Research Areas

The Department has traditionally focused on astrophysics, space science, and optics, and has international reputations in all three fields. Within these broad areas, some more specific topics under investigation include

• physics of solar flares
• theory of gamma-ray bursts
• high-energy particle and photon detector development for future space missions
• general relativity
• plasma astrophysics
• magnetospheric physics
• laser physics
• optical properties of matter
• optical design
• quantum electronics