Urs Dannenberg

Urs Dannenberg serves as a Guest Researcher at the Centre for Star and Planet Formation within the Globe Institute at the University of Copenhagen, specializing in computational modeling of planet formation processes in protoplanetary disks.

Education:

• Postdoc, Globe Institute, University of Copenhagen (2020–present)
• Doctor in Physics, Hamburg Observatory, University of Hamburg (2017–2020)
• Master of Science in Physics, University of Hamburg (2015–2017)
• Bachelor of Science in Physics, University of Hamburg (2011–2015)
• Internship, Lund Observatory, Lund University (2015)

Research Focus: Dannenberg investigates the streaming instability mechanism—critical for forming planetesimals (asteroid/Kuiper belt analogs) and generating disk turbulence—through advanced computer simulations. His work examines interactions between streaming instability and vertical shear instability to determine planetesimal formation thresholds under varying disk conditions, bridging theoretical astrophysics and high-performance computing.

Publication Impact: His three Astronomy & Astrophysics papers (2017–2022) demonstrate growing influence, with the 2017 study on planetesimal mass functions accumulating 135 Scopus citations and subsequent work exploring instability coexistence gaining traction through social media mentions (5 X posts) and Wikipedia references. Collectively, these studies establish numerical frameworks for understanding early planetary system assembly.

Scientific Recognition: No formal awards were documented, though citation metrics and external engagement (22 Mendeley readers for 2022 paper) indicate scholarly impact.

Collaborative Context: Dannenberg operates within the Centre for Star and Planet Formation, maintaining active collaborations with Anders Johansen (University of Copenhagen), Rajibul Banerjee, and Chao-Chin Yang across German and Swedish institutions, leveraging international expertise in computational astrophysics.