Research in the group of Norbert Przybilla focusses on the quantitative spectroscopy of the main constituents of galaxies: the stars and the interstellar medium. It encompasses observation, model development, interpretation and instrumentation.

The group's expertise facilitates stars throughout the Hertzsprung-Russell-Diagramms to be studied, aiming at the determination of stellar parameters and elemental abundances. Of particular interest are massive stars from the main-sequence to the supergiant stage as observational tracers for stellar and galactochemical evolution. These luminous objects are also used as background sources to probe the interstellar medium, in particular with regard to study diffuse interstellar bands. Observations concentrate on high- and intermediate-resolution spectroscopy using the observatories of ESO and other facilities worldwide and in space, throughout the ultraviolet, optical and near-infrared spectral domain. Methodologically, radiative transfer calculations are performed in stellar atmospheres under non-local thermodynamic equilibrium conditions.

The group employs luminous supergiants to study properties of star-forming galaxies throughout the Local Group and the nearby universe. Using multi-object and integral-field spectroscopy topics like the cosmic distance scale, interstellar extinction, galactic abundance gradients and the mass-metallicity relationship are addressed.

In partnership with the Austrian A* consortium the group is involved in instrumentation projects for the ESO 39m Extremely Large Telescope: the first-light camera and spectrograph MICADO and mid-infrared imager and spectrograph METIS. Spectroscopic data reduction pipelines are developed.

Group Publications

Head of the Research Group
Univ.-Prof. Dr. Norbert Przybilla
Tel. +43 512 507-52100
Norbert.Przybilla@uibk.ac.at
Publications (ADS)

Administrative Assistant
Amela Music
Tel. +43 512 507-52101
Amela.Music@uibk.ac.at