CAPA Centro de Investigacion en Fisica de Astroparticulas y Altas Energias
Research center on astrophysics, particle physics and cosmology
Georg G. Raffelt, Max-Planck-Institut für Physik. His research is in the areas of theoretical astroparticle physics and cosmology. In particular, it revolves around weakly interacting particles (neutrinos, the hypothetical axion, or weakly interacting dark matter candidates), their role in astrophysics and cosmology.
Miguel Á. Pérez Torres, research scientist at the Instituto de Astrofísica de Andalucía (IAA-CSIC, Granada, Spain) and collaborator of the DFTUZ
Abstract The Square Kilometre Array (SKA) project is an international effort to build the world’s largest radio telescope. The SKA is expected to conduct transformational science to improve our understanding of the Universe and the laws of fundamental physics, monitoring the sky in unprecedented detail and mapping it many times faster than any current facility.
The SKA will not be a single telescope, but a collection of telescopes spread over long distances in the Southern Hemisphere. In this talk, I will give an overview of the SKA project and its science goals, which range from the cradle of life in exoplanets up to shedding light on the Epoch of Reionization and the Dark Ages of the Universe.
Cherenkov telescopes are instruments optimized for detection of very high energy (VHE, E > 100 GeV) gamma rays from astrophysics sources. They play a crucial role in testing possible consequences of Quantum Gravity (QG), such as violation or deformation of Lorentz symmetry. In both cases, the photon dispersion relation is modified, making the photon group velocity energy dependent, and possibly modifying kinematics and dynamics of electromagnetic interactions. These tiny effects are vastly below the sensitivity of present-day laboratories. However, if real, they could be measured using VHE gamma rays of astrophysical origin. Cosmological distances that they cross serve as a natural amplifier for the QG effects. While no deviations from the special relativistic predictions have been detected, strong constraints have been set on modified photon dispersion relations.
In this session we will explain the process of testing implications of modified photon dispersion relations on VHE gamma rays using Cherenkov telescopes. We will cover different stages from observations, Cherenkov telescopes’ data analysis, statistical methods employed, and finally setting constraints on the QG energy scale.
Jueves 12 mayo, 12 horas, seminario de Física Nuclear, on-line (Google Meet)
Diego Blas is a researcher at UAB (Universidad Autónoma de Barcelona) and IFAE (Instituto de Física de Altas Energías). His research interests are in theoretical physics, gravitation and cosmology.
Abstract: In this talk, current and future efforts to detect gravitational waves from Earth and space observatories will be reviewed. Diego will also emphasise the physical consequences of these searchers, in particular regarding fundamental physics (primordial cosmology, dark matter, modified gravity…)
Viernes 6 mayo, 12 horas, seminario de Física Nuclear. On-line (Google-meet)
Charla de Diego Blas (cartel)
Dr. Carlos López Sanjuan is a researcher at CEFCA (Centro de Estudios de Física del Cosmos de Aragón).
Abstract: White dwarfs are the degenerate compact remnants of stars with masses below 8 Msun. They do not have an internal source of energy and just cool down with time. In addition, they show a diversity of atmospheric compositions in their spectra, with sources presenting hydrogen (H) lines (DA type), helium (He) lines (DO and DB type), metal lines (DZ type), and featureless spectra (DC type) among others. In this seminar we present our recent work about the spectral evolution of white dwarfs with effective temperature (i.e., their age) using the Javalambre Photometric Local Universe Survey (J-PLUS). We analysed 5926 white dwarfs with r <= 19.5 mag in common between the white dwarf catalogue presented in Gentile Fusillo et al. 2021, defined from Gaia EDR3, and J-PLUS DR2. We estimated their effective temperature (Teff), surface gravity, parallax, and spectral type; and the probability of having a H-dominated atmosphere (p_H) for each source. Our analysis yields a 21 +- 3% increase in the fraction of He-dominated white dwarfs from Teff = 20000 K to Teff = 5000 K.
Horario: 12:00, del jueves 10 de marzo, en el seminario de Física Nuclear. On-line
This thursday 16th December 2021, 12:00 in the «Seminario de Física Atómica, Molecular y Nuclear» and ONLINE we will have a new CAPA/theory seminar :
Speaker: Bodo schwabe (Dep. Física Teórica, Universidad de Zaragoza)
Title: Adaptive Mesh Refinement Simulations of Cosmological Scalar Fields
The talk will be given in person in the Seminar room and will be broadcasted via ZOOM in this link: https://rediris.zoom.us/j/86416862083
CAPA indico record: https://indico.capa.unizar.es/event/20/
Abstract: Over the past 15 months that I have had the please to be part of the Departamento de Física Teórica I continued my broad research on adaptive mesh refinement (AMR) simulations of cosmological scalar fields. In this seminar talk I will highlight the main scientific results that are the product of my stay at the Universidad de Zaragoza. This includes a new numerical method for ultra-deep zoom-in simulations of cosmological structure formation with fuzzy dark matter allowing numerical analyses of Milky Way-sized halos. Additionally, I will present preliminary results of cosmological structure formation suppression in scenarios where fuzzy dark matter is considered as an admixture to cold dark matter. The same numerical techniques are utilized for gravitational collapse simulations of the inflaton field in the post-inflationary, matter dominated Universe. Finally, I will highlight numerical results of QCD axion evolution assuming PQ-symmetry breaking after inflation using AMR techniques to better resolve axion strings and axitons for increasingly realistic simulations.
Dr. Miguel Ángel Sánchez Conde is a researcher at Universidad Autónoma de Madrid leading a group with a focus on gamma-ray dark matter searches, astroparticle physics and cosmological simulations.
Abstract: The nature of the dark matter (DM) in the Universe is one of the greatest mysteries of our time, and its quest of utmost relevance for the whole scientific community. Among the efforts currently ongoing, the search for annihilation or decay products of DM particle candidates like the WIMP already provided abundant information and allowed to set competitive constraints on the DM particle properties. In this review talk, I will summarize the current status of this ‘indirect’ search of DM, paying particular attention to results obtained with gamma-ray telescopes from the direction of the best astrophysical targets. I will finally discuss on future DM sensitivity prospects and new DM search opportunities.»
Horario: 12:00, del jueves 9 de diciembre, en el seminario de Física nuclear u on-line .
Charla financiada por el proyecto DGA del grupo GIFNA .
Los estudiantes del Máster en Física del Universo han visitado el Laboratorio Subterráneo de Canfranc para realizar actividades relacionadas con la investigación en sucesos raros y técnicas de bajo fondo radioactivos. Total implicación del personal del laboratorio. Gracias a todos por participar!
Galería de imágenes en el enlace
Maurizio Giannotti is a Physics Professor at Barry University, Fulbright visitor at CAPA. Research in astroparticle physics, axions and axion like particles.
Abstract: The research on axions has gained great attention in the last decade. We are finally reaching the experimental capabilities to detect axions in the most motivated parameter regions and the University of Zaragoza is playing a major role in this effort. In this talk, I will present an overview of the strong CP problem and of the axion solution. I will emphasize the phenomenological aspects and in particular try to justify the selection of physically motivated axion parameter regions. I will emphasize the impact of axions on stellar evolution and the experimental potential to detect them in the near future.
Jueves 14 de octubre, en el seminario de Física Nuclear, a las 12:00.
Opening Day, 1st October
Seminario de Física Nuclear, Facultad de Ciencias
You can join us on-line .
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