Speaker : Dr. Aris Tritsis
Title : Magnetic Fields in Interstellar Clouds: Bridging Simulations and Observations
Date : 2026-05-06
Time: 13:00 - 14:30
Location : Orphanoudakis Meeting Room - FORTH
Host : Panagiotis Tsakalides and Jean-Luc Starck
Abstract:
The formation of stars is regulated by the complex interplay between turbulence, gravity, and magnetic fields. Central to this process are non-ideal magnetohydrodynamic (MHD) effects, which dictate how gas in interstellar clouds couples to magnetic fields. Despite their fundamental importance, quantifying these effects remains a major frontier due to theoretical and observational challenges. In this talk, I will first present results from simulations of collapsing turbulent clouds, highlighting how non-ideal MHD effects shape the dynamics of star formation. I will show how these effects manifest in observations, including molecular line emission spectra, spectropolarimetry, and dust polarization. Finally, I will outline a forward-looking framework that combines simulations, synthetic and real observations from next-generation facilities, and machine-learning techniques to construct a 4D picture of interstellar-cloud evolution.
Bio:
Aris Tritsis is a computational astrophysicist specializing in the role of magnetic fields in the interstellar medium. He obtained his PhD from the University of Crete in 2017, then held a postdoctoral appointment at the Australian National University, and was subsequently awarded both the CITA National Fellowship and the Ambizione Fellowship from the Swiss National Science Foundation. He has made several notable contributions, including the first tomographic measurement of the strength of the magnetic field, mapping the three-dimensional structure of an interstellar cloud, and performing detailed studies of non-ideal magnetohydrodynamic effects in star-forming environments. In addition, he has developed advanced radiative-transfer techniques to generate highly realistic synthetic radio and infrared observations and connect his numerical models to observations. In recognition of his work, he was awarded the MERAC Prize from the European Astronomical Society for the best PhD thesis in theoretical astrophysics.