Experimental Physics Research Program at Columbia University/Nevis Laboratories

概述：现代粒子物理学实验的主要目标是揭示标准模型基础上的新物理学。可能的方法包括在加速器上研究最高可用碰撞能量的物理过程，或者通过研究非常罕见的中微子相互作用。哥伦比亚粒子物理小组解决了这两个方向。最高可用碰撞能量下物理学的智力价值：在瑞士日内瓦欧洲核子研究中心（CERN）的大型强子对撞机（LHC）进行实验的目标是了解希格斯玻色子的性质，并发现超越标准模型的新物理学。希格斯玻色子是2012年在那里发现的。这些目标与我们在宇宙大爆炸后那一瞬间对宇宙最基本的理解有关，也与我们为什么看到现在的宇宙有关。为了迎接这一探索的挑战，新的理论被提出，新的探测器和加速器被开发和建造，新的计算和分析方法被创造，所有这些都对短期内培养年轻科学家和长期内提高技术对社会的效益具有重要的更广泛的影响。未来三年，LHC物理项目将从碰撞能量为8 TeV的数据采集和运行过渡到扩展操作和数据采集，能量几乎翻倍，为13-14 TeV。来自美国的一千多名科学家参与了这项科学计划，进行了几项重大实验。哥伦比亚研究小组是参与欧洲核子研究中心ATLAS实验的主要小组之一。他们的贡献包括广泛参与实验的科学和技术管理，对能量测量关键探测器——液态氩量热仪的维护、运行和升级做出了重大贡献。在寻找新物理的过程中，该小组深入参与了QCD（射流）研究，包括推进射流技术，标准模型和超越标准模型的事件研究，其中矢量玻色子对（WW， ZZ和WZ）处于最终状态，以寻找新的共振状态，引力子和超对称。中微子物理学的知识价值：另一个主要问题是宇宙中所有的反物质发生了什么？基本对称理论认为，在早期宇宙中，物质和反物质的数量应该是相等的，但现在我们看到的都是物质。解开这个谜团的关键可能在于被称为中微子的难以捉摸的粒子，这种粒子在宇宙中大量存在，但几乎不与物质相互作用。已知有三种这样的粒子。为什么三个?这些粒子的质量是多少？还有更多吗？实验正在进行中，以了解这些现象，并看看是否存在三个以上的中微子。哥伦比亚大学的研究小组正在完成他们对早期基于反应堆的中微子实验Double CHOOZ的贡献，现在正积极参与一个名为MicroBOONE的新实验，该实验将在伊利诺斯州巴达维亚的费米国家加速器实验室上线。该计划将解决中微子物理学中的几个关键问题，包括寻找额外的中微子，以及推进该领域的一项重要新技术——液态氩时间投影室。哥伦比亚小组主要负责时间投影室和触发系统的读出电子设备、探测器模拟、数据采集软件和物理分析。更广泛的影响：哥伦比亚大学小组多年来的主要重点是通过他们非常成功的本科生研究经验（REU）暑期项目对本科生的培训，并通过该奖项得到加强。这个项目已经证明了对弱势群体的包容，包括许多来自本科院校的学生。后续跟踪显示，这些项目的毕业生在STEM领域攻读高级学位的成功率令人印象深刻。

Overview: The principal goal of experiments in modern particle physics is to uncover new physics that underlies the Standard Model. Possible approaches include the study of physics processes at the highest available collision energies at accelerators or through studies of the very rare interactions of neutrinos. The Columbia Particle Physics group tackles both directions. Intellectual Merit of physics at the highest available collision energies: A goal of experiments at the Large Hadron Collider (the LHC) at CERN, Geneva, Switzerland is to understand the nature of the Higgs Boson, recently discovered there in 2012, and to discover new physics beyond the Standard Model. These goals are relevant to the understanding of the Universe at its most fundamental level in the fleeting fraction of a second just after the Big Bang, and to why we see the Universe as we do now. To meet the challenges of this quest, new theories are advanced, new detectors and accelerators are developed and built, and new computing and analytical methodologies are created, all of which have significant broader impact for the training of young scientists in the near term and the advancement of technological benefits to society over the longer term. The next three years represent a transition of the LHC physics program from a collision energy of 8 TeV data-taking and operation, to extended operations and data taking at nearly double the energy, 13-14 TeV. Over a thousand scientists from the United States are involved with this scientific program on several major experiments.The Columbia team is one of the leading groups participating in the ATLAS experiment at CERN. Their contributions include extensive involvement in the scientific and technical management of the experiment, substantial contributions to the maintenance and operations and upgrades of the key detectors for energy measurement, the Liquid Argon Calorimetry. In the search for new physics, the group is deeply involved in QCD (jet) studies including boosted jet technology, Standard Model and Beyond the Standard Model studies of events with pairs of vector bosons (WW, ZZ and WZ) in the final state to search for new resonant states, gravitons and supersymmetry. Intellectual Merit of Neutrino Physics: Another major question is what happened to all the antimatter in the universe? Fundamental symmetry arguments suggest that matter and antimatter should have been produced in equal abundance in the early universe, but now all we see is matter. A key to unraveling this mystery may lie with elusive particles called neutrinos, which are abundant in the universe, but which barely interact with matter. There are three of these particles known. Why three? And what are the masses of these particles? Are there more? Experiments are underway to understand these phenomena and to see if more than three neutrinos exist.The Columbia group is completing is contributions to an earlier reactor-based neutrino experiment called Double CHOOZ and is now heavily involved in a new experiment named MicroBOONE, which is coming online at Fermi National Accelerator Laboratory in Batavia, Illinois. This program will address several of the key questions in neutrino physics including the search of additional neutrinos as well as advance an important new technology for the field, the Liquid Argon Time Projection Chamber. The Columbia group has major responsibilities for the readout electronics of the Time Projection Chamber and triggering system, detector simulation, data acquisition software, and physics analysis.Broader Impacts: A principal focus of the Columbia group over many years and strengthened with this award is the training of undergraduate students through their highly successful Research Experiences for Undergraduates (REU) summer program. This program has demonstrated a commitment to the inclusion of under-represented groups, including many students from undergraduate-only institutions. Follow-up tracking has shown an impressive rate of success for graduates of their programs to pursue advanced degrees in STEM fields.