The Commission on Astroparticle Physics (C4), previously known as the Commission on Cosmic Rays, was established by the International Union of Pure and Applied Physics in 1947 to promote the exchange of information and views among the members of the international scientific community in the general field of Cosmic Ray Physics that was broadened into the wider field of Astroparticle Physics, including

  • The nature and characteristics of the electromagnetic, particle and other radiation present in the cosmos;
  • The theory and models concerning the origin of this radiation;
  • Non-accelerator high energy physics;
  • The specialized technologies necessary in the field and their application

Violent astrophysical events within and outside the Galaxy are powerful emitters of electromagnetic radiation, charged cosmic rays, neutrinos and gravitational waves. With the current and future generation of experiments expanding their energy and intensity frontiers, the new paradigm of multi-messenger astronomy is now in the realm of reality.

The mandate of the commission includes e.g.

  • Initiation and support for International conferences according to the needs of existing and emerging areas of research in the fields covered by the Commission
    Among them, the biennial International Cosmic Ray Conference has been organized since 1947 (latest edition: ICRC 2019 in Madison, USA: https://www.icrc2019.org/). The meeting covers cosmic-ray physics, neutrino physics, γ-ray astonomy, dark matter, solar & heliospheric physics, particle astrophysics, and detector techniques in these fields. Other regularly supported conferences are the biennial ISVHECRI (International Symposium on Very High Energy Cosmic Ray Interactions), TAUP (Topics in Astroparticle and Underground Physics), Very Large Neutrino Telescope (VLNT), Identification of Dark Matter (IDM), and annual Terra-electron Volt Particle Astrophysics (TeVPA) series.
  • Promotion of free circulation of all scientists; assistance to conferenceorganizers in ensuringsuch free circulation and in resolving potential infringements
  • Organization of the award of medals or other testimonials of excellence in itsfield.
    The following prize winners are selected by the commission and awarded during the ICRC conferences :
  • The IUPAP Young Scientist Prizes in Astroparticle Physicsin recognition of outstanding contribution of up to a maximum of two young scientista in any area of Astroparticle Physics,
  • The Homi Bhabha Medal and Prizeestablished by the IUPAP and the Tata Institute of Fundamental Research (TIFR), Mumbai, India in 2010 to an active scientist who has made distinguished contributions in the field over an extended academic career,
  • The O’Ceallaigh Medalestablished by the estate of Prof. O’Ceallaigh andthe Dublin Institute for Advanced Studies to honour scientists who have made distinguished contributions to Cosmic Ray Physics

Mission/Mandate

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To promote the exchange of information and views among the members of the international scientific community in the general field of Astroparticle Physics including:

  1. the nature and characteristics of the electromagnetic, particle and other radiation present in the cosmos;
  2. the theory and models concerning the origin of this radiation;
  3. non-accelerator high energy physics;
  4. the specialized technologies necessary in the field and their application.

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To recommend for Union sponsorship international conferences which qualify for support under Union regulations.

To initiate such conferences as their need arises from the evolution of the Commission field.

To assist in the organization of such conferences when practical. To ensure the compatibility of international conferences in its field and to discourage clashes and incompatibility of dates.

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To promote the free circulation of scientists; to assist conference organizers in ensuring such free circulation and in resolving potential infringements.

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To organize where feasible the award of medals or other testimonials of excellence in its field.

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To publish where feasible newsletters, circulars, occasional books, journals or handbooks in its area.

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To maintain liaison with other IUPAP Commissions, with the Commissions or Committees of other Unions or of the International Council of Scientific Unions (ICSU) or other scientific organizations, with a view to collaborating and cooperating in sponsoring joint conferences and to participating in joint projects when need arises.

In particular to maintain close liaison with the General Commissions of IUPAP (SUNAMCO, Physics Education and Development), so as to ensure suitable input from its field into these physics-wide activities.

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To make available to each General Assembly of the Union a summary of activities and progress in its field since the previous Assembly.

Please send updated information and corrections to the IUPAP Administrator.

The mandate of the commission includes e.g.
  • Initiation and support for International conferences according to the needs of existing and emerging areas of research in the fields covered by the Commission
    Among them, the biennial International Cosmic Ray Conference has been organized since 1947 (latest edition: ICRC 2019 in Madison, USA: https://www.icrc2019.org/). The meeting covers cosmic-ray physics, neutrino physics, γ-ray astonomy, dark matter, solar & heliospheric physics, particle astrophysics, and detector techniques in these fields. Other regularly supported conferences are the biennial ISVHECRI (International Symposium on Very High Energy Cosmic Ray Interactions), TAUP (Topics in Astroparticle and Underground Physics), Very Large Neutrino Telescope (VLNT), Identification of Dark Matter (IDM), and annual Terra-electron Volt Particle Astrophysics (TeVPA) series.
  • Promotion of free circulation of all scientists; assistance to conference organizers in ensuring such free circulation and in resolving potential infringements
  • Organization of the award of medals or other testimonials of excellence in its field.
    The following prize winners are selected by the commission and awarded during the ICRC conferences :
  • The IUPAP Young Scientist Prizes in Astroparticle Physics in recognition of outstanding contribution of up to a maximum of two young scientista in any area of Astroparticle Physics,
  • The Homi Bhabha Medal and Prize established by the IUPAP and the Tata Institute of Fundamental Research (TIFR), Mumbai, India in 2010 to an active scientist who has made distinguished contributions in the field over an extended academic career,
  • The O’Ceallaigh Medal established by the estate of Prof. O’Ceallaigh and the Dublin Institute for Advanced Studies to honour scientists who have made distinguished contributions to Cosmic Ray Physics

Additional Information

Nobel laureates with seminal contributions to cosmic rays and astroparticle physics

  1. Prof. R.A. Millikan, 1923
  2. Prof. C.T.R. Wilson, 1927
  3. Prof. A.H. Compton, 1927
  4. Prof. V.F. Hess, 1936
  5. Prof. C.D. Anderson, 1936
  6. Prof. E. Fermi, 1938
  7. Prof. P.M.S. Blackett,1948
  8. Prof. H. Yukawa, 1949
  9. Prof. C.F. Powell, 1950
  10. Prof. W. Bothe, 1954
  11. Prof. T.D. Lee, 1957
  12. Prof. C.N. Yang, 1957
  13. Prof. P.A. Cherenkov, 1958
  14. Prof. I.M. Frank, 1958
  15. Prof. I.Y. Tamm, 1958
  16. Prof. R. Hofstadter, 1961
  17. Prof. L.D. Landau, 1962
  18. Prof. R.P. Feynman, 1965
  19. Prof. H.A. Bethe, 1967
  20. Prof. L.W. Alwarez, 1968
  21. Prof. M. Gell-Mann, 1969
  22. Prof. H.O.G. Alfven, 1970
  23. Prof. S.C.C. Ting, 1976
  24. Prof. P.L. Kapitsa, 1978
  25. Prof. J.W. Cronin, 1980
  26. Prof. G. Charpak, 1992
  27. Prof. M.L. Perl, 1995
  28. Prof. F. Reines, 1995
  29. Prof. M. Koshiba, 2002
  30. Prof. R. Davis, 2002
  31. Prof. R. Giacconi, 2002
  32. Prof. V.L. Ginzburg, 2003
  33. Prof. R.J. Glauber, 2005
  34. Prof. T. Kajita, 2015
  35. Prof. A.B. McDonald, 2015
  36. Prof. B.C. Barish, 2017

Proceedings of the ICRC series in the ADS

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