Astrophysics Axis
The Astrophysics Axis is one of three axes within the Graduate School of Physics at Paris-Saclay University. Its role is to promote and coordinate research in all areas of astrophysics across the various laboratories on campus. It funds scientific projects (theses, postdoctoral research, equipment) and events (summer schools, conferences). It organizes an annual day, which is the main opportunity for researchers and engineers to learn about research and development in astrophysics in the Paris-Saclay laboratories. This day also offers doctoral students the opportunity to present their work in a supportive environment.
Scientific Topics
The Astrophysics Axis supports research on the following major open questions:
- the functioning of the Solar system;
- the formation and evolution of stars and planetary systems;
- the formation and evolution of large structures;
- physics under extreme conditions.
The fields covered by these questions are cosmology, galaxies, high energies, the interstellar medium, extraterrestrial matter, star formation, planetary sciences, solar and stellar physics, and astrophysical plasmas. The main methods used are ground-based and space-based instrumentation (in the broad sense, including all phases from the design of observation instruments to their astrophysical exploitation), data and signal science, data analysis and interpretation, numerical simulations, and theoretical work.
The Astrophysics Axis Community
The laboratories associated to the Astrophysics Axis
- The Departement of Astrophysics (DAp) at Irfu
- The Institut d'Astrophysique Spatiale (IAS)
- The Laboratoire ATmosphères et Observations Spatiales (LATMOS)
- The Laboratoire de Physique des Plasmas (LPP)
The laboratories of the PhOM and P2I axes having an astrophysics activity
Current members
- Frédéric GALLIANO (DAp; director)
- Alain ABERGEL (IAS; assitant director)
- Frédéric BOURNAUD (DAp)
- Sandrine COUTURIER (IAS)
- Thomas GAUTIER (LATMOS)
- Dimitra KOUTROUMPA (LATMOS)
- Vianney LEBOUTEILLER (DAp)
- Aline MEURIS (DAp)
- Laurent VERSTRAETE (IAS)
- Mathieu VINCENDON (IAS)
Past members
- Sylvie LERAY (DPhP)
- Marc-Antoine MIVILLE-DESCHÊNES (DAp)
- Valeria PETTORINO (DAp)
DAp Seminars
IAS Seminars
LATMOS Seminars
LPP Seminars
IJClab's A2C pole Seminars
The Projects Funded by the Astrophysics Axis
Laura NARDELLI (IAS; 2023)
- Title: Characterization and comparison of the composition of samples from the primitive asteroids Ryugu and Bennu by hyperspectral near-IR microscopy
- Advisors: Cédric PILORGET & Rosario BRUNETTO (IAS)
Alex ABELLO (LATMOS; 2023)
- Title: The habitability of ocean-worlds in the Solar system: surface composition analysis
- Advisor: Caroline FREISSINET (LATMOS)
Valentina SANGALLI (DAp; 2024)
- Title: Measuring the formation of massive primordial galaxies with the JWST
- Advisor: Benjamin MAGNELLI (DAp)
Tanguy DUSSERRE (IAS; 2024)
- Title: Modelling high-z galaxy protoclusters and comparing with JWST & Euclid
- Advisors: Hervé DOLE & Mathieu LANGER (IAS)
Lylia SKANDER (LATMOS; 2025)
- Title: Study of the analytical performance of ultra-miniaturized columns and a chromatographic analyzer based on MEMS technology, for the analysis of planetary samples
- Advisors: Malak BIGOURD & Cyril SZOPA (LATMOS)
The European Union is funding the COFUND project, UPSaclay-STAR-Φ, coordinated by the Graduate School of Physics. The Astro Axis co-funds 6 postdocs, within this project, distributed over two calls.
Andy SHU HO TO (IAS; 2026)
- Title: Testing the Reconnection Hypothesis in Solar Flare Initiation: From Simulation to Observed Precursors
- Advisors: Éric BUCHLIN (IAS)
Maxime PARRA (DAp; 2026)
- Title: Bridging the gap between jets and winds in Black Hole X-ray Binaries with multi-wavelength high-resolution monitoring
- Advisors: Stéphane CORBEL (DAp)
Observing internship at the Observatoire de Haute-Provence (OHP; 2024, 2025, 2026)
- 6-day internship for the students of the Master 2 Astronomie, Astrophysique & Ingénierie Spatiale (AAIS).
- 17 students & 3 Paris-Saclay teachers.
Summer school Paris-Saclay @OHP (2023, 2024)
- 6-day observing summer school for L3- or M1-level students.
- Webpage of the 2023 event.
- Webpage of the 2024 event.
The Rencontres de physique de l'infiniment grand à l'infiniment petit (2024)
- 2-week summer school for L3- or M1-level students.
- Alternation of lectures and laboratory visits.
- Webpage of the 2024 event.
High-Energy Astrophysics: Sources and Detection (2026)
- 10-day international summer school for PhD students.
- Webpage of the 2026 event.
The Annual Days of the Astrophysics Axis
- November 16th, 2021.
- Speakers: A. Abergel, S. Breton, A.-C. Buellet, O. Chitarra, T. Colas, V. David, J. Guilet, D. Koutroumpa, M. Langer, T. Le Pivert-Jolivet, T. Liaudat, A. Maury, Q. Noraz, R. Robidel, L. Verstraete, M. Vincendon.
- Website of the event.
- December 2nd, 2022.
- Speakers: A. Abergel, F. Buckland-Willis, N. Cerardi, H. Dhouib, P. Haffoud, A. Ivanova, A. La Posta, A. Le Bail, Y. Susaiev, T. Tollet, M. Zannese.
- Website of the event.
- October 19th, 2023.
- Speakers: A. Ali Ahmad, E. Brighi, E. Buchlin, X. Coulon, B. Criton, F. Daly, L. Degott, F. M. Fernandes de Oliveira, F. Galliano, L. Godinaud, R. Modolo, L. Pantoni, A. Strugarek, S. Verkercke.
- Website of the event.
- October 24th, 2024.
- Speakers A. Abello, M. Berthé, M. Bigourd, M. Bugli, E. Centofanti, H. Dole, F. Galliano, T. Lebeau, L. Maurin, M. Mondelin, E. Panetier, R. Peralta, C. Pilorget, C. Plasse, M. Sauvage.
- Website of the event.
- November 27th, 2025.
- Speakers: E. Abdo, M. Awad, L. Crascall-Kennedy, T. Dusserre, D. Elbaz, F. Galliano, T. Keita, F. Lanusse, I. Mellouki, L. Nardelli, F. J. Polanco Rodriguez, J. Pollack, V. Sangalli, F. Schussler, Q. Xu.
- Website of the event.