BiFeO3 nanoparticles were synthesized by a sonochemical method and their magnetic behavior was investigated both experimentally and theoretically. With an aid of ultrasonic irradiation, the saturated magnetization of BiFeO3 nanoparticles at room temperature was found to be increased effectively, from 0.007 to 0.012 mu B/Fe. The postannealing and x-ray photoemission spectroscopy results demonstrate that oxygen vacancies can be generated due to the ultrasonic irradiation and play an important role to increase the ferromagnetism. Our first-principles calculation results are in good agreement with the experimental observations. (C) 2010 American Institute of Physics. [doi:10.1063/1.3525573]