The lecture provides an introduction into astroparticle physics with focus on the exploration of the high-energy universe using nuclei, gamma-rays, neutrinos and gravitational waves. After an introduction, the acceleration of nuclei and the production of photons and neutrinos as well as their propagation and detection are discussed. This is followed by a chapter on gravitational waves and their detection. Afterwards, the highly topical field of multi-messenger astrophysics is presented by means of two recent examples. The lecture closes with a chapter on the still illusive Dark Matter and the current status of searches for it.
Apart from students generally interested in the interdisciplinary field of astroparticle physics, the lecture targets in particular students who want to write their master thesis in the AG Kappes or AG Weinheimer.
1 Cosmic radiation (CR)
- Discovery of CRs
- Energy scale and composition of CRs
2 Acceleration mechanisms and sources of CRs
- Acceleration in shock fronts, diffusive shock acceleration
- Sources of CRs (candidates, energy budget)
3 Primary cosmic radiation
- Charged component (sources, propagation, detection)
- Gamma-rays (production, propagation, detection)
- Neutrinos (production, oscillation, detection)
- Gravitational waves (production and detection)
4 Multimessenger astronomy (recent successes)
- Neutron star mergers and the gravitational wave event GW170817
- Neutrinos from blazars and the neutrino event TXS 0506+056
5 Dark Matter
- Evidence for Dark Matter
- Dark Matter Experiments and current status
- Lehrende/r: Alexander Kappes