About

John F. Beacom is a Distinguished Professor of Physics and of Astronomy at The Ohio State University and serves as the Director of the Center for Cosmology and AstroParticle Physics (CCAPP). His areas of expertise include neutrinos, dark matter, high-energy and multi-messenger astronomy, nuclear and particle astrophysics, and cosmology. Dr. Beacom holds a Ph.D. in Physics from the University of Wisconsin (1997) and a B.S. in Physics and Mathematics from the University of Kansas (1991). His professional work has been recognized with several awards, including being named a Fellow of the American Physical Society in 2014, and receiving the APS Outstanding Referee award in 2009, among others. His contributions focus on advancing understanding in astrophysics and cosmology through research and leadership in the scientific community.

Research topics

• Physics
• Particle physics
• Astronomy
• Nuclear physics
• Astrophysics
• Artificial Intelligence
• Optics
• Machine Learning
• Computer Science
• Engineering
• Systems engineering
• Earth science
• Algorithm
• Environmental science
• Geology

Selected publications

• Reconstruction of atmospheric neutrinos in DUNE's horizontal-drift far-detector module

  HAL (Le Centre pour la Communication Scientifique Directe) · 2026-01-09

  otherOpen access

  International audience

  PublisherOA PDF

• Convection-driven Multiscale Magnetic Fields Determine the Observed Solar Disk Gamma Rays

  The Astrophysical Journal · 2026-02-09

  articleOpen access

  Abstract The solar disk is a continuous source of GeV–TeV gamma rays. The emission is thought to originate from hadronic Galactic cosmic rays (GCRs) interacting with the gas in the photosphere and uppermost convection zone after being reflected by solar magnetic fields. Despite this general understanding, existing theoretical models have yet to match observational data. At the photosphere and the uppermost convection zone, granular convection drives a multiscale magnetic field, forming a larger-scale filamentary structure while also generating turbulence-scale Alfvén wave turbulence. Here, we demonstrate that the larger-scale filamentary field shapes the overall gamma-ray emission spectrum, and the Alfvén wave turbulence is critical for further suppressing the gamma-ray emission spectrum below ∼100 GeV. For a standard Alfvén wave turbulence level, our model’s predicted spectrum slope from 1 GeV to 1 TeV is in excellent agreement with observations from the Fermi Large Area Telescope and HAWC, an important achievement. The predicted absolute flux is a factor of 2–5 lower than the observed data; we outline future directions to resolve this discrepancy. The key contribution of our work is providing a new theoretical framework for using solar disk gamma-ray observations to probe hadronic GCR transport in the lower solar atmosphere.

  PublisherDOI

• Angular distribution of gamma rays produced in proton-proton collisions

  Physical review. D/Physical review. D. · 2025-07-28 · 1 citations

  articleOpen access

  Accurate modeling of how high-energy proton-proton collisions produce gamma rays through the decays of pions and other secondaries is needed to correctly interpret astrophysical observations with the Fermi-LAT telescope. In the existing literature on cosmic-ray collisions with gas, the focus is on the gamma-ray yield spectrum, <a:math xmlns:a="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" display="inline"><a:mi>d</a:mi><a:msub><a:mi>N</a:mi><a:mi>γ</a:mi></a:msub><a:mo>/</a:mo><a:mi>d</a:mi><a:mi>E</a:mi></a:math>. However, in some situations, the joint energy and angular distribution can be observed, so one needs instead <c:math xmlns:c="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" display="inline"><c:msup><c:mi>d</c:mi><c:mn>2</c:mn></c:msup><c:msub><c:mi>N</c:mi><c:mi>γ</c:mi></c:msub><c:mo>/</c:mo><c:mi>d</c:mi><c:mi>E</c:mi><c:mi>d</c:mi><c:mi mathvariant="normal">Ω</c:mi></c:math>. We provide calculations of this distribution over the energy range from the pion production threshold to 100 GeV, basing our results on simulations. We provide the results in tabular form and provide a ython tool on itub to aid in utilization. We also provide an approximate analytic formula that illuminates the underlying physics. We discuss simplified examples where this angular dependence can be observed to illustrate the necessity of taking the joint distribution into account.

  PublisherOA PDFDOI

• Spatial and temporal evaluations of the liquid argon purity in ProtoDUNE-SP

  Journal of Instrumentation · 2025-09-01 · 3 citations

  articleOpen accessCorresponding

  Abstract Liquid argon time projection chambers (LArTPCs) rely on highly pure argon to ensure that ionization electrons produced by charged particles reach readout arrays. ProtoDUNE Single-Phase (ProtoDUNE-SP) was an approximately 700-ton liquid argon detector intended to prototype the Deep Underground Neutrino Experiment (DUNE) Far Detector Horizontal Drift module. It contains two drift volumes bisected by the cathode plane assembly, which is biased to create an almost uniform electric field in both volumes. The DUNE Far Detector modules must have robust cryogenic systems capable of filtering argon and supplying the TPC with clean liquid. This paper will explore comparisons of the argon purity measured by the purity monitors with those measured using muons in the TPC from October 2018 to November 2018. A new method is introduced to measure the liquid argon purity in the TPC using muons crossing both drift volumes of ProtoDUNE-SP. For extended periods on the timescale of weeks, the drift electron lifetime was measured to be above 30 ms using both systems. A particular focus will be placed on the measured purity of argon as a function of position in the detector.

  PublisherDOI

• Neutrino interaction vertex reconstruction in DUNE with Pandora deep learning

  The European Physical Journal C · 2025-06-25

  articleOpen access

  Abstract The Pandora Software Development Kit and algorithm libraries perform reconstruction of neutrino interactions in liquid argon time projection chamber detectors. Pandora is the primary event reconstruction software used at the Deep Underground Neutrino Experiment, which will operate four large-scale liquid argon time projection chambers at the far detector site in South Dakota, producing high-resolution images of charged particles emerging from neutrino interactions. While these high-resolution images provide excellent opportunities for physics, the complex topologies require sophisticated pattern recognition capabilities to interpret signals from the detectors as physically meaningful objects that form the inputs to physics analyses. A critical component is the identification of the neutrino interaction vertex. Subsequent reconstruction algorithms use this location to identify the individual primary particles and ensure they each result in a separate reconstructed particle. A new vertex-finding procedure described in this article integrates a U-ResNet neural network performing hit-level classification into the multi-algorithm approach used by Pandora to identify the neutrino interaction vertex. The machine learning solution is seamlessly integrated into a chain of pattern-recognition algorithms. The technique substantially outperforms the previous BDT-based solution, with a more than 20% increase in the efficiency of sub-1 cm vertex reconstruction across all neutrino flavours.

  PublisherDOI

• The DUNE Phase II Detectors

  ArXiv.org · 2025-03-29

  articleOpen access

  International audience

  PublisherOA PDF

• Enhancing DUNE’s Solar Neutrino Capabilities with Neutral-Current Detection

  Physical Review Letters · 2025-06-02 · 4 citations

  articleOpen access

  We show that the Deep Underground Neutrino Experiment (DUNE) has the potential to make a precise measurement of the total active flux of ^{8}B solar neutrinos via neutral-current (NC) interactions with argon. This would complement proposed precise measurements of solar-neutrino fluxes in DUNE via charged-current (CC) interactions with argon and mixed CC/NC interactions with electrons. Together, these would enable DUNE to make a Sudbury Neutrino Observatory (SNO)-like comparison of rates and thus to make the most precise measurements of sin^{2}θ_{12} and Δm_{21}^{2} using solar neutrinos. Realizing this potential requires dedicated but realistic efforts to improve DUNE's low-energy capabilities and separately to reduce neutrino-argon cross-section uncertainties. Comparison of mixing-parameter results obtained using solar neutrinos in DUNE and reactor antineutrinos in the Jiangmen Underground Neutrino Observatory (JUNO) would allow for unprecedented tests of new physics.

  PublisherDOI

• First observations of solar halo gamma rays over a full solar cycle

  Physical review. D/Physical review. D. · 2025-11-21

  articleOpen accessSenior author

  We analyze 15 years of -LAT data and produce a detailed model of the Sun’s inverse-Compton scattering emission (solar halo), which is powered by interactions between ambient cosmic-ray electrons and positrons with sunlight. By developing a novel analysis method to analyze moving sources, we robustly detect the solar halo at energies between 31.6 MeV and 100 GeV, and angular extensions up to 45° from the Sun, providing new insight into spatial regions where there are no direct measurements of the Galactic cosmic-ray flux. The large statistical significance of our signal allows us to subdivide the data and provide the first <a:math xmlns:a="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" display="inline"> <a:mi>γ</a:mi> </a:math> -ray probes into the time variation and azimuthal asymmetry of the solar modulation potential, finding time-dependent changes in solar modulation both parallel and perpendicular to the ecliptic plane. Our results are consistent with (but with independent uncertainties from) local cosmic-ray measurements, unlocking new probes into astrophysical processes near the solar surface.

  PublisherDOI

• PEARLS: 21 Transients Found in the Three-Epoch NIRCam Observations in the Continuous Viewing Zone of the James Webb Space Telescope

  arXiv (Cornell University) · 2025-06-13

  preprintOpen access

  We present 21 transients from our three-epoch, four-band NIRCam observations covering 14.16 arcmin^2 in the Spitzer IRAC Dark Field (IDF), taken by the JWST Prime Extragalactic Areas for Reionization and Lensing Science program with a time cadence of ~6 months. A separate Hubble Space Telescope program provided Advanced Camera for Surveys optical imaging contemporaneous with the second and third epochs of the NIRCam observations. The NIRSpec spectroscopy on three transients confirmed a Type Ia supernova at z=1.63 and the host galaxies of the other two at z=2.64 and 1.90, respectively. Combining these with the photometric redshifts (z_ph) of the host galaxies in the rest of the sample, we find that the transients are in either a "mid-z" group at z&gt;1.6 with M_V &lt; -16.0 mag or a "low-z" group at z &lt; 0.4 with M_H &gt; -14.0 mag. The mid-z transients are consistent with supernovae. In contrast, the low-z transients' luminosities fall in the range of the so-called "gap transients" between supernovae and novae. However, this latter conclusion is only tentative due to possible catastrophic failures in z_ph that could bias them to low-z. Conversely, if they are indeed at z &lt; 0.4, it would be worth studying similar transients in the future. Our work further demonstrates the power of NIRCam in transient science and also shows that it would be more fruitful to carry out a long-term monitoring program with more passbands, a higher cadence and prompt follw-up spectroscopy. Being in the continuous viewing zone of the JWST, the IDF is an ideal field for this purpose.

  PublisherOA PDFDOI

• Probing the conditions of the solar core using <mml:math xmlns:mml="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML"> <mml:mrow> <mml:mmultiscripts> <mml:mi mathvariant="normal">B</mml:mi> <mml:mprescripts/> <mml:none/> <mml:mn>8</mml:mn> </mml:mmultiscripts> </mml:mrow> </mml:math> neutrinos

  Physical review. C · 2025-09-19

  articleOpen accessSenior author

  In the coming age of precision neutrino physics, neutrinos from the Sun become robust probes of the conditions of the solar core. Here, we focus on $^{8}\mathrm{B}$ neutrinos, for which there are already high-precision measurements by the Sudbury Neutrino Observatory and Super-Kamiokande. Using only basic physical principles and straightforward statistical tools, we estimate projected constraints on the temperature and density of the $^{8}\mathrm{B}$ neutrino production zone compared to a reference solar model. We outline how to better understand the astrophysics of the solar interior using forthcoming neutrino data and solar models. Finally, we note that detailed forward modeling will be needed to develop the full potential of this approach.

  PublisherOA PDFDOI

Recent grants

• New Frontiers in Nuclear Astrophysics

  NSF · $600k · 2023–2026

• New Frontiers in Nuclear Astrophysics

  NSF · $495k · 2017–2021

• CAREER: New Frontiers in Nuclear Astrophysics

  NSF · $654k · 2005–2011

• New Frontiers in Nuclear Astrophysics

  NSF · $497k · 2011–2015

• New Frontiers in Nuclear Astrophysics

  NSF · $525k · 2020–2024

Frequent coauthors

• J. L. Prieto

  364 shared

• C. S. Kochanek

  The Ohio State University

  343 shared

• B. J. Shappee

  339 shared

• G. Pojmański

  University of Warsaw

  321 shared

• U. Basu

  312 shared

• T. W. S. Holoien

  Carnegie Institution for Science

  311 shared

• K. Z. Stanek

  309 shared

• D. Szczygiel

  297 shared

Education

• Ph.D., Physics

  University of Wisconsin-Madison

  1997

• B.S., Physics

  The University of Kansas

  1991

• B.S., Mathematics

  University of Kansas

  1991

Awards & honors

• Fellow, American Physical Society, 2014
• American Physical Society Outstanding Referee, 2009
• Alumni Award for Distinguished Teaching, 2009
• Outstanding Teaching Award - Colleges of Arts and Sciences S…
• NSF Career Award, 2005