On October 21st, Sonja Bernitt will demonstrate how highly precise measurements provide new insights into atomic physics and astrophysics
The lecture series "Science for All" by GSI and FAIR continues on Wednesday, October 21, 2026. Dr. Sonja Bernitt will speak at 2 p.m. on "High-Precision X-ray Spectroscopy – New Perspectives for Atomic Physics, Astrophysics, and Metrology." The event will take place at GSI in Darmstadt and can also be followed online.
The central question is how processes at the atomic level are related to the evolution of stars, galaxies, and the universe. Precise measurements of atomic processes provide, among other things, data needed for the interpretation of astrophysical observations.
From astrophysics to basic research
Bernitt also explains how X-ray spectroscopy techniques are used for particularly precise experiments. This allows fundamental physical theories to be tested and very small spatial and temporal quantities to be investigated.
The physicist studied in Heidelberg and earned her doctorate with a dissertation at the Max Planck Institute for Nuclear Physics. As part of her research, she also worked at the Linac Coherent Light Source in Menlo Park, California. Further positions took her to the University of Jena and the Helmholtz Institute Jena. Since 2022, Bernitt has been working at GSI and FAIR in Darmstadt.
Her research regularly takes her to large radiation sources such as PETRA III in Hamburg. There, she investigates, among other things, the interaction of highly charged ions with X-rays.
Participation on-site and online
The lecture will be offered as a hybrid event. Participation is possible both at GSI, Planckstraße 1 in Darmstadt, and online.
Date: Wednesday, October 21, 2026, 2 p.m.
Location: GSI/FAIR, Planckstraße 1, 64291 Darmstadt
Topic: High-precision X-ray spectroscopy
Speaker: Dr. Sonja Bernitt
Participation: In person and online
Information on registration, online access and the schedule can be found on the event page of GSI and FAIR.
(DARMSTADT – RED/PM/GSI)
