We conduct research that connects the otherwise disparate worlds of astronomy, particle physics, and cosmology. We are answering some of the most important fundamental questions about our Universe, such as the identity of dark matter, the conditions of the early Universe, the formation of large-scale structure, the properties of high-energy cosmic rays, and the nature of gravity.
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Learn more about our research
We conduct research that connects the otherwise disparate worlds of astronomy, particle physics, and cosmology. We are principally interested in studying some of the most important issues with our understanding of the Universe, such as the identity of dark matter, the conditions of the early Universe, the formation of large-scale structure, the properties of high-energy cosmic rays, and the nature of gravity.
We also have a close relationship and overlap in membership with the , the University of Sydney's Particle Physics group, and a University of Sydney/University of New South Wales joint venture: the .
Visit our to learn more about us.
Dr Theresa Fruth, from the School of Physics, prepares to descend a mile underground at the LZ experiment facility in South Dakota, USA.
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Link¶Ù°ùÌýTheresa Fruth
The DAMA experiment, based in the Gran Sasso underground laboratory in Italy, has claimed what is currently the only laboratory detection of dark matter interactions still standing. The detection claim, however, is a topic of hot debate in the community. In Australia, we have a unique advantage due to our geographical location, which allows us to test whether the claimed signal is due to a seasonal effect. This is what the SABRE experiment based in the Stawell Underground Laboratory in regional Victoria is aiming to achieve. Our group members are actively working on the construction and installation of this experiment.
¶Ù°ùÌýTheresa Fruth, ¶Ù°ùÌýCiaran O’Hare
XLZD is a recently formed international collaboration that aims to construct the largest ever particle detector using liquid xenon as its target medium. We will use this detector to test dark matter theories and detect neutrinos coming from the sun and supernovae. Our group is actively involved in the preparation and simulation work for this ambitious next-generation project.
¶Ù°ùÌýLaura Manenti
Advances in particle physics have always been made possible by the development of new instruments and technologies. The future in this space may lie in harnessing the potentially transformative sensitivity of quantum sensing techniques. We are investigating the use of these cutting-edge technologies and seeing how we could put them to use as next-generation particle detectors
¶Ù°ùÌýCiaran O’Hare
What if dark matter were made of a particle so light that it exhibits collective behaviour like a Bose-Einstein condensate inside galaxies? We are investigating this interesting class of dark matter theories, which includes particles such as axions and dark photons, and are thinking of ways to test them using both astronomical data and laboratory experiments.
±Ê°ù´Ç´Ú±ð²õ²õ´Ç°ùÌýCeline Boehm
While quantum computers may be many years away from large-scale implementation, the benefits this new approach may unlock are potentially revolutionary. Fortunately, we can prepare well in advance for this revolution by developing problem-solving algorithms for quantum computers simulated on classical ones. We are currently thinking about ways in which quantum algorithms may assist in a wide range of tasks, from spotting and classifying exotic objects in vast astronomical survey datasets to classifying the microscopic properties of particle interactions inside detectors.
±Ê°ù´Ç´Ú±ð²õ²õ´Ç°ùÌýCeline Boehm, ¶Ù°ùÌýCiaran O’Hare
Many theories of particle physics beyond our current Standard Model are expected to be difficult, if not impossible, to test using conventional approaches, e.g. in massive colliders like the LHC. However, across the universe we encounter environments with extremes of temperatures, densities and particle energies that far exceed what we could ever hope to harness on Earth. Could the next signal of new physics be lurking in astronomical data somewhere?
±Ê°ù´Ç´Ú±ð²õ²õ´Ç°ùÌýCeline Boehm, ¶Ù°ùÌýCiaran O’Hare
The physics that governs the very early Universe, before the formation of the first atomic nuclei, is a hotly debated topic in the particle physics and cosmology community. However, questions like where all the dark matter in the Universe came from and why there is almost no antimatter tell us that there is still much we hope to learn about what happened in the first few fractions of a second after the Big Bang. We are investigating the implications of the complex (but still hypothetical) physical processes that could have occurred during these epochs and considering how we might test these ideas using upcoming cosmological data.
¶Ù°ùÌýCiaran O’Hare, ¶Ù°ùÌýLaura Manenti
The quest for the mysterious dark matter, which makes up most of the mass in the Universe, has inspired some of the most sensitive physics experiments ever performed. These giant detectors are often located underground or inside mountains and are some of the quietest places in the Universe. Nevertheless, dark matter has still not been detected. To assist in the global search for dark matter, the Australian particle physics community has endeavoured to construct the first underground lab in the southern hemisphere, to be located in a working gold mine in Stawell, Victoria. One of the flagship detectors to be situated at Stawell is a node in a planned network of experiments known as CYGNUS. The experimental principle behind CYGNUS sets it apart from all currently running experiments. CYGNUS aims to detect not just the incoming dark matter particles themselves, but also their directions. This enables far superior background rejection capabilities, as well as the potential to more precisely study the nature of dark matter while simultaneously granting the experiment the ability to distinguish dark matter from neutrinos.
For further information about Astropartical Physics at the University of Sydney, please contact Dr Ciaran O’Hare at ciaran.ohare@sydney.edu.au.
