Research in Elementary Particle Theory

该奖项资助东北大学 Pran Nath、James Halverson、Brent D. Nelson 和 Tomasz R. Taylor 教授的研究活动。根据这笔资助，研究将在理论高能物理的广泛主题上进行。 这些主题包括许多当前最令人兴奋的研究领域，从称为“超对称”的基本粒子之间独特的对称性，到可能能够统一量子力学和引力的推测理论，例如弦理论和F理论，以及研究粒子散射时行为的新方法——涉及所谓的“天体振幅”的方法。 此外，机器学习工具将用于探索标准模型之外的基础物理学的本质。大型强子对撞机 (LHC) RUN3 和各种天体物理实验预计将产生的新数据也将被探索，以寻找超越电弱和强相互作用标准模型的新物理证据。这项研究将通过推进美国当前知识前沿的基础物理学来促进国家利益。 这些研究项目还将涉及数名博士。学生在PI的指导下工作。 此外，该项目的一个重要组成部分是外展计划 TheoryNet，该计划通过讲座和演示促进波士顿地区理论家和高中生之间的直接互动。从技术上讲，即将进行的研究旨在开发新的形式主义和工具，以研究超出当前能量尺度的物理学本质。这包括与基于弦和 F 理论的统一模型相关的理论工作以及对天体振幅的进一步研究。这项工作还包括开发方法，以在大型强子对撞机预计出现的新数据中寻找超对称性或弦的可能证据。该项目还将包括应用机器学习来探索弦景观和相关现象。该项目还将包括粒子理论和宇宙学接口的工作，包括包含暗物质和暗能量的更统一的框架。另一个研究领域包括对隐藏扇区的研究，这些扇区出现在一系列超重力和弦模型中，并且已经开始在粒子物理学和宇宙学现象中发挥越来越重要的作用。 该项目具有很强的教育成分，包括研究生研究培训以及物理专业本科生的指导。 同样，“TheoryNet”计划将继续培养年轻人对科学的兴趣和热情，帮助培养下一代潜在的科学家和教育工作者。该奖项反映了 NSF 的法定使命，并通过使用基金会的智力价值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 Professors Pran Nath, James Halverson, Brent D. Nelson, and Tomasz R. Taylor at Northeastern University. Under this grant, research will be conducted across a wide range of topics in theoretical high-energy physics. These topics include many of the most exciting current research areas ranging from a unique kind of symmetry amongst the elementary particles called "supersymmetry" to speculative theories that might be able to unify quantum mechanics and gravity, such as string theory and F-theory, and studies of new ways of studying the behavior of particles when they scatter --- methods involving so-called "celestial amplitudes". In addition, machine-learning tools will be used to explore the nature of fundamental physics beyond the Standard Model. New data expected to emerge from RUN3 of the Large Hadron Collider (LHC) and from a variety of astrophysical experiments will also be explored for evidence of new physics beyond the Standard Model of electroweak and strong interactions. This research will advance the national interest by advancing fundamental physics at the frontiers of current knowledge within the United States. These research projects will also involve several Ph.D. students working under the guidance of the PIs. In addition, an important part of this project is the outreach program TheoryNet, which fosters direct interactions between Boston-area theorists and high-school students through lecture presentations and demonstrations.More technically, the research to be performed is aimed at developing new formalisms and tools to investigate the nature of physics beyond energy scales currently accessible. This includes theoretical work related to unified models based on strings and F-theory and further investigations on celestial amplitudes. This work also includes the development of methods to find possible evidence of supersymmetry or strings in new data expected to emerge from the LHC. This project will also include the application of machine learning for the exploration of the string landscape and related phenomena. This project will also include work at the interface of particle theory and cosmology, including a more unified framework encompassing dark matter and dark energy. Another area of investigation includes the study of hidden sectors which appear in a broad class of supergravity and string models and which have begun to play an increasingly significant role in both particle physics and cosmological phenomena. This project has a strong educational component which includes the training of graduate students for research as well as the mentoring of undergraduate physics majors. Likewise, the "TheoryNet" program will continue to cultivate interest and excitement for science among the young, to help prepare a future generation of potential scientists and educators.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.