Astroparticle Physics
CP3 has recently expanded its activities towards astroparticle physics. Building on the knowledge and expertise acquired in particle physics, researchers are now also focusing on studying messengers emitted by cosmic phenomena instead of those produced in human-built colliders.
One of the key research directions developed at CP3 is gravitational wave physics. These ripples in the space-time fabric can originate from a variety of compact objects spiraling around each other and merging (corresponding to current observations) or undergoing asymmetric deformations, be the signature of new physics processes, or be the relic emission from the early phase of the Universe. Our scientists use data recorded by the LIGO, Virgo, and KAGRA interferometers to search for these various types of signals and actively participate in preparing Einstein Telescope, the future European gravitational wave detector, which may be as close as 200km away. The researchers in the gravitational wave team are engaged in R&D, instrumentation, data analysis, and phenomenology.
Another key direction is neutrino and multi-messenger astronomy. Instead of using light to observe the universe, CP3 researchers use neutrinos, elementary and almost massless particles. Due to their very low cross section, neutrinos can escape dense environments such as the core of astrophysical sources without being absorbed. This specific property also forces researchers to use gigantic telescopes to detect them. CP3 is member of the IceCube Collaboration, whose instrument is buried at the South Pole in Antarctica, and the KM3NeT Collaboration currently deploying two telescopes offshore Toulon, France and Capo di Passero, Sicily.
Combining neutrinos with gravitational and electromagnetic wave detections in multi-messenger studies gives the most extensive overview of the astrophysical sources that can be acquired so far.
The researchers are active in instrumentation, data analysis, and phenomenology.
One of the key research directions developed at CP3 is gravitational wave physics. These ripples in the space-time fabric can originate from a variety of compact objects spiraling around each other and merging (corresponding to current observations) or undergoing asymmetric deformations, be the signature of new physics processes, or be the relic emission from the early phase of the Universe. Our scientists use data recorded by the LIGO, Virgo, and KAGRA interferometers to search for these various types of signals and actively participate in preparing Einstein Telescope, the future European gravitational wave detector, which may be as close as 200km away. The researchers in the gravitational wave team are engaged in R&D, instrumentation, data analysis, and phenomenology.
Another key direction is neutrino and multi-messenger astronomy. Instead of using light to observe the universe, CP3 researchers use neutrinos, elementary and almost massless particles. Due to their very low cross section, neutrinos can escape dense environments such as the core of astrophysical sources without being absorbed. This specific property also forces researchers to use gigantic telescopes to detect them. CP3 is member of the IceCube Collaboration, whose instrument is buried at the South Pole in Antarctica, and the KM3NeT Collaboration currently deploying two telescopes offshore Toulon, France and Capo di Passero, Sicily.
Combining neutrinos with gravitational and electromagnetic wave detections in multi-messenger studies gives the most extensive overview of the astrophysical sources that can be acquired so far.
The researchers are active in instrumentation, data analysis, and phenomenology.
Members
Academic staff
Projects
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This project aims at optimising neutrino telescopes, especially the IceCube Neutrino Observatory and KM3NeT, to detect GeV and sub-GeV astrophysical neutrinos. The instruments are then used to search for low-energy neutrinos from transient sources, such as solar flares, compact binary mergers, or gamma-ray bursts.
Recent Publications
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Stylianos Angelidakis, Theodore Avgitas, Emmanouil Chaniotakis, Johanna Casado, Paschal Coyle, Gwenhaël de Wasseige, Francesco Di Renzo, Claudia Magdalena Fabian, Dimitrios Fassouliotis, Francesco Fidecaro, Beatriz Garcia, Gary Hemming, Christine Kourkoumelis, Rémy Le Breton, Jacques Marteau, Francesco Mureddu, Vincenzo Napolano, Francesco Osimanti, Enzo Oukacha, Maria Panagopoulou, James Pearson, Massimiliano Razzano, Sofoklis Sotiriou, Stephen Serjeant, Francesca Spagnuolo, Elisabeth Unterfrauner & Stylianos Vourakis, November 15, 2024
Refereed paper. [Journal] [Full text]