Phenomenology of Astrophysical Neutrinos

天体物理中微子现象学

• 批准号: 1613708
• 负责人: Cecilia Lunardini
• 金额: $ 30万
• 依托单位: Arizona State University
• 依托单位国家: 美国
• 项目类别: Continuing Grant
• 财政年份: 2017
• 资助国家: 美国
• 起止时间: 2017-06-01 至 2020-08-31
• 项目状态: 已结题
• 来源: https://www.nsf.gov/awardsearch/showAward?AWD_ID=1613708&HistoricalAwards=false
• 关键词: Phenomenology; Astrophysical; Neutrinos

This project sits at the boundary between theoretical nuclear physics and particle astrophysics. Specifically, this research concerns the physics of neutrinos, elementary particles that are produced abundantly in stars and galaxies. These "astrophysical" neutrinos have been observed at Earth already and many more observations are expected in the near future. In this context, the theoretical research to be performed by the PI will play an important role in understanding the experimental data and will allow for new insights regarding the fundamental processes that take place in stars and the specific role played by the neutrino properties. In addition, this state-of-the-art research project will provide excellent opportunities for the training of students. A major area of investigation in particle astrophysics concerns the physics of O(10) MeV neutrinos from core-collapse supernovae that presents a strategic opportunity for upcoming neutrino detectors. It is planned to study the potential of these detectors to measure the oscillation probabilities of neutrinos from a galactic supernova burst, with minimal theoretical priors, to distinguish different oscillation scenarios. Hours before a star becomes a supernova, neutrinos from the Silicon burning phase might be detectable. The flux of these neutrinos will be modeled in detail, using a new calculation method that includes the nuclear beta processes. Supernova neutrinos can also be detected in the form of diffuse flux from the cosmic population of supernovae. The study of this flux will be revitalized in the light of recent developments, with focus on detectability, and on the potential to measure important physical quantities from the diffuse flux. At higher energies, E ~ TeV - PeV, extraterrestrial neutrinos were discovered in 2013. This project considers star formation as a possible origin of these neutrinos. Positional coincidences of the neutrino data with known high-star formation regions will be studied quantitatively, and theory models of neutrino production in these regions will be developed.This project is co-funded by the Division of Physics and the Division of Astronomical Sciences in the Directorate of Mathematical & Physical Sciences.

这个项目位于理论核物理学和粒子天体物理学之间的边界。具体来说，这项研究涉及中微子的物理学，中微子是在恒星和星系中大量产生的基本粒子。这些“天体物理学”中微子已经在地球上被观测到，预计在不久的将来会有更多的观测。在这种情况下，PI进行的理论研究将在理解实验数据方面发挥重要作用，并将允许对恒星中发生的基本过程以及中微子性质所发挥的特定作用有新的见解。此外，这个最先进的研究项目将为学生的培训提供极好的机会。粒子天体物理学的一个主要研究领域涉及来自核心坍缩超新星的O（10）MeV中微子的物理学，这为即将到来的中微子探测器提供了战略机遇。计划研究这些探测器在测量银河系超新星爆发中微子振荡概率方面的潜力，以最小的理论先验，区分不同的振荡情况。在一颗星星成为超新星之前的几个小时，来自硅燃烧阶段的中微子可能是可探测的。这些中微子的通量将被详细建模，使用一种新的计算方法，包括核β过程。超新星中微子也可以从超新星的宇宙群体中以扩散通量的形式被检测到。将根据最近的事态发展振兴对这种通量的研究，重点是可探测性和从扩散通量中测量重要物理量的潜力。 在更高的能量，E ~ TeV-PeV，外星中微子在2013年被发现。这个项目认为星星的形成是这些中微子的可能来源。将对中微子数据与已知的高恒星形成区的位置重合进行定量研究，并将开发这些区域中微子产生的理论模型，该项目由数学物理科学局物理司和天文科学司共同资助。