Mohamad Shalaby is a HAPI Fellow jointly appointed between the Perimeter Institute and the University of Waterloo.
His research involves modeling—both numerically and semi-analytically—the acceleration, transport, and non-thermal radiation processes in astrophysical plasmas that permeate the visible universe. These processes span environments from stellar to intergalactic scales, with complex feedback mechanisms influencing a variety of astrophysical observables.
Before becoming a HAPI Fellow, Mohamad was the plasma-kinetic group leader at the Leibniz Institute for Astrophysics Potsdam in Germany.
Title: Frontiers in Cosmic Ray Puzzles and Why They Matter
Abstract: Cosmic rays, which carry a substantial fraction of energy, are key players in shaping the dynamics of galaxies and galaxy clusters. However, despite our most advanced models and cutting-edge simulations, cosmic rays remain an enigma. Puzzling discrepancies between newly refined observations and theoretical predictions—particularly in their spectra and elemental abundances—highlight gaps in our understanding. In this talk, I will review some of the most intriguing cosmic ray puzzles and outline my efforts to address the primary sources of these discrepancies, showing how these results have gone far beyond merely resolving the initial issues.