PostDoc/grad student pos. in galaxy population/evolution Max-Planck Inst. Munich

hb Date: Thu, 14 Oct 2004 13:56:59 +0200
hb From: Hans Boehringer
hb To:
hb Subject: Postdoctoral/graduate student position available

Postdoctoral/graduate student position available
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The MPE research group for galaxy clusters and cosmology in the theory
department of the Max-Planck-Institut for extraterrestrial physics is
carrying out observational and theoretical research on the
astrophysics of galaxy clusters and the large-scale structure of the
Universe. Within

this program we are inviting applications for a three year graduate
student or two year postdoc position for the topic:

Observational study of the galaxy population and galaxy evolution in
galaxy clusters

Galaxy clusters as the largest well defined building blocks of our
Universe are good laboratories to study galaxy evolution and ideal
tracers of the large-scale structure of the Universe. To apply
clusters for such studies we have to gain a precise understanding of
the galaxy cluster structure and the determination of cluster masses.
For this purpose we are leading a large international effort to
improve our characterization of galaxy clusters through the
combination of X-ray and optical observations. In addition we are
using X-ray surveys to construct representative, well characterized
samples of galaxy clusters for these studies.

The research planed for the advertised position will focus on the
optical characterization of galaxy clusters and their galaxy
population. The prime source of information is the Sloan Digital Sky
Survey (with privileged data access in the case of a graduate
student), a large number of ESO Wide Field Imaging observations
conducted by us, as well as future observations with the new ESO wide
field telescope VST. The data will partly also be combined with
detailed follow-up spectroscopy. At the core of the projects is an XMM
Large Programme combined with optical studies which will provide
unprecedentedly precise information on the structure of a
representative sample of galaxy clusters. The main research goals are
the study of the variation of the galaxy population with the cluster
mass, type, and environment, the variation of the mass-to-light ratio,
the characterization of the cluster structure and of cluster mergers,
and the study of the correspondence of the X-ray and optical
appearance of galaxy clusters. Such a survey also has a large
discovery potential.

The graduate student position will be associated to the International
Max-Planck Research School (http://www.imprs-astro.mpg.de/). The
postdoc position is a two year fellowship position. The positions are
available now.

For more information and for applications contact:

Dr. Hans Boehringer
Max-Planck-Institut fuer extraterrestrische Physik
Postfach 1612
D-85741 Garching

E-mail:
Tel.: +49 89 30000 3347

[s.a.r. mod. note: reformatted to 80 characters per line. -- mjh]

revolution. Its object will be
to overthrow not governments but the economic and technological basis
of the present society.

5. In this article we give attention to only some of the negative
developments that have grown out of the industrial-technological
system. Other such developments we mention only briefly or ignore
altogether. This does not mean that we regard these other developments
as unimportant. For practical reasons we have to confine our
discussion to areas that have received insufficient public attention
or in which we have something new to say. For example, since there are
well-developed environmental and wilderness movements, we have written
very little about environmental degradation or the destruction of wild
nature, even though we consider these to be highly important.

THE PSYCHOLOGY OF MODERN LEFTISM



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society. One of the most widespread manifestations of the craziness of
our world is leftism, so a discussion of the psychology of leftism can
serve as an introduction to the discussion of the problems of modern
society in general.

7. But what is leftism? During the first half of the 20th century
leftism could have been practically identified with socialism. Today
the movement is fragmented and it is not clear who can properly be
called a leftist. When we speak of leftists in this article we have in
mind mainly socialists, collectivists, "politically correct" types,
feminists, gay and disability activists, animal rights activists and
the like. But not everyone who is associated with one of these
movements is a leftist. What we are trying to get at in discussing
leftism is not so much a movement or an ideology as a psychological
type, or rather a collection of related types. Thus, what we mean by
"leftism" will emerge more clearly in the course of our discussion of
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