UCLA CUORE Neutrino Physics Research Program

这个奖项的科学目标是解决中微子物理学中的一个基本问题：中微子是它们自己的反粒子，因此是马约拉纳中微子吗？这个问题的答案将从根本上塑造中微子物理学关于中微子质量尺度和轻子扇区可能的CP违反的未来方向。没有中微子的双β衰变实验可以产生广泛的科学影响：它们对电子中微子质量的绝对规模很敏感，并揭示了标准模型扩展的本质；此外，中微子，如果它们是马约拉纳的，并且有CP违反，可能提供一个可行的物理过程，有助于宇宙的物质和反物质不对称。加州大学洛杉矶分校的研究小组是在意大利阿塞吉的格兰萨索地下实验室进行的CUORE无中微子双β衰变实验的成员。研究工作将集中在了解背景源和探测器能量分辨率上。他们将参与建立CUORE TeO2晶体塔，并将参与CUORE背景的蒙特卡罗模拟和数据分析。此外，作为CUORE建设项目的一部分，加州大学洛杉矶分校小组负责与南卡罗来纳大学和米兰小组合作，测试、安装和调试CUORE电子系统。电子性能将是一个关键方面，有助于整体探测器的能力，以推进我们的中微子性质的实验确定。如果使用最新的核结构计算，对有效中微子质量的相应灵敏度在50-70 meV之间。更广泛的影响包括：这是意大利和美国科学家之间的国际合作；辐射热计和电子技术将有应用，例如物理或国土安全或应用科学的核辐射测量；中微子物理学和新技术对本科生来说尤其令人兴奋。

The scientific goal of this award is to address one of the fundamental questions in neutrino physics: Are neutrinos their own anti-particles, and therefore Majorana neutrinos? The answer to this question will fundamentally shape the future direction of neutrino physics regarding the neutrino mass scale and possible CP violations in the lepton sector. Neutrino-less double beta decay experiments can have broad scientific impact: they are sensitive to the absolute scale of the electron neutrino mass and shed light on the nature of the extension to the Standard Model; furthermore, neutrinos, if they are Majorana and with CP violation, may provide a viable physical process contributing to the matter and anti-matter asymmetry of the Universe. The UCLA group is a member of the CUORE neutrino-less double beta decay experiment at the Gran Sasso underground laboratory in Assergi, Italy. The research effort will focus on understanding background sources and detector energy resolutions. They will participate in setting up a tower of CUORE TeO2 crystals and will be involved in the Monte Carlo simulations of the CUORE background and data analysis. In addition, the UCLA group is responsible for testing, installation and commissioning of the CUORE electronics system in collaboration with the University of South Carolina and Milan groups as a part of the CUORE construction project. The electronics performance will be a key aspect contributing to the overall detector capability to advance our experimental determination of the neutrino properties. The corresponding sensitivity to the effective neutrino mass ranges from 50-70 meV, if latest nuclear structure calculations are used.Among the Broader Impacts: it is an international collaboration between Italy and US scientists; the bolometer and electronics technology will have applications such as nuclear radiation measurements for physics or homeland security or applied sciences; and neutrino physics and the new technology are particularly exciting for undergraduate students.