Institute of Theoretical Physics and Astronomy

Sukurta: 16 September 2013

tfai 12 A. Goštauto, LT-01108 Vilnius
Tel. 219 3251, fax. 212 5361
E-mail:
www http://www.tfai.vu.lt

Director - Dr. Habil. Gediminas Juzeliūnas

STAFF

52 research fellows (39 holding research degree), 11 doctoral students.

Astronomical Observatory
Department of the Theory of Atom
Department of the Theory of Nucleus
Department of the Theory of Processes and Structures
Planetarium

RESEARCH AREAS

Analysis of Atoms, Subatomic Particles or their Ensembles, Complex Systems, Electromagnetic Radiation and Cosmic Objects

DOCTORAL DISSERTATIONS MAINTAINED IN 2015

A. Kononovičius. Applications of Statistical Physics in Modeling of Financial Markets and Social Processes.

R. Ženovienė. Chemical composition study of Galactic stellar substructures.

MAIN CONFERENCES ORGANIZED IN 2015

Third Gaia-ESO Science Meeting

Sustaining gender equality and excellence in research and innovations: a call for structural changes

MAIN SCIENTIFIC ACHIEVEMENTS IN 2015

The first realistic calculations performed for deuteron-deuteron elastic scattering and transfer reactions 2H(d,p)3H and 2H(d,n)3He at energies above four-nucleon breakup threshold.

An astrophysical plasma spectra modelling code employing atomic spectroscopic data of improved accuracy calculated by us for the Zn II ions was used to predict many emission and absorption lines and their atomic parameters. One can compare such predictions with the observed line strengths to obtain improved constraints on the chemical composition and physical properties of the galactic inter-stellar media. It was demonstrated how ratios of some lines in the optical wavelength range can serve as kinetic temperature indicators.

An in-depth analysis of ~350 stars in the Galactic globular cluster 47 Tuc has revealed for the first time the existence of weak but statistically significant links between the chemical and dynamical properties of individual cluster stars. The obtained results show that stars with higher oxygen and lithium abundances (but lower sodium abundances) are more centrally concentrated and they are characterized with higher radial velocity dispersion.

It was shown that herding behaviour, one of the main reasons behind large financial fluctuations, may be also used to suppress them. We have introduced a small fixed number of controlled agents into a realistic financial market agent-based model and showed that they can make a significant impact on global dynamics due to herding tendencies of normal agents. The controlled agents can even use unconventional random trading strategy – the financial fluctuations are still being suppressed.

ASTRONOMICAL OBSERVATORY

12 A. Goštauto, LT-01108 Vilnius
Tel. 219 32 50, fax 261 53 61
E-mail: grazina.tautvaisiene @ tfai.vu.lt

Head – Habil. Dr. Gražina Tautvaišienė

STAFF

Chief research fellows: Dr. Habil. G. Tautvaišienė, Dr. K. Černis, Dr. A. Kučinskas, Prof. Emeritus Dr. Habil. V. Straižys, Prof. Dr. Habil. A. Bartkevičius (affiliated), Dr. Habil. K. Zdanavičius (affiliated).
Senior research fellows: Dr. R. Janulis, Dr. A. Kazlauskas, Dr. E. Pakštienė, Dr. J. Zdanavičius.
Research fellows: Dr. Y. Chorniy, Dr. V. Dobrovolskas, Dr. M. Maskoliūnas, Dr. Š. Mikolaitis, Dr. E. Puzeras, Dr. E. Stonkutė.
Junior research fellows: G. Barisevičius (part time), V. Čepas (part-time), A. Černiauskas (part- time), A. Drazdauskas (part-time), J. Klevas (part-time), M. Macijauskas (part-time), K. Milašius (part-time), D. Prakapavičius (part-time), Dr. R. Ženovienė.
Doctoral students: A. Černiauskas, A. Drazdauskas, J. Klevas, M. Macijauskas, K. Milašius.
Lecturers: S. Lovčikas.
Engineers: G. Valiauga.
Technicians: V. Bagdonas (part-time).
Administrator: V. Kakarienė.
Manager: R. Mikutavičienė.

RESEARCH INTERESTS

Galactic structure and chemical evolution

Stellar photometry, stellar classification, multicolour photometric systems

Interstellar reddening and extinction

Chemical analysis of stellar atmospheres, mixing in stellar atmospheres

Stellar asteroseismology

Dynamical phenomena and non-equilibrium radiative transfer in stellar atmospheres

Chemo-dynamical histories of oldest Galactic populations

Search and positional observations of comets, asteroids and near-Earth objects

RESEARCH PROJECTS CARRIED OUT IN 2015

Projects Supported by University Budget

Characteristics of Atmospheric Chemical Composition and Asteroseismic Activity of Stars and Chemical Evolution of Galaxies. Habil. Dr. G. Tautvaišienė. 2011–2015.

We determined detailed elemental abundances in stars belonging to the so-called Group 1 of the Geneva-Copenhagen survey (GCS). All three GCS groups investigated have elemental abundance patterns with similar characteristics as that of the Galactic thick-disc and slightly differ from those in Hercules, Arcturus, and AF06 stellar streams which originated in a course of the resonant interactions between stars in the outer disk and the Galactic bar. Also we were working on atomic and molecular data for optical spectroscopy. A new project was initiated for the planetary transit observations.

Main publications:

Ženovienė, R., Tautvaišienė, G., Nordstrom, B., Stonkutė, E., Barisevičius, G. 2015. Stellar substructures in the solar neighbourhood. IV. Kinematic Group 1 in the Geneva-Copenhagen survey. Astronomy and Astrophysics, vol. 576, A113, doi: 10.1051/0004-6361/201425088.

Heiter, U., Lind, K., Asplund, M., Barklem, P. S., Bergemann, M., Magrini, L., Masseron, T., Mikolaitis, S., Pickering, J. C., Ruffoni, M. P. 2015. Atomic and molecular data for optical stellar spectroscopy. Physica Scripta, vol. 90, 054010, doi: 10.1088/0031-8949/90/5/054010.

Star formation and Dust Clouds in the Orion and Perseus Arms of the Galaxy. Prof. V. Straižys. 2011–2015.

Interstellar extinction in the direction of dark clouds TGU H944 P1, LDN 1399, LDN 1400, LDN 1402 and in the direction of the emission nebula Sh2-205 (the dust ring at the Camelopardalis and Perseus border) was investigated using about 2500 stars observed in the seven-colour Vilnius system and the 2MASS and WISE infrared photometric systems. Spectral and luminosity classes, interstellar reddenings and distances were determined. A new method for the identification of red clump giants in the combination of 2MASS and WISE system was developed. A new open cluster was discovered.

Hydrodynamical Phenomena and Radiative Transfer in Stellar Atmospheres. Dr. A. Kučinskas. 2015–2019.

An independent redetermination of the solar oxygen abundance was performed by investigating the centre-to-limb variation of the O I triplet lines at 777 nm. For this analysis, the most up-to-date 3D hydrodynamical models and NLTE abundance analysis techniques were used, together with the highest quality solar spectra obtained in the vicinity of O I triplet. The new value of photospheric solar oxygen abundance, A(O) = 8.76 ±0.02, allows to reconcile the solar photospheric oxygen abundance with that obtained in the deeper interiors of the Sun and therefore may constitute a major step towards the better understanding of solar internal constitution.

Main publication:

Steffen, M., Prakapavičius, D., Caffau, E., Ludwig, H.-G., Bonifacio, P., Cayrel, R., Kučinskas, A., Livingston, W.C. 2015. The photospheric solar oxygen project IV. 3D-NLTE investigation of the 777 nm triplet lines. Astronomy & Astrophysics, 583, A57, doi: 10.1051/0004-6361/201526406.

Positional Astrometry of Unusual Asteroids and Comets. Dr. K. Černis. 2011–2015.

Eleven new asteroids have been discovered. New precise orbits were determined for our earlier discovered 43 objects at Baldone Observatory. We published 3511 astrometric positions of 826 asteroids. Near Earth Objects, TNO, Main Belt, Centaurs asteroids and comets were observed with 0.35/0.51 m Maksutov telescope (Molėtai Observatory), with 0.80/1.20 m Schmidt telescope (Baldone Observatory, Latvia) and with 1.8 m Vatican telescope (Mt. Graham, Arizona, U.S.A.). Four asteroids were named by Kęstutis, Juzeliūnas, Lazauskaitė, and Marijampolė.

Main publications:

Černis, K., Wlodarczyk, I., Eglitis, I. 2015. Observational data and orbits of the asteroids discovered at the Baldone Observatory in 2008–2013. Baltic Astronomy, vol. 23, p. 231–262.

Boyle, R., Černis, K. 2015. Astrometric observations of 33 asteroids (212 positions) and discovery of 5 new asteroids in Mt. Graham Observatory (Code 290). M.P.C. 91856, February 3 2015.

Černis, K. 2015. Astrometric observations of 50 asteroids (140 positions) in Molėtai Astronomical Observatory (Code 152). M.P.C. 96418, November 25, 2015.

National Research Projects

Research Council of Lithuania. Connections between the Chemical and Dynamical Evolution of Galactic Star Clusters (MIP-065/2013). Dr. A. Kučinskas. 2013–2015.

Main publications:

Kučinskas, A., Dobrovolskas, V., Bonifacio, P. 2015. Cool stars as tracers of multiple stellar populations in the Galactic globular cluster 47 Tuc. Proceedings of Cool Stars, Stellar Systems & the Sun, 18, 321.

Kučinskas, A., Dobrovolskas, V., Bonifacio, P., Caffau, E., Ludwig, H. G., Steffen, M. Spite, M. 2015. Oxygen in the early Galaxy: OH lines as tracers of oxygen abundance in extremely metal-poor giant stars. Proceedings of Cool Stars, Stellar Systems & the Sun, 18, 327.

Dobrovolskas, V., Kučinskas, , Bonifacio, P., Caffau, E., Ludwig, H.-G., Steffen, Spite, M. 2015.Three-dimensional hydrodynamical CO5BOLD model atmospheres of red giant stars IV. Oxygen diagnostics in extremely metal-poor red giants with infrared OH lines. Astronomy & Astrophysics, vol. 576, A128, doi: 10.1051/0004-6361/201424885.

Research Council of Lithuania. Interstellar Extinction in the Selected Dust Clouds and Star-Forming Regions (MIP-061/2013). Dr. A. Kazlauskas. 2013–2015.

This research project is accomplished by scientific cooperation of astronomers from ITPA, the SOFIA Science Centre (NASA), and the Vatican Observatory Research Group. The main purpose of the investigation is to determine distances and interstellar extinctions of several selected star-forming regions in the Milky Way. The interstellar extinction in the region of open cluster M29 has been studied in 2015.

Main publication:

Straižys, V., Vrba, F., Boyle, R. P., Milašius, K., Černis, K., Zdanavičius, K., Zdanavičius, J., Kazlauskas, A., Macijauskas, M. and Janusz, R. 2015. Interstellar extinction in the direction of the open cluster M29. The Astronomical Journal, vol. 149, p. 161.

Research Council of Lithuania. Spectroscopic Survey of Carbon, Nitrogen and Oxygen in Stars of the Galactic Open Clusters (MIP-082/2015). Habil. Dr. G. Tautvaišienė. 2015–2018.

We determined CNO abundances and ¹²C/¹³C isotopic ratios in RGB stars of 11 open clusters with turn-off masses ranging from 1 to 4 M_Sun. We compared our previous and new results of CNO and ¹²C/¹³C for stars of various turn-off masses with recently developed stellar evolution models which take into account thermohaline- and rotation-induced mixing. Our results show that C/N and ¹²C/¹³C values predicted by extra-mixing models are too low. The detailed chemical composition of the investigated open clusters was used for constraining of the Galactic chemical evolution.

Main publications:

Magrini, L., Randich, S., Donati, P., Bragaglia, A., Adibekyan, V., Romano, D., Smiljanic, R., Blanco-Cuaresma, S., Tautvaisiene, G., Friel, E., Overbeek, J., Jacobson, H., Cantat-Gaudin, T., Vallenari, A., Sordo, R., Pancino, E., Geisler, D., San Roman, I., Villanova, S., Casey, A., Hourihane, A., Worley, C. C., Francois, P., Gilmore, G., Bensby, T., Flaccomio, E., Korn A. J., Recio-Blanco, A., Carraro, G., Costado, M. T., Franciosini, E., Heiter, U., Jofre, P., Lardo, C., de Laverny, P., Monaco, L., Morbidelli, L., Sacco, G., Sousa, S. G., Zaggia, S. 2015. The Gaia-ESO survey: insights into the inner-disc evolution from open clusters. Astronomy and Astrophysics, 580, A85, doi: 10.1051/0004-6361/201526305.

International Research Projects

International programme Gaia-ESO Spectroscopic Survey (ESO project 188.B-3002). Habil. Dr. G. Tautvaišienė. 2012–2016.

The main atmospheric parameters and chemical element abundances for more than forty thousand stars were determined by the Vilnius group during 2015. The observations were accomplished on the ESO Very Large Telescope and UVES and GIRAFFE spectrographs. First results of CNO abundance determinations were published, new constraints found on the Galactic disc velocity dispersion and its chemical dependencies, chemical signatures of rocky planet accretion in a young solar-type star discovered, kinematics and chemistry of recently discovered Reticulum 2 and Horologium 1 dwarf galaxies investigated, chemical composition of the globular cluster NGC 4372 determined.

Main publications:

Tautvaisiene, G., Drazdauskas, A., Mikolaitis, S., Barisevicius, G., Puzeras, E., Stonkute, E., Chorniy, Y., Magrini, L., Romano, D., Smiljanic, R., Bragaglia, A., Carraro, G., Friel, E., Morel, T., Pancino, E., Donati, P., Jimenez-Esteban, F., Gilmore, G., Randich, S., Jeffries, R. D., Vallenari, A., Bensby, T., Flaccomio, E., Recio-Blanco, A., Costado, M. T., Hill, V., Jofre, P., Lardo, C., de Laverny, P., Masseron, T., Moribelli, L., Sousa, S. G., Zaggia, S. 2015. The Gaia-ESO survey: CNO abundances in the open clusters Trumpler 20, NGC 4815, and NGC 6705. Astronomy and Astrophysics, vol. 573, A55, doi: 10.1051/0004-6361/201322977.

Spina, L., Palla, F., Randich, S., Sacco, G., Jeffries, R., Magrini, L., Franciosini, E., Meyer, M. R., Tautvaisiene, G., Gilmore, G., Alfaro, E. J., Allende Prieto, C., Bensby, T., Bragaglia, A., Flaccomio, E., Koposov, S. E., Lanzafame, A. C., Costado, M. T., Hourihane, A., Lardo, C., Lewis, J., Monaco, L., Morbidelli, L., Sousa, S. G., Worley, C. C., Zaggia, S. 2015. The Gaia-ESO survey: chemical signatures of rocky accretion in a young solar-type star. Astronomy and Astrophysics, vol. 582, L6, doi: 10.1051/0004-6361/201526896.

Koposov, S. E., Casey, A. R., Belokurov, V., Lewis, J. R., Gilmore, G., Worley, C., Hourihane, A., Randich, S., Bensby, T., Bragaglia, A., Bergemann, M., Carraro, G., Costado, M. T., Flaccomio, E., Francois, P., Heiter, U., Hill, V., Jofre, P., Lando, C., Lanzafame, A. C., de Laverny, P., Monaco, L., Morbidelli, L., Sbordone, L., Scaron, L., Mikolaitis, Š., Ryde, N. 2015. Kinematics and chemistry of recently discovered reticulum 2 and horologium 1 Dwarf Galaxies. The Astrophysical Journal, vol. 811, p. 62.

Long-term international project The European Space Agency Satellite Gaia. Prof. V. Straižys, Habil. Dr. G. Tautvaišienė.

The Gaia was launched on December 20, 2013. In 2015 together with co-authors, we published the catalogue of FGK spectral type benchmark stars for the Gaia mission. Preparation of computing codes for the automated data analysis was continued. The chemical tagging technique was tested for on-ground Gaia observing programme stars. Gaia will provide positional and radial velocity measurements with the accuracies needed to produce a stereoscopic and kinematic census of about one billion stars in our Galaxy and throughout the Local Group.

Main publications:

Jofre, P., Heiter, U., Soubiran, C., Blanco-Cuaresma, S., Masseron, T., Nordlander, T., Chemin, L., Worley, C. C., Van Eck, S., Hourihane, A., Gilmore, G., Adibekyan, V., Bergemann, M., Cantat-Gaudin, T., Delgado-Mena, E., Gonzalez Hernandez, J. I., Guiglion, G., Lardo, C., de Laverny, P., Lind, K., Magrini, L., Mikolaitis, S., Montes, D., Pancino, E., Recio-Blanco, A., Sordo, R., Sousa, S., Tabernero, H. M., Vallenari, A. 2015. Gaia FGK benchmark stars: abundances of alpha and iron-peak elements. Astronomy and Astrophysics, vol. 582, A81, doi: 10.1051/0004-6361/201526604.

Blanco-Cuaresma, S., Soubiran, C., Heiter, U., Asplund, M., Carraro, G., Costado, M. T., Feltzing, S., Gonzalez-Hernandez, J. I., Jimenez-Esteban, F., Korn, A. J., Marino, A. F., Montes, D., San Roman, I., Tabernero, H. M., Tautvaisiene, G. 2015.Testing the chemical tagging technique with open clusters. Astronomy and Astrophysics, vol. 577, A47, doi: 10.1051/0004-6361/201526604.

EC Horizon2020 project EUROPLANET2020 – Research Infrastructure (project No. 654208). Dr. Habil. G. Tautvaišienė. 2015–2019.

A €9.95 million project to integrate and support planetary science activities across Europe has been launched on the 1st of September, 2015. The project is led by the Open University, UK, and has 34 beneficiary institutions from 19 European countries. Europlanet 2020 RI will address key scientific and technological challenges facing modern planetary science by providing open access to state-of-the-art research data, models and facilities across the European Research Area. Researchers of Vilnius University have started to work in the work packages dedicated to on-ground observations, coordination and training of amateur astronomers and planetary science outreachers.

ERASMUS+ Strategic Partnerships project European Astrobiology Capus (project No. 2014-1-EE01-KA203-000518). Dr. Habil. G. Tautvaišienė. 2014–2017.

The European astrobiology campus (EAC) is an initiative of European higher education institutions, enterprises and other bodies. Among its main activities is organization of high class training events in astrobiology for students and early career scientists. A research summer school Formation and evolution of planetary systems and habitable planets was organized at the Molėtai Astronomical Observatory on August 21–31, 2015, http://www.nordicastrobiology.net/Moletai2015/

Long-term international project The Whole Earth Telescope. Dr. R. Janulis, Dr. E. Pakštienė.

Observations from 5 years (2004, 2005, 2006, 2012, 2013) of cool ZZ Ceti star PG 2303+243 were analysed and summarized, its pulsations modes were identified and their changes from year to year analysed. Physical parameters such as stellar mass, effective temperature, and hydrogen layer thickness were reviewed according to combined five-year observations.

International project Kepler Asteroseismic Science Consortium for extended Kepler space mission K2. Dr. E. Pakštienė. 2014–2016.

Observations of exoplanet transits were started at the Moletai astronomical Observatory. Five transits of exoplanets were observed, data were reduced and sent to Exoplanet Transits Database (ETD). We have agreed with Pulkov Observatory to participate in their international project Campaign to find new exoplanets based on TTV (transit timing variations) and TDV (time duration variations) signals.

COST Action TD1308 Origins and evolution of life on Earth and in the Universe (ORIGINS) (http://www.cost.eu/COST_Actions/tdp/TD1308). Action Chair: Prof. Muriel Gargaud, France) (29 countries). Habil. Dr. G. Tautvaišienė. 2014–2018.

A COST co-funded research summer school Formation and evolution of planetary systems and habitable planets was organized at the Molėtai Astronomical Observatory on August 21–31, 2015, http://www.nordicastrobiology.net/Moletai2015/ A common work was going in submitting proposals for the EC Research and Innovation Staff Exchange (RISE) programme and to EC H2020-COMPET-2015 programme.

Long-term international project Researchers’ Night 2015: Researchers on and off Work. Dr. A. Kazlauskas.

The main purpose of this project was a meeting of scientists with general public. Such meetings took place on the 25^th of September at the Molėtai Astronomical Observatory as well as in hundreds of other observatories in Europe. It is a Europe-wide public event dedicated to popular science. More than 30 countries and over 300 cities are involved.The Molėtai Astronomical Observatory programme included lectures, tours to professional telescopes, stargazing, and science videos. Almost all staff of the Observatory and several scientists from other departments have met with 500 people visiting the Observatory.

MAIN R&D&I (RESEARCH, DEVELOPMENT AND INNOVATION) PARTNERS

Astrophysical Institute Potsdam (Germany)
Copenhagen University (Denmark)
Kiepenheuer Institut fur Sonnenphysik (Germany)
Landessternwarte – Zentrum für Astronomie der Universität Heidelberg (Germany)
Vatican Observatory (USA)
Washington University (USA)

OTHER SCIENTIFIC ACTIVITIES

Dr. K. Černis –

member of the Lithuanian Astronomical Olympiad Council;
member of the International Astronomical Union (IAU).

Dr. A. Kučinskas –

member of the Board of Directors of the international journal Astronomy and Astrophysics;
vicepresident of the Lithuanian Astronomical Society;
member of the International Astronomical Union;

Prof. V. Straižys –

editor-in-chief of the international journal Baltic Astronomy;
member emeritus of the Lithuanian Academy of Sciences;
member of the working group on stellar classification of the ESA Gaia project;
member of the International Astronomical Union;
member of the European Astronomical Society.

Habil. Dr. G. Tautvaišienė –

vicepresident of the International Union of Pure and Applied Physics;
vicepresident of the Lithuanian Physics Society;
chair of Astrophysics Commission at the International Union of Pure and Applied Physics;
member of the International Astronomical Union (IAU);
executive board member of the international Astronet project;
founding member of the European Astronomical Society;
editorial board member of the journal Baltic Astronomy;
editor-in-chief of the annual astronomical almanac Lietuvos dangus (Sky of Lithuania);
member of the scientific organizing committee of the 41^st National Physics Conference, Vilnius, Lithuania, June 17–19, 2015;
member of the scientific organizing committee of the international conference Baltic Applied Astroinformatics and Space Data Processing, August 20–21, 2015, Ventspils, Latvia;

chair of the scientific organising committee of the international conference Third Gaia-ESO Science Meeting, Vilnius, Lithuania, December 1–4, 2015;
member of the scientific organizing committee of the international conference XXVIII Texas Symposium on Relativistic Astrophysics, December 13–18, 2015, Geneva, Switzerland.

DEPARTMENT OF THE THEORY OF ATOM

12 A. Goštauto, LT-01108 Vilnius
Tel. 219 3270, fax 261 5361
E-mail:

Head – Dr. Valdas Jonauskas

STAFF

Chief research fellows: Prof. Dr. Habil. P. Bogdanovičius (part-time), Prof. Dr. Habil. G. Gaigalas, Prof. Dr. Habil. R. Karazija (affiliated), Assoc. Prof. Dr. V. Jonauskas, Dr. A. Kupliauskienė (part-time).
Senior research fellows: Dr. R. Karpuškienė, Dr. J. Tamulienė, Dr. R. Kisielius, Dr. S. Kučas, Dr. G. Merkelis.
Research fellows: Assoc. Prof. Dr. A. Kynienė, Dr. A. Momkauskaitė, Dr. R. Juršėnas, Dr. Š. Masys, Dr. P. Rynkun.
Junior research fellows: L. Radžiūtė (part-time), G. Kerevičius (part-time).
Technicians: D. Stonys (part-time), J.Koncevičiūtė (part-time), S. Pakalka (part-time).
Doctoral student: G. Kerevičius, L. Radžiūtė.

RESEARCH INTERESTS

Theoretical atomic spectroscopy

Methods of the theory of complex atomic and ionic spectra

Development of quantum many-body theory

Development and application of algorithms and computer programs for plasma physics, astrophysics and other fields

Development of quantum mechanics and quantum electrodynamics for the transitions in atoms, molecules and molecular complexes

Investigation of the processes of interaction of atoms with electrons and radiation

Modelling of contemporary atomic theory problems based on usual and symbolic programming

Investigation of the spectroscopic characteristics of the molecular compounds

Theoretical investigation of crystalline and electronic structure of perovskite crystals

RESEARCH PROJECTS CARRIED OUT IN 2015

Projects Supportto Complex Atoms and their Derivatives. Dr. A. Kupliauskienė. 2012–2017.

The Auger and radiative cascades after the production of a vacancy in the K-shell and the additional ionization or excitation of the other shell are considered theoretically for the ions of astrophysically important light elements. Electron-impact-induced tryptophan molecule fragmentation was investigated. The capabilities of the most used theoretical approaches in describing the single ionization of Rb atom were considered over the electron-impact energy range from the 5s threshold to 600 eV.

Main publications:

Kučas, S., Momkauskaitė, A., Karazija, R. 2015. Cascades after K-vacancy production and additional ionization and excitation in atoms and ions of light elements. Astrophys. J., vol. 810, issue 1, p.p. 6, doi: http://dx.doi.org/10.1088/0004-637X/810/1/26.

Roman, V., Kupliauskienė, A., Borovik. A. 2015. Excitation and ionization of outer shells in Rb by electron impact. J. Phys. B: At. Mol. Opt. Phys., vol. 48, p. 205204.

Tamuliene, J., Romanova, L. G., Vukstich, V. S., Papp, A., Snegursky, A. 2015. Electron-impact-induced tryptophan molecule fragmentation. Eur. Phys. J. D, vol. 69, p. 21.

Investigation of Ordered and Unordered Atomic Systems. Dr. V. Jonauskas. 2014–2018.

Spectra of the W²⁵¹ ion has been studied using the collisional-radiative model with an ensuing cascade emission. Corona and collisional-radiative models have been applied to determine lines and corresponding configurations in low-density electron beam ion trap plasma for the W²⁶¹ ion. The elastic properties of three experimentally verified phases of perovskite crystal LaNiO₃ have been evaluated within density functional theory approximations.

Main publications:

Jonauskas, V., Kynienė, A., Rynkun, P., Kučas, S., Gaigalas, G., Kisielius, R., Masys, Š., Merkelis, G., Radžiūtė, L. 2015. Theoretical investigation of spectroscopic properties of W 26+ in EBIT plasma. J. Phys. B: Atomic, Molecular and Optical Physics, vol. 48, p. 135003.

Jonauskas, V., Pütterich, T., Kučas, S., Masys, Š., Kynienė, A., Gaigalas, G., Kisielius, R., Radžiūtė, L., Rynkun, P., Merkelis, G. 2015. Cascade emission in electron beam ion trap plasma of W25+ ion. J. Quantit. Spectr. Rad. Transfer, vol. 160, p. 22–28.

Masys, Š., Jonauskas. V. 2015. Elastic properties of rhombohedral, cubic, and monoclinic phases of LaNiO3 by first principles calculations. Comput. Mater. Sci., vol. 108, p. 153.

Correlaton and Relativistic Effects in Complex Atoms and Ions. Prof. G. Gaigalas. 2015–2019.

Energy levels, lifetimes, and wave function compositions have been computed for all atomic states of the 4p⁶ and 4p⁵4d configurations using the multiconfiguration Dirac-Hartree-Fock method. Calculations were done by parity and the configuration state function expansions were obtained by allowing single and double substitutions from the 4p⁶ and 4p⁵4d single references with orbitals in an orbital set that was extended to n=7 and all possible angular symmetries. Lifetimes are computed from E1, E2, and M1 transitions between these levels.

Main publications:

Radžiūtė, L., Gaigalas, G., Kato, D., Jönsson, P., Rynkun, P., Kučas, S., Jonauskas, V., Matulianec, R. 2015. Energy level structure of Er³⁺. J. Quantit. Spectr. Rad. Transfer, vol. 152, p. 94.

Gaigalas, G., Rynkun, P., Froese Fischer, C. 2015. Lifetimes of 4p⁵4d levels in highly ionized atoms. Phys. Rev. A, vol. 91, p. 022509.

Radžiūtė, L., Ekman, J., Jönsson, P., Gaigalas, G. 2015. Extended calculations of level and transition properties in the nitrogen isoelectronic sequence: Cr XVIII, Fe XX, Ni XXII, and Zn XXIV. Astronomy and Astrophysics, vol. 582, A61.

National Research Projects

Research Council of Lithuania. European Social Fund under the Global Grant measure. Establishing and Development of Atomic Data Base for Astrophysical, Technological and Laboratory Plasma Modelling (VP1-3.1-ŠMM-07-K-02-013). Dr. Habil. P. Bogdanovičius. 2012–2015.

Atomic database ADAMANT (Applicable DAta of Many-electron Atoms eNergies and Transitions) has been established (http://www.adamant.tfai.vu.lt/database). The total number of species exceeds 1100. 6 research papers were published, 5 presentations were given at the conferences during year 2015. Research Council of Lithuania has concluded that the Project is completed successfully.

Main publications:

Bogdanovich, P., Karpuškienė, R., Kisielius, R. 2015. Quasirelativistic calculation of 4s²4p⁵, 4s²4p⁴4d and 4s4p⁶ configuration spectroscopic parameters for W³⁹⁺. Phys. Scr., vol. 90, p. 035401.

Kisielius, R., Kulkarni, V.P., Ferland, G. J., Bogdanovich, P., Som, D., Kykins, M. L. 2015. Atomic data for Zn II - improving spectral diagnostics of chemical evolution in high-redshift galaxies. The Astrophysical Journal, vol. 804, p. 76.

Research Council of Lithuania. European Social Fund under the Global Grant measure.

Investigation of Plasma Spectra of Tungsten Ions (VP1-3.1-ŠMM-07-K-02-015). Dr. V. Jonauskas. 2012–2015.

Ionization cross sections for the W²⁶⁺ and W²⁷⁺ions are investigated to illustrate the large influence of the high shells (n > 8) and orbitals (l > 3) in the excitation-autoionization process. The excitation-autoionization process contributes approximately 40 % to the total ionization cross sections. Comparison between our data and previous configuration-average calculations for Maxwellian rate coefficients reveals large discrepancies for the direct and indirect parts of the ionization process.

Main publications:

Jonauskas, V., Kynienė, A., Merkelis, G., Gaigalas, G., Kisielius, R., Kučas, S., Masys, Š., Radžiūtė L., Rynkun, P. 2015. Contribution of high-nl shells to electron-impact ionization processes. Phys. Rev. A 91, 012715.

Kynienė, A., Masys, Š., Jonauskas, V. 2015. Influence of excitations to high-nl shells for the ionization process in the W26+ ion. Phys. Rev. A 91, 062707.

International Research Projects

Gender Equality Implementation in Research Institutions: Collaborative Approach (GEIRICA) Participants Vilnius University, BASNET Forumas, Norwegian University of Science and Technology, Trondheim Norway, University of Liechtenstein, Vaduz, Liechtenstein. Dr. D. Šatkovskienė. 2013–2015.

The results are summarized in the report “Sustaining gender equality in research and innovation: a call for structural changes” by A. Kupliauskienė. Participation in the organization of the international conference Sustaining gender equality and excellence in research and innovations: a call for structural changes, held in Vilnius on January 15–16, 2015.

COST Action TA1201 Gender, Science, Technology and Environment (genderSTE) (https://e-services.cost.eu/action/TA1201/overview). Action Chair: Prof. Ines Sanchez de Madariaga, (Spain), 33 countries. Assoc. Prof. Dr. D. Šatkovskienė. 2012–2016.

Participation in the work group Promoting Structural and Institutional Change to enhance implementation of policy measures geared towards structural change in science institutions for a better integration of the gender dimension in career opportunities for women and men, building on the EC report Structural change in research institutions: enhancing excellence, gender equality and efficiency in research and innovation.

COST action MP1208 Developing the Physics and the Scientific Community for Inertial Confinement Fusion at the Time of NIF Ignition. Action Chair: Prof. Dimitri Batani (France), 18 countries. Prof. Dr. Habil. P. Bogdanovičius. 2013–2017.

During 2015, several internet votes on various subjects of action were arranged.

MAIN R&D&I (RESEARCH, DEVELOPMENT AND INNOVATION) PARTNERS

University of Kentucky, Lexington (USA)

National Institute of Standards and Technology (USA)

Materials Science and Applied Mathematics, Malmö University, Malmö (Sweden)

Chimie Quantique et Photophysique, Université Libre de Bruxelles (Belgium)

National Institute for Fusion Science (Japan)

OTHER SCIENTIFIC ACTIVITIES

Prof. P. Bogdanovičius –

head of Lithuanian Physics’ Olympiad Team.

Prof. G. Gaigalas –

member of CompAS (The International Collaboration on Computational Atomic Structure) group (http://ddwap.mah.se/tsjoek/compas/)

Prof. R. Karazija –

editorial board member of the Lithuanian Journal of Physics;
member of the Lithuanian Academy of Sciences.

Dr. A. Kynienė –

president of the Vilnius City Board of the Physics Teachers’ Association;
member of Vilnius City Physics Methodical Board.

Dr. A. Kupliauskienė –

head of the board of Association BASNET Forumas, (http://www.basnetforumas.eu/index.php?option=com_content&view=frontpage&lang=en).

Dr. J. Tamulienė –

management committee member of the Lithuanian Physics Society;
leader of the Professional Union of Vilnius University.

DEPARTMENT OF THE THEORY OF NUCLEUS

12 A. Goštauto, LT-01108 Vilnius
Tel. 219 3253, fax 212 5361
E-mail:

Head – Dr. Arnoldas Deltuva

STAFF

Chief research fellows: Dr. A. Deltuva, Dr. Habil. S. Ališauskas (affiliated).
Senior research fellows: Doc. Dr. A. Acus, Dr. A. Juodagalvis, Prof. Dr. E. Norvaišas.
Research fellows: Dr. D. Jurčiukonis, Dr. V. Šimonis, Th.Gajdosik (part-time).
Junior research fellows: T. Sabonis (part-time).
Engineer : V. Dūdėnas (part-time).
Technicians: J.Umaras (part-time), M. Venčkauskaitė (part-time).

RESEARCH INTERESTS

Development of algebraic techniques for nuclear and particle physics

Investigation of symmetries in nuclear and particle physics

Development of topological soliton model

Investigation of electroweak vector bosons in pp collisions

Investigation of scattering processes in few-body nuclear systems

Investigation of quark-gluon plasma dynamics in relativistic heavy ion collisions

RESEARCH PROJECTS CARRIED OUT IN 2015

Project Supported by University Budget

Research of Subatomic Systems and Their Dynamics Applying Algebraic and Topology Methods. Prof. E. Norvaišas. 2011–2015.

Elastic, transfer, and charge-exchange reactions initiated by proton-3H and deuteron-deuteron collisions in the energy regime above four-nucleon breakup threshold were calculated using realistic nuclear interaction models. The interaction of Faddeev–Skyrme model solitons with different topological charge was investigated. The seesaw extension of the Standard Model neutrino sector was studied, in particular, the restricted model with one heavy neutrino and a flavour model for a lepton sector.

Main publications:

Deltuva, A., Fonseca, A. C. 2015. Deuteron-deuteron scattering above four-nucleon breakup threshold. Phys. Lett. B 742, 285.

Deltuva, A., Fonseca, A. C. 2015. Proton-3H scattering calculation: Elastic and charge-exchange reactions up to 30 MeV. Phys. Rev. C. 91, 034001.

Acus, A., Norvaišas, E., Shnir, Ya.2015. Interaction of hopfions of charge 1 and 2 from product ansatz. EPL (Europhysics Letters) 110 1, p. 10007. http://stacks.iop.org/0295-5075/110/i=1/a=10007

National Research Projects

Research Council of Lithuania. Theoretical Study of Three-Particle Nuclear Reactions (No. MIP-094/2015). Dr. A. Deltuva. 2015–2017.

Exact Faddeev-type three-body equations are applied to the study of the proton transfer reactions (d,n) in the system consisting of a nuclear core and two nucleons. The integral equations for the three-body transition operators are solved in the momentum-space framework including the Coulomb interaction via the screening and renormalization method.

Well converged differential cross section results are obtained for 7Be(d, n)8B, 12C(d, n)13N, and 16O(d, n)17F reactions.

International Research Projects

Lithuanian Academy of Sciences. Lithuanian Cooperation with CERN. Dr. A. Juodagalvis, since 2008.

Activities at the Compact Muon Solenoid (CMS) experiment are focused on calibration of the CMS Hadron Calorimeter (HCAL) using photon and jet events. New data is being recorded during proton collisions at a higher centre-of-mass energy of 13 TeV. Its processing has started, and the corrections to the measured energies of hadrons are being evaluated. Additional contributions were made to the performance monitoring tools of the HCAL subystem. Following the publication of the measurement results, data of the Drell-Yan differential cross section in the combined electron and muon channel at 8TeV and of the ratios of the measurements at 8TeV to 7TeV was uploaded to HepData.

Main publications:

ATLAS and CMS Collaborations, Combined Measurement of the Higgs Boson Mass in pp Collisions at sqrt(s)=7 and 8 TeV with the ATLAS and CMS Experiments. 2015. Phys. Rev. Lett., vol. 114, p. 191803, doi: 10.1103/PhysRevLett.114.191803.

CMS Collaboration, Precise determination of the mass of the Higgs boson and tests of compatibility of its couplings with the standard model predictions using proton collisions at 7 and 8 TeV. 2015. Phys. Lett., vol. B 747, p. 98, doi: 10.1140/epjc/s10052-015-3351-7.

CMS Collaboration, Measurements of differential and double-differential Drell-Yan cross sections in proton-proton collisions at sqrt(s)=8TeV. Eur. Phys. J., vol. C 75, p. 147, doi: 10.1140/epjc/s10052-015-3364-2.

MAIN R&D&I (RESEARCH, DEVELOPMENT AND INNOVATION) PARTNERS

Nuclear Physics Centre at Lisbon University (Portugal)

Istituto Nazionale Fisica Nuclear, Pisa (Italy)

Institute for Theoretical Physics II, Ruhr University Bochum (Germany)

University of Seville, Seville (Spain)

Ohio University, Athens, Ohio (USA)

National Superconducting Cyclotron Laboratory, Michigan State University, East Lansing (USA)

Triangle Universities Nuclear Laboratory, Durham, North Carolina (USA)

Jagiellonian University, Cracow (Poland)

University of Nebraska-Lincoln, Lincoln, Nebraska (USA)

Kansas State University, Manhattan, Kansas (USA)

European Organization for Nuclear Research CERN (Switzerland)

Joint Institute for Nuclear Research, Dubna (Russia)

Centre for Theoretical Particle Physics, University of Lisbon, CFTP (Portugal)

OTHER SCIENTIFIC ACTIVITIES

Prof. E. Norvaišas –

Coordinator for Lithuania of COST Action: MP 1006 Fundamental Problems in Quantum Physics. 2011–2015.

Dr. A. Juodagalvis –

contact person for the calibration using photon+jet events at the CERN CMS Hadron Calorimeter DPG (since 2014);
contact person for the CMS outreach and communication in Lithuania, representing the Lithuanian Team at CERN CMS experiment (since 2015).

DEPARTMENT OF THE THEORY OF PROCESSES AND STRUCTURES

12 A. Goštauto, LT-01108 Vilnius
Tel. 219 3254, fax 212 5361
E-mail:

Head - Prof. Dr. Habil. Bronislovas Kaulakys

STAFF

Chief research fellows: Prof. Dr. Habil. B. Kaulakys, Dr. Habil. G. Juzeliūnas, Dr. V. Gontis, Prof. Dr. E. Anisimovas (part-time), Prof. Dr. Habil. A. Matulis (part-time).
Senior research fellows: Dr. Habil. V. Gineitytė (affiliated), Dr. J. Ruseckas, Assoc. Prof. Dr. D. Šatkovskienė (affiliated), Dr. A. Vektarienė, Dr. G. Vektaris.
Research fellows: Dr. M. Alaburda (part-time), Dr. A. Mekys (part-time), Dr. V. Kudriašov (part-time), Dr. V. Novičenko (part-time), Dr. J Armaitis.
Junior research fellows: H.R. Hamedi, A. Kononovičius (part-time), T. Andrijauskas (part-time), R. Kazakevičius (part-time).
Specialist: M. Račiūnas.
Doctoral students: T. Andrijauskas, H. R. Hamedi, V. Juknevičius, R. Kazakevičius, A. Kononovičius.
Technician: G. Žlabys (part-time).

RESEARCH INTERESTS

Quantum optics and ultra-cold atoms

Bose-Einstein condensates

Condensed matter systems

Quantum chemistry

Spectroscopy, phase transitions

Condensed molecular structures

Econophysics and physics of finance

Fluctuations and noise, theory of 1/f noise

RESEARCH PROJECTS CARRIED OUT IN 2015

Projects Supported by University Budget

Optical and Kinetic Properties of Cold Atoms and Condensed Molecular Structures. Habil. Dr. G. Juzeliūnas. 2011–2016.

The third-order susceptibility has been investigated in a five-level atomic system in which the laser beams couple the ground state to a four-level closed-loop system. It was found that under the condition of the multiphoton resonance, one can enhance the Kerr nonlinearity of such a medium by properly adjusting the amplitudes and phases of the applied fields. It was demonstrated that the third-order susceptibility is very sensitive to the relative phase of the applied fields. It was shown that effect of Doppler broadening can lead to an enhanced Kerr nonlinearity while maintaining linear and nonlinear absorption. Electronic structure changes in quinazolino[3,2-a][1,5]benzodiazepine formation process have been investigated theoretically.

Main publications:

Juzeliūnas, G. and Öhberg, P. 2015. Optical control of cold atoms and artificial electromagnetism. In (Andrews D. L., ed.) Photonics, vol. 2: Scientific Foundations, Technology and Applications, (John Wiley & Sons, Inc., Hoboken, NJ, USA, 2015), pp. 371–399, doi: 10.1002/9781119011750.ch11.

Hamedi, H. R. and Juzeliūnas, G. 2015. Phase-sensitive Kerr nonlinearity for closed-loop quantum systems. Phys. Rev., vol. A 91, p. 053823.

Jančienė R., Javorskis T., Mikulskienė G., Vektarienė A., Vektaris G., Kosychova L. 2015. Dihydroquinazolino[3,2-a][1,5] benzodiazepines: synthesis and computational study of reductive N-Heterocyclization of N-(2-Nitrobenzoyl)-1,5-benzodiazepin-2-ones. J. Heterocycl. Chem., vol. 52(1), p. 243–250, doi: 10.1002/jhet.2038.

Theory and Applications of Processes in Complex Systems. Prof. B. Kaulakys. 2011–2016.

It is shown that anomalous diffusion in nonhomogeneous systems can exhibit power spectral density with the power-law exponent equal to or larger than 1 in a wide range of intermediate frequencies. Nonlinear modifications of generalized auto-regressive conditionally heteroskedastic GARCH(1,1) model are proposed. It is shown that such nonlinear models can generate signals with power-law probability density function and power-law power spectral density, including 1/f noise. It is shown that introduction of agents with predefined fundamentalist trading behaviour helps to significantly reduce the probability of the extreme price fluctuations events.

Main publications:

Kazakevičius, R., Ruseckas, J. 2015. Anomalous diffusion in nonhomogeneous media: power spectral density of signals generated by time-subordinated nonlinear Langevin equations. Physica, vol. A 438, p. 210.

Kononovičius, A., Ruseckas, J. 2015. Nonlinear GARCH model and 1/f noise. Physica, vol. A 427, p. 74.

Kononovičius, A., Gontis, V. 2015. Herding interactions as an opportunity to prevent extreme events in financial markets. Europ. Phys. J., vol. B 88, p 189.

National Research Projects

Research Council of Lithuania. Topological Phenomena in Cold Atom and Condensed Matter Systems (Project VP1-3.1-ŠMM-07-K-02-046, Global grant). Prof. E. Anisimovas. 2012–2015.

A consistent theory of driven systems based on the extended Floquet-Hilbert space was developed. This method allows us to separate long-time dynamics of a periodically modulated system from its micromotion and enables to define and evaluate the effective Hamiltonian of the driven system. This approach forms the basis for the concept of Floquet engineering. Applying the developed scheme to fractional Chern insulators the appearance of the third order processes combining two tunnelling events with interactions was demonstrated. Referring to the obtained contributions as micromotion-induced interactions, their impact on the stability of fractional phases was evaluated.

Main publications:

Anisimovas, E., Žlabys, G., Anderson, B. M., Juzeliūnas, G., Eckardt, A. 2015. Role of real-space micromotion for bosonic and fermionic Floquet fractional Chern insulators. Phys. Rev., vol. B 91, p. 245135.

Han, W., Juzeliūnas, G., Zhang, W., Liu, W.-M. 2015. Supersolid with nontrivial topological spin textures in spin-orbit-coupled Bose gases. Phys. Rev., vol. A 91, p. 013607.

Eckardt, A., Anisimovas, E. 2015. High-frequency approximation for periodically driven quantum systems from a Floquet-space perspective. New J. Phys., vol. 17, p. 093039.

Research Council of Lithuania. Novel Optical Lattices (No. MIP-86/2015). Habil. Dr. G. Juzeliūnas. 2015–2018.

The project started in April 2015. During the first year a novel optical lattice involving a frequency comb radiation was explored. It was shown that a non-staggered synthetic magnetic field can be formed in such a lattice by using counter-propagation laser radiation with properly chosen frequency spectrum.

International Research Projects

EU FP7 IRSES project: COLIMA - Coherent Manipulation of Light and Matter via Interferences of Laser-dressed States. Dr. Habil. G. Juzeliūnas. 2011–2015.

The project finished in January. During the last month the final report was prepared.

MAIN R&D&I (RESEARCH, DEVELOPMENT AND INNOVATION) PARTNERS

National Institute of Standards and Technology (USA)
National Tsing Hua University (Taiwan)
Heriot-Watt University (UK)
ICREA and ICFO (Spain)
Leibniz Universität, Hannover (Germany)
University of Latvia, Riga (Latvia)

OTHER SCIENTIFIC ACTIVITIES

Prof. B. Kaulakys –

member of the Institute of Physics (UK);
member of the European Physical Society;
editorial board member of the Lithuanian Journal of Physics;
editorial board member of the journal Nonlinear Analysis Modelling and Control;
vice-president of the Lithuanian Association of Nonlinear Analysts;
council member of the Lithuanian Scientific Society;
member of the Senate of Vilnius University.

Habil. Dr. G. Juzeliūnas –

associated member of the National Centre for Theoretical Sciences at the National Tsing Hua University, Taiwan;
member of the Institute of Physics (UK).

Dr. V. Gontis –

president of the Lithuanian Scientific Society;
director of the Institute of Lithuanian Scientific Society;
member of the association of Euroscience, http://www.euroscience.org/

PLANETARIUM

12a Konstitucijos pr., LT-09308 Vilnius
Tel. 272 4177, fax 272 4177
E-mail:

Director – Danutė Sperauskienė

STAFF

Lecturers: E. Dačinskaitė, V. Girdzijauskaitė, D. Sperauskienė.
Engineer: D. Mešalkin.
Booking-clerk: A. Kvaraciejienė.
Photographer: G. Janavičius (part-time).

International and National Projects

Researchers’ Night 2015: Researchers on and off Work. D. Sperauskienė. 2015.

This project was carried out in Lithuania together with seven other universities and three scientific institutions. The main action took place on the 25th of September and attracted to Planetarium about 450 visitors. Secrets of the Universe, wonders of the Hubble space mission were overviewed and discussed with visitors for about 4 hours. Another big cycle of lectures Earth and the Universe comprised 28 meetings with the public. Five events of science festival Spaceship - Earth took place at the Planetarium, which attracted 500 visitors. More than 1800 listeners visited the cycle of science and art concerts Bards in between the Stars comprised of 12 educational concerts.

Altogether about 550 lectures were offered and more than 26 000 people attended Planetarium during 2015.

MAIN R&D&I (RESEARCH, DEVELOPMENT AND INNOVATION) PARTNERS

International Planetarium Society, Greenville (USA)
The Planetary Society, Pasadena (USA)
Carl Zeiss, Oberkochen (Germany)
Lithuanian Centre of Non-formal Youth Education (Lithuania)