Research

Research in the Funk group aims to understand processes in high-energy astrophysics, in particular:

• Astrophysical processes at high energies, in particular the acceleration, propagation and escape of ultra-relativistic particles in astrophysical environments
• Physics beyond the standard model, in particular understanding the particle nature of dark matter

High-energy messengers, in the case of our research photons ranging from X-rays to gamma-rays, are used to observe energetic processes in our Universe. The instruments we use are space-based or ground-based. X-rays and gamma-rays are detected either directly before they enter the atmosphere with instruments such as the Fermi Large Area Telescope (Fermi-LAT) or through their interactions with the atmosphere through the Cherenkov light emitted in extended air showers with instruments such as the High Energy Stereoscopic System (H.E.S.S.) or the future Cherenkov Telescope Array (CTA).

Other research focus points of our department include e.g. laboratory astrophysics.