Developing ultra-sensitive detectors and analysis methods to identify dark matter in the Universe through extremely rare and extremely faint signals.
Studying neutrinos arriving from the Sun and outer space, as well as neutrinos produced in Earth-based experiments, to probe extreme environments and the fundamental laws of nature.
Using gravitational waves to study collisions of black holes and neutron stars and to test gravity in extreme cosmic events.
Implementing science-borne innovative solutions in high-tech industry, health protection, climate and society.
Seeking deeper understanding of the Universe, its origin, composition and processes, in terms of fundamental building blocks and interactions.
What is Dark Matter?
Astrophysical and cosmological observations reveal that the Universe contains more matter than we can see directly. Stars in galaxies rotate faster than visible mass can explain, galaxy clusters move as if they hold extra mass, and gravitational lensing (the bending of light by gravity) points to an unseen component. This mysterious substance is known as dark matter.
Properties of Dark Matter
Dark matter has mass and produces gravity, but it interacts only very weakly with ordinary matter. It does not shine, absorb light, or form stars and planets. Because of this, ordinary telescopes cannot detect dark matter directly. Its existence is inferred from its gravitational effects on visible matter. Current measurements suggest that dark matter makes up about 27% of the Universe’s energy–matter content, while familiar matter (atoms in stars, gas, planets, and people) accounts for about a five times smaller fraction.
Searching for Dark Matter Particles
Scientists believe dark matter may consist of weakly interacting massive particles. To detect them, researchers rely on building large, ultra‑quiet detectors deep underground, where backgrounds originating from other sources, especially cosmic rays, that can mimic the signal are minimized.
Astrocent’s Contribution
We contribute to this global effort through collaboration on liquid‑argon-detector-based experiments such as DarkSide‑20k and DEAP‑3600. Our teams develop light sensors, optical materials, electronics, and advanced analysis methods to achieve the sensitivity required for detecting dark matter particles.
Projects we are involved in:
Neutrino Physics
What are neutrinos?
Neutrinos are among the most abundant particles in the Universe, yet also the most difficult to detect. They are electrically neutral, extremely light, and interact only through the weak nuclear force and gravity. Billions of neutrinos from the Sun and other cosmic sources pass through every square centimetre of our bodies each second, almost all without leaving a trace.
Neutrino oscillations and mass
For decades, neutrinos were thought to be massless. This changed when experiments revealed that neutrinos can change “flavour” – oscillating between electron, muon, and tau types as they travel. These neutrino oscillations imply that neutrinos have mass and that flavours mix, a discovery recognized by the 2015 Nobel Prize in Physics. Although their masses are tiny, they challenge the Standard Model of particle physics and may be linked to fundamental processes in the early Universe, including the imbalance between matter and antimatter.
How neutrinos are studied
Modern neutrino experiments rely on enormous detectors – water or liquid‑scintillator tanks, liquid‑argon time projection chambers, or instrumented volumes of sea water and ice. These detectors capture the rare interactions of neutrinos with ordinary matter by recording faint flashes of light and charge. Such experiments study neutrinos from the Sun, the atmosphere, nuclear reactors, particle accelerators, and cosmic explosions. They probe neutrino mixing parameters, search for CP violation in the lepton sector, and use neutrinos as messengers from otherwise hidden astrophysical sources.
Astrocent’s role in neutrino research
Astrocent contributes to this global programme through participation in major international collaborations such as Hyper‑Kamiokande, KM3NeT, and CERN Neutrino Platform. Our teams focus on R&D for photodetectors, optical materials, electronics, and advanced analysis techniques relevant to future neutrino facilities. The goal is to build detectors that are more sensitive, stable, and precise, enabling neutrino physics to answer key questions at the intersection of particle physics, astrophysics, and cosmology.
Gravitational Waves
What are gravitational waves?
According to Einstein’s theory of general relativity, massive objects in accelerated motion disturb spacetime and create ripples that travel at the speed of light. These ripples are known as gravitational waves. For decades, they remained a theoretical prediction because the distortions they produce are incredibly small – far smaller than the diameter of a proton across kilometre‑scale distances.
First detection and new astronomy
In 2015, the LIGO and Virgo collaborations achieved the first direct detection of gravitational waves from the merger of two black holes. Since then, dozens of signals have been observed from merging black holes and neutron stars. This breakthrough gave rise to gravitational‑wave astronomy, a new way of studying the Universe that complements observations in light and particles. It allows scientists to probe strong gravitational fields, test general relativity, and explore the origins and evolution of compact objects otherwise invisible to traditional telescopes.
How gravitational waves are detected
Detecting such weak signals requires advanced interferometers with kilometre‑long arms, ultra‑stable lasers and mirrors, and extreme control of environmental noise. Disturbances such as seismic motion, air pressure fluctuations, and infrasound can mask or mimic astrophysical signals. For current detectors like Advanced Virgo and future third‑generation observatories such as the Einstein Telescope, designing sensitive, low‑noise environmental sensor networks is just as critical as the optics and vacuum systems.
Astrocent’s Contribution
We contribute to this field through:
- Development of seismic and infrasound sensors
- Distributed acoustic sensing using optical fibres
- Data‑analysis techniques to identify and suppress environmental noise
These activities support current gravitational‑wave experiments and lay the technological foundation for the next generation of detectors, expected to extend the observable volume of the Universe by orders of magnitude.
Projects we are involved in:
INNOVATIVE TECHNOLOGIES FROM SCIENCE
Astrocent develops innovative technologies born directly from cutting‑edge scientific research. As we expand into a new interdisciplinary institute, our mission is to combine future‑oriented astroparticle physics with solutions that address real‑world challenges.
Technologies created for studying dark matter, neutrinos and gravitational waves often find applications in healthcare, climate monitoring, sustainable energy and environmental security. Complementary actions within the project strengthen our research capacity, fill critical funding gaps and ensure that we can deliver technologies that support both frontline scientific discovery and global societal needs.
PARTICLE ASTROPHYSICS AND COSMOLOGY THEORY
At Astrocent, we strengthen our research profile by providing the theoretical foundations essential for modern astroparticle physics. As new data emerge from dark‑matter experiments, gravitational‑wave detectors and neutrino observatories, our theorists play a key role in interpreting signals, developing new models and supporting experimental teams with predictions, signatures and detector requirements.
Our work covers dark‑matter candidates and detection prospects, the physics of the early Universe, gravitational‑wave sources, and the fundamental properties of neutrinos, including their cosmological and geological implications. By combining expertise in particle physics, cosmology and astrophysics, and collaborating closely with international partners, Astrocent is set to respond to new discoveries, explore scenarios of new physics, and help shape the next generation of experiments that will deepen our understanding of the Universe.