SDL Astronomy and Astrophysics

Prof. Dr. Susanne Pfalzner

Head of SDL Astronomy and Astrophysics PI in Helmholtz Information Program 1, Topic 1

Building 16.4 /
Room 319

+49 2461/61-85420

E-Mail

The Sim Data Lab Astronomy and Astrophysics is a targeted research and support structure that provides an interface between the Supercomputer facilities in Jülich and the Astrophysics research communities.

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Within the Program-oriented Funding (PoF IV) of Helmholtz Information, this group contributes to Program 1 “Engineering Digital Futures”, Topic 1 “Enabling Computational- & Data-Intensive Science and Engineering”.

Purpose

Our tasks include the support of Data Science Projects and High Performance Computing Simulations for the Astrophysics Community. We support users in their research by

advising code choices for their scientific applications,
supporting the development and application of scalable methods,
development of an integrated application infrastructure for high performance computational astrophysics (HPCA),
supporting the development of data analysis tools,
initiation of collaborative projects for advancing high performance computational astrophysics and data science,
visualization of the obtained results

In addition, we host repositories of commonly used codes and data bases and offer workshops in above mentioned areas.

Research Topics

Solar system formation

There are a number of indications that the Solar system formed in a massive cluster. The cut-off radius of the planetary system at 30 AU and the high eccentricity of the trans neptunian objects indicate that the solar system likely had an encounter with another star during its formation phase. We investigate how these solar system properties constrain the actual fly-by parameters and the properties of its birth cluster.

Oumuamuas

The discovery of 1I/‘Oumuamua and 2I/Borisov confirmed that planetesimals must exist in great numbers in interstellar space. Originally generated during planet formation, they are scattered from their original systems and subsequently drift through interstellar space. We investigate what consequences the existence of such objects might have.

Young cluster development

Most stars do not form in isolation but as part of a stellar group consisting of a few dozen to several million stars with stellar densities ranging from 0.01 to several 100 M⊙ pc-3. Our research shows that clustered star formation works under surprisingly tight constraints with respect to cluster size and density.

Projects and Collaborations

PUNCH4NFDI

The prime goal of PUNCH4NFDI is the setup of a federated and "FAIR" science data platform, offering the infrastructures and interfaces necessary for the access to and use of data and computing resources of the involved communities and beyond.

B3D

Big Bang to Big Data is an interdisciplinary research, technology, and education alliance for data-intensive radio astronomy. B3D aims to help develop and apply the data science expertise and methodology increasingly needed for astrophysical research.

SFB 1601

Within the new CRC 1601 entitled “The Cosmic Evolution of the Habitats of Massive Stars” researchers are investigating the physical processes that determine the habitats of massive stars in different galactic environments.

DYNAVERSE

Dynaverse is a new Cluster of Excellence initiative that brings together researchers from Astrophysics, Computer Science and Mathematics. It is a world-class hub of expertise in radio astronomy, lab-experiments, simulations, and machine learning / artificial intelligence.

Gallery

Visualization is an important tool for analyzing and understanding simuation data in astronomy and astrophysics. The visualization group at JSC assists users by developing and adapting software tools to meet special needs.

Examples can be seen below.

SDL Astronomy and Astrophysics — Formation of galactic molecular clouds

Especially time-dependent effects call for presenting the data in an animation or video. These can be used in presentations, inside websites, presentations or for media purposes. The JSC visualisation team provides hard- and software to capture, edit and publish the content.

Team

Simulation Codes

Publications

Database DESTINY

Highlights

TERA 2024: Towards exascale-ready astrophysics

With the aim to discuss current challenges and future opportunities in utilising exascale computing for astrophysics research, FZJ organised a workshop in cooperation with Space-CoE, PUNCH4NFDI, and IAU. The TERA24 workshop took place on 25 - 27 September 2024 in a virtual format and brought together scientists, code developers, and high-performance computing (HPC) experts from different countries. Beside a mix of invited and contributed presentations, the workshop featured interactive tutorials focusing on astrophysics simulation codes, high-performance computing, machine learning, and data analytics.

Astroinformatics 2026 Conference

Astroinformatics 2026 was held from February 23 to 27 at the University of Cologne, Germany. Supported by the Heidelberg Institute for Theoretical Studies (HITS) and the Forschungszentrum Jülich (FZJ), the event focused on advancements in computational methods for astronomical data. This year’s theme, “Dynamics in the Universe,” aligned with the new excellence cluster DYNAVERSE. Attendees engaged in discussions on topics such as Knowledge Discovery & Data Mining, Machine Learning & AI, Visualisation & Data Exploration, and e-Science Infrastructures. The programme included keynote and invited talks, contributed presentations, panel discussions, and a poster pitch session and display, fostering innovation and collaboration. The conference also featured social activities, such as a guided city tour and Astronomy on Tap. Overall, Astroinformatics 2026 was a vital gathering for researchers and students, emphasising the intersections of data science and astronomy.

DYNAVERSE Kickoff

On 20 January 2026, the Cluster of Excellence DYNAVERSE was officially inaugurated at the University of Cologne. The ceremony welcomed distinguished guests of honour, including the Rector of the University of Bonn, Prof. Dr. Dr. h.c. Michael Hoch, and the Rector of the University of Cologne, Prof. Dr. Joybrato Mukherjee. The cluster's spokespersons, Prof. Dr. Stefanie Walch-Gassner from Cologne and Prof. Dr. Cristiano Porciani from Bonn, presented the scientific vision of DYNAVERSE, outlined key research goals, and introduced projects that explore the evolution of the universe across vastly different timescales. The event concluded with a reception featuring an exceptional exhibition that showcased the diverse scientific highlights of DYNAVERSE. FZJ contributed a booth on the topic of Astrophysics in the Exascale Era, along with a VR tour of Europe's first exascale supercomputer, JUPITER.

Astrophysics

Solution to a Cosmic Mystery

New evidence suggests that billions of years ago, a star may have passed very close to our solar system. As a result, thousands of smaller celestial bodies in the outer solar system outside Neptune’s orbit were deflected into highly inclined trajectories around the sun. It is possible that some of them were captured by the planets Jupiter and Saturn as moons. These findings come from a team of astrophysicists from Forschungszentrum Jülich and Leiden University in the Netherlands. They were published in two studies in the renowned journals Nature Astronomy and Astrophysical Journal Letters.