RII-Track 4: Hidden Sectors at the Fermilab Short-Baseline Neutrino Program

RII-轨道 4：费米实验室短基线中微子计划的隐藏部分

• 批准号: 2033305
• 负责人: Ahmed Ismail
• 金额: $ 10.94万
• 依托单位: Oklahoma State University
• 依托单位国家: 美国
• 项目类别: Standard Grant
• 财政年份: 2021
• 资助国家: 美国
• 起止时间: 2021-02-01 至 2022-05-31
• 项目状态: 已结题
• 来源: https://www.nsf.gov/awardsearch/showAward?AWD_ID=2033305&HistoricalAwards=false
• 关键词: RII; Track; Hidden; Sectors; Fermilab

Current and upcoming experiments at Fermilab are establishing the United States as the world leader in the study of neutrinos, the least well understood fundamental particles known today. Neutrino detectors are very sensitive as they are designed to detect minute depositions of energy caused by collisions of neutrinos with matter. Because of this sensitivity, these detectors can be used to search for particles other than neutrinos. For instance, multiple theories of dark matter, the unknown extra mass in our universe, predict new particles that could be produced and observed with the Fermilab neutrino facilities. This project initiates a collaboration between researchers at Oklahoma State University and Fermilab to investigate such applications of neutrino detectors as probes of new particles. The goal is to develop searches for theories beyond the Standard Model of particle physics, our current best understanding of nature at a subatomic level. Collaboration with Fermilab physicists with expertise in neutrino physics will give Oklahoma researchers a detailed understanding of world-class particle physics experiments, ultimately allowing them to contribute to studies at Fermilab as the neutrino program continues through the 2030s. By building research capacity in particle physics, the work will enhance STEM research and education in Oklahoma over the long term.This fellowship supports the visits of the PI and a graduate student to Fermilab to develop techniques to search for new light, weakly coupled states using the unique timing capabilities of the Short-Baseline Neutrino (SBN) program and Deep Underground Neutrino Experiment (DUNE) detectors. The PI and student will collaborate with host scientists in the Fermilab Theoretical Physics Department, performing phenomenological studies that apply the nanosecond-scale resolution of these detectors to isolate signatures of certain hidden sector models. The research has two specific objectives. The first objective is to compute the sensitivities of Fermilab neutrino experiments to sub-GeV dark matter scattering off nuclei. The participants will construct analyses that combine timing and kinematic cuts to discriminate dark matter scattering from neutrino-induced backgrounds. The use of timing is expected to allow for light dark matter searches without the need for a dedicated run-in beam dump mode, so that dark matter and neutrino scattering off nuclei can be studied simultaneously. The second objective is to quantify the hidden sector reach of the Fermilab neutrino facilities from pions and muons that are stopped in the detector apparatus and subsequently decay at rest. The decay products of these particles are expected to have distinct directional and timing properties. The participants will simulate the production of hidden sector mediators from the decays of stopped pions and muons. In particular, they will develop searches for new particles produced in the NuMI absorber whose arrival in the SBN detectors is delayed relative to the usual neutrino scattering signal.This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.

费米实验室目前和即将进行的实验将使美国成为中微子研究领域的世界领导者。中微子是目前已知的最不为人所知的基本粒子。中微子探测器非常敏感，因为它们被设计用来探测由中微子与物质碰撞引起的微小能量沉积。由于这种灵敏度，这些探测器可以用来寻找中微子以外的粒子。例如，关于暗物质（宇宙中未知的额外质量）的多种理论预测，费米实验室的中微子设备可以产生和观察到新的粒子。这个项目启动了俄克拉荷马州立大学和费米实验室的研究人员之间的合作，研究中微子探测器作为新粒子探测器的应用。其目标是探索粒子物理学标准模型之外的理论，这是我们目前在亚原子水平上对自然的最佳理解。与费米实验室中微子物理学家的合作将使俄克拉何马州的研究人员对世界级粒子物理实验有一个详细的了解，最终使他们能够在费米实验室的中微子项目持续到2030年代的研究中做出贡献。通过建立粒子物理学的研究能力，这项工作将在长期内加强俄克拉荷马州的STEM研究和教育。该奖学金支持PI和一名研究生访问费米实验室，开发技术，利用短基线中微子（SBN）计划和深地下中微子实验（DUNE）探测器的独特定时能力来寻找新的光，弱耦合态。PI和学生将与费米实验室理论物理系的宿主科学家合作，进行现象学研究，应用这些探测器的纳秒级分辨率来分离某些隐藏扇区模型的特征。这项研究有两个具体目标。第一个目标是计算费米中微子实验对亚gev暗物质从原子核散射的灵敏度。参与者将构建结合时间和运动切割的分析，以区分暗物质散射和中微子诱导的背景。定时的使用有望使轻暗物质搜索不需要专门的运行光束转储模式，因此暗物质和中微子的原子核散射可以同时研究。第二个目标是量化费米实验室中微子设施从介子和μ子的隐藏扇区范围，这些介子和μ子在探测器装置中停止并随后在静止时衰变。预计这些粒子的衰变产物具有明显的方向性和时序性。参与者将模拟从停止的介子和介子的衰变中产生隐藏的扇区介质。特别是，他们将开发对NuMI吸收器中产生的新粒子的搜索，这些新粒子到达SBN探测器的时间相对于通常的中微子散射信号是延迟的。该奖项反映了美国国家科学基金会的法定使命，并通过使用基金会的知识价值和更广泛的影响审查标准进行评估，被认为值得支持。