Astroparticle physics

For the scientific journal, see Astroparticle Physics (journal).

Astroparticle physics, the same as particle astrophysics, is that branch of particle physics that studies elementary particles of astronomical origin, and their relation to astrophysics and cosmology. It is a relatively new field of research emerging at the intersection of particle physics, astronomy, and cosmology. Partly motivated by the historic discovery of neutrino oscillations, the field is undergoing remarkable development, both theoretically and experimentally, over the last decade.

Astroparticle physics aims to answer fundamental questions such as:

• What is the Universe made of?
• Does the proton decay?
• What are the properties of neutrinos? What is their role in cosmic evolution?
• What do neutrinos tell us about the interior of Sun, Earth and Supernova explosions?
• What is the origin of cosmic rays?
• What is the view of the sky at extreme energies?
• What is the nature of gravitation? Can we detect gravitational waves?
• What is the nature of Dark Matter? Can we detect it?

Its rapid development has led to the design of new types of infrastructure. In underground laboratories or with specially designed telescopes, antennas and satellite experiments, astroparticle physicists employ new detection methods to observe a wide range of cosmic particles including neutrinos, gamma rays and cosmic rays at the highest energies. They are also searching for dark matter and gravitational waves.

The most active topics in astroparticle physics are

• Gamma-ray astronomy
• Neutrinos and Neutrino astronomy
• Magnetic monopoles
• Axions

Facilities, experiments and laboratories involved in astroparticle physics include

• CERN Axion Solar Telescope
• NESTOR Project
• Laboratori Nazionali del Gran Sasso
• Aspera European Astroparticle network
• SNOLAB

See also

• Astroparticle Physics, a journal published by Elsevier
• Urca process
• Unsolved problems in physics

Notes and references

• Donald Hill Perkins; Particle Astrophysics, 2nd edit, Oxford University (2009). ISBN 0199545464
• Claus Grupen; Astroparticle Physics, Springer (2006).ISBN 3-540-25312-2

External links

• Aspera European network portal
• www.astroparticle.org: all about astroparticle physics...
• Aspera news
• Astroparticle physics news on Twitter
• Virtual Institute of Astroparticle Physics
• UCLA Astro-Particle Physics at UCLA
• Journal of Cosmology and Astroparticle Physics
• Astroparticle Physics in the Netherlands
• Astroparticle and High Energy Physics
• ASD: Astroparticle Physics Laboratory at NASA