Aspera European Astroparticle network

The Astroparticle European Research Area ( ASPERA ) is a project funded by the European Commission Research Network, which brings together scientists and government institutions from European countries who are active in the field of astroparticle physics and support the sector financially. The network aims to bring together the national efforts of the member countries and Europe as coordinated advance the astroparticle physics. ASPERA is funded under the Sixth Framework Programme of the European Union with a total of 2.5 million euros in the period from 2006 to 2009.

The term ASPERA was chosen in reference to the Latin proverb per aspera ad astra, which means literally by the Rough to the stars, that is, mutatis mutandis, no pain no gain.

Objectives

The objectives of the research network ASPERA include:

• Development of a scientific strategy (Scientific Roadmap ) to formulate scientific goals and develop the necessary to obtain such large-scale projects in Europe and can build
• Cross-national, pan-European co-operation as far as possible on the major projects of the next generation
• Creation of a common information system to compare across countries very different processes for assessing and financing research projects. Thus, formal and legal hurdles indicate complicate the targeted cooperation in Europe.
• Development of a model for cooperation between national agencies to jointly fund transnational programs
• Expansion of the existing network to all in the field of astroparticle physics bodies active in Europe

Schedule

ASPERA began in mid- 2006 and will run for three years. By July 2008, the scientific strategy ( roadmap ) should be formulated which establishes clear priorities in each area of astroparticle physics.

By January 2009, wants to submit a joint plan of action, such as new research infrastructure (eg large detectors and telescopes ) in the field of astroparticle physics is to be financed. By July 2009, the national support programs should be coordinated accordingly and in line with the Action Plan. Then runs from ASPERA and start recognized as technically and financially feasible programs.

Activities

At the beginning of ASPERA, the participating scientists and agencies an overview of the current status in the field of astroparticle physics in Europe. These workshops are held and special days of action in all participating countries.

After the detection of the current situation, a working group within ASPERA then formulated a joint strategy for this branch of science. In parallel, a method is developed to evaluate pan-European research projects, compare and European objects jointly manage and finance.

Astroparticle physics in Europe

The young research field of astroparticle physics combines the exploration of the whole little with that of the whole Great. It play aspects of particle physics, astronomy and cosmology a role. Since the equipment for measuring, for example, Neutrinos, gamma rays and cosmic rays with highest energy are getting bigger and more expensive, is a coordinated approach of European countries in the context of ASPERA essential to get the leading position in Europe.

In the scientific strategy ( roadmap ) of ASPERA the Scientific formulate seven core areas where different devices and methods are used: High-energy gamma rays, neutrino mass, high-energy cosmic rays, high-energy neutrinos, direct detection of dark matter, detection of gravitational waves, neutrinos low energy and the decay of the proton. ASPERA is for all of these areas identify the two major projects until 2009 and examine ways to implement.

Roadmap: The Magic Seven

The combined into ASPERA scientists have presented on 29 September 2008 at a workshop in Brussels, the seven most projects to be funded, mainly the main questions of this research branch dedicated to: What is Dark Matter? Where does the cosmic radiation? What role do high energy processes in the universe? Can be detected gravitational waves? To clarify these issues, to seven instruments are used:

• CTA, the Cherenkov Telescope Array. It should come for the detection of high energy cosmic rays are used.
• KM3NeT, a neutrino telescope in the Mediterranean, to be almost a cubic kilometer in size.
• Detectors, which weigh about one tonne in order to search for the dark matter particles.
• Detectors of at least tons of size, to determine the fundamental properties and the mass of neutrinos.
• Detectors which comprise at least one million tons in order to investigate the decay of the neutron. Another field of application is neutrino physics to determine the properties of neutrinos.
• A large composite detector, which is to demonstrate charged cosmic rays.
• A laid underground third-generation antenna for detection of gravitational waves.

Whether all seven projects, which has identified the Steering Group of the Roadmap process, to be implemented is questionable. The planning is most advanced in CTA and KM3NeT. Both projects could be started in 2012 with the construction.

Participating Institutions

To ASPERA currently has 17 research agencies from 13 states:

• Fonds National de la Recherche Scientifique ( FNRS ), Belgium
• Fund Wetenschappelijk Onderzoek ( FWO ), Belgium
• Federal Ministry of Education and Research ( BMBF), Germany
• Promoter - DESY, Germany
• Centre national de la recherche scientifique (CNRS ), France
• Commissariat à l' énergie Atomique et aux énergies alternative ( CEA2 ), France
• NCSR Demokritos, Greece
• Science and Technology Facilities Council ( STFC ), UK
• Istituto Nazionale di Fisica Nucleare ( INFN ), Italy
• Stichting voor Onderzoek Fundamenteel of Matter ( FOM ), The Netherlands
• Fundação para a Ciência ea Tecnologia (FCT ), Portugal
• Horia Hulubei National Institute of Physics and Nuclear Engineering ( IFIN HH), Romania
• Vetenskapsrådet (VR ), Sweden
• Swiss National Science Foundation ( SNSF ), Switzerland
• Fundación Española para la Ciencia y la Tecnología ( FECYT ), Spain
• Ministerio de Educación y Ciencia (MEC ), Spain
• MEYS, Czech Republic

ASPERA is open to new members from the field of astroparticle physics.

ASPERA is a further development of ApPEC ( Astroparticle Physics European Coordination ), which have established in 2001 six research agencies from Europe, to promote the coordination of astroparticle physics in Europe.