Jump to content

Draft:Gerhard Heinzel

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
  • Comment: The subject likely meets the eligibility criteria for a Wikipedia page, but you need to make sure every claim in the draft is supported by a citation to a reliable source. Too much of this draft is currently unsourced. MCE89 (talk) 16:27, 27 October 2025 (UTC)
  • Comment: In accordance with Wikipedia's Conflict of interest policy, I disclose that I have a conflict of interest regarding the subject of this article. Ghnv45 (talk) 16:01, 27 October 2025 (UTC)
Gerhard Heinzel
Gerhard Heinzel (2021)
Gerhard Heinzel (2021)
Born (1964-11-17) November 17, 1964 (age 60)
Biberach an der Riss, Baden-Württemberg, West Germany
NationalityGerman
Alma materLeibniz University Hannover
Max Planck Institute for Quantum Optics
Known forLISA Pathfinder
GRACE Follow-On
Laser interferometry in space
AwardsSpecial Breakthrough Prize in Fundamental Physics (2016, shared)
ESA Recognition (2016)
NASA Group Achievement Award (2019)
Scientific career
FieldsPhysics, Gravitational wave astronomy, Laser interferometry
InstitutionsMax Planck Institute for Gravitational Physics
Leibniz University Hannover
Doctoral advisorKarsten Danzmann [de]

Gerhard Heinzel (born 17 November 1964) is a German physicist specializing in precision laser interferometry for gravitational physics. He is a group leader at the Max Planck Institute for Gravitational Physics (Albert Einstein Institute) in Hannover and außerplanmäßiger Professor (adjunct professor) at Leibniz University Hannover. He heads the "Interferometry in Space" research group and has been instrumental in developing laser interferometry technology for LISA Pathfinder, GRACE Follow-On, and the future LISA mission.[1][2]

Education and early career

[edit]

Heinzel was born in Biberach an der Riss, Baden-Württemberg. Before pursuing physics, he studied Sinology and Japanese studies at the University of Göttingen (1984–1986), and spent 1986–1987 studying Chinese at Shandong University in Jinan, China, supported by DAAD and Chinese government scholarships.

He began physics studies at Leibniz University Hannover in 1990 and was admitted to the Studienstiftung des deutschen Volkes (German Academic Scholarship Foundation) in 1992. He completed his Diplom at the Max Planck Institute for Quantum Optics in Garching (1995) and his Ph.D. at the University of Hannover (1999) under supervision of Karsten Danzmann [de], working on advanced optical techniques for gravitational wave detectors.[3]

From 1999 to 2001, Heinzel was a postdoctoral researcher at the National Astronomical Observatory of Japan, contributing to the TAMA 300 gravitational wave detector.[4] He completed his Habilitation at Leibniz University Hannover in June 2009 and was appointed außerplanmäßiger Professor in August 2015.

Career and research

[edit]

Since May 2001, Heinzel has been a staff researcher at the Max Planck Institute for Gravitational Physics (AEI) in Hannover, heading the "Interferometry in Space" research group within Karsten Danzmann [de]'s department.[5] He served as main designer of the LISA Pathfinder Interferometer and as German instrument manager for the GRACE Follow-On Laser Ranging Instrument.

Research contributions

[edit]

Heinzel's early work focused on advanced optical techniques for ground-based gravitational wave detectors, including experimental demonstrations of resonant sideband extraction (1996),[6] suspended dual recycling interferometers (1998),[7] and automatic beam alignment systems for GEO600.

He developed widely-used software tools including IfoCAD for simulating precision laser interferometry and LPSD (with Michael Tröbs) for logarithmic power spectral density estimation. The LPSD algorithm has become a standard tool in the gravitational wave community.[8]

Major space missions

[edit]

LISA Pathfinder (2015–2017): Heinzel played a central role in developing the optical measurement system for this ESA mission, which tested technologies for the future LISA observatory. The mission exceeded expectations, measuring the distance between two free-falling test masses to less than the diameter of an atom.[9]. It was also the first precision laser interferometer in space.

GRACE Follow-On (2018–present): As head of the Space Interferometry group at AEI and manager of German contributions to the Laser Ranging Interferometer (LRI), Heinzel's team developed a laser instrument measuring distance changes between satellites with 200–300 picometer accuracy.[10]. The LRI was the first interspacecraft laser interferometer.

LISA: Heinzel's group has made fundamental contributions to interferometry design for LISA, including phasemeter technology, constellation-wide frequency planning and the interspacecraft laser link functions. His work spans optical metrology, data processing algorithms, and hardware development for this planned space-based gravitational wave observatory.[11]

International collaborations

[edit]

Heinzel collaborates extensively within the LISA Consortium and with European institutions including APC Paris and ONERA. He contributed to GEO600 and has supported LIGO and VIRGO through software tools and technical advice.

His collaboration with NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory on GRACE Follow-On has demonstrated successful operation of laser interferometry in space. He maintains long-term collaborations with China on the Taiji and TianQin space-based gravitational wave detection projects, building on his early experience in Jinan. He has presented at numerous conferences in China and co-authored papers with Chinese researchers.[12]

Supervision and mentorship

[edit]

Heinzel has supervised 45 completed doctoral theses (2007–2024), covering topics including optical interferometry, phase readout systems, LISA Pathfinder and GRACE Follow-On missions, laser technology, noise analysis, and data processing. His research group is part of the International Max Planck Research School on Gravitational Wave Astronomy.[13]

Awards and honors

[edit]

Leadership and committee memberships

[edit]
  • Chairman, LISA Interferometry Working Group (2005–2013)
  • Member, LISA Instrument Group (Metrology and Phasemeter)
  • Member, ESA Fundamental Physics Advisory Group (2005–2007)
  • Member, QUEST Science Board (2008–2016)
  • Member, geo-Q Board (since 2013)
  • Member, Scientific and Technical Advisory Committee for EGO/VIRGO (since 2017)

Selected publications

[edit]

Heinzel has over 430 publications. Key publications include:

  • Heinzel, G.; Strain, K. A.; Mizuno, J.; Skeldon, K. D.; Willke, B.; Winkler, W.; Schilling, R.; Rüdiger, A.; Danzmann, K. (1998). "Experimental demonstration of a suspended dual recycling interferometer for gravitational wave detection". Physical Review Letters. 81 (25): 5493–5496. Bibcode:1998PhRvL..81.5493H. doi:10.1103/PhysRevLett.81.5493.
[edit]

References

[edit]
  1. ^ "Staff Profile: Apl. Prof. Gerhard Heinzel". Max Planck Institute for Gravitational Physics. Retrieved 2025-10-27.
  2. ^ "Gerhard Heinzel". Retrieved 2025-10-27.
  3. ^ Heinzel, G. (1999). Advanced optical techniques for laser-interferometric gravitational-wave detectors (Ph.D.). University of Hannover.
  4. ^ Heinzel, G. (2001). "Status and first results of TAMA300". Classical and Quantum Gravity. 18 (19): 4113–4119. Bibcode:2001CQGra..18.4113H. doi:10.1088/0264-9381/18/19/320.
  5. ^ "Research Group Leaders". International Max Planck Research School on Gravitational Wave Astronomy. Retrieved 2025-10-27.
  6. ^ Heinzel, G.; Mizuno, J.; Schilling, R.; Winkler, W.; Rüdiger, A.; Danzmann, K. (1996). "An experimental demonstration of resonant sideband extraction for laser-interferometric gravitational wave detectors". Physics Letters A. 217 (6): 305–314. Bibcode:1996PhLA..217..305H. doi:10.1016/0375-9601(96)00361-1.
  7. ^ Heinzel, G.; Strain, K. A.; et al. (1998). "Experimental demonstration of a suspended dual recycling interferometer for gravitational wave detection". Physical Review Letters. 81 (25): 5493–5496. Bibcode:1998PhRvL..81.5493H. doi:10.1103/PhysRevLett.81.5493.
  8. ^ Tröbs, M.; Heinzel, G. (2006). "Improved spectrum estimation from digitized time series on a logarithmic frequency axis". Measurement. 39 (2): 120–129. Bibcode:2006Meas...39..120T. doi:10.1016/j.measurement.2005.10.010.
  9. ^ "LISA Pathfinder exceeds expectations". Max Planck Society. 2016. Retrieved 2025-10-27.
  10. ^ "Climate research with gravitational wave technology". Einstein Online. Retrieved 2025-10-27.
  11. ^ Heinzel, G.; Braxmaier, C.; Danzmann, K.; et al. (2006). "LISA interferometry: recent developments". Classical and Quantum Gravity. 23 (8): S119 – S124. Bibcode:2006CQGra..23S.119H. doi:10.1088/0264-9381/23/8/s16.
  12. ^ Gibney, E. (2016). "Chinese gravitational-wave hunt hits crunch time". Nature. 531 (7593): 150–151. Bibcode:2016Natur.531..150C. doi:10.1038/531150a. PMID 26961634.
  13. ^ "Leibniz Universität Hannover Repository". Retrieved 2025-10-27.



Category:1964 births Category:Living people Category:German physicists Category:Gravitational-wave astronomy Category:People from Biberach an der Riss Category:Leibniz University Hannover alumni Category:Leibniz University Hannover faculty Category:21st-century German scientists

Retrieved from "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Draft:Gerhard_Heinzel&oldid=1319521272"