Presentation

The Astrophysics Division (DAp)

A major space astrophysics laboratory

The Astrophysics Division (DAp - UMR AIM) is among the major space laboratories in France, in Europe and internationally. In direct collaboration with CNES, which is responsible for the space activities of French laboratories, DAp is strongly involved in space missions for ESA's Cosmic Vision scientific program and on bilateral missions supported by CNES. The development of astrophysics at the CEA began in partnership with CNES since its creation in the early 1960s. Astrophysics has since been a growing science with high potential for discoveries. Instruments, ever more numerous and more powerful, whether from the ground or on board satellites, make it possible to probe the universe with increased angular resolution and sensitivity across the full range of the electromagnetic spectrum. Meanwhile, modeling, particularly using computational simulations, is of increasing importance in astrophysics; astrophysical problems are mostly complex problems that involve other disciplines of physics. Astrophysics and other fields of physics enrich each other.

The Astrophysics division

The DAp-UMR AIM includes nearly 200 people, including 130 permanent staff mainly UMR AIM, a joint research unit CNRS-CEA-University Paris Cité and also of the Astroparticle and Cosmology UMR APC, CEA-CNRS -University Paris Cité-Paris Observatory -PSL-CNES . The Astrophysics Service brings together researchers, engineers and technicians from the Astrophysics Division at CEA Irfu as well as research engineers at Dedip Irfu, University Paris Cité and CNRS.

Our scientific projects

A mission dedicated to the study of gamma ray bursts

The SVOM Mission (Space based multi-band astronomical Variable Objects Monitor) is a chinese and french project dedicated to the detection and detailed study of GRBs. The launch of the satellite is planned for the beginning of the next decade. Strong bursts of high-energy photons attributed to the explosion of massive stars or to the merger of two neutron stars, gamma-ray bursts are a powerful tool to probe the Universe at very distant times and to study physics in extreme conditions. They are also the most favorable candidates as counterparts of sources of gravitational waves and high-energy neutrinos, two rapidly expanding fields of research.

The fleeting nature of the phenomenon and the need to observe it simultaneously in a widest involve spectral band require appropriate equipments. The SVOM mission by providing a range of telescopes in space and on the ground sensitive from gamma rays to infrared light meets this objective. This complementarity of instruments is unique and will allow a detailed study of gamma-ray bursts, from the prompt emission to the afterglow.

GOLF

Studying the Sun's internal structure using the measurement of its oscillation modes.

ExplorNova

Projet de recherche sur les processus d'innovation dans la conception et la concrétisation des « grands instruments », tels que les observatoires spatiaux.

Research project about innovation process of concepting and shaping big instruments such as space telescope.

GOLF / SoHO

Global Oscillations at Low Frequencies

Etude de la structure interne du Soleil

Study of the internal structure of the Sun

GOLF instrument on board the SoHO spacecraft.

SOHO website at NASA.

Fermi

Observatoire de la NASA dédié à l'étude du rayonnement gamma de haute énergie émis par les objets célestes.

NASA space telescope studying high energy gamma-ray from space objects.

INTEGRAL

Mission de l'Agence Spatiale Européenne pour l’exploration du ciel dans la gamme des photons gamma de basse énergie.

ESA mission to explore the low energy gamma-ray sky.

VISIR

Camera infrarouge installée sur le Very Large Telescope au Chili.

Infrared camera based on the VLT in Chili.

EPISTEME

Analyser le rôle du numérique dans la construction, la diffusion et l'enseignement des connaissances en astrophysique.

Analyzing the digital technologies uses to make, spread and teach astrophysics knowledge.

XXL PROJECT

Programme d’observation extragalactique

de la mission spatiale XMM Newton.

Extragalactic observation program

of the space mission XMM Newton.

XMM-Newton

	XMM-Newton

An observatory to detect cosmic X-ray radiation

The XMM-Newton observatory (XMM stands for X-ray Multi-Mirror) is a telescope of the European Space Agency (ESA) dedicated to studying the X-ray cosmic radiation. Launched on December 10th, 1999 by an Ariane 5 rocket, XMM-Newton measures 10 m of length, 16 m large, for 4 m of diameter and weigh approximately 3,8 tons. It is the biggest monitoring satellite of ever sent into orbit.

XMM-Newton is a satellite with an exquisite spectroscopic sensitivity associated with a good angular resolution and a large field of view. The observations with XMM-Newton allow to make progresses in the field of astrophysics such as the galaxy clusters, the supernova remnants etc.

HERSCHEL

	Herschel

An Infrared and Sub-millimetre Observatory

The Herschel telescope is a scientific space mission developed by the European Space Agency (ESA) dedicated to observing the Universe in the infrared and sub-millimetre ranges (wavelengths between 60 et 670 µm), a window of the electromagnetic spectrum that is still largely unexplored. It measures 9 m in length, 4 m in diameter and will weigh over 3 metric tons upon launch. Herschel arrived at ESA in January 2008 and will be launched by an Ariane 5 rocket from Kourou on 31th, October 2008. It will then be, with its 3.5 m-diameter mirror, the largest telescope ever sent into space.

The main objectives of the mission are based on two approaches related to the question of Origins. Close to Earth, Herschel will probe the molecular clouds, which are true breeding grounds for young stars, with a view to understand the first stages in star formation. Further away, it will map out the heavens to discern galaxies at the time they were formed and thus enrich our attempts to explain the evolution of the Universe, from the Big Bang to the present.

COAST COmputational ASTrophysics

Simulation numérique en astrophysique spécialisé dans l’activité de "calcul de haute performance".

Astrophysics digital simulation for "high performance computing".

Kepler

Analyse de la dynamique stellaire (rotation) par l’asteroseismologie

Stellar dymanics analysis using asteroseismology.

Pour les détails sur la mission KEPLER, voir le site Kepler-NASA

For details on the KEPLER mission, see the Kepler-NASA website

Job

Public

Headlines

The Fermi telescope's third catalog of gamma-ray pulsars

The THESEUS mission selected by the European Space Agency

Irfu astrophysicist wins 2023 L'Oréal-Unesco Young Talent Award for Women in Science

Fermi is 15 years old!

Images from the first commissioning tests of Euclid!

JWST observations suggest that the rocky exoplanet TRAPPIST-1 c may have a thin atmosphere.

Could the GRB221009A burst of October 9, 2022 be the most violent starburst of our millennium?

Auscultating a mini-Neptune: taking the temperature with JWST's MIRI instrument

Anaëlle Maury receives an ERC Advanced grant for her project PEBBLES

MIRIm instrument on the James Webb space telescope detects, for the first time, the thermal emission of a temperate rocky planet

Contact

Astrophysics DivisionCEA Saclay

Headlines

The Fermi telescope's third catalog of gamma-ray pulsars

The THESEUS mission selected by the European Space Agency

Seminars

News

IN2P3 workshop on detectors for space applications

14th Trans-European School of High Energy Physics - July 14 to July 22, 2023

Research laboratories

LFEMI

LCS

LMPA

LDE3

LEDES

LCEG

LEPCHE

LSIS

LSAS

LQIS

LISIS

Presentation

The Astrophysics Division (DAp)

Astrophysics

Magmist

SN2NS

MATLAS

Oristars

STILISM

STARFICH

MULTIVERSE

Solar Predict

MORPHOSTAR

EXODUNES