High-energy astrophysics

PHOTONS AND HIGH-ENERGY PARTICLES

High energy astrophysics includes the whole body of research related to measuring so-called cosmic radiation, astronomical observations in X-ray and γ-ray range and interpretation of high-energy physical phenomena which are observed in many objects in the sky.

H.E.S.S.

Research works concerning high energy astrophysics at the NCU’s Institute of Astronomy are conducted mainly within the framework of H.E.S.S. project (High Energy Stereoscopic System). The participants of the project are a few dozens of research institutions from more than ten countries, including a number of Polish scientific units (Nicolaus Copernicus Astronomical Center of the Polish Academy of Sciences, The Henryk Niewodniczański Institute of Nuclear Physics of the Polish Academy of Sciences, Jagiellonian University in Kraków, University of Warsaw, Nicolaus Copernicus University in Toruń).

CTA

CTA project (Cherenkov Telescope Array) will constitute another important step in research of high energy astrophysics. The main goal of this initiative is to construct a new generation of ground gamma observatories. It is a project in which over 1300 scientists and engineers from all over the world have engaged in. It should be noted that the initiative has gained significant government support in many countries by, for example being included into so-called “road maps” in Poland and other countries of Europe.