CAREER: Grounding Nuclear Physics in the Standard Model for New Physics Searches

虽然粒子物理的标准模型是我们最经验证的物理理论之一，但它预计会在某些条件下崩溃，而无法解释的观测证据和理论难题要求我们超越标准模型(BSM)来理解物理学。这种新物理学的起源和方式是物理学中一些最大的悬而未决的问题；因此，测试标准模型的极限是许多备受瞩目的核物理实验计划的主要目标。如果新物理的能量规模超出了加速器的能力范围，这样的低能量核试验可能是我们发现的唯一希望。这些过程的定量理论计算对于计划实验、了解实验背景以及将结果与各种BSM模型联系起来是至关重要的。这项研究涉及支持这些高冲击性核实验的计算，利用了世界上一些最大的超级计算设施。这样的计算导致了高性能计算的进步，并对其他计算领域产生了影响。对核物理的新理解与国家安全和能源研究密切相关，PI合作的学生已经在这些领域开始了职业生涯。此外，教育活动的目的是为哥斯达黎加大学任职人数不足的学生提供研究机会。原子核相互作用的基本理论是量子色动力学(QCD)。格子QCD是一种数值形式，是我们目前已知的唯一一种执行与核系统相关的QCD计算的技术，使得理论上的不确定性是完全可以量化的，并且可以系统地消除误差。这项研究将使用格子QCD来计算理解新物理实验研究所必需的单强子和多强子可观测值，包括：1.搜索无中微子双β衰变，这是一种被提出的极罕见的过程，如果观察到，将有助于揭示宇宙物质/反物质不对称的起源，以及对中微子质量的理解。2.在橡树岭国家实验室的散裂中子源上对强子系统宇称破坏的测量，这是约束标准模型所必需的。3.对中子寿命的测量，目前显示的实验张力可能指向新的物理贡献。4.长基线中微子实验，如深部地下中微子实验(DUNE)，它将探测CP破坏和中微子质量等级。5.将原子核作为实验室的一般低能基本对称性测试，通过对核子相互作用的理论理解来理解并与基本的BSM物理相联系。该奖项反映了NSF的法定使命，并通过使用基金会的智力优势和更广泛的影响审查标准进行评估，被认为值得支持。

While the Standard Model of particle physics stands as one of our most well-tested physical theories, it is expected to break down under certain conditions, and unexplained observational evidence and theoretical puzzles call for understanding of physics beyond the Standard Model (BSM). Where and how this new physics originates are some of the biggest outstanding problems of physics; therefore testing the limits of the Standard Model is a primary goal of many high-profile experimental programs in nuclear physics. Such low-energy nuclear tests may be our only hope at discovery if the energy scale of new physics is beyond the reach of accelerators. Quantitative theoretical calculations of these processes are crucial for planning experiments, understanding their backgrounds, and connecting results to various BSM models. This research involves calculations supporting these high-impact nuclear experiments, utilizing some of the largest supercomputing facilities worldwide. Such calculations lead to advancements in high-performance computing, with repercussions for other computational fields. New understanding of nuclear physics has close ties to national security and energy research, and students in the PI's collaboration have already begun careers in these sectors. The educational activities furthermore aim to provide research opportunities for under-represented students at the University of Costa Rica. The fundamental theory behind nuclear interactions is known to be Quantum Chromodynamics (QCD). Lattice QCD, a numerical formulation, is currently our only known technique for performing QCD calculations relevant for nuclear systems such that theoretical uncertainties are fully quantifiable and errors may be systematically removed. This research will use lattice QCD to calculate single- and multi-hadron observables necessary for understanding experimental searches for new physics including: 1. Searches for neutrinoless double-beta decay, a proposed ultra-rare process which, if observed, would shed light on the origin of the matter/antimatter asymmetry of the Universe, as well as an understanding of the nature of neutrino masses. 2. Measurements of parity violation in hadronic systems, necessary for constraining the Standard Model, and being performed at the Spallation Neutron Source at Oak Ridge National Laboratory. 3. Measurements of the neutron lifetime, which currently display experimental tension potentially pointing to new physics contributions. 4. Long baseline neutrino experiments, such as the Deep Underground Neutrino Experiment (DUNE), which will probe CP violation and the neutrino mass hierarchy. 5. General low-energy fundamental symmetry tests involving nuclei as laboratories, to be understood and connected to underlying BSM physics via theoretical understanding of nucleon interactions.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.