Osservatorio Astrofisico di Catania

Osservazione della luna
2024-03-11 17:30 - 20:00 UTC
Il Centro Islamico Culturale d’Italia – Grande Moschea di Roma in collaborazione con l’Istituto Nazionale di Astrofisica e l’Unione Astrofili Italiana e con la partecipazione della Confederazione Islamica Italiana e con la rete Pakistana Dawate Islami in Italia organizzano l’evento “Osservazione della luna per l’inizio del mese di Ramadan 1445 AH”.

Un incontro dedicato all’avvistamento, eventualmente assistito con strumentazione astronomica, della Luna Nuova di Ramadan. Questo incontro si svolgerà in via telematica mediante la piattaforma ZOOM e in presenza per piccole delegazioni di Imam in alcune sedi INAF e UAI. Le osservazioni verranno trasmesse anche in streaming via streaming sul canale Facebook della Grande Moschea di Roma.

Programma
17:45 – Saluti delle autoritàDott. Abdellah Redouane, Segretario Generale del Centro Islamico Culturale d’Italia “La Grande Moschea di Roma”Caterina Boccato, INAF Struttura di Presidenza per la ComunicazionePaolo Morini, Unione Astrofili Italiana, delegazione di Ravenna
18:00 – Collegamenti in sequenza dipendentemente dall’orario di tramonto del Sole e Luna: Catania, Salerno, Ragusa, Palermo, Savignano sul Rubicone (FC), Ravenna, Roma, Padova, Bologna, Piombino (LI), Cagliari (NB: i collegamenti dipenderanno dal tempo atmosferico)
19:30 – Conclusione e analisi delle osservazioni e saluti

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Moderano:Federico Di Giacomo – INAF Imam Dr. Nader Akkad – commissione scientifica per l’avvistamento lunare della Grande Moschea di Roma

Unlocking Cosmic Origins: LiteBIRD's quest for Inflationary GWs
2024-04-15 10:00 - 11:00 | Sede A. Riccò, Via Santa Sofia 78, Catania
Recording: https://www.oact.inaf.it/seminars/
DATE: Monday, April 15, 10:00 a.m.
ORGANIZER: INAF OACT
LOCATION: AULA OVEST (INAF-OACT) + remote
Link for the remote audience:https://meet.google.com/wvf-uwxo-oyj
SPEAKER: Dr. Avinash Anand (Department of Physics, University of Rome, Tor Vergata)
ABSTRACT:
The LiteBIRD (Lite (Light) satellite for the studies of B-mode polarization and Inflation from cosmic background Radiation Detection) experiment is a space mission dedicated to studying the polarization of the Cosmic Microwave Background (CMB). Its primary objective is to detect the faint B-mode polarization patterns in the CMB, which are believed to be imprints of gravitational waves from the early universe, particularly from the period of cosmic inflation. LiteBIRD is equipped with a 30 arcmin beam width and an extraordinarily low polarization noise of 2.16μK-arcmin, making it uniquely capable of capturing large scale full-sky CMB polarization.
Our studies address two significant challenges in detecting Inflationary B-modes: foregrounds and the weak gravitational lensing of the CMB.Foregrounds, varying with observation frequency, can be mitigated through multi-frequency sky observations. However, gravitational lensing of the CMB presents a different problem, as it is not frequency-dependent and causes E-mode polarization to convert to B-modes. This conversion masks the primordial B-modes we aim to detect. Our work concentrates on estimating the mass distribution from the CMB field to create a template of lensing B-modes. By removing this lensing-induced B-mode template from the observational data, we enhance the sensitivity towards detecting Inflationary gravitational waves.
This talk will explore the methodologies used in this study, the challenges encountered, and the potential impact on the detection of the Inflationary gravitational waves.

A few rules:— in case of large in-person attendance, attendees may be asked to wear a face mask— before joining, make sure you are using your institutional inaf.it account if you have one (otherwise we will grant you permission to join)— please do not forget to mute your microphone and switch off your webcam when access the virtual room— for questions leave a message in the chat, the answers at the end of the webinar— the seminar will be recorded, so if you are interested in it, please contact us to get the link to the registration.

Archeology of interstellar archipelagos: Reconstructing the lifecycle of star-forming clouds
2024-04-22 11:00 | Sede A. Riccò, Via Santa Sofia 78, Catania
Recording: https://www.oact.inaf.it/seminars/
DATE: Monday, April 22, 11:00 a.m.
ORGANIZER: INAF OACT
LOCATION: AULA OVEST (INAF-OACT) + remote
Link for the remote audience:https://meet.google.com/wvf-uwxo-oyj
SPEAKER: Dr. Juan Diego Soler (IAPS-INAF)
ABSTRACT:
Determining how star-forming molecular clouds (MCs) arise from and interact with the diffuse interstellar medium (ISM) is crucial for understanding the initial conditions of planet and star formation and the evolution of the Milky Way and other similar galaxies. I will present state-of-the-art observations of neutral atomic hydrogen (HI) and interstellar magnetic fields, which, combined with numerical simulations and novel statistical tools based on machine vision, reveal three crucial aspects of the MC lifecycle. First, the signature of magnetization in the structure of MCs in the solar neighborhood, within 500 parsecs from the Sun. Two, the imprint of supernova feedback in the HI structure across the Galactic plane. And finally, the coupling between atomic and molecular gas in and around MCs. I will discuss the consequences of these findings for our understanding of the Galactic ecosystem and the prospects for radio-interferometric and submillimeter polarization observations from the forthcoming facilities.

A few rules:— in case of large in-person attendance, attendees may be asked to wear a face mask— before joining, make sure you are using your institutional inaf.it account if you have one (otherwise we will grant you permission to join)— please do not forget to mute your microphone and switch off your webcam when access the virtual room— for questions leave a message in the chat, the answers at the end of the webinar— the seminar will be recorded, so if you are interested in it, please contact us to get the link to the registration.

MSC in Physics: which curriculum? (2024 edition)
2024-04-23 15:00 - 18:00 | Sede A. Riccò, Via Santa Sofia 78, Catania
In collaborazione con il Dipartimento di Fisica e Astronomia, giorno 23 aprile 2024, con inizio alle ore 15:00, presso l’Osservatorio Astrofisico di Catania, avrà luogo l’iniziativa “Which Curriculum”, rivolta alle studentesse e agli studenti della laurea triennale in Fisica come orientamento nella scelta della specializzazione per il corso magistrale.

Durante il pomeriggio, i ragazzi potranno visitare i nostri laboratori e parlare con i nostri ricercatori per conoscere e approfondire le attività scientifiche, i progetti in corso e le prospettive future.

L’incontro è promosso dalla Commissione Qualità del DFA.

Pint of Science 2024: Dalla Polvere ai Buchi Neri
2024-05-13 21:00 - 22:30 | Joyce Irish pub, Via Montesano 46, Catania, 95131, Italia
Nell’ambito dell’iniziativa “Pint of Science“, che si propone di promuovere incontri con ricercatori in un ambiente accogliente e informale, vi segnaliamo la seguente iniziativa, che si svolgerà presso il Joyce Irish Pub, Via Montesano 46 – Catania.

Titolo: Dalla polvere ai buchi neri
Sommario: Tu potresti morire ma il deserto nasconderebbe il segreto della tua morte che rimarrebbe dopo di te per coprire la tua memoria con il vento… scrive John Fante in Ask the dust. Chiedi quindi alla polvere, ma di una stella, se vuoi sapere cosa ci attende se cadessimo in un Buco Nero, dove lo spazio diventa tempo e il tempo diventa spazio, dove forse si cela il passaggio verso un nuovo Universo gemello del nostro. Siete pronti a questo viaggio cosmico?
Relatore: Alfio Bonanno (Primo Ricercatore – INAF Osservatorio Astrofisico di Catania e INFN Sezione di Catania).
Alfio Bonanno, è Primo Ricercatore INAF associato alla Sezione di Catania dell’INFN. I suoi interessi di ricerca principali sono la Gravità Quantistica e lo studio dei campi magnetici stellari. Durante il dottorato di Ricerca è stato Research Assistant alla University of Alberta dove ha lavorato con il gruppo di cosmologia di Werner Israel e ha poi proseguito la sua esperienza in varie università e centri di ricerca europei. Attualmente lavora presso l’Osservatorio Astrofisico di Catania e nel tempo libero suona il pianoforte. Insegna da alcuni anni anche un corso su Teologia e Scienze all’ISSR presso la Facoltà Teologica di Palermo.

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ESP2024 - PLATO PLANETARY SYSTEMS: Formation to Observed architectures
2024-05-14 09:00 - 2024-05-16 18:00 | Department of Physics and Astronomy “Ettore Majorana” (DFA) of the Catania University, Via Santa Sofia 64, Catania, 95123, Italia
PLATO is the 3rd mission of class M in the ESA Cosmic Vision program. Its main goal is detecting terrestrial planets in the habitable zone of solar type stars. With its huge FOV, most of the PLATO targets are bright stars that will be monitored with high cadence (25 s) for at least 2-3 years during the long duration observing program, while contemporary a number of very bright stars in the sample will be observed with 2.5 s cadence. The collected data, photometry from space and high resolution spectroscopy from the ground, will provide accurate planetary structures as well as architectures and evolutionary stage – via asteroseismic analysis – of a large number of planetary systems. PLATO is planned for a launch in Dec 2026.
More information on PLATO are on the ESA website and in PLATO Mission Consortium website.
With PLATO Mission due for launch soon this would seem a good time to review the present state of knowledge of exoplanet systems and the objectives of the mission. PLATO is optimized for the detection and characterization of small planets in the habitable zones of Sun-like stars. By combining two cutting-edge approaches: planetary transits and the study of the internal structure of stars using stellar seismology, supported by a dedicated ground-based observation programme.In combination with a dedicated ground based observation programme, PLATO will provide accurate planetary parameters (including age) for a large sample of exoplanets which could be used to answer many scientific questions eg if there are favoured evolutionary paths for exoplanets by comparison with theoretical population models PLATO will provide accurate and complete planetary parameters (including age) for a large sample of exoplanets, allowing to address a variety of scientific questions: planet occurrences, trends in composition, dynamical evolution, favoured evolutionary paths, etc.
The aim of this conference is to review the current state of the art in the field and to examine the range of scientific questions PLATO data could prove useful. Themed sessions will examine planetary systems at all stages of their evolution as well as give an overview of the PLATO mission, its future data, and how to become involved.

SESSION THEMES
1 – PLATO mission – where are we?2 – PLATO Science – From Stars to Planets3 – System architectures from observations4 – Advances in planet formation5 – Exoplanets Evolution6 – Relevant Stellar Science

More info

Pint of Science 2024: La conquista dello spazio
2024-05-14 21:00 - 22:30 | Joyce Irish pub, Via Montesano 46, Catania, 95131, Italia
Nell’ambito dell’iniziativa “Pint of Science“, che si propone di promuovere incontri con ricercatori in un ambiente accogliente e informale, vi segnaliamo la seguente iniziativa, che si svolgerà presso il Joyce Irish Pub, Via Montesano 46 – Catania.

Titolo: La conquista dello spazio
Sommario: Partendo dallo storico viaggio di Gagarin, si parlerà di come il genere umano ha conquistato lo spazio che ci circonda, delle prospettive future a breve e lungo termine e, per i pochi a quel punto ancora ragionevolmente sobri, delle ricadute sulla vita di tutti i giorni delle tecnologie spaziali.
Immagine Credits: ESA liberamente modificata da Daniela Sicilia
Relatore: Giuseppe Cutispoto (Primo Ricercatore – INAF Osservatorio Astrofisico di Catania)
Laurea in Fisica e dottorato in Astrofisica a Catania. Ricercatore presso l’Osservatorio Astrofisico di Catania dal 1987, attualmente Primo Ricercatore. Coordinatore del Comitato Organizzatore dei Campionati Italiani di Astronomia. Appassionato di fantascienza, sfortunatamente (quasi) astemio.

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Etna Comics 2024
2024-06-06 10:00 - 2024-06-09 20:00 | Le Ciminiere, viale Africa 222, Catania
L’Istituto Nazonale di Astrofisica sarà presente all’edizione 2024 di Etna Comics, rassegna di fumetti e giochi che si svolge a Catania dal 6 al 9 giugno.

Per il secondo anno consecutivo, l’Istituto Nazionale di Astrofisica parteciperà alla ormai consolidata rassegna di fumetti e giochi Etna Comics, manifestazione inaugurata nel 2011 e che si tiene ogni anno presso il centro fieristico le Ciminiere di Catania.
In particolare l’INAF si presenta con una serie di attività interattive nell’Area Family. Potrete infatti giocare a PIXEL – Picture (of) the Universe, il gioco da tavolo sulla risoluzione in astrofisica o a Cosmo Hunters, gioco di carte sull’osservazione degli oggetti celesti, senza dimenticare il Code Hunting Game, una caccia al tesoro virtuale nel mondo dell’astronomia che vi permetterà di entrare nel mondo del coding. Per gli appassionati di giochi a quiz c’è poi Chi vuol essere astrofisico?, con un neanche troppo nascosto riferimento a un famoso quiz televisivo.
Ci sono poi molte attività che stimolano la parte artistica, in particolare quella dei bambini, come per esempi Il Solametro – Disegna i Pianeti e mettili al posto giusto, o ancora Disegna il tuo pianeta (reale o immaginario) e un classico come Pixel Art, ovviamente a tema astronomico.
Nell’Area Comics, poi, il 7 giugno alle 11 in sala Galatea Angelo Adamo, ricercatore tecnologo dell’INAF IASF di Palermo, presenta INAFfumètti: con la testa ben oltre le nuvole (balloons), nel corso del quale presenterà la sua ultima opera, realizzata in collaborazione con Sandro Bardelli, dell’OAS di Bologna. B.A.O. – Baryon-Acoustic-Oscillations, che segue anche stilisticamente l’opera dello scorso anno, presentata a Lucca Comics&Science 2023, è incentrato sulla materia oscura ed è un’ottima introduzione alla scienza dietro Euclid, il satellite dedicato proprio allo studio di questa sfuggente forma della materia.Ovviamente i lettori di EduINAF possono scaricare il fumetto a questo link: B.A.O. – Baryon-Acoustic-Oscillations.
Buona lettura e una buona Etna Comics a chi andrà a visitare questa emozionante rassegna!
Fonte: EduINAF

Resilience of Eukaryotic Life in Mars-Like Simulated Conditions
2024-07-08 11:00 - 12:00 | Sede A. Riccò, Via Santa Sofia 78, Catania
Recording: https://www.oact.inaf.it/seminars/
DATE: Monday, July 8, 11:00 a.m.
ORGANIZER: INAF OACT
LOCATION: AULA OVEST (INAF-OACT) + remote
Link for the remote audience:https://meet.google.com/wvf-uwxo-oyj
SPEAKER: Dr. Maria Teresa Muscari-Tomajoli (Parthenope University of Naples, Italy)
ABSTRACT

A few rules:— in case of large in-person attendance, attendees may be asked to wear a face mask— before joining, make sure you are using your institutional inaf.it account if you have one (otherwise we will grant you permission to join)— please do not forget to mute your microphone and switch off your webcam when access the virtual room— for questions leave a message in the chat, the answers at the end of the webinar— the seminar will be recorded, so if you are interested in it, please contact us to get the link to the registration.

Neural Networs: new models for recovering the Cosmic Microwave Background
2024-07-15 11:30 - 12:00 | Sede A. Riccò, Via Santa Sofia 78, Catania
Recording: https://www.oact.inaf.it/seminars/
DATE: Monday, July 15, 11:30 a.m.
ORGANIZER: INAF OACT
LOCATION: AULA OVEST (INAF-OACT) + remote
Link for the remote audience:https://meet.google.com/wvf-uwxo-oyj
SPEAKER: Dr. José Manuel Casas González, Instituto de Ciencias y Tecnologías Espaciales de Asturias (ICTEA)
ABSTRACT:The Cosmic Microwave Background, the relic emission from the primordial Universe, is one of the most important observables in Cosmology. Its recovery is generally carried out by parametric and (semi) blind methods after removing several Galactic and extragalactic emissions. However, in order to take into account their non-linear behaviors, Machine Learning approaches such Neural Networks seem to be promising for that task. In this talk, I will describe how they begin to be an alternative and reliable methods for recovering the Cosmic Microwave Background.

A few rules:— in case of large in-person attendance, attendees may be asked to wear a face mask— before joining, make sure you are using your institutional inaf.it account if you have one (otherwise we will grant you permission to join)— please do not forget to mute your microphone and switch off your webcam when access the virtual room— for questions leave a message in the chat, the answers at the end of the webinar— the seminar will be recorded, so if you are interested in it, please contact us to get the link to the registration.

Galactic Archaeology: decoding the fossil record of Galaxy formation and evolution
2024-07-22 11:00 - 12:00 | Sede A. Riccò, Via Santa Sofia 78, Catania
Recording: https://www.oact.inaf.it/seminars/
DATE: Monday, July 22, 11:00 a.m.
ORGANIZER: DFA UNICT
LOCATION: AULA OVEST (INAF-OACT) + remote
Link for the remote audience:https://meet.google.com/wvf-uwxo-oyj
SPEAKER: Dott. Santi Cassisi, INAF-Osservatorio Astronomico d’Abruzzo
ABSTRACT:One of most important issue in Astrophysics is the achievement of a robust understanding of the sequence of processes that contributed to the building up of the Milky Way. This is obviously important not only “on a local scale” in order to recover the history of formation and evolution of the Galaxy, but also, more in general, for understanding the formation process of spiral galaxies. In the last decade, the advent of high precision photometric and spectroscopic surveys as well as the possibility to estimate, thanks to the ESA Gaia mission, accurate distance for a huge number of field stars, combined with the development of an accurate theoretical framework, is actually opening a new era for this kind of investigations.We will present some recent results – obtained by using this updated observational and theoretical framework – about the formation and early evolution of the Milky Way.

A few rules:— in case of large in-person attendance, attendees may be asked to wear a face mask— before joining, make sure you are using your institutional inaf.it account if you have one (otherwise we will grant you permission to join)— please do not forget to mute your microphone and switch off your webcam when access the virtual room— for questions leave a message in the chat, the answers at the end of the webinar— the seminar will be recorded, so if you are interested in it, please contact us to get the link to the registration.

The Hot Neptune Desert
2024-09-23 11:00 - 12:00 | Sede A. Riccò, Via Santa Sofia 78, Catania
Recording: https://www.oact.inaf.it/seminars/
DATE: Monday, September 23, 11:00 a.m.
ORGANIZER: INAF-OACT
LOCATION: AULA OVEST (INAF-OACT) + remote
Link for the remote audience:https://meet.google.com/wvf-uwxo-oyj
SPEAKER: Dott. Christian Magliano (Università di Napoli Federico II, Naples, Italy)
ABSTRACT:The vast majority of close-in planets are either massive hot Jupiters capable of holding their atmosphere against the stellar photoevaporation or small rocky planets completely drained by the stellar radiation. We observe an unexpected dearth of highly irradiated Neptune- and Saturn-like planets orbiting their host star in less than 4-10 days, called “Hot Neptune Desert”. In this talk, I will present our recent findings from uniformly vetting 250 hot Neptune TESS candidates using a two-step vetting technique, as well as discuss a cutting-edge approach to examine the problem under a new perspective. I will also discuss how the PLATO mission may enhance our understanding of the Hot Neptunes.

A few rules:— in case of large in-person attendance, attendees may be asked to wear a face mask— before joining, make sure you are using your institutional inaf.it account if you have one (otherwise we will grant you permission to join)— please do not forget to mute your microphone and switch off your webcam when access the virtual room— for questions leave a message in the chat, the answers at the end of the webinar— the seminar will be recorded, so if you are interested in it, please contact us to get the link to the registration.

Notte Europea dei Ricercatori 2024
2024-09-27 18:00 - 2024-09-28 13:00
SHARPER è il nome di uno dei progetti italiani sostenuti dalla Commissione Europea per la realizzazione della Notte Europea dei Ricercatori.
SHARPER significa SHAring Researchers’ Passion for Enhanced Roadmaps e ha l’obiettivo di coinvolgere tutti i cittadini nella scoperta del mestiere di ricercatore e del ruolo che i ricercatori svolgono nel costruire il futuro della società attraverso l’indagine del mondo basata sui fatti, le osservazioni e l’abilità nell’adattarsi e interpretare contesti sociali e culturali sempre più complessi e in continua evoluzione.
Per l’edizione 2024, SHARPER si svolgerà il 27 settembre in 15 città italiane, tra cui Catania, per raccontare la passione, le scoperte e le sfide dei ricercatori di tutta Europa attraverso mostre, spettacoli, concerti, giochi, conferenze e centinaia di altre iniziative rivolte al grande pubblico.
In occasione della Notte dei Ricercatori 2024, l’INAF-Osservatorio Astrofisico di Catania ha organizzato le seguenti attività per il pubblico che si svolgeranno tra il 27 e il 28 settembre:

L’ASTROFISICA PER IL FUTURO – I ricercatori guideranno i visitatori alla scoperta dei progetti di ricerca dell’INAF-Osservatorio Astrofisico di Catania e presenteranno gli strumenti e i software per la “Visualizzazione immersiva” – Per i più piccoli: concorso “Disegna il tuo pianeta reale o immaginario” e laboratorio didattico “Effetto serra in bottiglia” – “Gioco a premi: “Chi vuol essere astrofisico”
A cura di P. Romano, G. Cutispoto, G. Scandariato, D. Sicilia, E. Sciacca, F. Vitello, L. Pelonero, M. ImbroscianoData e ora: 27-09-2024 dalle 18:00 alle 24:00Luogo: Cortile Platamone (stand n. 16), Catania

OSSERVAZIONI AL TELESCOPIO – I ricercatori dell’INAF-Osservatorio Astrofisico di Catania guideranno i visitatori nell’osservazione di alcuni oggetti celesti attraverso l’ausilio di un telescopio dedicato.
A cura di L. Contarino, A. Frasca, J. Alonso SantiagoData e ora: 27-09-2024 dalle 21:00 alle 24:00

Per partecipare gli interessati dovranno rivolgersi allo Stand n. 16 – Cortile Platamone, Palazzo della Cultura

TECNICHE DI RADIOASTRONOMIA PER LA MEDICINA – La radioastronomia ha sviluppato nel corso degli ultimi decenni moltissimi algoritmi atti alla generazione della miglior immagine possibile. è possibile applicare questi stessi algoritmi alla diagnostica in medicina?
Mini-Talk a cura di F. CavallaroData e ora: 27-09-2023 dalle 19:00 alle 19:10Luogo: Palazzo Sangiuliano, Piazza Università, 13

PERCHE’ SOLO SULLA TERRA? ALLA RICERCA DI VITA NELLO SPAZIO – Le attività di astrobiologia in corso a INAF-OACT. Presenza di composti utili alla vita nello spazio, origini della vita sulla Terra, ricerca di tracce di vita extraterrestre e rischi causati dal cambiamento climatico.
Mini-Talk a cura di R. G. Urso, M. E. Palumbo, C. ScirèData e ora: 27-09-2024 dalle 19:30 alle 19:40Luogo: Aula 13 – Rettorato Piazza Università, 2

DALL’ASTRONOMIA ALL’INDUSTRIA PER LO STUDIO DI CATASTROFI NATURALI –Presentazione degli strumenti di analisi dei fenomeni astronomici e loro sfruttamento per la valutazione dei rischi legati a eventi climatici estremi nell’ambito della collaborazione industriale HaMMon finanziata dal PNRR.
Mini-Talk a cura di E. Sciacca, F. Vitello, L. Pelonero, M. ImbroscianoData e ora: 27-09-2024 dalle 19:40 alle 19:50Luogo: Palazzo Sangiuliano Piazza Università, 13

PORTE APERTE ALL’OSSERVATORIO – Visita all’Osservatorio Astrofisico di Catania. Osservazioni della fotosfera e cromosfera solare e 2 talk dal titolo: “Il Sole: Agente Primario del Clima sulla Terra” e “Gli effetti delle eruzioni solari sulla Terra”.
Le prenotazioni saranno possibili a partire dal 24 Settembre attraverso il sito EventBrite (link)
A cura di G. Cutispoto, S.L. Guglielmino e L. ContarinoData e ora: 28-09-2024 dalle 9:30 alle 13:00Luogo: Osservatorio Astrofisico – via S. Sofia, 78

Unraveling Space Weathering on Planetary and Astrophysical Surfaces
2024-10-04 11:00 - 12:00 | Sede A. Riccò, Via Santa Sofia 78, Catania
Recording: https://www.oact.inaf.it/seminars/
DATE: Friday, October 4, 11:00 a.m.
ORGANIZER: INAF-OACT
LOCATION: AULA OVEST (INAF-OACT) + remote
Link for the remote audience:https://meet.google.com/wvf-uwxo-oyj
SPEAKER: Prof. Thomas M. Orlando (School of Chemistry and Biochemistry and School of Physics, Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, GA, USA)
ABSTRACT:It is well known that the interaction of energetic ions, electrons and photons with surfaces and interfaces leads to non-thermal desorption via a process typically referred to as desorption induced by electronic transitions (DIET). When DIET involves either electrons or photons, these processes are generally referred to as electron-stimulated desorption and photon-stimulated desorption (PSD), respectively. Recent attention has focused on understanding the role of non-thermal “space weathering” in the processing of interstellar grains and ices.Specifically, there is deep interest in understanding the radiation processing of carbon grains in the solar nebula and unraveling the H2O formation mechanisms in solar nebula and planetary systems, including the Moon. Using graphite grains, the VUV photon-simulated oxidation of carbon grains via reactive scattering of water fragments produced by dissociative electron attachment at the buried interface was examined. The results suggested that VUV PSD at the buried water:carbon grain interface may help control the carbon inventory during planet formation. The inverse process, (i.e, the formation of water) may happen on metal-oxide samples such as mineral grains and lunar regolith samples, that contain or are terminated by hydroxyl groups. Solar wind spaceweathering experiments of several Apollo lunar samples demonstrated that thermally activated recombinative desorption (RD) can be H2O sources [2,3] and that electron-stimulated reactive scattering to produce water may also be occurring, especially when the Moon is in the magnetopause[4]. RD can occur on a diurnal basis on the Moon and is prevalentduring meteoroid impacts. The latter is simulated by laser irradiation studies followed by state and velocity resolved detection of the produced water. Finally, evidence of space weathering and surface alteration has also been revealed using spatially resolved, high-resolution nanoscale Fourier transform infrared imaging/spectroscopy correlated with photoluminescence (PL) on Apollo samples with different origins and history.
[1] J. Shi, G. A. Greives, and T. M. Orlando, Astrophys. J 80(1) 24 (2015).[2] B. M. Jones, et. al, Geophys. Res. Lett., 45, (2018) 10,959–10,967[3] B. M. Jones, et. al, Astrophys. J. Lett., 891 (2020) L43[4] 7. S. Li, A. R. Poppe, T. M. Orlando, B. M. Jones, O. J. Tucker, W. M. Farrell, and A. R. Hendrix,”, Nat. Astron. (2023)

A few rules:— in case of large in-person attendance, attendees may be asked to wear a face mask— before joining, make sure you are using your institutional inaf.it account if you have one (otherwise we will grant you permission to join)— please do not forget to mute your microphone and switch off your webcam when access the virtual room— for questions leave a message in the chat, the answers at the end of the webinar— the seminar will be recorded, so if you are interested in it, please contact us to get the link to the registration.

Stellar-wind-fed magnetospheres of magnetic massive stars
2024-10-21 11:30 - 12:30 | Sede A. Riccò, Via Santa Sofia 78, Catania
Recording: https://www.oact.inaf.it/seminars/
DATE: Monday, October 21, 11:30 a.m.
ORGANIZER: INAF-OACT
LOCATION: AULA OVEST (INAF-OACT) + remote
Link for the remote audience:https://meet.google.com/wvf-uwxo-oyj
SPEAKER: Prof. Stanley Owocki (University of Delaware)
ABSTRACT:A subpopulation (~9%) of hot (OB) stars exhibit strong (B~100-10,000 G), large-scale (often predominantly dipolar) magnetic fields that channel their stellar wind outflows into circumstellar magnetospheres. For young, rapidly rotating B-stars that have not yet been spun down by wind-magnetic braking, wind material can be trapped between the Kepler co-rotation radius (RK) and the Alfven radius (RA), forming then a “Centrifugal Magnetosphere” (CM), with density set at the critical level for “Centrifugal Breakout” (CBO) against the confining magnetic tension. This talk discusses how such CBO controls both the onset and strength of observed H-alpha emission, while the energetics of the associated CBO-driven magnetic reconnection match well the observed scalings of a non-thermal, circularly polarized radio emission from such stars .

A few rules:— in case of large in-person attendance, attendees may be asked to wear a face mask— before joining, make sure you are using your institutional inaf.it account if you have one (otherwise we will grant you permission to join)— please do not forget to mute your microphone and switch off your webcam when access the virtual room— for questions leave a message in the chat, the answers at the end of the webinar— the seminar will be recorded, so if you are interested in it, please contact us to get the link to the registration.

Spectroscopic observations and modeling of solar flares: new insights from IRIS
2024-10-30 10:30 - 11:30 | Sede A. Riccò, Via Santa Sofia 78, Catania
Recording: https://www.oact.inaf.it/seminars/
DATE: Wednesday, October 30, 10:30 a.m.
ORGANIZER: INAF-OACT
LOCATION: AULA OVEST (INAF-OACT) + remote
Link for the remote audience:https://meet.google.com/wvf-uwxo-oyj
SPEAKER: Vanessa Polito (Lockheed Martin Solar and Astrophysics Laboratory)
ABSTRACT:Recent high-resolution observations from the IRIS satellites have enabled significant advancements in our understanding of the physical mechanisms at play during the impulsive phase of flares, including details of how the non-thermal energy is released and propagated from the corona to the low-atmosphere through accelerated particles. At the same time, the new discoveries have brought to light new unsolved questions and challenges for current models. This talk will provide some examples of the unique contributions to our understanding of flares from IRIS, also in coordination with other solar observatories, and how state-of-the-art heating models of flares can be constrained by the available imaging and spectral diagnostics. I will also discuss some of the outstanding problems in preparation for the next generation of solar missions.

A few rules:— in case of large in-person attendance, attendees may be asked to wear a face mask— before joining, make sure you are using your institutional inaf.it account if you have one (otherwise we will grant you permission to join)— please do not forget to mute your microphone and switch off your webcam when access the virtual room— for questions leave a message in the chat, the answers at the end of the webinar— the seminar will be recorded, so if you are interested in it, please contact us to get the link to the registration.

From clouds to fragments: on the multi-scale interplay between gravity and turbulence
2024-11-08 11:30 | Sede A. Riccò, Via Santa Sofia 78, Catania
Recording: https://www.oact.inaf.it/seminars/
DATE: Friday, November 8, 11:30 a.m.
ORGANIZER: INAF-OACT
LOCATION: AULA OVEST (INAF-OACT) + remote
Link for the remote audience:https://meet.google.com/wvf-uwxo-oyj
SPEAKER: Dott. Alessio Traficante (IAPS-INAF)
ABSTRACT:The star formation mechanism occurs in well defined structures that can be identified and studied in great details in our own Galaxy: the process starts in giant molecular clouds, objects extended up to several tens of parsecs, within which elongated sub-structures, called filaments, may form. Inside filaments, round-like condensations extended up to ~1pc in radius, the so-called clumps, are the natural birth site of the pre- and proto- stellar fragments, inside which will origin the future stars.There are still many open questions in this hierarchical view of the star formation process: are these structures relatively confined from each other, or is the large-scale environment affecting the dynamics of the formation down to clumps and fragments? Is there a continuous interplay of the various forces involved in the process, namely turbulence, gravity (and magnetic fields), at all scales? Or is there a relevant scale at which gravity will start to dominate the collapse, with critical implications on the star-formation mechanism?After a general overview of the problem, I will present in details some recent results focused on the interplay between gravity and turbulence at the filament, clump and fragment scales. To investigate this interplay at the larger scales, we have combined the dynamics of so-called 70 micron quiet clumps, i.e. very pristine regions not yet strongly affected by feedbacks, with the dynamics of the parent filaments in which they are embedded. At smaller scales, I will discuss the different scenarios of fragments formation in light of the most recent results from the SQUALO (Star formation in QUiescent And Luminous Objects) project. This ALMA survey has been designed to investigate the formation properties in a sample of massive clumps selected to be at various evolutionary stages and with the common feature that they are all accreting at the clump scales.Our results show that a large scales we observe a continuous interplay between turbulence and gravity, where the former creates structures at all scales and the latter takes the lead above a critical value of the surface density is reached, ~ 0.1 g cm^-2. At the same time, the fragmentation properties show several indications that the fragment are “clump-fed”, i.e. the process is dynamical and the gravity dominates the collapse inside our massive clumps.

A few rules:— in case of large in-person attendance, attendees may be asked to wear a face mask— before joining, make sure you are using your institutional inaf.it account if you have one (otherwise we will grant you permission to join)— please do not forget to mute your microphone and switch off your webcam when access the virtual room— for questions leave a message in the chat, the answers at the end of the webinar— the seminar will be recorded, so if you are interested in it, please contact us to get the link to the registration.

Lo Spazio come bene comune dell'umanità
2025-03-04 15:15 | Sede A. Riccò, Via Santa Sofia 78, Catania
DATA: Martedì, 4 Marzo, 15:15
ORGANIZZATORE: INAF-OACT
LOCATION: AULA OVEST (INAF-OACT)
SPEAKER: Prof.ssa Patrizia Caraveo (Presidente della Società Astronomica Italiana e Dirigente di Ricerca presso INAF-IASF di Milano)
Ad oggi, ci sono in orbita circa 10.000 satelliti operativi (e non meno di 3.000 per così dire “defunti”). Offrono servizi di grande utilità per migliorare la qualità della nostra vita, ma occorre considerare le conseguenze della crescita esplosiva nel loro numero. Benché operino nello spazio, i satelliti hanno infatti un impatto non trascurabile sulla vita e sulle attività che si svolgono sulla Terra e sulla qualità della nostra atmosfera. Lo spazio è parte integrante dell’ecosistema terrestre e prima ce ne renderemo conto meglio sarà.

Status and future of 21-cm cosmology during the first billion years
2025-03-19 11:30 | Sede A. Riccò, Via Santa Sofia 78, Catania
Recording: https://www.oact.inaf.it/seminars/
DATE: Wednesday, March 19, 11:30 a.m.
ORGANIZER: INAF-OACT
LOCATION: AULA OVEST (INAF-OACT) + remote
Link for the remote audience:https://meet.google.com/wvf-uwxo-oyj
SPEAKER: Prof. Andrei Mesinger (Scuola Normale Superiore, Pisa)
ABSTRACT:The 21-cm hyperfine line of neutral hydrogen is set to revolutionize studies of the first billion years, spanning the cosmic dawn of the first stars and eventual reionization of our Universe. I will discuss the potential of this probe in learning about the unknown astrophysics of the first galaxies as well as physical cosmology. Current upper limits on the cosmic 21-cm power spectrum already provide new insights into the heating of the intergalactic medium, and the X-ray sources in the first galaxies. I will discuss the upcoming steps, including the main challenges, that will eventually lead to the Nobel prize-worthy 3D map of half of our observable Universe with the Square Kilometer Array (SKA) telescope.Our results show that a large scales we observe a continuous interplay between turbulence and gravity, where the former creates structures at all scales and the latter takes the lead above a critical value of the surface density is reached, ~ 0.1 g cm^-2. At the same time, the fragmentation properties show several indications that the fragment are “clump-fed”, i.e. the process is dynamical and the gravity dominates the collapse inside our massive clumps.

A few rules:— in case of large in-person attendance, attendees may be asked to wear a face mask— before joining, make sure you are using your institutional inaf.it account if you have one (otherwise we will grant you permission to join)— please do not forget to mute your microphone and switch off your webcam when access the virtual room— for questions leave a message in the chat, the answers at the end of the webinar— the seminar will be recorded, so if you are interested in it, please contact us to get the link to the registration.

How is magnetism affecting the properties of solar and stellar acoustic modes?
2025-03-27 11:00 - 12:00 | Sede A. Riccò, Via Santa Sofia 78, Catania
Recording: https://www.oact.inaf.it/seminars/
DATE: Thursday, March 27, 11:00 a.m.
ORGANIZER: INAF-OACT
LOCATION: AULA OVEST (INAF-OACT) + remote
Link for the remote audience:https://meet.google.com/wvf-uwxo-oyj
SPEAKER: Dr. Eva Panetier (CEA Saclay, Université Paris Cité)
ABSTRACT:Outside of solar neutrinos, the only way to directly probing solar and stellar interiors is to use seismic techniques, i.e. studying the waves propagating inside them. In the case of the Sun, acoustic waves are excited by turbulent motion in the convective envelope, and propagate towards the interior, creating a variety of standing pressure modes (p modes). By investigating how small perturbations influence the modes parameters, it is possible to probe the structural and dynamical properties of the star such as internal rotation and mixing, chemical composition, density, convection zone depth, etc. In the stellar case, asteroseismology allows the inference of the stellar fundamental parameters such as mass, radius, and age. Although, solar p-modes frequency, amplitude, and energy vary in relation with the solar magnetic cycle and similar variations were observed for other magnetically active solar-type stars, such a variability is often overlooked in stellar modelling. In the context of the preparation of the PLATO mission, whose aim is to characterize Earth-like planets orbiting solar-like stars in part thanks to asteroseismology, we need to better understand the relation between magnetic variations and modes parameters. In this seminar, I will focus on the excitation of the solar p modes using the last 28 years of data from the SoHO/GOLF instrument, with a method gathering a better temporal resolution compared to classical approaches. In this framework, I was able to perform a statistical study of the energy of the modes. Summing the energy of all studied modes, I will demonstrate that there is a discrepancy between the observed excitation rate and the expected rate under the hypothesis of excitation driven entirely by turbulent convection. I will discuss the link between this discrepancy and surface magnetism effects such as flares and coronal mass ejection. In conclusion, I will explain how a better understanding of the relation between the dynamo mechanism and modes properties variation across time would allow us to improve the constraint we have on stellar dynamics and obtained refined stellar fundamental parameters.

A few rules:— in case of large in-person attendance, attendees may be asked to wear a face mask— before joining, make sure you are using your institutional inaf.it account if you have one (otherwise we will grant you permission to join)— please do not forget to mute your microphone and switch off your webcam when access the virtual room— for questions leave a message in the chat, the answers at the end of the webinar— the seminar will be recorded, so if you are interested in it, please contact us to get the link to the registration.

Probing Impacts of Stellar Variability within HST WFC3/STIS and Ariel Tier 2 and Tier 3 Observations with Activity Metrics
2025-04-03 10:30 - 11:30 | Sede A. Riccò, Via Santa Sofia 78, Catania
Recording: https://www.oact.inaf.it/seminars/
DATE: Thursday, April 3, 11:00 a.m.
ORGANIZER: INAF-OACT
LOCATION: AULA OVEST (INAF-OACT) + remote
Link for the remote audience:https://meet.google.com/wvf-uwxo-oyj
SPEAKER: Alexandra Thompson (Department of Physics and Astronomy, University College London)
ABSTRACT:Stellar activity produces two main diagnostics within low-resolution exoplanet transmission spectra. Its highly chromatic nature imparts trends in the underlying spectrum that become most noticeable at shorter wavelengths due to the increased contrast between the flux from the active regions (i.e. spots and/or faculae) and the quiet photosphere. The second characteristic is that activity is inherently time-variable, predominantly modulated by stellar rotation as active regions rotate into and out of view but also with contributions from longer timescales of evolution/decay and even long-term activity cycles e.g. maxima and minima (although certain configurations e.g. polar spots and active latitudes will be more resistant to this). This variability can reveal itself through subsequent observations of the system and is both useful and challenging; it can further help us to identify and constrain potential contamination but also means that observations at different epochs may require individual corrections before they can robustly be combined and analysed together which will become increasingly difficult for smaller planets as the SNR of each visit progressively decreases. In this seminar I will present how both diagnostics have been used with archival HST WFC3 and STIS datasets to create two new activity metrics that are highly complementary to existing indicators. I will also show preliminary results surrounding how this work is being extended to Tier 2 and Tier 3 Ariel simulations to explore how stellar variability will impact our ability to stack visits to obtain the required SNR for these tiers.

A few rules:— before joining, make sure you are using your institutional inaf.it account if you have one (otherwise we will grant you permission to join)— please do not forget to mute your microphone and switch off your webcam when access the virtual room— for questions leave a message in the chat, the answers at the end of the webinar— the seminar will be recorded, so if you are interested in it, please contact us to get the link to the registration.

Non-standard signatures from CMB polarisation with an insight into the new technological challenges
2025-04-07 11:00 - 12:00 | Sede A. Riccò, Via Santa Sofia 78, Catania
Recording: https://www.oact.inaf.it/seminars/
DATE: Monday, April 7, 11:00 a.m.
ORGANIZER: INAF-OACT
LOCATION: AULA OVEST (INAF-OACT) + remote
Link for the remote audience:https://meet.google.com/wvf-uwxo-oyj
SPEAKER: Dr. Matteo Billi (University of Catania)
ABSTRACT:In this seminar, I will focus on non-standard signatures from CMB polarisation that may indicate the existence of new phenomena beyond the standard models of cosmology and particle physics, from both theoretical and observational perspectives. ESA’s Planck mission has observed CMB temperature anisotropies at the cosmic variance limit, but polarisation remains to be further investigated. CMB polarisation data are important not only because they contribute to provide tighter constraints on cosmological parameters but also because they allow the study of physical processes that would be excluded if only the CMB temperature maps were considered. I use polarisation data into account to assess the statistical significance of the anomalies currently observed only in the CMB temperature map, and to constrain the Cosmic Birefringence (CB) effect, which is expected in parity-violating extensions of the standard electromagnetism.Measuring CMB polarisation is technically challenging because the polarised signal is much fainter than the temperature signal, and accurate polarisation estimates require exquisite control of systematic effects. To investigate the impact of spurious signals in upcoming CMB polarisation experiments, I present a study of the interplay between half-wave plate (HWP) non-idealities and the beams of the instrument for the next generation of CMB experiments, with an insight into how this instrumental contamination affects the measurement of the cosmic birefringence effect.

A few rules:— before joining, make sure you are using your institutional inaf.it account if you have one (otherwise we will grant you permission to join)— please do not forget to mute your microphone and switch off your webcam when access the virtual room— for questions leave a message in the chat, the answers at the end of the webinar— the seminar will be recorded, so if you are interested in it, please contact us to get the link to the registration.

Line shape modeling for the characterization of magnetized plasmas in fusion research and astrophysics
2025-04-09 11:00 - 12:00 | Sede A. Riccò, Via Santa Sofia 78, Catania
Recording: https://www.oact.inaf.it/seminars/
DATE: Wednesday, April 9, 11:00 a.m.
ORGANIZER: INAF-OACT
LOCATION: AULA OVEST (INAF-OACT) + remote
Link for the remote audience:https://meet.google.com/wvf-uwxo-oyj
SPEAKER: Joel Rosato (Aix-Marseille Université – France)
ABSTRACT:In this talk, we report on a selection of issues present in the elaboration of spectroscopic models for magnetized plasma diagnostic. A focus is put on tokamak edge and white dwarf atmosphere plasma conditions. In both cases, the observed spectra exhibit clean lines, either in absorption or in emission, denoting the presence of neutral species (atoms). An analysis of the line shape and intensity yields information on the plasma parameters provided a suitable physical model is used. We first discuss in detail the physical mechanisms underlying the broadening of the spectral lines due to the plasma microfield (Stark effect), and we next report on models and codes that have been developed in our group at the PIIM laboratory. Applications to the fitting of observed spectra – both in magnetic fusion and astrophysics – are presented. Motivated by current research trends, we also discuss specific issues related to the presence of strong external magnetic field (Zeeman effect etc.) and report on some recent works done in atomic physics for the improvement of line shape models.

A few rules:— before joining, make sure you are using your institutional inaf.it account if you have one (otherwise we will grant you permission to join)— please do not forget to mute your microphone and switch off your webcam when access the virtual room— for questions leave a message in the chat, the answers at the end of the webinar— the seminar will be recorded, so if you are interested in it, please contact us to get the link to the registration.

Elucidating diffuse Galactic synchrotron emission for precision 21cm and CMB cosmology
2025-04-14 11:00 - 12:00 | Sede A. Riccò, Via Santa Sofia 78, Catania
Recording: https://www.oact.inaf.it/seminars/
DATE: Monday, April 14, 11:00 a.m.
ORGANIZER: INAF-OACT
LOCATION: AULA OVEST (INAF-OACT) + remote
Link for the remote audience:https://meet.google.com/wvf-uwxo-oyj
SPEAKER: Dr. Melis O. Irfan (IoA, University of Cambridge)
ABSTRACT:The next generation of Cosmic Microwave Background experiments are poised to probe the inflationary period of the Universe through the measurement of primordial B-modes, whilst 21cm experiments are observing the reionization history of the early Universe and formation of Large-Scale Structure through the mapping of neutral hydrogen. These two complementary fields span the radio to microwave frequency regimes and share a pivotal data reduction task: foreground component separation.Diffuse Galactic synchrotron emission is the dominant foreground for arcmin/degree scale cosmological surveys operating across MHz frequencies in intensity, and at all frequencies under 60 GHz in polarised intensity. In this talk I will present measurements of the synchrotron spectral index and curvature between 73 MHz and 1 GHz through the combined use of pilot MeerKLASS, Haslam, Maipu/MU and LWA data. I will discuss the advances that can be made to component separation algorithms thanks to more sophisticated foreground emission modelling and will present a spatially complex, all-sky model of the synchrotron spectral index formed using convolutional neural networks trained on sets of both high- and low-resolution empirical data. Such advances will, and already are, expanding our understanding of the spatial and spectral form of this complex emission; ameliorating component separation for both CMB and 21cm intensity mapping experiments.

A few rules:— before joining, make sure you are using your institutional inaf.it account if you have one (otherwise we will grant you permission to join)— please do not forget to mute your microphone and switch off your webcam when access the virtual room— for questions leave a message in the chat, the answers at the end of the webinar— the seminar will be recorded, so if you are interested in it, please contact us to get the link to the registration.

Precision Meter-wavelength Polarimetry with the Very Large Array
2025-04-30 11:00 - 12:00 | Sede A. Riccò, Via Santa Sofia 78, Catania
Recording: https://www.oact.inaf.it/seminars/
DATE: Wednesday, April 30, 11:00 a.m.
ORGANIZER: INAF-OACT
LOCATION: AULA OVEST (INAF-OACT) + remote
Link for the remote audience:https://meet.google.com/wvf-uwxo-oyj
SPEAKER: Rick Perley (National Radio Astronomy Observatory – USA)
ABSTRACT:Accurate imaging polarimetry at meter wavelengths requires removal of the highly variable ionospheric Faraday rotation (IFRM) with an accuracy of 0.1 rad/m^2 or better. Models to estimate the VTEC using GNSS timing data, combined with global terrestrial magnetic field models have been developed over the past 25 years. Estimating the accuracy of these models requires observations of a source of known intrinsic electric vector position angle (EVPA) over a wide rage of ionospheric conditions.Using eight VLA polarimetric observations of the moon spanning ten years using the VLA’s P-band (295 — 445 MHz) receivers, we have tested the accuracy of seven global IONEX models produced by the AIPS program TECOR, and the regional model derived by ALBUS.All seven global models overestimate the IFRM, typically by 0.5 to 1.0 rad/m^2 — a value which remains constant over many hours, including day — night transitions. The ‘ALBUS’ model, which uses GNSS ground station data within ~300 km of the requested site, generates predictions which are always the closest — usually with 0.2 rad/m^2— to the observed values.

A few rules:— before joining, make sure you are using your institutional inaf.it account if you have one (otherwise we will grant you permission to join)— please do not forget to mute your microphone and switch off your webcam when access the virtual room— for questions leave a message in the chat, the answers at the end of the webinar— the seminar will be recorded, so if you are interested in it, please contact us to get the link to the registration.

Pint of Science 2025: Alla ricerca di vita nello Spazio
2025-05-19 21:00 - 22:30 | Joyce Irish pub, Via Montesano 46, Catania, 95131, Italia
Nell’ambito dell’iniziativa “Pint of Science“, che si propone di promuovere incontri con ricercatori in un ambiente accogliente e informale, vi segnaliamo la seguente iniziativa, che si svolgerà presso il Joyce Irish Pub, Via Montesano 46 – Catania.

Titolo: Alla ricerca di vita nello Spazio
Sommario: C’è vita su altri pianeti? O la vita esiste solo sulla Terra? Oggi possiamo utilizzare tecnologie che potrebbero aiutarci a rispondere. Telescopi, missioni spaziali e l’analisi di campioni provenienti dallo spazio ci permettono di cercare gli ingredienti della vita su altri pianeti, aiutandoci anche a comprendere come si è originata la vita sulla Terra.
Relatore: Riccardo G. Urso (Ricercatore – INAF Osservatorio Astrofisico di Catania)
Ricercatore all’INAF di Catania, si occupa di Astrochimica e astrobiologia per studiare l’origine e la presenza di molecole organiche nello spazio.PhD in Scienza dei materiali e nanotecnologie, ha lavorato come post-doc per l’Agenzia Spaziale Francese ed è stato Einstein Fellow all’Università Libera di Berlino.

Ingresso libero fino a esaurimento dei posti disponibili

Pint of Science 2025: Viaggio cosmico a sorsi di birra
2025-05-20 21:00 - 22:30 | Joyce Irish pub, Via Montesano 46, Catania, 95131, Italia
Nell’ambito dell’iniziativa “Pint of Science“, che si propone di promuovere incontri con ricercatori in un ambiente accogliente e informale, vi segnaliamo la seguente iniziativa, che si svolgerà presso il Joyce Irish Pub, Via Montesano 46 – Catania.

Titolo: Viaggio cosmico a sorsi di birra
Sommario: Esploreremo come la radiazione cosmica di fondo (CMB), l’eco del Big Bang, ci riveli indizi sullo stato dell’universo primordiale. Dalle fluttuazioni di temperatura alla struttura su larga scala dell’universo, ogni segnale è un frammento del passato che ci permette di ricostruire le condizioni iniziali del cosmo. Al contempo, ci affacceremo alle questioni ancora aperte, sfidando le nostre teorie e aprendo questioni fondamentali sulla natura della realtà.
Relatore: Giuseppe Puglisi (Ricercatore – Dipartimento di Fisica e Astronomia Università di Catania e INFN Sezione di Catania)
Giuseppe Puglisi è un cosmologo dell’Università di Catania. La sua ricerca si concentra principalmente sulla polarizzazione del Fondo Cosmico a Microonde (CMB), sull’emissione nelle microonde della Via Lattea e sull’analisi dei dati per gli esperimenti CMB. Dopo 4 anni di studio di Dottorato di Ricerca presso la SISSA di Trieste si è trasferito in California per proseguire le sue ricerche presso le università di Stanford e Berkeley per 5 anni. Da un paio di anni è ritornato a Catania come ricercatore presso l’Università di Catania.

Ingresso libero fino a esaurimento dei posti disponibili

Quantum Computing for Astrophysics and Cosmology: Opportunities and Challenges
2025-05-26 11:15 - 12:15 | Sede A. Riccò, Via Santa Sofia 78, Catania
Recording: https://www.oact.inaf.it/seminars/
DATE: Monday, May 26, 11:15 a.m.
ORGANIZER: INAF-OACT
LOCATION: AULA OVEST (INAF-OACT) + remote
Link for the remote audience:https://meet.google.com/wvf-uwxo-oyj
SPEAKER:Farida Farsian (OACT-INAF)
ABSTRACT:The rapid advancement of quantum computing technologies is opening new frontiers across various scientific disciplines. As quantum devices continue to evolve, investigating their potential to tackle complex computational problems in astrophysics and cosmology becomes essential.In this seminar, I will present an overview of my recent research focused on the application of quantum computing and quantum machine learning techniques to astrophysical and cosmological problems. In particular, I will discuss the implementation and capabilities of quantum neural networks in analyzing astrophysical data, as well as the application of quantum Fourier transform in Cosmic Microwave Background data analysis.The talk will highlight both the promising opportunities and the current limitations of these quantum approaches, providing a perspective on how quantum computing could contribute in data analysis and modeling in astrophysics in the near future.

A few rules:— before joining, make sure you are using your institutional inaf.it account if you have one (otherwise we will grant you permission to join)— please do not forget to mute your microphone and switch off your webcam when access the virtual room— for questions leave a message in the chat, the answers at the end of the webinar— the seminar will be recorded, so if you are interested in it, please contact us to get the link to the registration.

Riconoscere e Contrastare la Violenza maschile sulle Donne
2025-06-09 11:30 - 13:00 | Sede A. Riccò, Via Santa Sofia 78, Catania
Recording: https://www.oact.inaf.it/seminars/
DATE: Monday, June 9, 11:10 a.m.
ORGANIZER: CUG INAF and INAF-OACT
LOCATION: AULA OVEST (INAF-OACT) + remote
Link for the remote audience:https://meet.google.com/scz-gftb-xry
SPEAKER: dott.ssa Anna Agosta (presidente del Centro Antiviolenza di Catania Thamaia)
ABSTRACT (English below):L’Associazione Thamaia Onlus, attiva dal 2001, è una Organizzazione Non Lucrativa di Utilità Sociale impegnata nella promozione della qualità della vita di donne e minori vittime di violenza e maltrattamenti familiari. Oltre alla gestione, dal 2003, del Centro Antiviolenza per donne che subiscono maltrattamenti, violenza sessuale e stalking, Thamaia svolge un’intensa attività di sensibilizzazione e formazione rivolta alla cittadinanza, alle scuole, ai servizi socio-sanitari e alle Forze dell’Ordine, con l’obiettivo di prevenire la violenza di genere e promuovere la cultura della legalità.L’Associazione è parte attiva del Forum Permanente contro le molestie e la violenza di genere (L.R. 3/2012) e coordina, dal 2008, la Rete Antiviolenza Interistituzionale della provincia di Catania, che coinvolge numerosi enti pubblici e privati. Inoltre, è socia di D.i.Re. – Donne in rete contro la violenza e del CISMAI, consolidando il proprio ruolo come punto di riferimento sul territorio.In occasione dell’intervento richiesto dall’NAF di Catania, l’Associazione intende offrire un approfondimento sul fenomeno della violenza maschile contro le donne, affrontandolo come questione culturale e sociale. L’incontro sarà l’occasione per:

riflettere sull’incidenza e sulla rappresentazione del fenomeno attraverso dati concreti;
analizzare le dinamiche, le forme e le conseguenze della violenza sulla vita delle donne;
fornire strumenti utili per il riconoscimento e il contrasto della violenza di genere in ambito lavorativo e sociale.

“Recognizing and Combating Male Violence Against Women”
ABSTRACTThamaia Onlus Association, active since 2001, is a Non-Profit Organization of Social Utility committed to promoting the quality of life of women and minors who are victims of domestic violence and abuse. Since 2003, the association has managed a Women’s Anti-Violence Center, supporting women who experience abuse, sexual violence, and stalking. Thamaia also carries out extensive awareness-raising and training activities aimed at the general public, schools, social and health services, and law enforcement agencies, with the goal of preventing gender-based violence and promoting a culture of legality.The association plays an active role in the Permanent Forum against Harassment and Gender-Based Violence (Regional Law 3/2012) and, since 2008, has coordinated the Interinstitutional Anti-Violence Network of the province of Catania, which includes numerous public and private entities. Additionally, Thamaia is a member of D.i.Re – Women Against Violence Network and CISMAI, further consolidating its role as a key reference point in the region.As part of the initiative requested by INAF Catania, the association aims to provide an in-depth look at the phenomenon of male violence against women, addressing it as a cultural and social issue. The meeting will offer an opportunity to:

reflect on the prevalence and portrayal of the phenomenon using concrete data;
analyze the dynamics, forms, and consequences of violence on women’s lives;
provide practical tools to recognize and combat gender-based violence in both the workplace and society

The seminar will be held in Italian, with English subtitles. For those interested, the presentation slides will also be made available in English.

A few rules:— before joining, make sure you are using your institutional inaf.it account if you have one (otherwise we will grant you permission to join)— please do not forget to mute your microphone and switch off your webcam when access the virtual room— for questions leave a message in the chat, the answers at the end of the webinar— the seminar will be recorded, so if you are interested in it, please contact us to get the link to the registration.

Osservazione dell'eclissi totale di Luna
2025-09-07 19:30 - 23:00 | Piazza Europa, Catania, Piazza Europa, Catania, Italy
In occasione dell’eclissi totale di Luna che si verificherà domenica 7 settembre, e nell’ambito delle iniziative della Notte Europea dei Ricercatori 2025 coordinate dall’Università degli Studi di Catania, l’INAF-Osservatorio Astrofisico di Catania vi invita a partecipare alle osservazioni pubbliche che si terranno in Piazza Europa (lato mare vicino ingresso Borghetto, vedi mappa) a Catania, a partire dalle ore 19:30.
Le osservazioni saranno effettuate con i telescopi messi a disposizione dal Gruppo Astrofili Catanesi.Alcuni ricercatori dell’INAF saranno presenti per spiegare il fenomeno osservato e rispondere a tutte le vostre domande e curiosità.
Dopo la fine della fase di totalità, continueremo con l’osservazione di Saturno. L’evento si concluderà alle ore 23:00.
Di seguito gli orari e le fasi dell’eclissi visibili da Catania:17:28 – Inizio fase penombrale (non visibile, Luna ancora sotto l’orizzonte)18:28 – Inizio fase di eclissi parziale (non visibile, Luna ancora sotto l’orizzonte)19:31 – Inizio fase di eclissi totale (inizialmente non visibile)19:40 – La Luna sorge dall’orizzonte a Est, già in fase di totalità20:12 – Massimo dell’eclisse20:53 – Fine fase di eclissi totale, inizio eclissi parziale21:56 – Fine eclissi parziale, inizio fase penombrale

Ingresso libero senza prenotazione Vi aspettiamo numerosi per condividere insieme questo momento spettacolare!

Il Gruppo Astrofili Catanesi organizza l’osservazione dell’eclissi e di Saturno, con le stesse modalità dell’iniziativa di Piazza Europa, anche presso il palazzo Recupero-Cutore di Aci Bonaccorsi.
