Instrumentation

The University of Groningen is in the unique situation in the Netherlands to be close to two institutes producing world class instrumentation in ground and space based astronomy: the Laboratory for Space Research SRON in Groningen and the Stichting ASTRON in Dwingeloo. At the same time it is close to the KVI, which has a strong reputation in building instrumentation for atomic and subatomic physics.

Researchers of the Kapteyn Astronomical Institute are actively involved in the construction of instruments for large ground-based telescopes and satellities, either in collaboration with SRON or ASTRON, or with other partners. A number of these projects are done in collaboration with other Dutch astronomical institutes, as part of the School of Excellence NOVA

Apart from participating in new instrumentation projects, we also offer the opportunity for students to become an astronomer specialised in instrumentation. For frontline research in astronomy and space research, it is important for students to learn about modern instrumentation and information technology. Instruments currently used in our field have become very powerful due to their complexity. Researchers often need to develop their own advanced instruments and need to acquire a broad spectrum of different skills. They fulfill tasks of scientists, but also need to be aware of tasks of engineers and managers.

Our Master variant in Instrumentation and Informatics in Physics and Astronomy is jointly given by the staff of the Kapteyn Astronomical Institute, Technical Physics, the IVEM, the KVI, SRON and ASTRON. Students with a background in astronomy or physics can follow this two-year course. With an attractive variant of the standard master program, that coordinates and streamlines a number of courses presently scattered over several sub-disciplines, we have been producing instrumentalists for the last 2 years.

Instrumentation projects currently being worked on in Groningen:

• LOFAR (led by ASTRON), staff involved: de Bruyn, Koopmans, Verheijen, Zaroubi,
• HIFI (led by SRON), staff involved: Barthel, Helmich, Wild
• MIRI (led by ESA), staff involved: Pel
• GAIA (led by ESA), staff involved: Helmi, Trager
• ALMA detectors (led by SRON), staff involved: Baryshev, Wild
• X-Shooter (led by ESO), staff involved: Pel
• Omega-CAM (led by ESO), staff involved: Valentijn

Past instrumentation projects, which are used at presence for science:

• VISIR (led by CEA Saclay/ASTRON), staff involved: Pel, Peletier
• PN Spectrograph (led by Kapteyn), staff involved: Douglas
• SAURON (led by Lyon), staff involved: Peletier
• MIDI (led by ASTRON), staff involved: Pel
• RAVE (led by Mt. Stromlo), staff involved: Helmi

Large scientific projects involving a large amount of software effort:

• Astro-WISE (led by OmegaCEN at Kapteyn, see also Virtual Observatory and Astronomical Datacenters), staff involved: Valentijn