Research
Source: https://astroparticle-science.sydney.edu.au/research/ Parent: https://astroparticle-science.sydney.edu.au/
Our research covers
- Dark matter particle physics and astrophysics
- Direct dark matter detection (LZ, SABRE, DARWIN, XLZD, CYGNUS)
- Neutrino physics
- Novel particle detectors
- Cosmic rays
- Black holes
- Fundamental physics with astronomy and astrometry
If you are interested in undertaking a project in one of these areas for your undergraduate degree, a summer project, or as a PhD or honours student, please get in touch with Celine, Ciaran, Laura or Theresa. To look at some examples of research projects we have offered go to the study with us page
Recent publications (2020—present)
\ Fine-grained dark matter substructure and axion haloscopes\ C. A. J. O’Hare, G. Pierobon\ [arXiv:2509.14874]\ \ Leading bounds on micro- to picometer fifth forces from neutron star cooling\ D. F. G. Fiorillo, A. Lella, C. A. J. O’Hare, E. Vitagliano\ [arXiv:2506.19906]
LHAASO Galactic Plane γ-rays Strongly Constrain Heavy Dark Matter\ C. Boehm, R. Laha, T. N. Maity\ [arXiv:2509.07982]
Searching for beyond-Standard-Model solar neutrino interactions using directional detectors\ A. Chandra Shekar, C. Lisotti, N. Mishra, C. A. J. O’Hare, L. E. Strigari\ [arXiv:2506.09322]
Populating Large N-body Simulations with LRGs Using Neural Networks\ M. Icaza-Lizaola, E. L. Sirks, Y.S. Song, P. Norberg, F. Shi\ [arXiv:2503.07713]
ν limits from Super-Kamiokande on dark matter-electron scattering in the Sun\ D. Krishna, R. Sherpa, A. Kumar Saha, T. N. Maity, R. Laha, N. Raj\ [arXiv:2503.07713]
Listening for ultra-heavy dark matter with underwater acoustic detectors\ D. Cleaver, C. McCabe, C. A. J. O’Hare et al.\ [arXiv:2502.17593]
Neutrinos as background and signal in Migdal search\ T. N. Maity\ [arXiv:2412.17649]
Neutrinoless Double Beta Decay Sensitivity of the XLZD Rare Event Observatory\ J. Aalbers, … C. Boehm, T. Fruth, L. Manenti C. A. J. O’Hare et al.\ arXiv:[2410.19016]\ \ The XLZD Design Book: Towards the Next-Generation Liquid Xenon Observatory for Dark Matter and Neutrino Physics\ J. Aalbers, … C. Boehm, T. Fruth, L. Manenti C. A. J. O’Hare et al.\ arXiv:[2410.17137]
Model-independent searches of new physics in DARWIN with a semi-supervised deep learning pipelines\ J. Aalbers, … C. Boehm, C. A. J. O’Hare et al.\ arXiv:[2410.00755]
Using dust to constrain dark matter models\ A. Ussing, R. A. Mostoghiu Paun, D. Croton, C. Boehm, A. Duffy, C. Power\ MNRAS 534 3 (2024)
First measurement of the weak mixing angle in direct detection experiments\ T. N. Maity and C. Boehm\ arXiv:[2409.04385]
Probing the Scalar WIMP-Pion Coupling with the first LUX-ZEPLIN data\ J. Aalbers, …, T. Fruth et al.\ arXiv:[2406.02441]
SuperBIT Superpressure Flight Instrument Overview and Performance: Near diffraction-limited Astronomical Imaging from the Stratosphere \ A. S. Gill, …, E. L. Sirks et al.\ AJ 168 85 (2024)
Review of particle physics\ Particle Data Group, S. Navas, … C. A. J. O’Hare et al.\ Phys. Rev. D 110, 030001 (2024)
The Data Acquisition System of the LZ Dark Matter Detector: FADR\ J. Aalbers, …, T. Fruth et al.\ arXiv:[2405.14732]
Hydrodynamical simulations of merging galaxy clusters: giant dark matter particle colliders, powered by gravity\ E. L. Sirks et al.\ Mon.Not.Roy.Astron.Soc. 530 (2024) 3, 3160-3170
Constraints On Covariant WIMP-Nucleon Effective Field Theory Interactions from the First Science Run of the LUX-ZEPLIN Experiment\ J. Aalbers, …, T. Fruth et al.\ arXiv:[2404.17666]
Particle dark matter versus modified gravity\ C. Boehm\ Nucl.Phys.B 1003 (2024) 116503
CYGnuS: Detecting solar neutrinos with directional gas time projection chambers\ C. Lisotti, C. A. J. O’Hare, E. Baracchini, V. U. Bashu, L. J. Bignell, F. Dastgiri, M. Ghrear, G. J. Lane, L. J. McKie, P. C. McNamara, S. Torelli\ Eur. Phys. J. C, 84 10 (2024) 1021
Cosmology of axion dark matter C. A. J. O’Hare\ PoS COSMICWISPers (2024) 040
New constraints on ultraheavy dark matter from the LZ experiment\ J. Aalbers, … T. Fruth, et al.\ arXiv:[2402.08865]
The neutrino fog for dark matter-electron scattering experiments\ B. Carew, A. R. Caddell, T. N. Maity, C. A. J. O’Hare\ Phys. Rev. D 109, 083016 (2024)
GraL spectroscopic identification of multiply imaged quasars\ P. Jalan, V. Negi, J. Surdej, C. Boehm et al.\ arXiv:[2312.08217]
First Constraints on WIMP-Nucleon Effective Field Theory Couplings in an Extended Energy Region From LUX-ZEPLIN \ J. Aalbers, … T. Fruth et al.\ arXiv:[2312.02030]
Axion minicluster streams in the solar neighbourhood \ C. A. J. O’Hare, G. Pierobon, J. Redondo\ Phys. Rev. Lett. 133, 081001 (2024)
Data Downloaded via Parachute from a NASA Super-Pressure Balloon E. L. Sirks et al.\ Aerospace 10 (2023) 11, 960
A full reconstruction of two galaxy clusters intra-cluster medium with strong gravitational lensing \ J. Allingham, C. Boehm et al.\ arXiv:[2309.07076]
Cosmogenic background simulations for the DARWIN observatory at different underground locations \ DARWIN collaboration, M. Adrover et al.\ arXiv:[2306.16340]
Search for new physics in low-energy electron recoils from the first LZ exposure \ J. Aalbers, …, T. Fruth et al.\ arXiv:[2307.15753]
The spin axes of globular clusters and correlations with gamma-ray emission \ Ciaran A. J. O’Hare, Alberto Krone-Martins, Celine Boehm, Roland Crocker\ arXiv:[2306.11276]
Feebly Interacting Particles: FIPs 2022 workshop report \ C. Antel, … Celine Boehm, Ciaran A. J. O’Hare\ arXiv:[2304.05134]
Aether Scalar Tensor (AeST) theory: Quasistatic spherical solutions and their phenomenology \ Peter Verwayen, Constantinos Skordis, Celine Boehm\ arXiv:[2304.05134]
Strong gravitational lensing’s ‘external shear’ is not shear\ A. Etherington, … Ellen Sirks et al.\ arXiv:[2301.05244]
Axion minivoids and implications for direct detection\ Benedikt Eggemeier, Ciaran A.J. O’Hare, Giovanni Pierobon, Javier Redondo, Yvonne Y.Y. Wong\ Phys. Rev. D 107, 083510 (2023)
Hybrid multi-fluid-particle simulations of the cosmic neutrino background\ Joe Zhiyu Chen, Markus R. Mosbech, Amol Upadhye, Yvonne Y.Y. Wong\ JCAP 03 (2023) 012
Probing dark matter interactions with 21 cm observation\ Markus R. Mosbech, Celine Boehm, Yvonne Y. Y. Wong\ JCAP 03 (2023) 047
Background Determination for the LUX-ZEPLIN (LZ) Dark Matter Experiment\ J. Aalbers, … Theresa Fruth et al.\ arXiv:[2211.17120]
Limits on Dark Photons, Scalars, and Axion-Electromagnetodynamics with The ORGAN Experiment\ Ben T. McAllister, Aaron Quiskamp, Ciaran A. J. O’Hare, Paul Altin, Eugene Ivanov, Maxim Goryachev, Michael E. Tobar\ Annalen Phys. 2023 2200622
Weak Lensing in the Blue: A Counter-intuitive Strategy for Stratospheric Observations\ M. M. Shaaban et al. (including Ellen Sirks)\ The Astronomical Journal, 164, 6, id.245
A Next-Generation Liquid Xenon Observatory for Dark Matter and Neutrino Physics\ J. Aalbers, et al. (including C Boehm, C. A. J. O’Hare, T. Fruth)\ J.Phys.G 50 (2023) 1, 013001
Effects of Hawking evaporation on PBH distributions\ Markus R. Mosbech & Zachary S. C. Picker\ SciPost Phys. 13 (2022) 100
Phenomenology of the companion-axion model: photon couplings\ Zhe Chen, Archil Kobakhidze, Ciaran A. J. O’Hare, Zachary S.C. Picker, Giovanni Pierobon\ Eur. Phys. J. C, 82 (2022) 940
A Reputation Game Simulation: Emergent Social Phenomena from Information Theory\ Torsten Enßlin, Viktoria Kainz, Céline Bœhm\ Annalen der Physik, vol. 534, issue 5, p. 2100277
Electroweak Dark Matter\ Ramtin Amintaheri\ JHEP 05 (2022) 007
CTA – the World’s largest ground-based gamma-ray observatory\ Roberta Zanin, … Celine Boehm et al.\ PoS ICRC2021 (2022) 005
Apparent horizons of the Thakurta spacetime and the description of cosmological black holes\ Archil Kobakhidze, Zachary S. C. Picker\ Eur. Phys. J. C 82 (2022) 4, 347
Particle detection and tracking with DNA\ Ciaran A. J. O’Hare,…, Celine Boehm, et al.\ Eur. Phys. J. C 82 4 (2022) 306
Simulations of axion-like particles in the post-inflationary scenario\ Ciaran A. J. O’Hare, Giovanni Pierobon, Javier Redondo, Yvonne. Y. Y. Wong\ Phys. Rev. D 105, 055025 (2022)
Reticulum II: Particle Dark Matter and Primordial Black Holes Limits\ Thomas Siegert, Céline Bœhm et al.\ MNRAS 511, 1 (2022)
Report of the Topical Group on Particle Dark Matter for Snowmass 2021\ J. Cooley, … Ciaran A. J. O’Hare et al.\ arXiv:[2209.07426]
Micro-pattern gaseous detectors\ B. Surrow, … Ciaran A. J. O’Hare et al.\ arXiv:[2209.05202]
First Dark Matter Search Results from the LUX-ZEPLIN (LZ) Experiment\ J. Aalbers, … Theresa Fruth et al.\ arXiv:[2207.03764]
Gravitational-wave event rates as a new probe for dark matter microphysics\ Markus R. Mosbech, Alexander C. Jenkins, Sownak Bose, Celine Boehm, Mairi Sakellariadou, Yvonne Y.Y. Wong\ arXiv:[2207.14126]
Can radial motions in the stellar halo constrain the rate of change of mass in the Galaxy?\ Sanjib Sharma, Joss Bland-Hawthorn, Joseph Silk, Celine Boehm\ Mon.Not.Roy.Astron.Soc. 521 (2023) 3, 4074-4084
Joint HST, VLT/MUSE and XMM-Newton observations to constrain the mass distribution of the two strong lensing galaxy clusters: MACS J0242.5-2132 & MACS J0949.8+1708\ Joseph F.V. Allingham, Mathilde Jauzac, David J. Lagattuta, Guillaume Mahler, Céline Bœhm, Geraint F. Lewis, Dominique Eckert, Alastair Edge, Stefano Ettori\ Mon.Not.Roy.Astron.Soc. 522 (2023) 1, 1118-1137
Radio sky reveals primordial electron-proton interactions\ Shyam Balaji, Maura E. Ramirez-Quezada, Celine Boehm\ arXiv:[2204.13711]
Axion dark matter\ C. Adams, … Ciaran A. J. O’Hare, … et al.\ arXiv:[2203.14923]
New Horizons: Scalar and Vector Ultralight Dark Matter\ D. Antybas, … Ciaran A. J. O’Hare, … et al.\ arXiv:[2203.14915]
Dark Matter Direct Detection to the Neutrino Fog\ D. S. Akerib, … Ciaran A. J. O’Hare, … et al.\ arXiv:[2203.08084]
Dark Matter Physics from Halo Measurements\ K. Bechtol, … Celine Boehm, … et al.\ arXiv:[2203.07354]
Coherent elastic neutrino-nucleus scattering: Terrestrial and astrophysical applications\ M. Abdullah, … Ciaran A. J. O’Hare, … et al.\ arXiv:[2203.07361]
Recoil imaging for dark matter, neutrinos, and physics beyond the Standard Model\ Ciaran A. J. O’Hare et al.\ arXiv:[2203.05914]
Fog on the horizon: a new definition of the neutrino floor for direct dark matter searches\ Ciaran A. J. O’Hare\ Phys. Rev. Lett. 127, (2021) 251802
Dark photon limits: a handbook\ Andrea Caputo, Alexander J. Millar, Ciaran A. J. O’Hare, and Edoardo Vitagliano\ Phys. Rev. D 104, (2021) 095029
Faint objects in motion: the new frontier of high precision astrometry\ Fabien Malbet, Céline Bœhm, Alberto Krone-Martins, Antonio Amorim, Guillem Anglada-Escudé et al.\ Exper. Astron. 51 (2021) 3, 845-886
Optical reconstruction of dust in the region of supernova remnant RX J1713.7−3946 from astrometric data\ Reimar Leike, Silvia Celli, Alberto Krone-Martins, Céline Bœhm, Martin Glatzle et al.\ Nature Astron. 5 (2021) 8, 832-838
The full Boltzmann hierarchy for dark matter-massive neutrino interactions\ Markus R. Mosbech, Céline Bœhm, et al.\ JCAP 03 (2021) 066
Cornering the axion with CP-violating interactions\ Ciaran A.J. O’Hare, Edoardo Vitagliano\ Phys.Rev.D 102(2020) 11, 115026
Scalar dark matter candidates revisited\ Céline Bœhm, Xiaoyong Chu, Jui-Lin Kuo, Josef Pradler\ Phys.Rev.D 103 (2021) 7, 075005
Directional recoil detection\ Sven E. Vahsen, Ciaran A.J. O’Hare, Dinesh Loomba\ Ann. Rev. Nucl. Part. Sci. 71 (2021) 189-224
Eliminating the LIGO bounds on primordial black hole dark matter\ Céline Bœhm, Archil Kobakhidze, Ciaran A.J. O’Hare, Zachary S.C. Picker, Mairi Sakellariadou\ JCAP 03 (2021) 078
Cosmology of the companion-axion model: dark matter, gravitational waves, and primordial black holes\ Zhe Chen, Archil Kobakhidze, Ciaran A. J. O’Hare, Zachary S.C. Picker, Giovanni Pierobon\ arXiv:[2110.11014]
Comment on: Cosmological black holes are not described by the Thakurta metric\ Celine Boehm, Archil Kobakhidze, Ciaran A.J. O’Hare, Zachary S.C. Picker, Mairi Sakellariadou\ arXiv:[2105.14908]
Navigating the asteroid field: New evaporation constraints for primordial black holes as dark matter\ Zachary S.C. Picker\ arXiv:[2103.02815]
CYGNUS: Feasibility of a nuclear recoil observatory with directional sensitivity to dark matter and neutrinos\ Sven E. Vahsen, Ciaran A. J. O’Hare et al.\ arXiv:[2008.12587]
Axion helioscopes as solar magnetometers\ Ciaran A.J. O’Hare, Andrea Caputo, Alexander J. Millar, Edoardo Vitagliano\ Phys. Rev. D 102 (2020) 4, 043019
Light new physics in XENON1T\ Céline Bœhm, David G. Cerdeno, Malcolm Fairbairn, Pedro A.N. Machado, Aaron C. Vincent\ Phys. Rev. D 102 (2020) 115013
Can we overcome the neutrino floor at high masses?\ Ciaran A.J. O’Hare\ Phys.Rev. D 102 (2020) 6, 063024
Using Circular Polarisation to Test the Composition and Dynamics of Astrophysical Particle Accelerators\ Céline Bœhm, Céline Degrande, Jakub Scholtz, Aaron C. Vincent\ Phys. Rev. D 102, 123020 (2020)
The BUFFALO HST Survey\ Charles L. Steinhardt, …, Joseph Allinghham, Celine Boehm, et al.\ ApJS 247 64 (2020)
Velocity substructure from Gaia and direct searches for dark matter\ Ciaran A. J. O’Hare, N. Wyn Evans, Christopher McCabe, GyuChul Myeong, Vasily Belokurov\ Phys. Rev. D 101 (2020) 2, 023006
Is it mixed dark matter or neutrino masses?\ Julia Stadler, Céline Bœhm, and Olga Mena\ JCAP 01 (2020) 039