Neutrinos and New Particles in High Energy Physics, Astrophysics and Cosmology

高能物理和粒子天体物理是非常动态的领域，通过发现中微子振荡、暗物质和暗能量，揭示了超越粒子物理标准模型的物理证据。这个项目的目的是推动对标准模型以外的物理学这些方面的理论理解，并通过考虑新的分析框架和探索不同现象之间的新联系，最大限度地增加从实验数据中获得的信息量。该项目整合了一项针对高中教师的教育推广计划。中微子实验是粒子物理学中强度和宇宙探索前沿的一个重要组成部分。这项研究涵盖了几个不同科学主题的理论方面，这些主题可以用大型中微子探测器进行研究。更具体地说：PI将致力于优化下一代中微子实验，并开发更好的框架来理解数据及其对理论模型的影响。将对目前和未来的大型中微子探测器中的大气中微子振荡进行广泛的研究，扩大对冰立方深核探测器中这种振荡的PI调查。将探讨的专题包括：物质中的非标准中微子相互作用；对新的稀有中微子种类的测试；涵盖大范围能量和传播距离的大气中微子数据的价值，以及来自长基线中微子实验和其他观测的精确中微子数据。银河系爆炸产生的超新星中微子将被现在和未来的中微子探测器大量观测到。PI将通过使用研究其他科学领域集体效应的方法，探索超新星中微子流动的味道振荡方程的可能解析解，特别是中微子-中微子散射的影响。这些解决方案有助于简化非常复杂的超新星中微子传播的数值模拟，从而更好地理解从超新星中微子探测中获得的信息。该项目将探讨在大型中微子探测器中间接探测暗物质的可能性。还提出了在一般理论框架的背景下以及与其他暗物质搜索和潜在发现相联系的背景下对其价值的调查。高能物理、天体物理学和宇宙学及其试图解决的问题非常令人兴奋，并吸引了更多公众的兴趣，提供了极好的外展机会。宾夕法尼亚州立大学和宾夕法尼亚州空间赠款联盟协调为教育工作者举办的针对中学教师的一年一度的夏季科学讲习班。PI和她的实验者同事已经成功地开发了这样一个粒子天体物理学研讨会。今后，他们将继续举办这样的暑期学校，扩大互动活动。

High energy physics and particle astrophysics are very dynamical fields that have revealed evidence of physics beyond the standard model of particle physics through the discovery of neutrino oscillations, dark matter and dark energy. This project is aimed at advancing the theoretical understanding of such aspects of physics beyond the standard model and at maximizing the amount of information that can be obtained from the experimental data by considering new analysis frameworks and exploring new connections between different phenomena. The project integrates an educational outreach program aimed at high school teachers. Neutrino experiments are a large component of both the intensity and cosmic frontiers of exploration in particle physics. The research covers theoretical aspects of several different science topics that can be studied using large neutrino detectors. More specifically: The PI will work on optimizing the next generation of neutrino experiments and developing a better framework for understanding the data and its implications for theoretical models. An extensive study of atmospheric neutrino oscillations in present and future large neutrino detectors will be performed, extending the PIs investigation of such oscillations in the Ice-Cube Deep Core detector. Topics to be explored include: non-standard neutrino interactions in matter; tests for the existence of new species of sterile neutrinos; the value of the atmospheric neutrino data, which covers a large range of energies and propagation distances, in combination with precise neutrino data from long baseline neutrino experiments and other observations. Supernova neutrinos from a galactic explosion would be observed in very large numbers by present and future neutrino detectors. The PI will explore possible analytic solutions to the flavor oscillation equations for streaming neutrinos in a supernova, especially the effects of neutrino-neutrino scattering, by employing methods used to study collective effects in other fields of science. Such solutions could help in simplifying the very involved numerical simulations of supernova neutrino propagation and thus lead to a better understanding of the information that can be obtained from a supernova neutrino detection. The project will address the potential for indirect dark matter detection in large neutrino detectors. Investigation of its value in the context of a general theoretical framework and in connection with other dark matter searches and potential discoveries is also proposed. High energy physics, astrophysics and cosmology and the questions they are trying to address are very exciting and capture the interest of a larger public, providing excellent outreach opportunities. Penn State University and the Pennsylvania Space Grant Consortium coordinate an annual series of summer Science Workshops for Educators aimed at secondary school teachers. The PI and her experimenter colleagues and have successfully developed such a workshop in particle astrophysics. For the future they will continue organizing such summer schools and expand the interactive activities.