Astrophysics, Particle Astrophysics, Cosmology, & Space Sciences

Astrophysics, Particle Astrophysics, Cosmology, & Space Sciences

As part of the McDonnell Center for the Space Sciences, members of the physics department explore the origin of cosmic rays, energetic processes in galactic and extra-galactic objects, the properties of matter and spacetime near black holes, phase transitions inside neutron stars, the search for dark matter, the synthesis of heavy elements in nature, the formation of dust around stars, discovery and characterization of exoplanets, and the history of the lunar surface and of meteorites.

High Energy Astrophysics: Students work with, and sometimes design and build, instruments that are flown on spacecraft and high-altitude balloons or are used at ground-based observatories to detect cosmic-ray nuclei, gamma rays, and X-rays.

Extraterrestrial Materials: Three different types of materials are studied in the Laboratory for Space Sciences: meteorites, interplanetary dust from comets and asteroids, and lunar samples.

Gravitational Physics: Studies the observable aspects of general relativity, including gravitational waves.

Theoretical Astrophysics: Uses the fundamental laws of physics, with the help of massively parallel supercomputer simulations, to investigate observable astronomical phenomena.