SAp is principally working in the following areas:
• the birth of stars and planets (molecular cloud fragmentation, early stages in the formation of stars, circumstellar disks, Saturn’s rings, etc.);
• the life of stars (magneto-hydrodynamic phenomena of stellar plasmas, activity of young stars, the Sun, massive stars and presupernovae, etc.);
• the final stages in the life of stars (formation of black holes, X-ray binaries, microquasars, explosion of supernova, supernova remnants, gamma-ray bursts, etc.);
• the structure of the Universe (history of the formation and evolution of stars, galaxies and their active nuclei, galaxy clusters, the large scale structure of the Universe, etc.).
This research is conducted using multiple wavelength observations, in particular using instruments in which DAPNIA has participated, computer simulations and theoretical studies.
The service currently finds itself in an exceptional position, with four experiments in space, SoHO launched in December 1995, XMM launched in December 1999, Integral launched in October 2002, and Cassini launched in October 1997, as well as three ground-based experiments, Megacam, Hess and VISIR.
By 2007 it will have 12 instruments in exploitation, which will require excellent organization in order to maximize scientifi c returns and which justifies a request for an increase in staffing levels.