Research Centre for Theoretical Physics and Astrophysics (RCTPA)

Our Research

Scientific activities of the centre are concentrated on theoretical studies in relativistic physics and astrophysics, based on combination of analytical and numerical methods, with connection to particle physics, mainly on higly ultra-relativistic particles.The research covers wide region of so called multi-messenger astrophysics, modeling complex processes in strong gravitational and electromagnetic fields of compact objects, i.e., black holes, wormholes, superspinars, or neutron and quark stars, governed in the  framework of Einstein – Maxwell theory, or alternative models of gravitation and electrodynamics. Additional research directions are related to dark energy, dark matter, cosmological models, or to relation of chaos and regularity in physical processes. Results of theoretical models are tested by application to observational data of multi-messenger astronomy. Significant can be considered also participation on preparation of the X-ray satellite missions, or application of newly developed research methods in other branches of physics, or other scientific disciplines.

RCTPA, being founded as a part of Institute of Physics, Faculty of Philosophy and Science, Silesian University of Opava, dynamically devoloped both in extension of scientific activities, and relevance of published results and their content. Clear majority of scientific results was published in impacted journals of highest cathegory (Q1), some of them in excellent cathegory (D1). The most significant and relevant results frequently appear in Web of Science as highly cites (HC) papers, occassionally even as hot papers. At the foundation day of the Institute of Physics in Opava, 1. 1. 2020, RCTPA has fully international character: among 18 research workers, 9 was of foreign origin, European, Asian, American. Most of the PhD students was of the foreign origin. On the other hand, two scientist having PhD from our centre returned from postdoc positions in Oxford University. Researchers and PhD students of the RCTPA are frequently reaching important awards. In 2019, RCTPA became a part of ICRANET, a wide-world net of institutions involved in theoretical astrophysics. RCTPA is thus effectively participating in research of highest world level in wide region of the multi-messenger astrophysics.