Astroparticle physics, also called
particle astrophysics, is a branch of
particle physics that studies elementary particles of astronomical origin and their relation to
astrophysics and
cosmology. It is a relatively new field of research emerging at the intersection of particle physics, astronomy, astrophysics, detector physics, relativity, solid state physics, and cosmology. Partly motivated by the discovery of
neutrino oscillation, the field has undergone rapid development, both theoretically and experimentally, since the early 2000s.