One of our academic hosts at the University of Siegen, Prof. Risse, has recently been involved with a project at the Pierre Auger Observatory in Argentina for it’s 20th anniversary.
It is one of the greatest puzzles in astrophysics: high-energy cosmic radiation from space permanently hits the Earth’s atmosphere. These are elementary particles that have extremely high energies – sometimes up to one million times more energy than can be achieved with particle accelerators at Cern. At the Pierre Auger Observatory in Argentina, founded twenty years ago, scientists from all over the world are researching where these particles come from and how nature manages to accelerate them so strongly. Researchers from the University of Siegen have also been involved in the world’s largest international experiment on cosmic radiation for many years. Members of the Siegen working groups travelled to Argentina to celebrate the anniversary of the observatory. There they take part in the ceremony and in a scientific symposium. Click here to read more.