RSPE » Study physics » Potential student research projects » Positrons and Dust Grains

Positron-electron annihilation radiation has been observed throughout the Galaxy. Recent observations by the INTEnational Gamma-Ray Astrophysics Laboratory (INTEGRAL) are shedding new light on our understanding of where matter-antimatter annihilation occurs in the universe. This project seeks to improve our understanding of positron transport in astrophysical environments.

The project consists of building simple transport models based on experimental positron scattering data. Monte Carlo techniques will be used to test these models. The objective is to provide insight into the observations of INTEGRAL.

The student will develop a positron transport model based on available experimental positron data and models. This work will be applied to the most recent results from the INTEGAL observatory. This project is jointly supervised by Dr Roland Crocker of the Research School of Astronomy and Astrophysics (RSAA). The student will work closely with the experimental positron group within RSPE and the high energy astrophysics group within RSAA. 

This research project can be tailored to suit students of the following type(s)