Research
The research at FINCA concentrates on three main large research fields in astronomy. Most of the FINCA staff work either in different topics related to Galaxies and Cosmology or Stellar Astrophysics. Some research is also carried out in the fields of Interstellar Medium and Star Formation.
Galaxies and Cosmology
One of the main research topics at FINCA is studying galaxy evolution and AGN-galaxy connection by investigating different types of active galactic nuclei (AGN), their host galaxies and environments. Other topics in the Galaxies and Cosmology research area include luminous infrared galaxies, dark matter, black holes, galaxy clusters, galaxy dynamics, high redshift galaxies, and galaxy structure, formation and evolution.
Staff in this research area: Roberto De Propris, Talvikki Hovatta, Jari Kotilainen, Elina Lindfors, Kari Nilsson, Mauri Valtonen and several FINCA Post Docs.
Stellar Astrophysics
Current research topics at FINCA in Stellar Astrophysics research area include compact binary stars, accretion disks, stellar populations, globular clusters, astrophysical transients, supernovae and their host galaxies.
Staff in this research area: Roberto De Propris, Pasi Hakala and several FINCA Post Docs.
Methods
The research carried out at FINCA is observational astronomy and most often carried out using large ground based facilities for optical, infrared, and sub-millimetre/millimetre astronomy like the Very Large Telescope of the European Southern Observatory (ESO) and ALMA. In addition spacebased and radio observations as well as ground based gamma-ray observations, and computer simulations are used. The most commonly used methods are optical and infrared imaging, spectroscopy and polarimetry.