COSMOLOGICAL AND ASTROPHYSICAL ASPECTS OF THE EARLY UNIVERSE

Various applications of particle physics to astrophysics and cosmology are reviewed, with special reference to cosmic rays as probes. Inflation is discussed in connection with the COBE data, and indications for a combination of hot and cold dark matter are mentioned. Several particle candidates for the dark matter are introduced, including neutrinos as hot dark matter and the lightest supersymmetric particle as cold dark matter, Some possible signatures are discussed, including neutrino oscillations in the light of solar neutrino experiments, and the annihilations or elastic scattering of massive particles in the galactic halo. Among the cosmic ray particles of interest are neutrinos, photons, muons, positrons, antiprotons and the lightest supersymmetric particles.