Our group works on the fields of theoretical cosmology and astroparticle physics with the goal of understanding the fundamental laws of the universe, exploiting synergies between astrophysical observations and laboratory experiments. This project would be embedded within UNDARK, a recently founded consortium funded by the EU “Widening participation and spreading excellence programme” (TWINNING project number 101159929). This consortium will carry out, from 2024 until 2027 and in collaboration with other partner institutions such as CERN, or the CNRS, an intense scientific and outreach program focused on shedding light on the so-called “dark universe”.
As we currently know from astrophysical observations, barely 18% of the total matter of the Cosmos is made up of the elements in atoms with which we are familiar, while the remaining 82%, termed dark matter, is the dominant type of matter in galaxies. In addition, all matter, ordinary and dark, currently only makes up 31% of the energy in the universe, with the rest being an even more mysterious component called dark energy which causes the universe as a whole to accelerate while it is expanding.
Read moreAdvancing these fundamental questions is currently the focus of a multidisciplinary effort at the frontiers of astroparticle physics and cosmology, that is setting the scene for future scientific breakthroughs. Among these major puzzles, the problem of dark matter exhibits the most diverse set of observational manifestations, ranging from the cosmic microwave background and the large-scale distribution of galaxies to galactic dynamics. Hence, this area of astroparticle physics is the subject of extensive theoretical scrutiny.
The ultimate scientific goal of the UNDARK consortium is to explore the dark universe and, in particular, discover what is dark matter made of. For this, we plan to use the state-of-the-art telescopes and facilities installed in the Canary Islands Observatories with the assistance of world-class institutions on the fields of astroparticle physics and cosmology. We have planned a vibrant scientific and artistic exchange program, several scientific meetings and schools, as well as there will be scientific staff and a scientific illustrator hired under the project.