RUI: Symmetry Tests of Standard Model and Beyond via Light Meson Decays

RUI：通过光介子衰变对标准模型及其他模型进行对称性测试

• 批准号: 1506303
• 负责人: Liping Gan
• 金额: $ 20.24万
• 依托单位: University of North Carolina at Wilmington
• 依托单位国家: 美国
• 项目类别: Continuing Grant
• 财政年份: 2015
• 资助国家: 美国
• 起止时间: 2015-07-01 至 2020-06-30
• 项目状态: 已结题
• 来源: https://www.nsf.gov/awardsearch/showAward?AWD_ID=1506303&HistoricalAwards=false
• 关键词: RUI; Symmetry; Tests; Standard; Model

The goal of this project is to test fundamental symmetries in the electromagnetic and strong interactions. By doing precise measurements of the properties of low-mass neutral mesons at Jefferson Lab, this research aims at understanding Nature by providing clues to some fundamental questions, such as: (1) Why are quarks confined inside of hadrons?; (2) What are the masses of the light quarks?; (3) Why is the observed universe dominant by matter over anti-matter?; and (4) What is dark matter? This project will also offer great opportunities to engage undergraduate students in cutting edge research. It will create a research-enriched learning environment, explore new approaches to recruiting prospective students, and develop new courses that are research-related. The PI will play a leadership role as a spokesperson for the experiments: (1) completing data analysis of a precision measurement of the neutral pion lifetime; (2) optimizing and preparing an approved experiment to measure the radiative decay width of the eta meson; (3) commissioning and operating a new pair spectrometer in Hall D and taking data on eta-meson decay in parallel with the GlueX experiment; and (4) leading the development of the Jefferson Lab "Eta Factory" program. Measurements of various rare and forbidden decays of the eta mesons will provide sensitive probes for possible existence of new forces, which will extend our knowledge to the dark matter and explore new sources of CP violation needed to explain the matter and anti-matter asymmetry in the universe. The discovery of such new forces beyond Standard Model would have far-ranging implications to advance our understanding of nature.

这个项目的目标是测试电磁和强相互作用中的基本对称性。通过在杰斐逊实验室对低质量中性介子的性质进行精确测量，这项研究旨在通过提供一些基本问题的线索来理解自然，例如：(1)为什么夸克被限制在强子内部？(2)轻夸克的质量是什么？(3)为什么观测到的宇宙由物质主导，而不是反物质？(4)什么是暗物质？这个项目还将提供极好的机会，让本科生参与尖端研究。它将创造一个富于研究的学习环境，探索招收潜在学生的新方法，并开发与研究相关的新课程。PI将作为实验的发言人发挥领导作用：(1)完成对中性介子寿命的精确测量的数据分析；(2)优化和准备一项已获批准的实验，以测量ETA介子的辐射衰变宽度；(3)调试和操作D厅的一台新的对光谱仪，在GlueX实验的同时获取ETA介子衰变的数据；以及(4)领导制定杰斐逊实验室的“ETA工厂”计划。对ETA介子各种罕见和禁忌衰变的测量将为可能存在的新作用力提供灵敏的探测器，这将把我们的知识扩展到暗物质，并探索解释宇宙中物质和反物质不对称所需的CP破坏的新来源。这种超越标准模型的新力量的发现将对促进我们对自然的理解产生深远的影响。