On 24 September, Ventspils University of Applied Sciences will host the international scientific seminar “Massive Star Formation – Latest Research and Developments”, organised by the Ventspils International Radio Astronomy Centre (VIRAC). The seminar will bring together researchers and those interested in research with visiting scientists from the United States. The seminar will feature scientist Dr Todd R. Hunter and Lead Astronomer Dr Crystal L. Brogan from the U.S. National Radio Astronomy Observatory (NRAO). The guests will present current research in radio astronomy, state-of-the-art observational infrastructure, and the opportunities it provides for studying the Universe and the processes of star formation. Dr Todd R. Hunter will give a presentation entitled “Exploring the Universe at Centimeter Wavelengths: The Next Generation Very Large Array”, while Dr Crystal L. Brogan will present “Searching for Our Cosmic Origins Using the Atacama Large Millimeter/submillimeter Array”. The seminar will provide researchers with an opportunity to discuss the latest research findings and methods with internationally recognised experts in radio astronomy, as well as to explore opportunities for future scientific collaboration. Such international knowledge-exchange activities strengthen the research capacity of Ventspils University of Applied Sciences and promote the involvement of Latvian researchers in the international radio astronomy research community. This information has been prepared within the framework of the project “Ventspils University of Applied Sciences` International Cooperation and Innovation for the Development of Latvia’s Smart Specialisation” (Project No. 1.1.1.5/3/25/I/012). 

On Friday, 25 September, at 16:15, Ventspils University of Applied Sciences invites everyone interested to attend the popular science open lecture “From Cosmic Cloud to Star: How Massive Stars Are Born”. The lecture will offer an engaging and accessible introduction to how massive stars are born, how astronomers are able to observe their formation, and what these studies can reveal about the origins and evolution of our Universe. The lecture will be delivered by guests from the U.S. National Radio Astronomy Observatory (NRAO) – scientist Dr Todd R. Hunter and Lead Astronomer Dr Crystal L. Brogan. Both researchers use modern radio astronomy techniques to study star formation and processes taking place throughout the Universe. The lecture is particularly suitable for astronomy enthusiasts as well as anyone interested in space and the methods scientists use to explore the Universe. No prior knowledge of astronomy is required. The lecture will be held in English, and participation is free of charge. The open lecture will complement the European Researchers’ Night programme in Ventspils. After the lecture, participants will have the opportunity to continue exploring science at the VIZIUM Science Centre, where European Researchers’ Night activities will take place. This information has been prepared within the framework of the project “Ventspils University of Applied Sciences` International Cooperation and Innovation for the Development of Latvia’s Smart Specialisation ” (Project No. 1.1.1.5/3/25/I/012).

As the availability of artificial intelligence (AI) tools continues to grow, so do their capabilities and the range of tasks they can perform, including increasingly complex and sophisticated ones. Consequently, AI is finding applications in ever narrower and more specialised fields. Scientific research in astronomy is no exception, including radio astronomy and related theoretical fields, which are among the areas of research pursued by scientists at the Ventspils International Radio Astronomy Centre (VSRC) of the Institute of Engineering at Ventspils University of Applied Sciences. AI is based on existing knowledge and cannot independently interpret newly generated scientific results. Nevertheless, AI-assisted data processing, generation of program code, partially repetitive data rows and other types of information, as well as the initial compilation and review of large volumes of information on a scientific topic or, for example, the operation of an existing program, can facilitate certain tasks when carried out under careful supervision and verification by a researcher. The results can, in turn, be checked using another version of an AI agent. However, these approaches do not necessarily reduce the overall amount of work or the time required to complete it. To make the most effective use of the opportunities offered by AI and to communicate this knowledge in an accessible way so that it can subsequently be learned and adopted by everyone involved in research, including members of the older generation of scientists, VSRC launched a series of seminars on the use of AI in science in autumn 2026. The series places particular emphasis on astrophysics and radio astronomy, including radio interferometric observations using the Irbene Radio Telescope (IRT) and the LOFAR network. The first seminar was led by VSRC scientific assistant Gints Jasmonts, who shared his knowledge and experience on 3 September. He provided an introduction to the world of AI and presented examples from his own work in computer science and astrophysics. The discussion focused primarily on large language models available through chat interfaces, search engines and programming environments. At their core, these AI systems operate by predicting the next word or token based on the preceding context. The seminar concluded with a discussion, which revealed that participants are already using AI in their everyday work. At the same time, it became clear that learning how to apply the diverse capabilities of AI specifically to research will require further learning. The next seminar will therefore have a more practical focus. This information has been prepared within the framework of the project “Ventspils University of Applied Sciences` International Cooperation and Innovation for the Development of Latvia’s Smart Specialisation ” (Project No. 1.1.1.5/3/25/I/012).

A team of solar physicists has discovered a new way to detect and measure entropy variations in the Sun’s atmosphere – a breakthrough that could help researchers better understand how energy moves through the solar corona and why the Sun’s outer atmosphere is millions of degrees hotter than its surface. Entropy is a concept that dates back to the 1860s, when German physicist Rudolf Clausius introduced it while studying the efficiency of heat engines and the famous Carnot cycle. Since then, entropy has become one of the most fundamental ideas in physics, helping scientists describe how energy is distributed and transformed in systems ranging from steam engines and black holes to stars and even the Universe itself. Despite its importance, entropy has remained notoriously difficult to measure directly in the Sun's atmosphere. In a new study currently in press in The Astrophysical Journal Letters, researchers from the University of Warwick, the Ventspils International Radio Astronomy Centre (VIRAC, Ventspils University of Applied Sciences), and University College London have shown that entropy leaves observable fingerprints in waves that travel through the Sun's hot, magnetised atmosphere, known as the corona. "Entropy is one of the key quantities that tells us how energy is organised within a physical system," explains lead author Dmitrii Kolotkov, Stephen Hawking Fellow. "In a conceptual sense, we can think of solar active regions as natural heat engines, continuously converting and transporting energy through hot magnetised plasma. Their behaviour and efficiency are closely linked to entropy. The concept itself has deep roots in thermodynamics and even plays a central role in black hole physics, where entropy is associated with the fundamental limits of information and energy storage. When entropy remains unchanged, energy tends to stay more organised and localised. When entropy is perturbed, energy becomes redistributed and spreads through the surrounding plasma. If we can measure how entropy changes in solar active regions, we gain a new way of tracking how energy is transported, dissipated, and ultimately converted into heat."

On May 21rd, researcher and doctoral student Karina Šķirmante from the Ventspils International Radio Astronomy Centre (VIRAC) led a scientific seminar, “Experience in ALMA Data Processing and Its Application in Comet Research”, sharing practical experience on the methodology of processing ALMA (Atacama Large Millimeter/submillimeter Array) data and the use of these data in comet research. The seminar consolidated the knowledge and practical skills the researcher acquired through training organised by the European ALMA School. The ALMA Regional Centre in Europe “Allegro” and Leiden Observatory organised these training sessions, where participants studied advanced methods of ALMA data processing and analysis in depth. At the beginning of the seminar, the ALMA interferometer was introduced. ALMA operates at millimetre and submillimetre wavelengths and consists of several antenna arrays, including the 12-metre main array, the 7-metre Atacama Compact Array, and the total power antennas. The researcher explained ALMA’s high sensitivity and angular resolution, which enable detailed studies of cold molecular gas, dust, star-forming regions, distant galaxies, and objects within the Solar System, including comets. The seminar then provided an overview of the methodology used for ALMA data processing. It was noted that ALMA does not directly create an image of the sky, but measures visibility data, or samples in the Fourier plane. Since these data are incomplete, as it is not possible to cover the entire visibility plane, image reconstruction is an inverse problem. The seminar outlined image-reconstruction methodology and its main parameters, including data gridding, weighting, and iterative image reconstruction. Special attention was given to the CLEAN algorithm, which is a computational algorithm used in radio astronomy to perform deconvolution of images obtained from radio interferometric observations. CASA is the main tool for ALMA data reduction; therefore, part of the seminar focused on reviewing the software, its input parameters, and the resulting images. Using CASA tools, you can inspect MeasurementSet data, select spectral windows, determine molecular line frequencies, and create images or spectral cubes using the tclean function. The seminar also covered various tclean outputs – the primary beam, mask, model, residual image, cleaned image, and primary beam‑corrected image. In addition, the seminar presented the CARTA tool for FITS data visualisation, spectrum extraction, and moment map creation. The second part of the seminar provided an overview of the researcher’s results in comet activity modelling and the use of ALMA data to validate the model. Comets are remnants from the time of the formation of the Solar System, containing ice, dust, rocks, and various volatile molecules. As a comet approaches the Sun, its nucleus heats up, the ice sublimates, and a coma and tail are formed. Radioastronomical observations, including ALMA observations, are important for determining the molecular composition of comets, for example, identifying molecules such as HCN, HNC, H₂CO, CH₃OH, and others. The thermal model of comet 2P/Encke, the identification of the spatial distribution of the HCN molecule in the cometary coma, and the validation of the model using ALMA archive data were examined in detail. ALMA data were particularly valuable in the researcher’s work, as they made it possible not only to determine the presence of molecules but also to map their spatial distribution within the comet’s coma. Overall, the seminar provided a practical insight into how ALMA observation data are transformed into scientifically usable images and data products. The seminar was highly valuable, as it ensured the transfer of knowledge and experience by drawing on the expertise of one of the world’s leading radio astronomy observatories in the planning of radio astronomical observations, data analysis and processing, thereby strengthening VIRAC’s competence in the use of ALMA data in research and contributing to the long-term development of Latvia’s radio astronomy sector and its integration into the international research environment. The seminar was organised within the framework of the European Regional Development Fund project No. 1.1.1.5/3/25/I/012 “International Cooperation and Innovation of Ventspils University of Applied Sciences for the Development of Latvia’s Smart Specialisation”.

At Irbene and Riga, 20–21 April 2026, a significant international scientific and academic event - the strategic seminar “Latvia’s National Partnership within LOFAR ERIC”- was held in Latvia, bringing together leading European radio astronomers, national policymakers, and academic institutions to strengthen Latvia’s long-term involvement in the LOFAR ERIC (Low Frequency Array – European Research Infrastructure Consortium) network. The meeting marked an important step in building a coordinated Latvian LOFAR community, bringing together Ventspils University of Applied Sciences, Riga Technical University, the University of Latvia, alongside other Latvian universities, and supporting stronger collaboration in radio astronomy, data science, and related technologies. Keynote presentations were delivered by Prof. Peter T. Gallagher (Ireland), Chair of the LOFAR-ERIC Council, and Prof. Michiel van Haarlem (Netherlands), Executive Director of LOFAR-ERIC. They were joined by directors of international LOFAR stations and leading experts from Ireland, the Netherlands, Sweden, France, Bulgaria, and Poland, as well as representatives from Latvia’s Ministry of Education and Science, the Ministry of Economics, and universities. Discussions focused on Latvia’s future participation in LOFAR-ERIC, highlighting its strategic location, research capabilities, and growing role in European research infrastructures. A central outcome is a shared commitment to fostering a national LOFAR consortium and strengthening Latvia’s integration into European research programmes. The event brought together researchers, early-career scientists, and students, underlining Latvia’s growing appeal in astrophysics and space research, as well as LOFAR’s broad scientific impact across signal processing, big data analytics, and machine learning. On 20 April, participants visited the Ventspils International Radio Astronomy Centre (VIRAC) in Irbene, where they toured the RT-32 radio telescope and the LOFAR Irbene station (LV614), gaining insight into Latvia’s radio astronomy infrastructure and recent technological upgrades. The meeting confirmed strong momentum toward establishing a cohesive national LOFAR ecosystem in Latvia, supported by close cooperation between universities, government institutions, and international LOFAR-ERIC leadership. The event was organised as part of the project “International Cooperation and Innovation of Ventspils University of Applied Sciences for the Development of Latvia’s Smart Specialisation” (Project No. 1.1.1.5/3/25/I/012).

On April 20 and 21, Latvia will host a significant international scientific and academic event - the strategic seminar “Latvia’s National Partnership within LOFAR ERIC,” which will bring together leading radio astronomy experts from Europe. The event focuses on LOFAR - one of the world’s most advanced low-frequency radio telescope networks, which, by combining 52 stations across several European countries, provides unique opportunities for multidisciplinary research in radio astronomy and astrophysics, as well as in the development of phased-array antennas and advanced data processing technologies.

Within the framework of the JIVE ERIC Latvia Partnership Plan, a meeting took place on February 24 to enhance cooperation in the research of space technology solutions and innovative materials. The meeting brought together Latvian representatives from the Ventspils University of Applied Sciences – Engineering Research Institute “Ventspils International Radio Astronomy Centre” (VIRAC) and the Institute of Solid State Physics of the University of Latvia, as well as international guests from the Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (Germany) and L. N. Gumilyov Eurasian National University (Kazakhstan). During the meeting, participants presented their current research directions and opportunities. Discussions were held on potential joint cooperation and the development of projects within European and international programmes. The participants also identified potential synergies between space research technologies and innovations in new materials. Particular attention was given to shared use of research infrastructure, the involvement of early-career researchers, and the strengthening of long-term partnerships. This meeting marks an important step in expanding the international cooperation of Latvian scientific institutions, laying the foundation for joint research and innovation projects while promoting knowledge transfer and technological development on both regional and global scales. The meeting was held within the framework of the European Regional Development Fund project No. 1.1.1.5/3/25/I/012 “Ventspils University of Applied Sciences` International Cooperation and Innovation for the Development of Latvia’s Smart Specialisation”.

The Sun has recently passed the peak of its activity cycle, and energetic events occur on its surface almost every day, including solar flares and coronal mass ejections (CMEs). These phenomena directly affect Earth’s magnetic field and ionosphere, creating space weather conditions that can disrupt satellites, communications, and navigation systems. These topics were discussed at a seminar held at the Ventspils International Radio Astronomy Centre (VIRAC) on 26 February 2026, organized within the framework of the LOFAR-ERIC initiative. The seminar brought together scientists from Ventspils University of Applied Sciences (Latvia), the Institute of Radio Astronomy and the Institute of Geophysics of the National Academy of Sciences of Ukraine, Odesa I. I. Mechnikov National University (Ukraine), and the Sodankylä Geophysical Observatory of the University of Oulu (Finland). During the seminar, participants discussed recent results in geomagnetic data analysis and studies of ionospheric processes. One presentation demonstrated an automated approach to processing geomagnetic data from the international INTERMAGNET station network, enabling more efficient analysis of large datasets collected from multiple observation stations. Researchers also presented the first results from observations of the annular solar eclipse on 17 February 2026, using the “Mayaki” geomagnetic station in Ukraine and the URAN-4 decameter radio telescope. These observations help investigate the influence of solar activity on Earth’s magnetic field and the dynamics of the ionosphere. Another presentation introduced preliminary results from observations of a strong geomagnetic storm near the meridian of the Struve Geodetic Arc. Researchers compiled digital data from 16 geomagnetic stations and analysed variations in the geomagnetic field during intense magnetic storms in January and November 2025. These data will form the basis for the geomagnetic component of a space weather monitoring system and will contribute to a better understanding of changes in Earth’s magnetic field. The seminar emphasized the importance of an interdisciplinary approach in space weather research. Increasingly, studies rely on integrated observation methodologies that combine radio astronomy observations, geomagnetic field measurements, and cosmic ray data. This approach enables more accurate analysis of ionospheric processes and the effects of solar activity on the near-Earth space environment. International research infrastructure plays a significant role in these studies. Observations are conducted using the LOFAR LV614 station in Irbene (Latvia), the KAIRA antenna array (Finland), and the URAN-4 radio telescope (Ukraine). Particular attention is paid to observations of ionospheric scintillations from strong cosmic radio sources during periods of intense solar activity, as well as to the influence of geomagnetic anomalies on these processes. The research also covers space weather effects in the region of the Struve Geodetic Arc, which connects Latvia, Finland, and Ukraine. Of particular importance in this region is the Odesa regional magnetic anomaly, where unique geomagnetic conditions may amplify the effects of solar activity on the ionosphere. The seminar was organised within the framework of the project “Ventspils University of Applied Sciences` International Cooperation and Innovation for the Development of Latvia’s Smart Specialisation” (No. 1.1.1.5/3/25/I/012), co-financed by the European Regional Development Fund.