✦ Astrophysics and Cosmology ✦

AFC Track

Explore the luminous edge of the universe.
From the birth of stars to the secrets of dark matter, the Astrophysics and Cosmology track takes you on a journey across scales — from exoplanets to galaxy clusters, and from dusty disks to the dawn of the Universe.

This journey is led by a stellar crew: seven permanent faculty members, plus a vibrant constellation of postdocs, Ph.D. students, and collaborators from leading institutions. And they’re not alone — researchers from the IFT and the Department of Theoretical Physics often join forces, exploring deep questions in cosmology and astroparticle physics.

What can you explore in this track?

🌟 Star Formation & Exoplanets
Trace the cosmic cycle from molecular clouds to planetary systems. Projects span the formation of protostars, the evolution of protoplanetary disks, and the hunt for Earth-like worlds around nearby stars. Much of this research happens within major international collaborations like DUNES, GASPS, and ARENA, powered by space telescopes and coordinated observation campaigns.

🌌 Extragalactic Astrophysics
How do galaxies grow and evolve? What drives their chemical evolution and intense star-forming activity? This subgroup studies these questions through a blend of theory, modeling, and cutting-edge observations, using tools like integral-field spectroscopy and AI-enhanced data analysis. Expect involvement in projects like AMUSING, HI-KIDS, and WEAVE — and the chance to contribute to community-developed open-source tools.

🌀 Computational Astrophysics & Cosmology
Run simulations of the Universe — from the cosmic web to individual galaxies. This team builds and uses sophisticated codes (like GRASIL-3D) to explore the physics of galaxy formation, feedback, and dust. Their virtual universes are tested against observational data and help design future missions. Collaborations include top institutes like MPIA (Heidelberg), Trieste Observatory, and AIP (Potsdam).

🌠 Astroparticle Physics & Cosmology
What is the Universe made of? This line of research dives into dark matter, dark energy, the cosmic microwave background, and the large-scale structure of the cosmos. It bridges theory and data from cutting-edge experiments such as PLANCK and XENON, with strong synergies between the Department’s astrophysicists and IFT cosmologists. A uniquely integrated perspective at the frontier of knowledge.

People

Faculty

Fellows

Postdocs

  • Jimenez Munoz, Alejandro

Ph.D. Students

  • Araneda Muñoz, Nicole
  • de Andrés, Daniel
  • di Marco, Gaetano
  • Castrillo, Asier
  • Contreras, Ana
  • Fernández-Suárez, Cristina
  • Gámez Marin, Matias
  • García-Martín, Pablo
  • Giordano, Fabrizio
  • Gutiérrez, Adrián
  • Reyes, Guillemo
  • Srivastava, Atulit
  • Vos Ginés, Bernhard
  • Zuriaga-Puig, Jaime

Visitors

  • Hough, Tomas (La Plata, Argentina; Visiting Professor, 2023-2025)
  • Li, Renji (USTC, China; Ph.D. student, 2023-2025)
  • Nagamine, Ken (25/11/2024 – 26/11/2024)
  • Nusser, Adi (11/11/2024 – 15/11/2024)
  • Abadi, Mario (15/10/2024 – 22/11/2024)

Professors Emeritus

  • Domínguez-Tenreiro, Rosa

Research

Refereed publications (since 2020)

According to the NASA/ADS database.


National Research Projects

  • Estallidos de formación estelar a lo largo de la evolución del universo
    MICINN, Spain (PID2019-107408GB-C42)
  • Illuminating the dark sector of the Universe
    CAM, Spain (2019-T1/TIC-12702)
  • Partículas, Astropartículas y Materia Oscura en el Universo
    MINECO, Spain (PGC2018-095161-B-I00)
  • MUSGALS: Multiscale Cosmological Simulations of Galaxy Formation and Large Scale Structures in the Universe
    MINECO/FEDER, Spain (PGC2018-094975-C2)


International Research Projects/Collaborations


Ongoing Ph.D. theses

Supervised by members of the Astrophysics group

  • N-body cosmological simulations to analyze halo substructure and its implications for gamma-ray dark matter searches
    Aguirre-Santaella, Alejandra (Advisor: Miguel A. Sánchez-Conde)
  • Supernovas y remanentes de supernova extragalácticos en muestreos de espectroscopia de campo integral
    Castrillo, Asier (advisors: Yago Ascasibar, Ángeles Díaz)
  • Supernovas y remanentes de supernova extragalácticos en muestreos de espectroscopia de campo integral
    Corcho-Caballero, Pablo (advisors: Yago Ascasibar, Ángel López-Sánchez)
  • Characterization of halo substructure properties and its role in dark matter searches
    Coronado-Blázquez, Javier (Advisors: Miguel A. Sánchez-Conde, Carlos Muñoz)
  • New tools for achival observational Astonomy
    Giordano, Fabrizio (Advisors: Y. Ascasibar, B. Merín)
  • MultiDark Galaxies and Clusters
    Mostoghiou, Robert (advisor: Alexander Knebe)
  • The search for dark matter with the Cherenkov Telescope Array
    Pérez-Romero, Judit (Advisor: Miguel A. Sánchez-Conde)
  • Analytical and numerical models of self-regulation of the star formation activity in galaxies
    Romero, Mario (advisors: Yago Ascasibar, Mercedes Mollá)
  • Hunting for primordial compact objects
    Scarcella, Francesca (Advisors: D. Gaggero, Miguel A. Sánchez-Conde)
  • Un estudio integral de procesos de formación estelar en regiones circumnucleares de galaxias
    Zamora Arenal, Sandra (advisors: Ángeles Díaz, Yago Ascasibar)

Supervised by external professors

  • Llorente Ibañez, Álvaro (advisors: Javier Gorosabel Urkía, Rosa Domínguez)
  • Modelos evolutivos de galaxias: distribuciones espectrales de energía, formación estelar y su relación con la emisión en altas energías
    Millán Irigoyen, Iker (advisors: Mercedes Mollá, Yago Ascasibar)
  • Estudios multifrecuencia de vientos estelares en estrellas masivas
    Rubio Diez, María del Mar (advisors: Francisco Najarro, Jesús Martín-Pintado)

Teaching and Outreach

Graduate courses

We currently offer an attractive M.Sc. programme within the broader context of the Master in Theoretical Physics at the UAM.

Master in Astrophysics at UAM

Undergraduate courses

Many of the group members are also engaged in undergraduate teaching:

  • Computación I (1º Grado C.C. Físicas)
  • Computación II (2º Grado C.C. Físicas)
  • Astrofísica y Cosmología (4º Grado C.C. Físicas)
  • Física del Cosmos (4º Grado C.C. Físicas)

Extension courses and International Schools

International Schools


Extension courses

Other events