Unless otherwise noted, the Astrophysics Seminars take place on Monday, usually every other week, at 1:30pm in Aula Caldirola.
October 2025
October 6th
Speaker: Dr. Tullia Sbarrato (INAF Osservatorio Astronomico di Brera)
Title: Mature jetted black holes in a young Universe: do they have a super-Eddington history?
Abstract: The formation and evolution of the first supermassive black holes (SMBHs) have been put in the spotlight after the discovery of few hundreds extremely massive quasars at high redshift. An interesting twist in our understanding of the matter was introduced by the discovery of an unusual number of jetted sources: X-ray observations of blazars (i.e. AGN with jets aligned to our LoS) at z>4 prove that the most massive active black holes are preferentially hosted in jetted quasars in the first Gigayear from the Big Bang. Jets might thus play a crucial role in fast assembling and accreting matter onto SMBHs. Weirdly, the z>4 blazar population does not show common signs of super-critical accretion. I will present our current knowledge about z>4 blazars, that trace a comprehensive view on jet, accretion and mass features of the M>10^9Msun jetted quasars population. Then I will explore the possibility that sustained super-Eddington episodes are key to launching relativistic jets. Finding jets accelerating in their earliest stages might be our best bet to catch in the act early super-critical evolution.
October 20th
Speaker: Dr. Davide Basilico (Università degli Studi di Milano)
Title: Towards the first JUNO measurements of neutrino oscillations
Abstract: One of the most important open problems in astroparticle physics is the determination of the Neutrino Mass Ordering (NMO). This is the key goal of JUNO (Jiangmen Underground Neutrino Observatory), a huge liquid-scintillator based neutrino experiment located in China, which is going to enter the precision era for neutrino oscillation physics through spectroscopy of reactor antineutrinos. After ten years of on-site work, the construction of the detector was completed at the end of 2024, at which point the commissioning phase of the JUNO experiment began. This stage involved the filling of the central detector sphere with 20 kilotons of liquid scintillator. The first data-taking campaign began in August 2025 and is still ongoing, for which we expect to release the first results on neutrino oscillations soon. This talk will summarize the JUNO physics goals and methods, as well as the detector’s long journey from construction to the first data-taking campaign.
November 2025
November 3rd
Speaker: Dr. Cristiano Longarini (University of Cambridge, UK)
Title: Dynamical masses of protoplanetary discs – results from exoALMA
Abstract: Rotation curves have long been used in galactic astronomy to infer the presence of dark matter. In protoplanetary discs, thanks to the high spatial and spectral resolution of ALMA, they provide a powerful tool to probe the dynamical mass, revealing key properties of both the central star and the surrounding disc. Recently, disc kinematics has gained significant interest, as it directly traces the disc structure, unveils planet-disc interactions, and tests the presence of hydrodynamical instabilities. exoALMA, an ALMA Large Program, is dedicated to characterizing the kinematics of planet-forming environments with unprecedented precision. In this talk, I will present the work carried out by the exoALMA collaboration, focusing on modelling rotation curves to constrain dynamical masses of stars and discs. Understanding these quantities allows us to investigate disc composition, test thermochemical models, and assess the efficiency of angular momentum transport.
November 17th
Speaker: Dr. Stefano Andreon (INAF Brera)
Title: Gravity-Selected Cluster Samples: a new, unbiased window on galaxy clusters
Abstract: Galaxy clusters are key laboratories for understanding structure formation, but their derived properties, such as mass, richness, or luminosity scaling with mass, seem to depend strongly on how clusters are selected. Different selection methods often produce samples that follow apparently different scaling relations, raising questions about hidden biases and missing populations. In this talk, I will present first results from two follow-up programs targeting clusters identified through their gravitational shear. This gravity-based selection provides a new, unbiased view, and reveals populations of clusters that are rare, or even absent, in samples built with X-ray or SZ surveys. I will also discuss prospects for expanding these studies with upcoming large-scale surveys (Euclid, LSST, CSST) and dedicated follow-up facilities such as FXT on Einstein Probe and AtLAST, paving the way toward a more complete picture of the cluster population.
November 24th
Speaker: Dr. Pietro Bergamini (Università degli Studi di Milano)
Title: A new era in galaxy cluster strong gravitational lensing: How JWST and Euclid are transforming the landscape
Abstract: Galaxy clusters are the most massive gravitationally bound structures in the Universe and serve as powerful gravitational lenses. Acting as natural cosmic telescopes, they enable the study of some of the most distant sources ever observed, while strong-lensing models of galaxy clusters provide highly accurate and detailed measurements of their inner mass distribution. However, the success of these studies crucially depends on the development of high-precision strong lensing models. During my talk, I will present the state of the art in galaxy cluster strong lensing modeling. Specifically, I will describe the evolution of lens models over the last few years, culminating with the exploitation of the data obtained by the most advanced observation facilities, such as the JWST and the MUSE integral field spectrograph at the Very Large Telescope. I will highlight the strengths and limitations of current models and discuss possible strategies to overcome their main weaknesses. Specifically, I will present Gravity.jl, a next-generation strong lensing software we are developing, designed to significantly reduce the computational time required for model optimization. Finally, I will demonstrate the huge potential of the synergy between the Euclid space telescope and strong gravitational lensing, which will soon enable accurate statistical studies on large samples of lensing galaxy clusters. In this context, I will present the first catalog of strong-lensing galaxy clusters discovered by Euclid to date and discuss how well-trained machine-learning algorithms will play a crucial role in identifying lensing clusters in future Euclid observations. I will conclude by showing how Euclid spectroscopy will provide essential support for the development of the first strong-lensing models based on Euclid data.
December 2025
December 1st POSTPONED
Speaker: Prof. Aniello Mennella (Università degli Studi di Milano)
Title: TBD
Abstract: TBD
December 15th
Speaker: Prof. Alvaro Hacar (University of Vienna)
Title: TBD
Abstract: TBD
January 2026
January 12th
Speaker: TBD
Title: TBD
Abstract: TBD
January 26th
Speaker: Prof. Michele Fumagalli (University of Milano Bicocca)
Title: TBD
Abstract: TBD
February 2026
February 9th
Speaker: Dr. Nicola Gentile Fusillo
Title: TBD
Abstract: TBD
February 23rd
Speaker: Prof. Alessandro Lupi (University of Insubria)
Title: TBD
Abstract: TBD
March 2026
March 9th
Speaker: TBD
Title: TBD
Abstract: TBD
March 23rd
Speaker: Dr. Eleonora Zari (Università degli Studi di Firenze)
Title: TBD
Abstract: TBD
April 2026
April 20th
Speaker: TBD
Title: TBD
Abstract: TBD
May 2026
May 9th
Speaker: TBD
Title: TBD
Abstract: TBD
May 18th
Speaker: TBD
Title: TBD
Abstract: TBD
June 2026
June 8th
Speaker: TBD
Title: TBD
Abstract: TBD
June 22nd
Speaker: TBD
Title: TBD
Abstract: TBD