ECSITE Conference – Stavros Katsanevas / ASPERA – June 2009

What is AstroParticle Physics ?

KEY QUESTIONS AND METHODS

What is the Universe made of ?Nature of dark matter and energy

Use rare processes (neutrino properties , proton decay) to probe the first instants of the Universe What is the origin of cosmic rays? What is the nature of violent cosmic phenomena ?Use new messengers beyond light and radio waves (high energy photons , neutrinos, charged particles, gravitational waves) to probe the « interior » of violent cosmic processes

Observatories deployed

In the desert (AUGER/Argentina, HESS/Namibia)In large planes (GW antenna Virgo/Pisa)Underground (Gran Sasso/Fréjus/Camfrance/Boulby)Underwater (Mediterannean ANTARES/NEMO/NESTOR)In space (FERMI,/PAMELA, AMS at the ISS)

RICH INTERFACE WITH ENVIRONMENT AND GEOSCIENCE

ASTROPARTICLE PHYSICS HAS A RICH OUTREACH POTENTIAL

ECSITE Conference – Stavros Katsanevas / ASPERA – June 2009

10-17 October 2009: European week of astroparticle physics

Celebrating the 100th anniversary of first cosmic rays experiments

•In the frame of IYA 2009, we are mobilising physicists, laboratories, sites of experiments to organize big or small events

•Open days, talks for the general public, exhibitions… With events organized all over Europe, astroparticle physicists will meet the general public and explain the challenges they face

•Science centres are very welcome to organize things in this frame, we are open to collaborations, providing for instance speakers for public talks…

•More information to come on: www.astroparticle.org

Federating a community through a European outreach project

ECSITE Conference – Stavros Katsanevas / ASPERA – June 2009

10-17 October 2009: European week of astroparticle physics: 2 large events as examples

Roma: first large exhibition fully dedicated to astroparticle physics

• Developped by the three major Italian institutes involved in astroparticle physics INFN, INAF & ASI, the 600 square-metres exhibition will be inaugurated during the week in an art Museum in Roma.

Paris: Back to the Eiffel Tower

• In October 6 1909 , Austrian physicist Theodor Wulf presented important indices that the radiation increases when going up the Eiffel Tower.

•To celebrate this discovery leading to the discovery of cosmic rays, we propose to install a cosmic rays detector at the Eiffel Tower that would trigger the towers illumination, accompanied with multiplexed TV presentations from key astroparticle experimental sites….

Federating a community through a European outreach project

ECSITE Conference – Stavros Katsanevas / ASPERA – June 2009

Citizens science

Examples

Eurocosmics

• Cosmic rays abundantly fall on earth (300/sec through any person). Many European countries (Belgium, Greece, France, Netherlands, Portugal, Spain, …) have developed portable detectors deployed in schools detecting cosmic rays, forming coincidences, permitting data analysis. They have recently formed a consortium.

PW@APC

• Modern technology permits to repeat the historical experiment of Penzias and Wilson detecting the Cosmological Microwave Background with relatively small equipment ….

Direct internet link with the ocean floor (project)

• Underwater neutrino telescopes permit an online monitoring of the ocean floor for schools and science centres. Developed in Canada (Neptune), in progress in Europe

ECSITE Conference – Stavros Katsanevas / ASPERA – June 2009

Virtual tools for outreach

Virtual outreach: 3 initiatives

Multimedia portal: Big Bang from the origins of the Universe to the origins of life•Text, Images, video, portal to existing projects (in French, soon an English version and then in other European languages…)• https://www.cnrs.fr/cw/dossiers/dosbig/

Virtual Institute of Astroparticle• Weekly interactive lectures by Nobel prize level physicists (over 40 currently). Courses. Discussion fora. Appreciated in new European countries. •https://viavca.in2p3.fr

House of Astroparticle in Second Life• Launched 14th of May. 1st event followed in the virtual amphitheatre: launch of Planck. Interactive examination of PLANK and AUGER. Virtual exhibitions. • inworld : Neutrino Campus > tr.im/apcsl