In very many astronomical systems, ranging in scale from planetary magnetospheres to clusters of galaxies, we see evidence of charged particles with energies very much higher than those of the bulk thermal distributions in these systems. This evidence takes the form both of direct observations (cosmic rays), observations of secondary non-thermal electromagnetic radiation (synchrotron, inverse Compton, Bremstrahlung, neutral pion decay etc) and potentially in the near future observation of high-energy secondary neutrinos produced by these particles. Understanding the mechanisms that accelerate these particles, and the processes by which they generate the observed secondary signals, is the aim of theoretical high-energy non-thermal astrophysics. A primary mechanism is though to be a variant of Fermi acceleration associated with strong collisionless shock waves and indeed at the phenomenological level there is a clear association between shock waves and non-thermal signatures in systems as diverse as the solar wind, supernova remnants, jets from active galactic nuclei and intracluster shocks in the intergalactic medium.
This work relies heavily on a combination of theoretical models and numerical simulations. It sits at the intersection of plasma physics with cosmic ray studies and high-energy astrophysics.
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Last Updated: 22nd March 2016 by Anne Grace
Particle Acceleration Theory, Interstellar Gas Dynamics and Plasma Astrophysics
In very many astronomical systems, ranging in scale from planetary magnetospheres to clusters of galaxies, we see evidence of charged particles with energies very much higher than those of the bulk thermal distributions in these systems. This evidence takes the form both of direct observations (cosmic rays), observations of secondary non-thermal electromagnetic radiation (synchrotron, inverse Compton, Bremstrahlung, neutral pion decay etc) and potentially in the near future observation of high-energy secondary neutrinos produced by these particles. Understanding the mechanisms that accelerate these particles, and the processes by which they generate the observed secondary signals, is the aim of theoretical high-energy non-thermal astrophysics. A primary mechanism is though to be a variant of Fermi acceleration associated with strong collisionless shock waves and indeed at the phenomenological level there is a clear association between shock waves and non-thermal signatures in systems as diverse as the solar wind, supernova remnants, jets from active galactic nuclei and intracluster shocks in the intergalactic medium.
This work relies heavily on a combination of theoretical models and numerical simulations. It sits at the intersection of plasma physics with cosmic ray studies and high-energy astrophysics.
Category: Research
The Theroretical Physics theme for the 80th anniversary is "Quantum, Inifinity and Beyond" The events will tie in the main research topics of the School and draw on its rich history. More on DIAS 2020 can be found here: dias.ie/dias2020/
DIAS School of Theoretical Physics is one of the two founding Schools. It's first Director was the renowned Physicist Erwin Schrödinger, and the School can boast a number of other big names in Irish and International physics and mathematics. #DIASdiscovers
DIAS & @esa Solar Orbiter. Professor Peter Gallagher and Dr Shane Maloney worked on the recently launched space mission. dias.ie/2020/02/11/dia… #DIASdiscovers #WeAreAllSolarOrbiters #SolarOrbiter
On 5th February 1943, Nobel Prize-winning physicist, Prof Erwin Schrödinger, then Director of Theoretical Physics at DIAS, delivered the first of his renowned ‘What is Life?’ lectures. He delivered further lectures in his ‘What is Life?’ series over the following month.
@petertgallagher will be on @PatKennyNT at 11.20 talking about the @esa #SolarOrbiter launch that took place at 4.03 yesterday morning from Cape Canaveral. ☀️🛰️ Listen now: newstalk.com #DIASdiscovers
Big Thank you to @hfalcke, for our School of Cosmic Physics Statutory Public Lecture on "The first image of a Black Hole" yesterday evening. Here he is pictured with @TomRayDIAS in @ucddublin #DIASdiscovers
ICYMI: DIAS SCIENTISTS DISCOVER DISAPPEARANCE OF LARGE PARTS OF TECTONIC PLATE BENEATH AFRICA researchandinnovation.ie/dias-scientist… #DIASdiscovers
Tickets still available for our Statutory Public Lecture this evening by @hfalcke: “The First Image of a Black Hole” More here➡️eventbrite.ie/e/dias-scp-sta… Tickets are free! #DIASdiscovers #blackhole