Laboratory for Astroparticle Physics

• Dijana Dominis Prester
• Tomislav Terzić

PhD students

• Jasmina Isaković
• Karlo Mrakovčić
• Lovro Pavletić
• Filip Reščić

Master’s students

• Lorena Lulić

• Studies of active galactic nuclei (AGNs) using the MAGIC (Major Atmospheric Gamma-ray Imaging Cherenkov) telescopes
• Studies of the propagation of very high energy gamma rays (VHE, E > 100 GeV)
• Observational shifts and maintenance of the MAGIC telescopes
• Participation in the commissioning of the  Large-Sized Telescope (LST) prototypes for the CTAO  (Cherenkov Telescope Array Observatory) and observational shifts
• Participation in the R&D) research and development phase of SWGO (Southern Wide-field Gamma-ray Observatory)
• Participation in the scientific programs of the Vera Rubin Observatory and LSST (Legacy Survey of Space and Time)
• Participation in the Einstein Telescope (ET) experiment (gravitational waves)
• Cooperation in the international group “NuGRid”  – Simulations in nuclear astrophysics environments

AGNs are bright compact objects in the centers of galaxies, powered by a supermassive black hole (SMBH) and emitting radiation across the entire electromagnetic spectrum. Some AGNs eject matter in the form of collimated jets of ultrarelativistic energy. With Cherenkov Imaging telescopes, as MAGIC and LST, we investigate the VHE gamma-ray produced by AGNs and we gather multiwavelength and multimessenger data to study the emission mechanism.

The main research equipment (the Cherenkov Imaging Telescopes) is located at the Observatorio del Roque de los Muchachos (ORM)  on the Canary Island of La Palma.

MAGIC Florian Goebel Telescopes

The MAGIC telescopes are a system of two Cherenkov telescopes located at the ORM. They detect Cherenkov radiation as a consequence of cosmic and gamma-ray interaction with the nuclei of the atmosphere. They are optimized for observing gamma-rays with energies higher than 50 GeV.

CTAO (Cherenkov Telescope Array Observatory)

CTAO is a planned system of Cherenkov telescopes. It will be located at two locations: in the northern hemisphere at ORM, and in the southern hemisphere in Chile near the Paranal Observatory. The northern part will consist of 19 telescopes in two sizes, and the southern part of 99 telescopes in three sizes. The first telescope of CTAO-North, LST-1, has recently been put into operation and other three LSTs are installed and almost ready to take data.

LST (Large-sized Telescope)

The prototype telescope of the LST type was recently inaugurated at the ORM observatory. LST is the largest of the three types of Cherenkov telescopes (LST, MST, SST) that will be part of  the Cherenkov Telescope Array Observatory (CTAO). Currently, LST-1 is operational at the ORM observatory, and the other three LSTs are under construction and will be operational at the end of 2026.

SWGO (Southern Wide-field Gamma-ray Observatory)

SWGO is a gamma ray observatory based on water Cherenkov detector units. It will be located in the Atacama Astronomical Park in Chile at an altitude of 4,770 m. SWGO is in the research and development (R&D) phase, and simulations and tests are being conducted to select the final detector design and the best detector array configuration.

Vera Rubin Observatory and LSST (Legacy Survey of Space and Time)

Located on a mountaintop in Chile, the nearly complete Vera Rubin Observatory will image the universe in exquisite detail. Using the largest camera ever built, Rubin will scan the sky continuously for 10 years, creating an ultra-wide, ultra-high-resolution time-lapse record of our universe.

• Critical Design Review of the Large-Sized Telescope Successfully Approved and Closed
  • CTAO announcements, 25. 9. 2024.
• Magic in the Air
  • Javier Barbuzano, Sky & Telescope 5. 9. 2024.
• SWGO site selection
  • SWGO, 12. 8. 2024.
• MAGIC Riječani godinama istražuju ekstremne pojave u svemiru
  • Ingrid Šestan Kučić, Novi List, 15. 2. 2023.
• 20 MAGIC years of gamma-ray astronomy
  • David Paneque, 4. 14. 2022.
• Veliki uspjeh: Naši fizičari napravili važan korak prema teoriji svega
  • Nenad Jarić Dauenhauer, Index.hr, 31. 7. 2020.
• Teleskopi MAGIC nametnuli novo ograničenje eventualnoj teoriji kvantne gravitacije
  • Dario Hrupec, BUG, 12. 7. 2020.
• Riječki znanstvenik u ekipi koja je potvrdila opću teoriju relativnosti
  • Ingrid Šestan Kučić, Novi list, 8. 7. 2020.
• Otkriće fotona najviših energija u provalama gama-zraka
  • Tatjana Sandalj, Akademskih kvarat ure, Radio Rijeka, 24. 11. 2019.
• Hrvatski tim otkrio moćnu svemirsku pojavu za koju se mislilo da ne postoji
  • Nenad Jarić Dauenhauer, Index.hr, 20. 11. 2019
• Hrvatski znanstvenici sudjelovali u svjetski važnom otkriću Po prvi put su detektirali fotone najviših energija u bljesku gama-zraka
  • Jutarnji.hr, 20. 11. 2019.
• Astrofizičari na sastanku u Rijeci: Raspravljaju o razvoju najvećih teleskopa na svijetu
  • Ivana Kocijan, Novi List, 9. 7. 2019.
• Riječka astrofizičarka “Oko 90 posto svjetskog BDP-a rezultat je – kvantne fizike”
  • Aneli Dragojević Mijatović, Novi List, 31. 3. 2019.
• Hrvatski znanstvenik Božić provodi na rajskom otočju
  • Tanja Rudež, Jutarnji List, 26. 12. 2018.
• Na Kanarima mjerenja teleskopom LST-1 u projektu u kojem sudjeluje i Hrvatska
  • Hina, Jutarnji List, 23. 12. 2018.
• Indeks
  • Sunčica Findak ed., Indeks, HRT, 11. 11. 2018.
• Riječki astrofizičari u gradnji najvećeg teleskopa
  • Tatjana Sandalj, Akademskih kvarat ure, Radio Rijeka, 11. 11. 2018
• Riječki znanstvenici sudjelovali u izgradnji najsnažnijeg gama-teleskopa na svijetu
  • Ingrid Šestan Kučić, Novi list, 2. 11. 2018.
• Hrvatska se našla u prvoj ligi tragača za najvećim misterijima svemira
  • Nenad Jarić Dauenhauer, Index.hr, 28. 10. 2018.
• Što Hrvatska ima od Čerenkovljevih teleskopa? Sve o njima otkrila nam je poznata astrofizičarka
  • Biljana Starčić, tportal, 27. 10. 2018.
• Nećemo daleko stići budemo li za svaki izazov rekli – neka to rade bogatije zemlje
  • Zoran Vitas, Večernji list, 22. 10. 2018.
• Lov na tamnu materiju počinje na Kanarima
  • Vedrana Simičević, Novi list, 13. 10. 2018.