PhD grant on "Monte Carlo population synthesis studies of the white dwarf population in the Gaia era"

Deadline     Thu, 11/11/2021 - 14:00

The Astronomy and Astrophysics Group (GAA) at UPC (BarcelonaTech; Spain) has a long track record in the study of the last stages of stellar evolution, and in particular, in the study of white dwarfs, isolated or as members of close stellar binary systems.

Thanks to this recognition, we have the opportunity to offer a PhD grant funded by Proyectos I+D Generación de Conocimiento:

- White Dwarfs, Neutron Stars, and Black Holes - The Physics of Compact Stars.  Reference PID2020-117252GB-I00

Context:

The topic of the PhD will be selected in the following context based on the skills and interests of the candidate.

White dwarfs (WDs) constitute the most common final evolutionary state of stellar evolution, and as such, they are of fundamental importance in the understanding of the Universe. However, these studies require accurate observational inputs to test the theoretical models. The advent of large-scale data base surveys such as  SDSS, LAMOST, JPLUS/JPAS and, especially, the ESA Gaia mission have provided an unprecedented wealth of information. The population synthesis models developed by GAA members have been consolidated as an international reference frame to test and compare different theoretical approaches with respect to observed data. In particular, we would be able to analyze, with an unprecedented accuracy, several of the most important parameters of our Galaxy, related to the evolution of binary stars, double degenerate systems, white dwarf plus main sequence systems, or eventually, CV-stars, novae and supernovae precursors and other compact objects.

Topics covered by our team are:

• WDs mass distribution and luminosity function for thin and thick disk and halo population.
• The cooling process of WDs
• Star formation rate and disk age
• Formation and evolution of binary systems
• Spectral type identification of WDs
•  WDs in globular clusters
• Kinematics of the WD population

Requirements:

Applicants may be all those who are enrolled or admitted to a doctoral program at the Universitat Politècnica de Catalunya for the 2021/2022 academic year, at the time of the application submission. Applicants may also be all those people who, even though at the time of the application submission are not enrolled or admitted to a doctoral program, they will be on the date the contract is formalized, in accordance with article 18.

Applications must be submitted online through this link of the Ministerio de Ciencia e Innovación from October 28 until November 11, 2021 at 2:00PM CET. To request the present research project please use the following reference: PID2020-117252GB-I00.

Contact: 

Santiago Torres  (santiago.torres@upc.edu)

Alberto Rebassa-Mansergas (alberto.rebassa@upc.edu)