RUI: Neutrino Physics Research at the University of Minnesota Duluth

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This award supports work to understand neutrinos: the smallest but most common massive particle in the universe. Although there are a billion neutrinos for every more well-known electron or proton, neutrinos interact only via the so-called "weak" force: so they rarely bump into anything, even the detectors designed to study them. That means they are also the least well understood of the fundamental particles. Work at Univ. of Minnesota Duluth studies neutrino interactions with normal matter, how they change or "oscillate" as they travel along, and the astrophysical sources of neutrinos. The intellectual merit for this proposal is the that these experiments will bring us to further knowledge of three critical parameters needed to understand neutrinos: the determination of the neutrino mass hierarchy, or how the masses of the three neutrinos relate to each other, improved measurements of the mass-squared difference of the three masses and mixing parameters that determine how the three alternate with each other, and vastly improved measurements of neutrino cross sections. Faculty and students working on the NOvA experiment will further the oscillation measurements and are working toward first astrophysics results. The effort includes enhancing the ability for NOvA electronics to self-detect the neutrino burst from a potential galactic supernova and share that alert with the world-wide supernova detection network. Neutrino interaction measurements continue with existing and incoming data from the MINERvA experiment. Finally, the group is pursuing work toward the next generation experiment, DUNE, including roles in the data acquisition system, design of the near detectors, and the role of neutrino interaction uncertainties in the design sensitivity of the experiment. This grant also supports broader impacts via participation and leadership of the Soudan + NOvA outreach program, which includes regular summer tours of the Soudan Underground Laboratory and the NOvA detector at the Ash River, MN site.