Pierre Legagneux (Thales Research and Technology, Orsay, France) Soonil Lee (Ajou University, South Korea) Publications Project/mission at ESA EJSM ESA Research supervisor Olivier Witasse
	Guido De Marchi Astronomer gdemarchi@rssd.esa.int Tel: +31 71 565 8332		Main research field My main scientific interests include the study of resolved stellar populations, the structure of star clusters and their dynamical evolution. I make extensive use of the HST and the VLT in my research and work with data from the UV to the near IR. Current science activities stellar initial mass function in star clusters, young and old dynamical evolution and tidal disruption of globular clusters search for faint white dwarfs in globular clusters star formation history of the Magellanic clouds distribution and properties of gas and dust in nearby galaxies Ongoing collaborations Bonn (Pavel Kroupa, Holger Baumgardt) INAF (Francesco Paresce, Luigi Pulone) STScI (Nino Panagia) ESO (Martino Romaniello) Personal home page Publications Project/mission at ESA JWST, HST
	Bernhard Fleck Solar Physicist Bernhard.Fleck@esa.int Tel: +1 301 286 4098		Main research field My main functional role at ESA is Mission Manager/Project Scientist for SOHO. I am also ESA Project Scientist for Hinode. My scientific interests include the dynamics of the solar atmosphere, in particular wave propagation characteristics in the chromosphere. I work with data from SOHO, TRACE, Hinode, and ground-based observatories. Domain of activity Chromoseismology Chromospheric heating Helioinformatics Ongoing collaborations SwRI Boulder, CO, USA HAO Boulder, CO, USA Univ. of Hawaii, HI, USA LMSAL, Palo Alto, CA, USA OAC Napoli, Italy Osservatorio di Arcetri, Florence, Italy Univ. of Wuerzburg, Germany Publications Project/mission at ESA SOHO, Hinode
	Giovanna Giardino Astronomer ggiardino@rssd.esa.int Tel: +31 71 565 4625		Main research field My scientific interest is star formation and I have currently two main research activities: i) within the context of the Planck mission, prepare for the use of HFI and LFI data to derive a census of ultra-compact HII regions and massive young stellar objects in the mm and submm; ii) Using XMM and Chandra data, study the X-ray emission of YSOs, investigating the influence of X-ray emission on the circumstellar environment. So far, I have analysed X-ray data for L1551 in Tau, Serpens, S106 and Rho-Oph. Publications Project/mission at ESA JWST
	Maria Gritsevich Post-doctoral fellow maria.gritsevich@esa.int Tel: +31 71 565 5188		Main research field My main scientific interests include developing the models to describe the entry of meteoroids into the atmosphere. The correct mathematical modeling of meteor events is necessary for further estimates of the key parameters of the meteoroids, including deceleration, pre-entry mass, terminal mass, ablation coefficient, effective enthalpy of evaporation, temperature, etc. With this information, one can use models for the dust influx onto Earth to estimate the number of meteors detected by a camera of a given sensitivity. Domain of activity Gas Dynamics Meteor Physics Planetary Defense Entry, Descent, Landing and Flight in Planetary atmospheres Ongoing collaborations Lomonosov Moscow State University, Russia University of Helsinki, Finland Charles University, Prague, Czech Republic Publications Project/mission at ESA None ESA Research supervisor Detlef Koschny
	Detlef Koschny Planetary Scientist dkoschny@rssd.esa.int Tel: +31 71 565 4828		Main research field My main scientific interest is cosmic dust and minor bodies in the solar system, in particular asteroids. I am focussing on the analysis of observational data. Current science activities ground-based observations of meteors using image-intensified video systems set up meteor observations from space, e.g. from the International Space Station set up a centralised database for meteor orbit data follow-up observations of asteroids modelling dust and regolith size distributions working on the calibration of images obtained with the Smart-1 camera AMIE testing cameras for ground- and space-based applications Ongoing collaborations involved in EuroPlanet N3 activities for the coordination, working with Jurgen Oberst, DLR Berlin, Apostolos Christou, Armagh, Ireland meteor orbit determination and ablation modelling together with Peter Brown and Margaret Campbell-Brown, Univ. of Ontario, Canada, and with Felix Bettonvil, Astronomical Institute of the Univ. Utrecht AMIE data calibration together with the Smart-1 AMIE team Publications Project/mission at ESA Marco Polo, Rosetta, BepiColombo, Smart-1
	Richard Marsden Heliophysicist rmarsden@rssd.esa.int Tel: +31 71 565 3583		Main research field My main functional role at ESTEC is Mission Manager/Project Scientist for Ulysses. I am also Study Scientist for Solar Orbiter. My scientific interests are related to the heliosphere and heliophysics in general and include: energetic particle acceleration and propagation, anomalous cosmic ray studies (in particular, latitudinal gradients). I work primarily (but not exclusively) with data from the COSPIN Low Energy Telescope instrument on Ulysses, which I helped to design. Current science activities Investigating the origin and transport of solar and interplanetary energetic particles in the 3-D heliosphere Using composition measurements to investigate the origin of particles accelerated in transient and recurrent solar wind flows Investigating the effect of the Sun's magnetic cycle on the transport of anomalous cosmic rays Publications Project/mission at ESA Ulysses, Solar Orbiter
	Paul Mc Namara Astrophysicist pmcnamar@rssd.esa.int Tel: +31 71 565 8239		Current science activities Low frequency gravitational wave detection Laser frequency/phase stabilisation Precision interferometry Ongoing collaborations Institute for Gravitational Research, University of Glasgow Project/mission at ESA LISA Pathfinder (Project scientist), LISA (Deputy Project Scientist)
	Maria Messineo Post-doctoral fellow mmessine@rssd.esa.int Tel: +31 71 565 8513		Main research field I am studying Galactic young clusters, which are ideal laboratory to test theoretical predictions on stellar formation and stellar evolution, as well as ideal probes for Galactic structure and evolution studies. They host massive members, which are progenitors of the most energetic explosions in the Universe, and produce black holes and neutron stars. Current science activities More than 1500 new candidate clusters have recently been detected with 2MASS and GLIMPSE data. I am studying some of them with photometric and spectroscopic data in order to characterize their ages, masses, distances. Many new massive clusters will discovered. There is a puzzling lack of young clusters within 3 kpc of the Galactic centre, which needs to be confirmed. There is uncertainty in the number and location of Galactic spiral arms. To solve these issues I am exploring the spatial distribution of young clusters in the Milky Way. Keywords Resolved stellar populations Galactic open clusters Galactic structure Ongoing collaborations Rochester Institute of Technology & the RIDL collaboration (D. Figer, B. Davies, C. Trombley, M. Rich, R.P. Kudritzki, Z. Qingfeng, F. Najarro, E. Puga, A. Herrero, C. Lang) Max Plank Institute for Radio Astronomy & the GLOSTAR group (K. Menten, A. Brunthaler, F. Wyrowski, F. Schuller) European Southern Observatory (E. Valenti, V. Ivanov) Open University (S. Clark) VVV collaboration (D. Minniti et al.) ESA (J. de Brujne, T. Prusti) Publications Project/mission at ESA None ESA Research supervisor Jos de Bruijne
	Daniel Müller Solar Physicist daniel.mueller@esa.int Tel: +1 301 286 6983		Main research field My main functional role at ESA is Deputy Project Scientist for SOHO, the Solar and Heliospheric Observatory. I am also Deputy Study Scientist for Solar Orbiter. My scientific interests include the structure and dynamics of the solar corona and photosphere. I use and develop magnetohydrodynamic (MHD) models to study dynamic phenomena in the solar atmosphere. I am also leading a project to develop advanced techniques for data assimilation, visualisation, and browsing. Current science activities MHD models of coronal mass ejections and jets Solar spectropolarimetry (radiative transfer calculations and data analysis) Helioinformatics (development of advanced techniques for data assimilation, visualisation, and browsing) Ongoing collaborations Naval Research Laboratory (Washington, DC, USA) Goddard Space Flight Center (Greenbelt, MD, USA) Kiepenheuer Institute for Solar Physics (Freiburg, Germany) Institute of Theoretical Astrophysics, University of Oslo (Norway) High Altitude Observatory (Boulder, CO, USA) Personal home page Publications Project/mission at ESA SOHO, Solar Orbiter
	Jens Rodmann Post-doctoral fellow jrodmann@rssd.esa.int Tel: +31 71 565 3568		Main research field My main research is dedicated to circumstellar debris disks. These systems contain cold dust, produced by collisions of asteroidal and/or cometary bodies, and are believed to be the counterparts of the solar system Kuiper Belt. I conduct numerical simulations to model debris disks with planets and use the results to predict observational quantities (e.g. spectral energy distributions, re-emission and scattered-light images) in order to interpret real data, primarily from infrared and sub-millimetre facilities (Spitzer, Herschel, ALMA). Domain of activity Circumstellar debris disks Planet and star formation Numerical modelling of N-particle systems Search for extrasolar planets Publications Project/mission at ESA Herschel ESA Research supervisor Goran Pilbratt
	Sandra Schumacher Post-doctoral fellow sschumac@rssd.esa.int Tel: +31 71 565 8113		Main research field I'm developing numerical models of the Martian interior in order to understand where the energy for the observed recent volcanism comes from as due to its small size Mars should nowadays be to cool to sustain volcanism. The focus of my work is the influence crustal thickness variations have on the temperature distribution not only on a regional scale but also globally. I'm especially interested in explaining the recent volcanism in the north polar region of the planet. Keywords Planetary physics Planetary evolution Volcanism Heat transport Ongoing collaborations DLR (Berlin) Publications Project/mission at ESA None ESA Research supervisor Agustin Chicarro
	Loredana Spezzi Post-doctoral fellow lspezzi@rssd.esa.int Tel: +31 71 565 8621		Main research field My main scientific interests include the investigation of the properties of young low-mass stars and brown dwarfs and their circumstellar disks. These studies aim at clarifying the star and planet formation mechanism and to assess whether this last may occurs around very low-mass objects. My approach is mainly observational. I make extensive use of both imaging and spectroscopic data from ground-based (VLT, ESO2.2m tel., ESO3.6m tel., REM) and satellite (HST, Spitzer, Herschel in the near future) observatories. Keywords Stellar and sub-stellar IMF in young clusters and star forming regions Star formation history of the Magellanic clouds Properties of young low-mass stars and brown dwarfs Properties and evolution of circumstellar disks Ongoing collaborations Bruno Merin (ESAC) Nino Panagia (STScI) Fernando Comeron (ESO-Garching) Juan M. Alcala', Elvira Covino (INAF-Capodimonte Astronomical Observatory) Antonio Frasca, Isabella Pagano (INAF-Catania Astrophysical Observatory) Erik Young, Zoltan Balog (Steward Observatory, University of Arizona) Nick Siegler (Jet Propulsion Laboratory, California Institute of Technology) Joanna Molenda-Zakowicz (Astronomical Institute, University of Wroclaw) Publications Project/mission at ESA None ESA Research supervisor Guido De Marchi
	Matt Taylor Space Plasma Physicist mtaylor@rssd.esa.int Tel: +31 71 565 8009		Main research field My position at ESTEC is deputy project scientist of Cluster and Double Star. My main scientific interests are focused on the Earth's magnetosphere and include: magnetotail dynamics, magnetospheric boundary layers, reconnection and data - simulation synergy. I work primarily (but not exclusively) with the Cluster and Double Star data, and I have developed a particular (peculiar) fascination with electrons. Current science activities Investigating the formation and persistence of the Earths plasma sheet Examining the evolution and dynamics of electron distributions around magnetic reconnection regions Preliminary dabbling in large scale data surveying (> years of data) and comparisons with plasma simulations and theory In a previous life is was also involved in examining radiation belt particle sources and losses and hope to get back into that area at some point Ongoing collaborations Mullard Space Science Lab, UK (A.N. Fazakerley, Y. Bogdanova) Leicester University, UK (R. Fear , A. Grocott) Rutherford Appleton Lab, UK (M.W. Dunlop, C.H. Perry and J. Davies) Lancaster University, UK (M. Denton) Los Alamos National Lab, (B. Lavraud, R. Friedel, G. Reeves) SSL, Berkley, UC, USA, (J. Eastwood) AI/IAP, ASCR, Czech Republic (P. Travnicek) Project/mission at ESA Cluster, Double Star
	Pierre Vernazza Post-doctoral fellow pvernazz@rssd.esa.int Tel: +31 71 565 3154		Main research field Observations of 1) small Solar System bodies (mainly asteroids, sometimes TNOs) at different wevelengths (from visible to the Mid IR) and 2) Mercury. I make use of various telescopes (NTT, VLT, IRTF, TNG, Spitzer) in my research. I also perform ion irradiation experiments of meteorites in order to reproduce the space conditions on these asteroid pieces. Keywords Asteroids, Meteorites Mercury Observations Surface composition, Space Weathering Ongoing collaborations Richard Binzel (MIT, USA) Joseph Hora (Harvard, USA) Benoit Carry, Christophe Dumas (ESO, Santiago, Chile) Marcello Fulchignoni, Antonella Barucci, Mirel Birlan, Alain Doressoundiram, Nicole Meyer-Vernet (Observatoire de Paris, France) Alessandro Rossi (Pisa, Italy) Rosario Brunetto (IAS, France) Pavel Travnicek (DSP-IAP, Prague, Czech Republic) Publications Project/mission at ESA Rosetta, Marco Polo ESA Research supervisor Detlef Koschny
	Bartolomeo Viticchié Post-doctoral fellow bviticch@rssd.esa.int Tel: +31 71 565 4098		Main research field Investigation of the solar photosphere at optical wavelengths focused on the study of photospheric magnetic fields. Current scientific activities Interpretation of Stokes profiles emerging from the solar photosphere: inversion and forward techniques. Data from: HINODE SOT/SP and Interferometric BIdimensional Spectrometer (IBIS; spectropolarimetric mode). Codes: MIcro Structured Magnetised Atmosphere (MISMA) code and Stokes Inversion based on Response function (SIR) code Analysis of G-band data: dynamics, evolution, and magnetic properties of bright point. Data from: HINODE SOT/BFI, IBIS, and Solar 1 m Swedish Telescope (SST) Ongoing collaborations Università degli Studi di Roma "Tor Vergata" (Dr. Dario Del Moro, Prof. Francesco Berrilli) Instituto de Astrofìsica de Canarias (IAC, Dr. Jorge Sanchez Almeida) Sterrekundig Instituut Utrecht (Nikola Vitas) Publications Project/mission at ESA None ESA Research supervisor Richard Marsden, Daniel Müller
	Jakob Walcher Post-doctoral fellow jwalcher@rssd.esa.int Tel: +31 71 565 8635		Main research field Galaxy evolution. In my work I try to contribute to our understanding of how galaxies form and evolve, i.e. their morphologies, kinematics, stellar populations, etc. I particularly use observations in the UV to NIR parts of the electro-magnetic spectrum as well as stellar population models. My research at ESTEC will focus on pure disk, bulgeless galaxies, as the properties of these objects can not be explained in the standard paradigm of galaxy evolution. Keywords Galaxy evolution Stellar population models Bulgeless galaxies Ongoing collaborations Institut d'Astrophysique de Paris (Wild, Coelho, Charlot) European Southern Observatory (Neumayer) Comissariat a l'Energie Atomique (Dib) Publications Project/mission at ESA None ESA Research supervisor Torsten Boeker
	Christoph Winkler Astronomer cwinkler@rssd.esa.int Tel: +31 71 565 3591		Main research field My scientific interest is observational gamma-ray astronomy in the keV to MeV energy range. It covers in particular: nucleosynthesis, gamma-ray line astrophysics, gamma-ray bursts and soft gamma repeaters, neutron stars and black hole candidates. Data are from Compton GRO and INTEGRAL. Current science activities Very limited due to project priorities, but if time permits: 511 keV annihilation from the inner Galaxy Mapping of line emission from radioactive 26Al and 60Fe Transient compact objects. Ongoing collaborations MPE Garching (Roland Diehl) CESR Toulouse (Juergen Knoedlseder, Georg Weidenspointner) IASF Rome (Angela Bazzano) Publications Project/mission at ESA INTEGRAL
	Olivier Witasse Planetary Scientist owitasse@rssd.esa.int Tel: +31 71 565 8015		Main research field I am currently interested in the analysis and interpretation of the Mars Express SPICAM (UV spectrometer) data. The idea is to understand how the airglow and auroral emissions of the upper atmosphere of Mars are generated. I am also studying how the meteoroid deposition in the Martian atmosphere influences the ionosphere. Current science activities Study of planetary upper atmospheres Focus on: ionosphere, airglow and aurorae Bodies of interest: Venus, Earth, Mars and Titan Ongoing collaborations Laboratoire de Planetologie de Grenoble (France) Osservatorio Astronomico di Trieste (Italy) Laboratoire LPCE, Orleans (France) SRI, Menlo Park (USA) Publications Project/mission at ESA Chandrayaan-1, Venus Express
	Ruth Ziethe Post-doctoral fellow rziethe@rssd.esa.int Tel: +31 71 565 3423		Main research field Numerical modelling of the early and late thermal evolution of terrestrial planets (mainly Moon and Mercury). Keywords Core formation Differentiation Thermal convection Computational fluid dynamics Finite element and difference methods Ongoing collaborations G. Quitte (ENS, Lyon) W. Benz, T. Schröter (University of Berne) H. Hiesinger (WWU Münster) Publications Project/mission at ESA Bepi Colombo ESA Research supervisor Johannes Benkhoff