Ventspils Researchers Present Latest Discoveries on Massive Star Birth at International Astrophysics Symposium in Germany
August 31, 2026
Dr. Artis Aberfelds, Senior Researcher at the Engineering Research Institute "Ventspils International Radio Astronomy Centre" (VIRAC) of Ventspils University of Applied Sciences, participated in the prestigious international symposium "SFB 1601: Cologne-Bonn Symposium on the habitats of massive stars across cosmic time" held at the University of Cologne, Germany. A scientific report on methanol maser activity around forming massive stars was presented during the event.
Organized by the University of Cologne, the symposium brought together leading astrophysicists and radio astronomers from around the world to discuss the latest discoveries in star formation, the interstellar medium, and the physical processes governing the birth of stars.
The research presented by Dr. Aberfelds was developed in close international collaboration with researchers A. Sanna and L. Moscadelli from the Italian National Institute for Astrophysics (INAF). Utilizing the Karl G. Jansky Very Large Array (VLA) in the USA – one of the world's most sensitive radio telescope arrays – the study analyzed the connection between 6.7 GHz methanol (CH3OH) maser emission, stellar radiation, and outflows from young massive stars.
Key Findings and Conclusions:
- Discovery of 5 new maser sources: Observing 22 star-forming regions, 6.7 GHz methanol maser emission was detected in 13 objects, revealing 5 previously unknown maser sources.
- Precise indicator of stellar location: Over 90% of all detected maser spots are located in close proximity to the central star.
- Direct link with thermal free-free radio continuum emission: The study revealed a strong correlation between methanol maser luminosity and thermal radio emission, enabling astronomers to more accurately predict and identify weak radiation sources in the Universe in the future.
- Potential for next-generation radio telescopes: Calculations indicate that more than 30% of the methanol maser population currently remains undetected due to sensitivity limits of existing instruments. These sources will be unlocked by next-generation radio interferometers (such as the ngVLA and SKA).
The research and conference participation were carried out within the framework of the Latvian Council of Science (LZP) Fundamental and Applied Research Project „Revealing the physical mechanism of mass ejection around young massive stars via CH3OH masers” (Project No. 1.1.1.9/LZP/1/24/044).
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With support from the Baltic-American Freedom Foundation (BAFF), from the 21st of September to the 1st of October 2026, two leading scientists from the U.S. National Radio Astronomy Observatory (NRAO) – Dr. Todd R. Hunter and Dr. Crystal L. Brogan – visited the Engineering Research Institute “Ventspils International Radio Astronomy Centre” (VIRAC) at Ventspils University of Applied Sciences (VUAS). During their visit to Ventspils, the guests familiarized themselves with the Irbene radio astronomy complex and the receiver technologies developed in-house by VIRAC, and held seminars on mitigating radio-frequency interference and improving radio astronomy data processing. Together with VIRAC specialists, the researchers identified complementary research directions in the study of massive star formation, in which observations from the Irbene radio telescopes can provide substantial support for data obtained with leading U.S. radio astronomy instruments (ALMA, VLA/ngVLA). The visit served as an important step toward establishing a long-term partnership between Latvian and U.S. radio astronomy institutions. The foundations were laid for joint international research projects and scientific publications. Alongside the strategic discussions, the U.S. experts provided individual consultations for VIRAC researchers, delivered a public lecture for a wider audience in Ventspils, and offered valuable feedback and introduced international career opportunities to students in the exact sciences, both in Ventspils and subsequently in Riga at the University of Latvia (UL).
From 26 to 30 October, Assistant Professor Egita Proveja, Associate Professor Jānis Veckrācis and Lecturer Aiga Bādere of the Faculty of Translation Studies (FoTS) at Ventspils University of Applied Sciences (VUAS) visited the Faculty of Humanities of Jan Długosz University in Częstochowa ( Uniwersytet Jana Długosza w Częstochowie , JDU, Poland). The visit took place within the framework of both the COLOURS European University Alliance and Erasmus+ cooperation. The main aim of the visit was to launch a joint practice-oriented project for translation students of VUAS FoTS and JDU. Latvian and Polish students are expected to work with professional texts and specialised vocabulary in various formats of cooperation. Working meetings were held with the management and staff of the Faculty of Humanities. The VUAS representatives Jānis Veckrācis and Aiga Bādere discussed specific plans for cooperation with the Dean of the JDU Faculty of Humanities, Aiga Bādere met the Polish students involved in the project, and Egita Proveja observed German-language classes. The VUAS representatives also met the JDU Vice-Rector. The visit provided an opportunity to discuss the cooperation in detail, including a joint challenge-based project, its implementation timeline, the allocation of tasks and the expected results. Plans for a summer school were also discussed. The programme also included a study visit to the Jasna Góra Monastery, where a JDU graduate, now a professional guide, showed how education in the humanities and professional competence help to preserve and promote the region’s cultural heritage. The visit strengthened cooperation between the two universities and opened up opportunities to involve students at all levels of study in future joint projects.
How to Monitor a 32-Metre Radio Telescope – VIRAC Experience at the International Zabbix Summit 2026
From 7 to 9 October, the international Zabbix Summit 2026 conference took place in Riga, bringing together representatives from various countries to share experience on the capabilities of the Zabbix monitoring platform and its use across different industries. Kristaps Blumbergs, a Research Assistant at the Ventspils International Radio Astronomy Centre (VIRAC), also attended the conference.
On 16 October, Ventspils University of Applied Sciences hosted a Career Day for Early-Career Researchers, during which doctoral students and early-career researchers explored various professional development opportunities both within and beyond academia. The event highlighted the importance of international cooperation in research, featured personal experiences of scientific career development, and fostered collaboration among representatives of different scientific disciplines. The Career Day was organised as part of the international NextTechTalents project, introducing participants to opportunities to advance their research careers, develop professional skills, and engage in international initiatives. Special attention was also given to the opportunities offered to doctoral students and early-career researchers by the COLOURS European University Alliance. Gvido Grīnbergs from Ventspils High Technology Park shared his professional experience, describing his journey from research to entrepreneurship. He emphasised that the knowledge and skills acquired through research can be successfully applied beyond academia, including in entrepreneurship and technology development. Drawing on his personal experience, Gvido Grīnbergs highlighted the need to strengthen collaboration between researchers, entrepreneurs, and technology developers to transform scientific expertise into practical and innovative solutions. Oskars Teikmanis, Chairman of the Board of the Latvian Association of Young Researchers (LJZA), presented the diverse career paths and opportunities available to early-career researchers. He emphasised that a career in science is not limited to conducting research but can also develop in areas such as scientific publishing, research integrity, science policy, research funding, administration, innovation, and science communication. A doctoral degree demonstrates not only scientific qualifications but also a broad range of competencies that can be applied across various professional fields. The Career Day also featured a networking session, providing participants with an opportunity to engage in discussions, exchange ideas, and establish collaborations with fellow early-career researchers, doctoral students, doctoral supervisors, project representatives, and industry professionals. In addition to presentations and discussions, participants explored the research infrastructure of Ventspils University of Applied Sciences by visiting the laboratories of the Faculty of Information Technologies. The event concluded with a visit to Irbene, where participants took a guided tour of the Ventspils International Radio Astronomy Centre, learning about its research infrastructure and how it is used in scientific research.
The Engineering Research Institute “Ventspils International Radio Astronomy Centre” (VIRAC) of Ventspils University of Applied Sciences is organising the seminar “Artificial Intelligence Tools and Agents: Their Use in Software Development and Radio Astronomy Data Processing” to introduce the capabilities of artificial intelligence (AI) agents and their practical applications in the development of smart technologies and scientific research. The seminar will take place on 15 October at 10:30 and will be led by Jānis Šteinbergs, Scientific Assistant at VIRAC.
Andris Vaivads, Rector of Ventspils University of Applied Sciences, has been elected as a new foreign member of the Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences' Class for Astronomy and Space Science. Andris Vaivads studies what is commonly known as the magnetosphere around the Earth, other planets and the SunClass for astronomy and space science. He performs his research as a professor in Experimental Space Physics at KTH Royal Institute of Technology in Stockholm. Earlier, he spent 20 years as a researcher at the Swedish Institute of Space Physics in Uppsala. He studies the magnetosphere around Earth, other planets, and the Sun. Much of space is filled with plasma, a gas consisting of electrically charged particles that are influenced, among other things, by magnetic fields. When magnetic fields pointing in different directions reconnect – a process known as magnetic reconnection – large amounts of magnetic energy can rapidly be converted into other forms of energy, including kinetic energy. Andris Vaivads’s research focuses on these processes, where large amounts of energy are converted within small regions of space. Plasma processes can, among other things, produce the Northern lights (Auroras), affect satellites, and heat plasma to tens and hundreds of millions of degrees. The research group at KTH, in which Andris Vaivads spends 20 per cent of his working time, develops instruments to measure electric fields on satellites. The group also designs small measurement probes that can be launched from Esrange Space Centre in Kiruna on rockets. More recently, Andris Vaivads has also studied processes in the solar wind, a kind of plasma wind that plays a major role in space weather. This research uses observations from spacecraft launched by ESA (Solar Orbiter) in Europe and NASA (Parker Solar Probe) in the US. Members of the Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences serve on committees and participate in classes that initiate investigations, respond to consultations, and organise conferences and seminars. Based on the information published on the official website of the Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences.
