Crete High Energy Astrophysics and Cosmology Group
COSMIC RAYS
We study ultrahigh-energy cosmic rays, the highest-energy particles in the Universe, with three primary questions in mind:
Can we determine the composition of the highest-energy particles (protons or heavier nuclei) electromagnetically, without reference to particle physics models? And, once we do, can we use this knowledge to constrain, in turn, particle physics at super-LHC energies using observations of collisions between cosmic-rays and atoms in the Earth's atmosphere?
Can we identify at least one likely nearby source of ultrahigh-energy cosmic rays?
What can we learn about the astrophysics of the systems that accelerate the highest energy particles, when the first source is found?
Selected Publications:
What do the highest-energy cosmic-ray data suggest about possible new physics around 50 TeV? Pavlidou and Tomaras 2019, Phys. Rev. D.
Deflections of ultra-high energy cosmic rays by the Milky Way magnetic field: how well can they be corrected? Magkos and Pavlidou 2019, JCAP
Our cosmic-ray research is funded by the Hellenic Foundation for Research and Innovation through project CIRCE.