Bärbel Koribalski
Galaxy formation scientist and leader of major HI surveys.
Bärbel Silvia Koribalski is a German-born research scientist at CSIRO's Australia Telescope National Facility, which is part of CSIRO's Astronomy & Space Science division. Her work focuses on galaxy formation and evolution, particularly the gas kinematics of galaxies studied through the HI 21-cm spectral line of neutral hydrogen. She uses radio observations from the Australia Telescope Compact Array, also known as the Paul Wild Observatory in Narrabri. Koribalski has investigated galaxy groups, such as the Dorado Group with V.A. Kilborn. She is a project leader for the ASKAP HI All-Sky Survey, called WALLABY, and has been involved in other major HI surveys, including the HI Parkes All Sky Survey (HIPASS) and the Local Volume HI Survey (LVHIS), for which she is the principal investigator. She also works on HI surveys planned for the Square Kilometre Array. In 2001, she discovered the Peekaboo Galaxy. Born in Wuppertal, Germany, and raised in Köln on the Rhine, she studied physics at the Rheinische Friedrich-Wilhelms Universität Bonn, earning a physics diploma in 1990 and a PhD in 1993, for which she received the Otto Hahn Medal. She received CSIRO's Newton Turner Award in 2011 and became a CSIRO OCE Science Leader in 2012. Her hobbies include athletics. She is a member of the International Astronomical Union and the Australian Society of Astronomy.
- born
- Wuppertal, Germany
- field
- Galaxy formation and evolution
- nationality
- German
- known_for
- Discovery of the Peekaboo Galaxy; Principal Investigator of WALLABY and LVHIS surveys
Quick Facts
- Birth Date
- 1964
- Birth Place
- Wuppertal, Germany
- Field
- Astrophysics, physics
- Workplaces
- CSIRO Astronomy & Space Science, Australia Telescope National Facility
- Education
- University of Bonn
- Awards
- Otto Hahn Medal (1993) · Newton Turner Award (2011)
Facts from the source article.
Lore & Background
Bärbel Koribalski grew up in Köln on the Rhine and studied physics at the Rheinische Friedrich-Wilhelms Universitaet Bonn, earning her physics diploma in 1990 and her PhD in 1993, for which she received the Otto Hahn Medal. She then moved to Australia to work at CSIRO's Australia Telescope National Facility, where she has studied nearby galaxies and galaxy groups such as the Dorado Group with V.A. Kilborn et al.
Her research focuses on galaxy formation and evolution, particularly through radio observations of neutral hydrogen using the HI 21-cm spectral line. She has conducted observations with the Australia Telescope Compact Array (ATCA), also known as the Paul Wild Observatory in Narrabri. In 2001 she discovered the Peekaboo Galaxy.
Koribalski has been a project leader for several major HI surveys: the HI Parkes All Sky Survey (HIPASS), the Local Volume HI Survey (LVHIS) as Principal Investigator, and the ASKAP HI All-Sky Survey (WALLABY) as Principal Investigator. She also works on HI surveys planned for the Square Kilometre Array (SKA). In 2011 she received CSIRO's Newton Turner Award, and from 2012 she has been a CSIRO OCE Science Leader.
Reader's Guide
Bärbel Koribalski's significance lies in her contributions to understanding galaxy formation and evolution through radio astronomy, particularly via the HI 21-cm spectral line of neutral hydrogen. As Principal Investigator of the WALLABY survey, she leads one of the most ambitious all-sky HI surveys using the Australian Square Kilometre Array Pathfinder (ASKAP), which will map the neutral hydrogen content of galaxies across the southern sky. Her earlier work on the Local Volume HI Survey (LVHIS) and involvement in HIPASS have provided key insights into the gas kinematics and dynamics of nearby galaxies. Her discovery of the Peekaboo Galaxy in 2001 added a notable object to the study of dwarf galaxies. Her leadership roles in these surveys, combined with her recognition through the CSIRO Newton Turner Award and her position as OCE Science Leader, underscore her influence in shaping the field of extragalactic HI science. Her work also contributes to preparations for the Square Kilometre Array, ensuring a lasting legacy in radio astronomy.
Did You Know?
- She discovered the Peekaboo Galaxy in 2001.
- She is the Principal Investigator of the ASKAP HI All-Sky Survey, known as WALLABY.
- She received the Otto Hahn Medal for her PhD in 1993.
- Her hobbies include athletics.
More in Discoverers of astronomical objects 1-24
Spotted an error? Know more?
This is a living reference — every entry is fact-audited, and reader corrections feed straight into our audit queue. Suggest an edit · See this site's audit record