Astroparticle and Cosmology Laboratory
{{Use dmy dates|date=April 2014}}
{{Infobox university
| name = AstroParticle and Cosmology laboratory
| native_name = AstroParticule et Cosmologie (APC)
| established = {{Start date|2005}}
| type = Mixed Research Unit (UMR)
| director = Antoine Kouchner
| academic_staff = 157
| administrative_staff = 14
| doctoral = 31
| city = Paris
| country = France
| campus = Paris Rive Gauche ([https://maps.google.com/maps/ms?msid=207086517568681501908.00044d6abb822c277dbf2&msa=0 location])
| affiliations = Paris Cité University, CNRS, CEA, Paris Observatory
| website = {{URL|http://www.apc.univ-paris7.fr/APC_CS/}}
| logo = Logo of the Astroparticle and Cosmology (APC) Laboratory.png
| logo_size = 200px
}}
The Astroparticle and Cosmology (APC) laboratory in Paris gathers researchers (experimentalists, theorists and observers) working in different areas including high-energy astrophysics, cosmology, gravitation, and neutrino physics.{{cite report |year=2013 |title=AERES report on unit |url=http://www.aeres-evaluation.fr/content/download/21609/332919/file/D2014-EV-0751723R-S2PUR140006408-003197-RD.pdf |access-date=14 January 2014 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140116132011/http://www.aeres-evaluation.fr/content/download/21609/332919/file/D2014-EV-0751723R-S2PUR140006408-003197-RD.pdf |archive-date=16 January 2014 |url-status=dead }}
The institute was founded in January 2005 {{cite journal |date=January 2005 |title=Astroparticle physics and cosmology laboratory opens in Paris |url=http://cerncourier.com/cws/article/cern/29231 |journal=CERN Courier |publisher=CERN |access-date=14 January 2014}}{{cite magazine |date=March–May 2005 |title=A Successful Interaction |url=http://fr.1001mags.com/parution/magazine-observatoire-de-paris/numero-1-mar-avr-mai-2005/page-6-7-texte-integral |magazine=Magazine Observatoire de Paris |publisher=Observatoire de Paris |issue= 1 |page=7 |quote=Created the 1st January 2005, APC is managed, other than by the Paris Diderot University, by the CNRS 1, the CEA 2 and the Observatoire de Paris.|access-date=13 January 2014}} and soon moved to new Great Mills campus of Paris Cité University in the Paris Rive Gauche area.
The laboratory is a "Mixed Research Unit" in French terminology, funded by Paris Diderot University, the Centre national de la recherche scientifique (represented by three of its Institutes: mainly IN2P3, but also INSU and INP), the Commissariat à l'énergie atomique et aux énergies alternatives, and the Paris Observatory.
The first director of the laboratory was Pierre Binétruy (2005-2013). From January 2014 until December 2017 the director was Stavros Katsanevas, followed by Sotiris Loucatos, and Antoine Kouchner (since July 2018).
Research activities
= Cosmology =
This group, headed by Cyrille Rosset, includes two main areas of research:
- Experimental investigation of the cosmic microwave background, including attempts to detect CMB polarization B-modes, which could provide support for the theory of Inflation. Researchers were involved in the Planck space mission{{cite web|url=http://prof.planck.fr/heading8.html |title=The Planck Satellite website |publisher=Prof.planck.fr |date=2009-04-03 |access-date=2014-01-14 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140115154210/http://prof.planck.fr/heading8.html |archive-date=15 January 2014 |df=dmy }} and are now active in the QUBIC experiment,{{cite web |url=http://www.qubic-experiment.org/ |title=[ QUBIC website ] |publisher=Prof.qubic.fr |date=2009-04-03 |access-date=2014-01-14 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140116122235/http://www.qubic-experiment.org/ |archive-date=16 January 2014 |url-status=dead }} the Simons Observatory, and the LiteBIRD satellite.
- Cosmological analysis of large spectroscopic and imaging surveys for the determination of constraints on the nature of dark energy. Researchers are involved in the wide-field observatories aimed at understanding the nature of dark energy: the large field Baryon Oscillation Spectroscopic Survey{{cite web|url=http://www.sdss3.org/collaboration/institutions.php |title=SDSS-III Institutions - SDSS-III |publisher=Sdss3.org |access-date=2014-01-14}} telescope, the Vera C. Rubin Observatory{{cite web|url=http://www.btopper.com/apc.pdf |title=Archived copy |access-date=2014-01-14 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140115091605/http://www.btopper.com/apc.pdf |archive-date=15 January 2014 |df=dmy }} and the Euclid space mission{{cite web|url=http://www.euclid-ec.org/ |title=Euclid Consortium | A space mission to map the Dark Universe |publisher=Euclid-ec.org |access-date=2014-01-14}}
= High-energy astrophysics=
Research carried out by this group, headed by Anne Lemière, aims at understanding the violent phenomena of the universe (mostly within compact stars, neutron stars, or black holes). The group is engaged in many international projects with telescopes or instruments detecting photons, cosmic rays, or neutrinos. For the observation of:
- gamma rays, it is involved in the INTEGRAL observatory,{{cite web|url=http://sci.esa.int/integral/49886-integral-reveals-new-facets-of-the-vela-pulsar-wind-nebula/ |title=ESA Science & Technology: INTEGRAL reveals new facets of the Vela pulsar wind nebula |publisher=Sci.esa.int |date=2012-01-25 |access-date=2014-01-14}} the High Energy Stereoscopic System,{{cite web|url=http://www.mpi-hd.mpg.de/hfm/HESS/pages/collaboration/institutions/#france |title=H.E.S.S. - The High Energy Stereoscopic System |publisher=Mpi-hd.mpg.de |date=2013-06-04 |access-date=2014-01-14}} the Cherenkov Telescope Array,{{cite web |url=https://portal.cta-observatory.org/Countries/Pages/default.aspx |title=Members of the CTA Consortium |publisher=Portal.cta-observatory.org |date=2013-11-22 |access-date=2014-01-14 |archive-date=21 July 2015 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150721172751/https://portal.cta-observatory.org/Countries/Pages/default.aspx |url-status=dead }} and the Space Variable Objects Monitor{{cite web|url=http://www.svom.fr/portfolio/telescope-eclairs/|title=Télescope ECLAIRs | publisher=www.svom.fr | access-date=2018-07-27}}
- cosmic rays of ultra-high energy, it is involved in JEM-EUSO{{Cite web |url=http://jemeuso.riken.jp/en/members.html |title=EXTREAME UNIVERS SPACE OBSERVATORY ONBOARD JAPANESE EXPERIMENT MODULE: Members |access-date=14 January 2014 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140116075215/http://jemeuso.riken.jp/en/members.html |archive-date=16 January 2014 |url-status=dead |df=dmy-all }}
- neutrinos, it is involved in the ANTARES{{cite web |url=http://antares.in2p3.fr/Collaboration/index.html |title=ANTARES collaboration |publisher=Antares.in2p3.fr |access-date=2014-01-14 |archive-date=24 May 2001 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20010524155944/http://antares.in2p3.fr/Collaboration/index.html |url-status=dead }} and KM3NeT projects{{cite web|url=http://www.km3net.org/France.php |title=Opens a new window on our universe |publisher=KM3NeT |date=2013-12-27 |access-date=2014-01-14 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140116074329/http://www.km3net.org/France.php |archive-date=16 January 2014 |df=dmy }} collaborations
- X-rays, it was involved in the space mission Hitomi{{cite web|url=http://www.isdc.unige.ch/astroh/images/ewas2012sps8/Laurent_highenergy.pdf |title=Archived copy |access-date=2014-01-14 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140116070036/http://www.isdc.unige.ch/astroh/images/ewas2012sps8/Laurent_highenergy.pdf |archive-date=16 January 2014 |df=dmy }}
=Neutrinos=
The research carried out by this group, headed by Davide Franco, is dedicated to understanding neutrino properties is one of the laboratories' main activities. Researchers are involved in studies of the phenomenon of oscillation (Borexino, Double Chooz){{cite web|author=Paolo Saggese |url=http://borex.lngs.infn.it/ |title=Borexino Experiment Official Web Site |publisher=Borex.lngs.infn.it |access-date=2014-01-14 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071016122025/http://borex.lngs.infn.it/ |archive-date=16 October 2007 }}{{cite web|url=http://doublechooz.in2p3.fr/Public/English/Collaboration/collaboration.php |title=Double Chooz Web Page |publisher=Doublechooz.in2p3.fr |date=2012-02-16 |access-date=2014-01-14}} and on future projects addressing the measurement of the neutrino mass hierarchy with atmospheric neutrinos with the deep-sea water Cherenkov telescope Orca{{Cite web |title=ORCA Status 281112 |url=http://www.apc.univ-paris7.fr/Downloads/antares/Antoine/ORCA_Status_281112.pdf%5B%5D |website=www.apc.univ-paris7.fr}} and the long-baseline neutrino oscillation project Laguna-LBNO.{{Cite web |title=Patzak-CERN-261113 |url=https://indico.cern.ch/getFile.py/access?contribId=10&resId=0&materialId=slides&confId=285170 |access-date=February 10, 2024 |website=indico.cern.ch}}
= Gravitation =
This core research of this group led by Stanislav Babak is the direct detection of gravitational waves. The group is involved in both ground-based (Virgo interferometer){{cite web|url=https://pub3.ego-gw.it/itf/Members_DB/Private/Institut_List.php |archive-url=https://archive.today/20140114142941/https://pub3.ego-gw.it/itf/Members_DB/Private/Institut_List.php |url-status=dead |archive-date=2014-01-14 |title=Virgo collaboration data base |publisher=Pub3.ego-gw.it |access-date=2014-01-14 }} and space-based (Laser Interferometer Space Antenna and its precursor LISA Pathfinder) instruments.{{cite web|url=http://www.lisa.aei-hannover.de/?page=pkollaboration&sub=lisapath&lang=en |title=LISA - LISA Pathfinder - Collaboration |publisher=Lisa.aei-hannover.de |access-date=2014-01-14}}
= Theory =
This group, headed by Dmitri Semikoz, covers the research topics of the laboratory from a theoretical perspective. It also carries out work on other areas of fundamental physics.
Organization
The staff of the laboratory consists of 75 permanent researchers and over 60 engineers, technicians, and administrative personnel, plus about 125 non-permanent employees (PhD students, postdoctoral fellows, visitors). In addition, the Paris Center for Cosmological Physics directed by George Smoot is also part of the laboratory{{cite web |url=http://pariscosmo.in2p3.fr/en |title=[ The PCCP website ] |access-date=2014-01-14 |archive-date=19 February 2014 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140219020928/http://pariscosmo.in2p3.fr/en |url-status=dead }} and one of the three functional centres of the Astroparticle Physics European Consortium is based here.{{Cite web |url=http://193.146.122.114:8888/appec/about/functional-centers/apc.html |title=Appec - Apc |access-date=15 January 2014 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160304032010/http://193.146.122.114:8888/appec/about/functional-centers/apc.html |archive-date=4 March 2016 |url-status=dead }}
An "International Associated Laboratory" in astroparticle physics was launched in September 2007. It associates the APC laboratory with the Kavli Institute for Particle Astrophysics and Cosmology (Stanford University).{{cite magazine|title=Astroparticle Physics Labs Join Forces |url=http://www2.cnrs.fr/en/1020.htm|magazine=CNRS International Magazine |date=October 2007 |issue=8}}
Evaluation
The laboratory has been evaluated twice by the AERES: in 2008{{cite report |year=2008 |title=Rapport du comité d'experts |url=http://www.aeres-evaluation.fr/content/download/11995/174662/file/AER_P07_006-2.pdf |language=fr |access-date=14 January 2014 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140116132016/http://www.aeres-evaluation.fr/content/download/11995/174662/file/AER_P07_006-2.pdf |archive-date=16 January 2014 |url-status=dead }} and in 2013. In the latter evaluation, the lab won excellent scores (A or A+ in all criteria).
{{anchor|Astroparticle Physics European Consortium}}Astroparticle Physics European Consortium
Astroparticle Physics European Consortium (APPEC) is a consortium of organizations from European countries that coordinate and fund research in astroparticle physics.{{cite web |title=About |url=https://www.appec.org/about |website=APPEC |access-date=21 September 2022}}
References
{{reflist|30em}}
External links
- {{official website|http://apc.u-paris.fr}}
- [https://web.archive.org/web/20140115153800/http://democrite.ccsd.cnrs.fr/view_by_stamp.php?&halsid=3aeg6mu20uh2crpne6su7kfps0&label=APC&langue=en&action_todo=browse_byDate List of publications by members of the lab]
{{coord|48.8294|N|2.3819|E|source:wikidata-and-enwiki-cat-tree_region:FR|display=title}}{{Paris Cité University}}{{authority control}}
Category:Research institutes in France