Novel Astrophysical Probes of Exotic Particle Dark Matter

该奖项资助了匹兹堡大学安德鲁·曾特纳教授的研究活动。绝大多数证据表明，宇宙中85%的物质内容是以暗物质的形式存在的。暗物质是一种尚未确定的物质形式。目前，暗物质的证据仅来自它的引力，而这一证据已经在许多方面积累了一个世纪。然而，暗物质的身份和性质仍然未知。暗物质的性质和支配暗物质相互作用的物理规律可以在地球实验室中进行研究，也可以通过天文观测间接地进行研究。作为他研究的一部分，Zentner教授的目标是通过理论研究和天体物理观测相结合的方式，进一步探索识别暗物质。暗物质超出了我们目前对自然界中物质和力的理解。因此，暗物质研究通过进一步努力发现新的物质形式和可能操纵物质的新力量，促进了国家利益。这个项目有两个组成部分。在第一个实验中，曾特纳教授将尝试确定恒星中暗物质粒子性质的微妙特征，而在第二个实验中，他将为暗物质的产生和演化建立更完整的理论模型，这些模型可以通过对星系的大型天文观测来进行测试。这两个组件都将揭示暗物质的性质及其相互作用的线索。Zentner教授的研究也将产生重大的更广泛的影响。特别是，森特纳教授将与一名研究生合作进行他的研究，这名研究生将因此接受尖端暗物质研究方面的培训。Zentner教授还计划建立一个项目，将当地的K-12教师与实习物理学家和天文学家配对，以便使教师能够将物理和天文学带入课堂。每对科学家/教师将接受科学教育方面的专业培训，开发以探究为基础的课程，并在整个学年的几次课堂访问中共同教授该课程。在进一步的技术细节方面，Zentner教授项目的两个组成部分如下。在第一部分中，Zentner教授将模拟奇异的暗物质候选-特别是不对称暗物质、自作用暗物质和强相互作用暗物质-对恒星结构和恒星演化的影响。这些模拟将被量身定做，以在特定的天体物理环境中对恒星种群进行建模，例如局部群矮星系。然后，可以将这些模拟的预测与对这些天体物理环境中恒星群的详细天文观测进行比较，以确定是否可以在数据中确定暗物质的特定属性。在这项提议的第二部分，Zentner教授将为所谓的光和超轻暗物质候选粒子建立更完整的理论模型。特别是，他将使用弯曲时空中量子场的半经典技术来研究光和超轻暗物质模型。通过这样做，他将更好地理解超轻暗物质的可能性，以及超轻暗物质对宇宙结构演化的影响。这反过来将提供更深入的理论预测与观测数据的比较，将产生关于暗物质是否可能是尚未发现的超轻粒子的更决定性的结论。这一奖项反映了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。

This award funds the research activities of Professor Andrew Zentner at the University of Pittsburgh.An overwhelming preponderance of evidence indicates that 85% of the matter content of the Universe is in the form of dark matter. Dark matter is an as-yet-unidentified form of matter. Evidence for dark matter currently comes only from its gravitational pull and this evidence has been accumulating, on many fronts, for a century. The identity and properties of the dark matter nevertheless remain unknown. The nature of the dark matter and the physical laws governing the interactions of dark matter can be investigated in both earth-bound laboratories and indirectly through astronomical observations. As part of his research, Professor Zentner aims to further the quest to identify the dark matter through a combination of both theoretical investigations and astrophysical observations. Dark matter lies beyond our current understanding of matter and forces in nature. Consequently, dark matter research advances the national interest by furthering efforts to discover new forms of matter and new forces with which matter may be manipulated. This project has two components. In the first, Professor Zentner will attempt to identify subtle signatures of the properties of the dark matter particle in stars, while in the second he will build more complete theoretical models for the production and evolution of the dark matter that can be tested using large astronomical surveys of galaxies. Both components will reveal clues regarding the nature of dark matter and its interactions. Professor Zentner's research will also have significant broader impacts. In particular, Professor Zentner will conduct his research in collaboration with a graduate student who will thereby receive training in cuttting-edge dark matter research. Professor Zentner also plans to build a program to pair local K-12 teachers with practicing physicists and astronomers in order to enable the teachers to bring physics and astronomy into the classroom. Each scientist/teacher pair will receive professional training in science education, develop an inquiry-based curriculum, and co-teach the curriculum during several classroom visits throughout the academic year.In further technical detail, the two components of Professor Zentner's project are as follows. In the first component, Professor Zentner will simulate the effects of exotic dark matter candidates --- particularly asymmetric dark matter, self-interacting dark matter, and strongly-interacting dark matter --- on stellar structure and stellar evolution. These simulations will be tailored toward modeling stellar populations in specific astrophysical environments, such as Local Group dwarf galaxies. The predictions of these simulations can then be compared with detailed astronomical observations of stellar populations in these astrophysical environments to determine whether or not specific properties of the dark matter can be identified in the data. In the second component of this proposal, Professor Zentner will build more complete theoretical models of so-called light and ultra-light dark matter particle candidates. In particular, he will study light and ultra-light dark matter models using the semi-classical techniques of quantum fields in curved spacetimes. In so doing, he will develop a better understanding of the possibilities for ultra-light dark matter and the implications of ultra-light dark matter for the evolution of structure in the universe. This will, in turn, provide for more incisive comparisons of theoretical predictions with observational data that will yield more decisive conclusions on whether or not the dark matter may be an as-yet-undiscovered, ultra-light particle.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.