AstroOnTap Potsdam: Talk "How do we Accelerate Particles in Space?"

On Earth, we have many facilities such as the Large Hadron Collider that can accelerate particles to high energies. However, we also have much more powerful particle accelerators in space, for instance, the powerful shocks in supernova remnants. In these powerful shocks, a different particle acceleration mechanism known as “diffusive shock acceleration” occurs that allows particles to reach the highest energies. The only problem is: non-accelerated electrons cannot participate in this mechanism, and yet X-ray observations prove that it is possible! This is an unresolved problem in physics known as the “electron injection problem”. Therefore, we must look to creative ways to energise electrons in order to explain how they can reach such high energies.

Come by and get to know current research by our Potsdam astrophysicists at the AstroOnTap Potsdam event series, and put your astronomical trivia knowledge to the test in the pub quiz. Maybe your team will even win the highly desired trophy?

Both the talk and pub quiz will be held in English.

Admission is FREE and no registration is needed!