The Severo Ochoa Program supports exploration and discovery using major world facilities, further physical insight, advanced modeling and generation of new knowledge in key areas of astrophysics with impact on fundamental physics, chemistry and geophysics.

The IAC aims to achieve major advances in the understanding of the laws that govern the origin and evolution of the various forms of matter/energy in the Universe. The IAC Research program addresses key problems on: very high energy phenomena in the Big Bang and around black holes, the genesis of cosmic and gamma-rays, the formation and evolution of galaxies, the life cycles of stars, the physics under strong gravity fields, the physics of magnetic fields in the Sun, and the detection and characterization of Earth-like planets around nearby stars.

The center aims to use a large variety of cutting edge ground/space facilities and attract new very talented young/senior researchers to develop advances and breakthroughs in physical modelling, computer simulations and Technology.

The Program will intensify international cooperation and exploitation of an exceptional set of observational facilities to achieve leadership in six key areas of astrophysics where the center has obtained outstanding results and major advances are expected. Those key research lines are:

• Solar Physics
• Exoplanetary Systems and Solar System
• Stellar and Interstellar Physics
• The Milky Way and the Local Group
• Formation and Evolution of Galaxies
• Cosmology and Astroparticles

The Severo Ochoa award has brought important benefits to the IAC research programme through the incorporation of advanced fellows, post-doctoral researchers and Ph.D. students, which are reinforcing the Centre´s six major lines of research. It also provides strong support to our technology development and our senior researcher visitor programmes. Rafael Rebolo, Director at IAC