Ionic Compounds in Interstellar Chemistry – ICONIC
Proposal for an FWF-funded Special Research Area (Spezialforschungsbereich / SFB)
ICONIC combines astronomical observations, computational photophysics and laboratory astrophysics to unravel the role of ions in the interstellar medium. In the lab, we want to find spectral signatures that enable astronomers to find and quantify molecular ions in outer space. Computational modeling helps us to make laboratory spectra comparable with the conditions in the interstellar medium. To find the most abundant ions in the interstellar medium, we must understand their chemistry. We therefore conduct laboratory experiments on cation-anion recombination and other types of reactions specific for the extreme conditions of the interstellar medium.
THIS IS A PREVIEW - WEBSITE WILL GO ONLINE WHEN FUNDING IS APPROVED
01.03.2026 Project Start
if funding is approved
24.11.2025 –26.11.2025 106th FWF Scientific Board Meeting
decision on Full Proposal and Hearing
22.10.2025 Hearing
21.05.2025 Full Proposal
03.03.2025 –05.03.2025 102nd FWF Scientific Board Meeting
Decision on Concept Proposal
30.09.2024 Concept Proposal
Participating Research Groups
ICONIC Students and Postdocs and their Research
Students and Postdocs
Students and postdocs are introduced with a foto and a short description of their project.
Video Portraits
We plan Video Portraits for ICONIC students and postdocs like the ones produced for DK-ALM students. Click the link to watch the videos from the past doctoral program, e.g. Alexander Ebenbichler's portrait from the group of Norbert Przybilla or Sruthi Melath Purushu's from the group of Roland Wester.
My Paper
Here we place short audios or videos of ICONIC students or postdocs who explain the content of a paper they authored to a more general audience. We encourage each ICONIC member to produce at least one such content per funding period. The link below is a placeholder, leading again to the DK-ALM Video Portraits.