Speaker: Dr. Anil K. Pandey
Director, ARIES, Nainital
I will describe the scientific and technological activities at Aryabhatta Research Institute of Observational Sciences (ARIES), a leading institute in northern India under the Ministry of Science and Technology. The key programs pursued by ARIES science group include stellar variability and astroseismology, formation and evolution of stars, HII regions, imaging polarimetry to probe interstellar grain alignment and magnetic field structure in interstellar clouds, studies of YSOs, studies of galaxies, supernova remnants, optical follow up of GRB afterglows and solar physics. The characterization of aerosol at an altitude of about 2 km is being carried out since 2002 by Atmospheric Science group. We are having 1.04-m, 1.3-m telescopes and the flagship facility is the new 3.6-m Devasthal Optical Telescope (DOT). An ST-Radar system (@206.5 MHz) has been installed at Manora Peak campus of ARIES and currently, system performance is being tested. I will discuss the characteristics of the Devasthal site, available instruments, some interesting results and the opportunities for collaboration.