ReseaRch Quality assuRance foR the futuRe a ... - Lund University

Panel 13 – PHYSICS / MATHEMATICS
postdoctoral researchers. Such success is undoubtedly a good thing but
does not result in any significant income over and above that necessary to
fund the salary and (some of the) directly associated costs associated with
the young researcher.
4.2 Nature of the research
The Observatory’s research activity is broken down, using its own categorisation,
into three areas: Observational and Theoretical Astrophysics,
Atomic Astrophysics, and Astronomical Telescopes and Instruments.
The Observational and Theoretical Astrophysics (OTA) group has seen
recent appointments at senior and junior/postdoctoral level. The personnel
are probably at the point of achieving critical mass, with research
activity in key research areas for the subject and publications of a high
international standard. An individual of the highest reputation has a key
involvement in the ESA Gaia space-mission. The associated expertise
is critical to the success of the mission and it is encouraging to see the
activity billed as part of the OTA group, albeit that the highly technical,
and long term, nature of the activity does not readily lend itself to
exploitation science for probably the best part of a decade. It is probably
fair to say that the OTA group most closely follows the model of activity
in many small European astronomy departments without a significant
instrumentation programme.
The Atomic Astrophysics group consists of just two active academic
personnel and offers a complete contrast. The fundamental nature of
the research, providing reference data for use, via various international
databases, throughout astrophysics has an extended history and represents
one of the very few experimental branches of what is a predominantly
observational science. The Lund Observatory experimental programme is
very rare indeed within Europe. It is fair to say that a large fraction of the
modern astrophysical community is pleased to see such research to improve
fundamental data undertaken. That said, the recognition accorded to such
activity is limited and in a number of countries it has proved difficult for
groups to secure adequate funding in competition with more high-profile
research activity. The Lund Observatory group has experimental collaborations
with other facilities associated with the University and there is some
indication of, an important, linkage between the specific experimental
programme and research topics of current interest within astrophysics.
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