SFB1491 - CIM

The Collaborative Research Centre 1491 “Cosmic Interacting Matter” will receive funding for another four years. The German Research Foundation has approved the continued funding of the CRC, led by spokesperson Prof. Dr. Julia Tjus at Ruhr University Bochum, from 1 July 2026. There is a lot going on in the sky: stars are born and die, charged particles, radiation and neutrinos collide and influence one another. The Collaborative Research Centre has been investigating these interactions in the Universe since 2022. The team studies previously unexplored connections between different energies and particles in space: from cosmic rays, gamma rays, and neutrinos to turbulent electromagnetic fields.

Uncovering mechanisms of origin

“While our understanding of the fundamental building blocks of matter is already well established, the specific interactions responsible for multimessenger emissions from galaxies across a broad range of energies and particle species remain an important research question,” says Julia Tjus.

By combining investigations of cosmic radiation with experiments in particle physics, the team of the Collaborative Research Centre aims to uncover the mechanisms by which high-energy particles, gamma rays and neutrinos are produced. Computer-aided modelling is also intended to illuminate the interplay between charged particles and turbulent electromagnetic fields at the plasma level.

Questions about dark matter

Since visible matter also makes up only one fifth of the Universe, understanding the nature of dark matter remains one of the greatest challenges of modern science. “Four years ago, we began working on a unified description of interacting cosmic matter and brought together scientists from the fields of particle, plasma and astrophysics to address three central scientific questions,” says Julia Tjus:

1. What interactions exist between magnetized, turbulent astrophysical plasmas and cosmic radiation, and what conclusions can be drawn from them about the origin of cosmic rays?
2. How do precision measurements of particle interactions help us understand the astrophysical signatures of cosmic radiation?
3. What connections exist between the signatures of visible and dark matter?

In the first funding phase, global structures were developed and tested using individual examples. In the second funding phase, the focus will be on the quantification and systematization of these framework concepts. “Building on the results of the past four years, we will further expand our approach to developing methods for bridging boundaries in order to answer our fundamental questions in the coming years,” says Julia Tjus.

We are pleased to announce that the SFB1491 planetarium show Unser exotisches Universum will premiere on October 8, 2025, as part of the 10th anniversary ceremony of the RAPP Center.

The production offers audiences a unique glimpse into the wide-ranging research conducted within our CRC:
Combining cutting-edge scientific insights with visually stunning projections, the show takes viewers on a journey through the exciting world of modern physics and astrophysics — from experiments at the Large Hadron Collider (LHC) and cosmic rays in the Milky Way and other galaxies to stellar explosions and active galactic nuclei (AGNs).

Please note that the show is currently available in German only. An English version is in preparation.

Beginning October 12, the show will be presented regularly at the Planetarium Bochum and at other venues, including the LWL-Museum für Naturkunde mit Planetarium and Planetarium Mannheim .

Further information on the detailed schedule at the Planetarium Bochum can be found here.

Please also have a look at the RUB's News article on our show here.

SFB1491 wishes all members and collaborators a successful 2026!