Description
The field of gamma-ray astrophysics has received considerable attention
in recent years. This is in part due to the success of the combination of
satellite-based instruments such as Fermi-LAT coupled with Imaging Atmospheric
Cherenkov Telescopes (IACTs) like H.E.S.S. measuring gamma-rays over a
remarkably large energy range from several 10s of MeV to beyond 100 TeV.
These observations demonstrated that the Universe is populated by numerous
exotic and violent phenomena, colossal explosions, supermassive black holes,
rapidly rotating neutron stars, and shock waves of gas moving at supersonic speeds.
Many of these astrophysical objects can generate almost inconceivable amounts of
energy and accelerate particles to energies way beyond those accessible in
human-made accelerators. In addition, these observations have provide the possibility
to detect dark matter in situ through their annihilation into gamma rays. I will describe
the status and the future potential of gamma-ray observations of the Universe.
(host: Sanchez-Conde)