Markus Wittkowski

Deputy Head, User Support Department, European Southern Observatory (ESO)

Markus Wittkowski
Dr. Markus Wittkowski
Deputy Head, User Support Department
Head, User Support Astronomers Group
ESO | European Southern Observatory
Karl-Schwarzschild-Straße 2, 85748 Garching bei München, Germany
Phone: +49 89 320 06-769
Email: mwittkow at eso.org
Website: www.eso.org/~mwittkow


Profile:

I am an astronomer and operations leader at the European Southern Observatory, with more than two decades of experience in VLT/VLTI user support, observatory operations, optical/infrared interferometry, and synergies between optical/infrared and radio/mm interferometry. My work combines scientific research, science-operations leadership, staff management, user support, and service to the international astronomical community.

Scientific Interests:

  • Optical/infrared interferometry and high-angular-resolution astronomy
  • Synergies between optical/infrared and radio/mm interferometry
  • Atmospheres and mass loss of cool evolved stars
  • Fundamental stellar properties
  • AGB stars, red supergiants, and stellar evolution
  • Active galactic nuclei and galactic nuclei

CV:

Press releases:

A red giant sheds its skin (2018) Understanding how stars die VLTI Revisits the Largest Yellow Hypergiant Ever Discovered Chronicle of a Death Foretold

Organisation of ESO workshops:

Imaging of Stellar Surfaces Stellar End Products: The Low Mass - High Mass Connection The Origin and Fate of the Sun

Publications:

More than 100 peer-reviewed publications, including more than 30 first- or second-author papers; h-index above 35. Full and current publication lists are available through the links below.

Selected first-author publications include studies of S Orionis, NGC 1068, ψ Phe, VY Canis Majoris, and R Sculptoris, covering optical/infrared interferometry, evolved stars, active galactic nuclei, and optical--radio interferometric synergies.

ADS ORCID Google Scholar ResearchGate

Selected first-author publications

VLTI-GRAVITY measurements of cool evolved stars Multi-epoch VLTI-PIONIER imaging of the supergiant V766 Cen Aperture synthesis imaging of the carbon AGB star R Sculptoris VLTI/AMBER spectro-interferometry of late-type supergiants Near-infrared spectro-interferometry of Mira variables and comparisons to 1D dynamic model atmospheres and 3D convection simulations Fundamental properties and atmospheric structure of the red supergiant VY Canis Majoris Inhomogeneities in molecular layers of Mira atmospheres J, H, K spectro-interferometry of the Mira variable S Orionis The Mira variable S Orionis Tests of stellar model atmospheres by optical interferometry Tests of stellar model atmospheres by optical interferometry VLTI/VINCI observations of the nucleus of NGC 1068 Tests of stellar model atmospheres by optical interferometry Direct multi-wavelength limb-darkening measurements of three late-type giants Diffraction-limited speckle-masking interferometry of the red supergiant VY CMa Diffraction-limited 76mas speckle masking observations of the core of NGC 1068 with the SAO 6m telescope

Selected collaborative publications

The effect of winds on atmospheric layers of red supergiants II The effect of winds on atmospheric layers of red supergiants I Tomography of cool giant and supergiant star atmospheres III VLTI-PIONIER imaging of the red supergiant V602 Carinae What causes the large extensions of red supergiant atmospheres? New insights into the dust formation of oxygen-rich AGB stars The atmospheric structure and fundamental parameters of the red supergiants AH Scorpii, UY Scuti, and KW Sagittarii Near-infrared spectro-interferometry of three OH/IR stars with the VLTI/AMBER instrument Mid-infrared interferometric monitoring of evolved stars The K-band intensity profile of R Leonis probed by VLTI/VINCI
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