Toward New Astrophysical Insights on Particle Dark Matter

大量观测表明，一种不明形式的暗物质推动了宇宙结构的增长。预计一些独立项目将在这个问题上取得重大实验进展，包括在地球上的复杂实验中直接搜索影响原子核的暗物质粒子，以及间接搜索轰炸地球的宇宙射线中暗物质的特征以及恒星和星系的性质。暗物质识别计划中一个可能的薄弱环节是，对与直接和间接暗物质搜索相关的现象的理论预测仍然不足以应对实验技术的预期改进。该项目是一个广泛的理论计划，旨在改善暗物质直接和间接搜索实验中信号的预测。预计该项目还将产生更广泛的重大影响。参与该研究项目的研究生和本科生将培养独特的技能组合。根据这项提议，国际和平协会将继续开展许多教育和外展项目。这些项目包括开发关于能量物理学和运动物理学的普通教育课程，在阿勒格尼天文台举行公开讲座，在卡内基科学中心举办教育活动，以及参与卡内基科学中心培养学龄儿童对科学的兴趣的计划。

Numerous observations indicate that an unidentified form of dark matter drives the growth of structure in the Universe. Significant experimental progress on this issue is anticipated from a number of independent projects, including direct searches for dark matter particles impacting nuclei in sophisticated experiments on Earth and indirect searches for signatures of dark matter in cosmic rays that bombard the Earth as well as the properties of stars and galaxies. A possible weak link in the dark matter identification program is that theoretical predictions for phenomena relevant to direct and indirect dark matter searches remain inadequate to address expected improvements in experimental techniques. The proposed project is a broad theoretical program to improve the predictions for signals in dark matter direct and indirect search experiments. This project is also envisioned to have significant broader impacts. The graduate and undergraduate students participating in this research program will cultivate unique skill sets. The PI will continue numerous education and outreach projects under this proposal. These projects include the development of general education courses on the physics of energy and the physics of sports, public lectures at the Allegheny Observatory, educational events at the Carnegie Science Center, and participation in the Carnegie Science Center's programs to foster interest in science in school-aged children.