Understanding fundamental particles in strong magnetic fields

When the universe was created, strong magnetic fields existed. The same type of magnetic fields can be created in experiments when heavy ions are made to collide. We study how elementary particles behave in these fields. The theoretical understanding of this is important in order to explain the experiments as well the history of the …

The connection between space and Earth weather

As a part of my doctoral degree I will learn more about what happens 90 kilometers over our heads. What happens up there today will influence the weather and climate here at Earth in the weeks to come. The atmosphere is really more than just air to breath and rain and snow. It warms us …

Understanding Quark Matter

We are looking into the very deep of the stars resulting from supernova explosions. Through our work, we have found a new way of understanding the interaction between quarks – the atoms’ smallest building blocks. Atoms are the building blocks of matter. They consist of a nucleus with electrons moving around. The nucleus is built …

The traces of a two million year old supernova

Data from satellites searching for high-energy cosmic particles from space show several puzzling phenomena. This leads us to believe that the Earth is still being affected by a supernova explosion happening two million years ago. Our Milky Way might be a dangerous place to live because of supernova explosions which happen somewhere in the Galaxy …

Prestigious grant to Physics Professor Arne Brataas

Professor Arne Brataas at the Department of Physics was recently awarded the prestigious ERC grant from the European Research Council. Only three researchers from NTNU have previously received the grant including NT Professor Bernt-Eirik Sæther at the Department of Biology. The other two are Nobel Prize winners Edvard and May-Britt Moser. The scholarship is individual …

Superconducting spintronics

New and enhanced effects in spintronics emerge when using superconducting materials. The right combination of materials that merge superconductivity and spintronics creates, for instance, a flow of spins that has zero resistance. This could eventually lead to new types of functionality in low-temperature technology. Whereas electronics is the foundation for modern technology, the field of …

From shooting stars to weather at the edge of space

Rosmarie de Wit is doing her PhD in the Atmosphere and Environmental Physics group at NTNU. She collaborates with MORTEN the meteor radar, and together they measure small shooting stars in order to study weather at the edge of space. Rosmarie introduced MORTEN to the world during Forsker Grand Prix 2014. If you missed it …