Neutrinos in Astrophysics and Cosmology

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Ranging from the low-energy phenomena of cosmology to the highest energy of stellar jets, neutrinos are a fundamental ingredient of the universe that we observe, and offer unique windows into its mysteries. The purpose of this project is a theoretical study of these windows. Part of the research will be on neutrinos from core collapse supernovae: how these neutrinos are affected by flavor oscillations, and what their detection will teach us about the physics that takes place at extremely high density near the collapsed core. High-energy neutrino emission will also be investigated as a way to explore the physics of particle accelerators in our galaxy and beyond, with focus on propagation effects and detectability at present and future neutrino telescopes. Another area of study will be the physics of neutrinos in the early universe, how they connect to the nature of the dark matter, and how they can possibly reveal the existence of new particles and forces. This project will contribute to the ongoing transition to a new phase of neutrino physics, characterized by new, more powerful experiments and by a deeper understanding of the neutrino phenomenology. Being based at a large public university, the project will benefit young scientists through educational activities and direct involvement in research. Specifically, the grant will support a postdoc and a graduate student, thus offering them an opportunity to enter the field, and join a new generation of neutrino physicists that will sustain the new phase of discoveries ahead.