Connecting Particle Physics with Astrophysics

该奖项资助了布朗大学Savvas Koushiappas教授的部分研究活动。该奖项的主要目标是将暗物质物理学的理论研究与当前和未来的实验努力结合起来。实验驱动的理论项目利用对高能光子和其他高能粒子（如正电子和中微子）的观察（暗物质可能会衰变或湮灭）来解决有关暗物质本质的基本问题，天体物理背景的起源，宇宙学的天体物理效应，最重要的是这些不同主题之间的相互作用和联系。主要目标是在暗物质性质及其对加速器研究的影响的背景下解释暗物质间接探测搜索数据。第二个目标是理解和改进由天体物理过程和宇宙学背景引起的系统不确定性。这项工作的结果将有助于理解理论暗物质解释可以从零搜索中排除的信心，并建立在未来实验工作中可以测量暗物质物理性质的信心。任何暗物质实验技术最终都与粒子物理学、天体物理学和宇宙学之间相互作用的细节有关。例如，直接探测实验依赖于暗物质的局部密度和速度分布，间接探测实验依赖于暗物质密度沿视线的平方，每种技术都依赖于相互作用的横截面和暗物质粒子的质量，这两者都是在加速器搜索中探测到的。因此，在粒子物理学的背景下，对实验结果的理论解释必须考虑到这种信息的融合。这项研究将弥合这些学科之间的差距，通过了解不同学科之间的不确定性和联系，使天体物理学、宇宙学和粒子物理学之间的联系成为可能。这些目标将通过复杂的理论建模，以及新的和现有的统计和分析工具来实现。此外，更广泛的影响涉及间接探测、直接探测和大型强子对撞机（LHC）搜索之间的协同作用，从而将实验室与天空联系起来，这是任何令人信服的暗物质信号解释所必须具备的必要环节。此外，PI所在机构的研究生和本科教育将受益于宇宙学、粒子物理学和计算，以及新的计算和分析工具的开发和实施。最后，PI提议的外展活动将允许普罗维登斯的公众和学生参与与科学相关的活动。

This award funds part of the research activity of Professor Savvas Koushiappas at Brown University. The main goal of this award is to unite theoretical studies of the physics of dark matter with current and future experimental efforts. The experimentally motivated theoretical projects use observations of high energy photons and other energetic particles such as positrons and neutrinos (into which dark matter might decay or annihilate) in order to tackle fundamental questions about the nature of dark matter, the origin of astrophysical backgrounds, the astrophysical effects of cosmology and most importantly the interplay and connections among these different topics. The primary goal is the interpretation of dark matter indirect detection search data in the context of dark matter properties and the implications for accelerator studies. A secondary goal is the understanding and improvement of systematic uncertainties that arise from astrophysical processes and the cosmological context. The outcome of this work will help understand the confidence at which theoretical dark matter interpretations can be ruled out from null searches, and to establish the confidence to which dark matter's physical properties can be measured in future experimental efforts.Any dark matter experimental technique is ultimately linked to the details of the interplay between particle physics, astrophysics and cosmology. For example direct detection experiments depend on the local density and velocity distribution of dark matter, indirect detection experiments depend on the square of the dark matter density along a line of sight, and each of these techniques depends on the cross section of interactions and the mass of the dark matter particle, both of which are probed in accelerator searches. It is therefore imperative that theoretical interpretations of experimental results in the context of particle physics must take into account this amalgamation of information. This research will bridge the gap between these disciplines, making the connection between astrophysics, cosmology and particle physics possible by understanding the uncertainties and connections between different disciplines. These goals will be achieved by sophisticated theoretical modeling, and new and existing statistical and analysis tools. In addition, the broader impact pertains to the synergy between indirect detection, direct detection and Large Hadron Collider (LHC) searches, thus connecting the laboratory to the sky, a necessary link that must be in place for any convincing dark matter interpretation of any signal. Furthermore, graduate and undergraduate education at the PI's institution will benefit from the exposure to cosmology, particle physics and computing, as well as the development and implementation of new computational and analysis tools. And finally, the proposed outreach activities of the PI will allow the public and students within Providence to engage in science-related activities.