Heino Falcke Explained

Heino Falcke
Birth Date:26 September 1966
Birth Place:Cologne, Germany
Occupation:professor of radio astronomy and astroparticle physics
Workplaces:Radboud University Nijmegen
Awards:Spinoza Prize (2011)
Henry Draper Medal (2021)
Alma Mater:University of Cologne, University of Bonn (MSc, PhD, Dr. habil.)

Heino Falcke (Cologne, 26 September 1966) is a German professor of radio astronomy and astroparticle physics at the Radboud University Nijmegen (Netherlands).[1] His main field of study is black holes, and he is the originator of the concept of the 'black hole shadow'. In 2019, Falcke announced the first Event Horizon Telescope results at the EHT Press Conference in Brussels.[2]

Career

Falcke studied physics at the University of Cologne from 1986 to 1987, and then at the University of Bonn from 1987 where he graduated with a Diploma (equivalent to a master's degree) in Physics in 1992. He subsequently obtained a PhD degree in Astronomy summa cum laude in 1994 from the University of Bonn.[1] [3]

Falcke subsequently worked as a scientist for the Max Planck Institute for Radio Astronomy in Bonn (1995–1995), the University of Maryland (1995–1997), and the University of Arizona (1999). He was conferred a Habilitation by the University of Bonn in 2000.[4] From 2000 to 2003, he was a staff scientist at the Max Planck Institute for Radio Astronomy in Bonn.[5] [6]

In 2003, Falcke became adjunct professor of Radio Astronomy and Astroparticle physics at Radboud University Nijmegen. He also started working for ASTRON, the radio astronomy institute of the Netherlands. In 2007, he became a full professor at Nijmegen.[1]

Research

Falcke is involved in theoretical astronomy as well as observational and experimental studies.[7] Falcke was one of the leading forces behind the radio telescope LOFAR.[8] Apart from his work with LOFAR, he was also involved in the development of the Square Kilometre Array.[7]

In 2000 he predicted it would be possible to make measurements near the edge of a black hole. Four years later, his team managed to do that.[7]

In 2013, Falcke, together with Luciano Rezzolla of the Max Planck Institute for Gravitational Physics proposed that blitzars could be an explanation for fast radio bursts.[9] Blitzars would occur when a supramassive rotating neutron star slows down enough, loses its magnetic field, and then turns into a black hole.[10] [11]

Falcke predicted that near the edges of a black hole, there would be a 'black hole shadow' that could be detected by a radio telescope.[12] This shadow was eventually observed with the Event Horizon Telescope. On 10 April 2019, the project announced that they created an image of the black hole at the centre of M87 (M87*).[13] On 12 May 2022 followed the image of the central black hole in the Milky Way (Sagittarius A*).[14] [15]

Falcke wishes to place a radio telescope on the Moon and has worked with NASA and European Space Agency researchers to devise a plan to make this happen.[16]

Awards

Book

In 2020, Falcke co-published together with Jörg Römer the popular science book Licht im Dunkeln: Schwarze Löcher, das Universum und wir. In English, it has been translated as Light in the Darkness – Black Holes, the Universe and Us.[37] The book also has translations in German, Dutch, Spanish, Italian and Finnish.

Personal life

Falcke is a devout Christian and serves as lay pastor in the Protestant Church in Germany.[38] [39] He views his faith as a way of achieving internal rest, as well as a motivation to conduct science.[38]

Notes and References

  1. Web site: 26 August 2014 . Prof. H.D.E. (Heino) Falcke . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20160304140441/http://www.nwo.nl/en/research-and-results/programmes/spinoza+prize/spinoza+laureates/overview+in+alphabetical+order/heino+falcke . 4 March 2016 . 25 July 2015 . Netherlands Organisation for Scientific Research.
  2. Web site: April 2019. Media Advisory: First Results from the Event Horizon Telescope to be Presented on April 10th.
  3. Hungernde Löcher und aktive Kerne: die zentrale Maschine in galaktischen Zentren . Heino . Falcke.
  4. https://www.ae-info.org/ae/Member/Falcke_Heino/CV Heino Falcke – Curriculum Vitae
  5. Web site: 30 September 2020 . Heino Falcke is a theoretical astrophysicist and radio astronomer . 14 November 2023 . en-GB.
  6. Web site: Academy of Europe: Falcke Heino . 14 November 2023 . www.ae-info.org.
  7. Web site: Heino Falcke kijkt verder dan de horizon van het zwarte gat . Dutch . Radboud University Nijmegen . 26 July 2015 .
  8. Web site: 7 June 2011 . Heino Falcke receives highest Dutch scientific award . 25 July 2015 . ASTRON . Dutch . 9 July 2015 . https://web.archive.org/web/20150709170923/http://www.astron.nl/about-astron/press-public/news/heino-falcke-receives-highest-dutch-scientific-award/heino-falcke-rec . dead .
  9. Govert Schilling . Mystery radio bursts blamed on black hole 'blitzars' . . 4 July 2013 . 26 July 2015.
  10. Web site: Afscheidsgroet van een stervende ster . Dutch . Radboud University Nijmegen . 4 July 2013 . 26 July 2015 .
  11. Web site: John Timmer . Possible explanation for radio bursts: Meet the "blitzar" . Dutch . . 8 July 2013 . 26 July 2015.
  12. Falcke. Heino. Melia. Fulvio. Agol. Eric. 1 January 2000. Viewing the Shadow of the Black Hole at the Galactic Center. The Astrophysical Journal. 528. 1. L13–L16. 10.1086/312423. 10587484. astro-ph/9912263. 2000ApJ...528L..13F. 119433133.
  13. News: First ever black hole image released . BBC News . 11 April 2019.
  14. Web site: Hensley . Kerry . 12 May 2022 . First Image of the Milky Way's Supermassive Black Hole . 14 November 2023 . AAS Nova . en-US.
  15. Collaboration . Event Horizon Telescope . Akiyama . Kazunori . Alberdi . Antxon . Alef . Walter . Algaba . Juan Carlos . Anantua . Richard . Asada . Keiichi . Azulay . Rebecca . Bach . Uwe . Baczko . Anne-Kathrin . Ball . David . Baloković . Mislav . Barrett . John . Bauböck . Michi . Benson . Bradford A. . May 2022 . First Sagittarius A* Event Horizon Telescope Results. III. Imaging of the Galactic Center Supermassive Black Hole . The Astrophysical Journal Letters . en . 930 . 2 . L14 . 10.3847/2041-8213/ac6429 . 2041-8205. free . 2311.09479 . 2022ApJ...930L..14E .
  16. Jester . Sebastian . Falcke . Heino . May 2009 . Science with a lunar low-frequency array: from the dark ages of the Universe to nearby exoplanets . New Astronomy Reviews . 53 . 1–2 . 1–26 . 10.1016/j.newar.2009.02.001. 0902.0493 . 2009NewAR..53....1J .
  17. Web site: Recipients of the Ludwig Biermann Award . 26 July 2015 . Astronomische Gesellschaft .
  18. Web site: Leibniztag der Berlin-Brandenburgischen Akademie der Wissenschaften 5. und 6. Mai 2006 . 14 November 2023 . www.bbaw.de . en.
  19. Web site: Akademiepreis 2006 . 26 July 2015 . Berlin-Brandenburg Academy of Sciences and Humanities . German . 20 April 2019 . https://web.archive.org/web/20190420103242/http://www.bbaw.de/die-akademie/auszeichnungen/preise/akademiepreis/2006/?searchterm=%20AKADEMIEPREIS . dead .
  20. Web site: Drie prestigieuze Europese onderzoeksbeurzen voor Nederlands-Vlaamse astronomen . 14 November 2023 . www.astronomie.nl . nl.
  21. News: redacteuren . een onzer . 6 June 2011 . Dit zijn de winnaars van de Spinozapremies . nl-NL . NRC . 14 November 2023.
  22. Web site: Spinozapremie voor Nijmeegse astronoom Falcke . 14 November 2023 . www.astronomie.nl . nl.
  23. Web site: 26 August 2014 . NWO Spinoza Prize 2011 . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20150627180808/http://www.nwo.nl/en/research-and-results/programmes/spinoza+prize/spinoza+laureates/overview+by+year/2011 . 27 June 2015 . 25 July 2015 . Netherlands Organisation for Scientific Research.
  24. Web site: ERC Synergy Grant voor astronomen op zoek naar waarnemingshorizon van zwart gat . 14 November 2023 . www.astronomie.nl . nl.
  25. Web site: Heino Falcke . https://web.archive.org/web/20190328120658/https://www.ae-info.org/ae/Member/Falcke_Heino . 28 March 2019 . Academia Europaea.
  26. Web site: Heino Falcke . https://web.archive.org/web/20200809053130/https://www.knaw.nl/en/members/members/14580 . 9 August 2020 . Royal Netherlands Academy of Arts and Sciences.
  27. Web site: Small-Body Database Lookup . 14 November 2023 . ssd.jpl.nasa.gov.
  28. Web site: Amerikaanse Academie van Wetenschappen onderscheidt Heino Falcke en Sheperd Doeleman met Henry Draper-medaille . 14 November 2023 . www.astronomie.nl . nl.
  29. Web site: 2021 NAS Awards Recipients Announced . 14 November 2023 . www.nasonline.org.
  30. Web site: Heino Falcke ontvangt Amaldi Medal 2021 . 14 November 2023 . www.astronomie.nl . nl.
  31. Web site: The Amaldi medal . 14 November 2023 . SIGRAV . en.
  32. Web site: Astronomers receive ERC Synergy Grant to make colour movies of black holes and build new telescope in Africa . 14 November 2023 . www.astronomie.nl . nl.
  33. Web site: British awards for Nijmegen black hole researchers . 14 November 2023 . www.astronomie.nl . nl.
  34. Web site: Simion @Yonescat . Florin . Royal Astronomical Society unveils 2023 award winners . 14 November 2023 . The Royal Astronomical Society . en.
  35. Web site: Heino Falcke receives Balzan Prize for high-resolution images of black holes . 14 November 2023 . www.astronomie.nl . nl.
  36. Web site: Heino Falcke: 2023 Balzan Prize for High resolution images . 14 November 2023 . Fondazione Internazionale Premio Balzan . en.
  37. Book: Falcke . Heino . Light in the darkness: black holes, the universe, and us . Römer . Jörg . 2021 . Wildfire . 978-1-4722-7449-6 . The international bestseller . London.
  38. News: Ellen Nieuwenhuijze . Wetenschap beantwoordt niet alles . Dutch . . 15 March 2013 . 25 July 2015.
  39. Web site: Predigerinnen und Prediger . 14 November 2023 . Evangelische Kirchengemeinde Frechen . de-DE.

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