Origins and effects of cosmic rays in large-scale structures of the Universe

• Applicant: Professor Marcus Brüggen, Ph.D.
• Subject Area: Astrophysics and Astronomy
• Term: from 2014 to 2019
• Project identifier: Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG) - Project number 253128873

The project we propose here is concerned with the study of cosmic rays in galaxy clusters and the large-scale structure of the Universe. Galaxy clusters are important sites for the acceleration of cosmic rays. The complex interplay of cosmic rays, magnetic fields and turbulence in the intra-cluster-medium is responsible for the large-scale emission observed in the radio, X-ray and gamma-ray bands.The modelling of non-thermal phenomena and particle acceleration in cosmology has so far been limited to a few numerical approaches, and has been scarcely connected to observations in a realistic way. Data from a range of new observational facilities are and will continue to enlarge our view of such processes in hitherto unexplored energy bands. This makes it a perfect time to connect theoretical modelling and observations at a high level of physical complexity.In this project we propose to combine state-of-the-art cosmological numerical simulations and cosmic ray particles theoretical models in order to explore the theoretical connection between fundamental plasma processes and non-thermal observables of galaxy clusters.In particular, the PhD project proposed here will tackle the theoretical uncertainties concerning the coupling between cosmic rays and the turbulent and magnetized intra-cluster-medium, using the comparison between simulated and observed non-thermal emissions in galaxy clusters to constrain the efficiencies of particle acceleration processes. The success of this proposal will enable a deeper and global theoretical understanding of the elusive processes that power the diffuse non-thermal emission in galaxy clusters, and will offer important clues on the efficiency of particle acceleration mechanisms in the intra-cluster plasma

• DFG Programme: Research Grants