Theoretical astronomy

Theoretical astronomers provide physical explanations to the results obtained through observations. Thus they create theoretical models and figure out the observational consequences of those models, which will be proved or refused by new observations.

Theoretical models can be developed analytically, i.e. setting out equations describing the process under study and solving them directly, or through computational numerical simulations. Analytical models of a process are generally better for giving insight into the heart of what is going on. Numerical models can reveal the existence of phenomena and effects that would otherwise not be seen.

Topics studied by theoretical astronomers include:

Stellar dynamics and evolution, which includes all phenomena related with single or binary stars from birth to death: their origin, their composition, the nuclear reactions powering the star, the acretion in binary systems, supernova explosions, the formation of stellar black holes, etc.

Astronomers at the ICC work in modelling the high energy gamma emission in binary systems containing a black hole, supernova models, interstellar medium and star formation regions and last stages of stellar evolution, whereas the Nuclear Physics Group work with compact stars.

 

galaxy formation

large-scale structure of matter in the Universe

origin of cosmic rays

general relativity and physical cosmology, including string cosmology and astroparticle physics.

Astrophysical relativity serves as a tool to gauge the properties of large scale structures for which gravitation plays a significant role in physical phenomena investigated and as the basis for black hole physics and the study of gravitational waves. Some widely accepted and studied theories and models in astronomy, now included in the Lambda-CDM model are the Big Bang, Cosmic inflation, dark matter, and fundamental theories of physics.