The Pierre Auger Observatory is the world’s largest cosmic ray detector, covering an area of 3,000 km².
Data collected during Phase I have revolutionized our understanding of high-energy phenomena associated with the most violent processes in the Universe. These scientific breakthroughs have spanned several fields. The insights gained from this phase highlighted the need to upgrade the observatory, with the primary goal of gathering detailed information about the primary mass of the highest energy cosmic rays on a shower-by-shower basis. Data collection with the upgraded array is set to begin in 2025 and will continue for an additional 10 years.
The extension of the International Agreement provides the administrative framework for the continued operation of the Pierre Auger Observatory during Phase II, utilizing the upgraded detector. On November 16, 2024, representatives of the funding agencies formally signed the extension during a ceremony. The following day, attendees visited the Pierre Auger Observatory, where they toured the fluorescence detectors, the HEAT telescopes at the Coihueco site, and the infill array featuring the upgraded AugerPrime surface detectors.
The F.N.R.S., represented by Prof. Favart, signed the International Agreement for the first time. Belgium, which joined the Pierre Auger Collaboration in 2018 with the ULB as the main institute, has been contributing significantly to this research.
Under the leadership of Prof. Ioana Maris from the IIHE, Belgium’s research focuses on understanding the nature of these extremely energetic particles and exploring photons in an as-yet-unexplored energy range.
