Dr. Anabella Teresa Araudo
The Astrophysical Plasmas and the Non-Thermal Universe research group focuses on understanding some of the most energetic processes in our galaxy and beyond. Our work centers on astrophysical and laser plasmas and how they behave under extreme conditions. In particular, we investigate particle acceleration in shocks. These environments, found in phenomena such as astrophysical jets, serve as natural laboratories for high-energy astroparticle physics. Complementary laser plasma shocks offer a unique controlled scenario to study particle acceleration.
A central aspect of this effort is the so-called injection problem in cosmic-ray physics: understanding how electrons from the thermal pool gain are energised and accelerated in shocks, becoming part of the non-thermal Universe. We tackle this problem through kinetic global particle-in-cell (PIC) and hybrid PIC+MHD (magnetohydrodynamic) simulations, as well as observations at radio wavelengths.
Another key objective of the group is to explore the origin of ultra-high-energy cosmic rays, the most energetic particles ever observed, whose sources and acceleration mechanisms remain one of the fundamental open questions in Astrophysics. We tackle this problem through MHD simulations, multiwavelength emission of candidate sources such as Centaurus A, and simulation of cosmic-ray propagation in the intergalactic medium as a way to compare our results with the latest findings from the Pierre Auger Observatory and Telescope Array.
We also study gamma-ray emission as a probe of non-thermal processes, using it to trace energetic particle populations and their interactions across the Universe. By combining theoretical modeling, numerical simulations, and observational data analysis, our research aims to build a comprehensive picture of the non-thermal Universe and the physical mechanisms that shape it.