Science and space instrument interface laboratory
Connecting astrophysics and instrumentation from conception to flying steps. Defining instruments and make sure they tie in scientific objects.
Astrophysical Plasma Modelling Laboratory
Understand the physical mechanisms governing the dynamics of astrophysical plasmas at every scale using numerical, analytical and experimental methods.
Laboratory Dynamics of Stars and their Environment
Study the internal and external dynamics of the Sun , stars and their interactions with their circumstellar environment for a dynamic view of the stars in their environment.
Study and development of space eletronic systems
Concepting and developping electronic equipment using analog and digital electronic systems architectures
Cosmology and Galaxy Evolution group (LCEG)
Reconstruct galactic evolutions based on observations from large spatial instruments and telescops as well as high-resolution computer simulations.
Cosmology and Statistics Laboratory - CosmoStat
Cosmologists and computer scientists working together to develop new methods of statistics, signal processing, and apply them to the analysis of data for cosmology and other areas.
High Energy Cosmic Phenomena Research Laboratory
Observe and study the extreme sources and the most violent phenomena in the Universe. The sources are often revealed by their high energy radiation.
Star and Planet Formation
Understanding the physics of star formation and the production of dust in the outer space from observations of the far-infrared to sub-millimeter.
Spectral-imaging laboratory for space science
R&D in detectors from far infrared to gamma ray using bolometers, microcalocalorimeters or semiconductors.
Quality and space integration laboratory
Supporting space projetcs in terms of management, supervision of conception, study, development and making.
Space Systems and Architectures laboratory
Engineers and scientists working together to define the technical aspects to take into account while making space intruments.
A major space astrophysics laboratory
The Service d'Astrophysique (SAp - UMR AIM) is among the major space laboratories in France, in Europe and internationally. In direct collaboration with CNES, which is responsible for the space activities of French laboratories, SAp is strongly involved in space missions for ESA's Cosmic Vision scientific program and on bilateral missions supported by CNES. The development of astrophysics at the CEA began in partnership with CNES since its creation in the early 1960s. Astrophysics has since been a growing science with high potential for discoveries. Instruments, ever more numerous and more powerful, whether from the ground or on board satellites, make it possible to probe the universe with increased angular resolution and sensitivity across the full range of the electromagnetic spectrum. Meanwhile, modeling, particularly using computational simulations, is of increasing importance in astrophysics; astrophysical problems are mostly complex problems that involve other disciplines of physics. Astrophysics and other fields of physics enrich each other.
The Astrophysics division
The SAp-UMR AIM includes nearly 200 people, including 130 permanent staff mainly UMR AIM, a joint research unit CNRS-CEA-Paris Diderot and also of the Astroparticle and Cosmology UMR APC, CEA-CNRS -University Denis Diderot-Paris Observatory. The Astrophysics Service brings together researchers, engineers and technicians from the Service d'Astrophysique at CEA Irfu as well as research engineers at Sedi Irfu, the Université Paris Diderot and CNRS.
Our scientific projects
Modelling the Universe
Knowledge management of data archives
How to predict the energy of dangerous solar flaresMore
Cannibalism in a quintet of galaxies revealed by CEA MegaCam cameraMore
The distant elliptical galaxies from early universe refuse to form starsMore
The first observing programs of the James Webb Space Telescope finally revealedMore
James Webb Space Telescope (JWST) sees through the coldMore
The fate of exoplanets in close orbitMore
The fusion of two hyperdense stars makes the Universe resonateMore
Indirect detection of cold gas around distant galaxies in formation.More
The heart of the sun rotates about 4 times faster than its surfaceMore
The origin of the solar cycle unveiledMore