One internship for undergraduate/master students is available for the summer 2017.
Project: Probing Intergalactic Magnetic Fields
The origin of cosmic magnetic fields in the universe is an open problem in cosmology. There are essentially two classes of models to explain the cosmological magnetogenesis: primordial and astrophysical mechanisms. The existence of non-zero magnetic fields permeating the whole universe, henceforth called intergalactic magnetic fields (IGMFs), may be deemed a signature of the former process, thus suggesting the existence of a ubiquitous field since early times. High-energy gamma rays can probe the universe up to relatively high redshifts as they are electrically neutral and their arrival directions can be approximately traced back to their source. The interaction of the high-energy gamma rays with ambient photons from the cosmic microwave background and the extragalactic background light may produce electromagnetic cascades whose short-lived charged component is affected by intervening magnetic fields, allowing us to study these fields. The goal of this project is to model the development of gamma-ray-induced electromagnetic cascades in the intergalactic medium in order to constrain properties of IGMFs.
This project is simulation-based, so familiarity with Python would be advantageous.
Deadline for applications is Feb 20th. For information on the application procedure and other detauls see this page.