The Darko Veberic Lab

Darko Veberic’s lab focuses on the physics and modeling of extensive air showers produced by ultra-high-energy cosmic rays in Earth’s atmosphere. The central aim is to improve how ground-based detector measurements are translated into accurate estimates of the energy and properties of the primary cosmic particles. A key research theme is the development of physics-based attenuation models that describe how air-shower signals measured at the ground depend on atmospheric depth and shower geometry. Using analytical approaches combined with Monte Carlo simulations, the lab studies how different components of particle cascades contribute to detector signals and how these signals change with zenith angle and primary particle type. This work is essential for reducing systematic uncertainties in cosmic-ray energy reconstruction. The research is closely connected to large international experiments such as the Pierre Auger Observatory, where precise modeling directly impacts measurements of the cosmic-ray energy spectrum, composition, and anisotropies. By improving reconstruction methods, the lab contributes to answering fundamental questions about the origin of the most energetic particles in the Universe. The lab is a good fit for students with interests in physics, astrophysics, or applied mathematics. Ideal candidates enjoy working with simulations, analytical models, and data analysis, and are motivated to connect theoretical understanding with practical challenges in large-scale experiments. Programming skills and curiosity about atmospheric and particle physics are particularly valuable.