Leibniz-Kolleg Potsdam awards Publication Prize to Dario Fritzewski

In a total of three publications in the leading international journal Astronomy & Astrophysics, Dario Fritzewski studied the star cluster NGC 3532. In doing so, he and his co-authors provided detailed insights into the evolution of low-mass stars. The final publication presented a method with which the rotation periods of stars can be derived from a single observation of the magnetic stellar activity – rather than from repeated lengthy observations over many weeks.

This was made possible by detailed observations of many individual stars in so-called “open star clusters”. Professor Klaus Strassmeier, Director of the Cosmic Magnetic Fields research branch at AIP, emphasizes this aspect: “In particular, Dario Fritzewski's work made it possible to construct a very well-defined relationship between rotation, magnetic activity and age.” The relationship was even precise enough to predict the rotation periods for a large number of stars. In the future, it will also be possible to determine the age of many stars from this – even of those outside star clusters, i.e., so-called field stars. The results will be very useful for the creation of astronomical chronologies and will allow astronomical events to be classified more precisely in terms of time. Dr Sydney Barnes, Head of the Stellar Activity group at AIP, emphasizes Fritzewski's lasting contribution: “The series of papers spearheaded by Dario Fritzewski constitutes a canonical study of two of the most important and accessible open clusters, and likely will remain a cornerstone of the field for a long time.”

Dario Fritzewski defended his thesis in October 2021 and has been working as a postdoctoral researcher at AIP since November. “Being honoured with the Publication Prize of the Leibniz-Kolleg Potsdam is a great motivation for me to further investigate the relationship between rotation, activity and age in open star clusters,” says the award winner, who shares this year's prize with Dr Erwin Rottler, who is a research associate in the Hydrology and Climatology working group at the University of Potsdam (UP).

The Leibniz-Kolleg Potsdam is an annual public lecture series in which top researchers explain their work at the invitation of the Kolleg. The topics chosen are also based on research areas represented in Potsdam, in which important discoveries for humanity as a whole are expected in the very near future. This year’s Kolleg on the campus Golm and the New Palace of the University of Potsdam started with two introductory lectures in the morning, one of which was given by Dr Christian Vocks, solar physicist at AIP, on the topic of space weather. Klaus Strassmeier moderated the discussion during the main event, which consisted of the awarding of the Publication Prize and a special prize as well as two scientific lectures by Professor Sami K. Solanki and PD Dr Georg Feulner from the Potsdam Institute for Climate Impact Research.

The Leibniz-Kolleg Potsdam announces the annual Publication Prize to promote young researchers in mathematics and the natural sciences. All current or former doctoral students of the Faculty of Science at the University of Potsdam who have achieved a significant scientific result during their time in Potsdam are eligible to apply for the prize, which is endowed with 5,000 euros. The doctorate should have been completed no more than two years before the application deadline. The high quality of the research must be proven by publications in peer-reviewed journals.