Particle Physics and Cosmology

这个项目是关于粒子物理和宇宙学的研究。研究的主要主题是可能的“暗(即，不发光)物质”(DM)的性质，它很可能是宇宙中质量的主要形式。这项研究既包括进一步探索几种“冷”DM情景，也包括通过实验室和加速器实验、宇宙辐射以及对超新星1987A的进一步分析，详细研究探测或限制各种假想DM粒子性质的可能性。另一个研究课题是星系和星系团的形成可能是由“宇宙弦”环路触发的；该项目将研究“宇宙弦”环路的详细演化，并研究与宇宙膨胀形式“膨胀”相一致的宇宙弦模型。该项目还将试图通过详细研究盘状星系的动力学以及星系及其星系团的演化来确定DM的性质和初始条件，以期获得大量的新数据。最后，它将研究标准模型以外的各种粒子物理理论，包括它们对DM的影响，以及对宇宙学中尚未解决的大问题(如宇宙常数的值)的洞察。这个项目将有助于完善我们关于宇宙大尺度结构、宇宙早期时刻以及宇宙中高达99%的物质的性质的理论。

This project is research on particle physics and cosmology. The principal subject of research is the nature of possible "dark (i.e., non-luminous) matter" (DM) which may well be the main form of mass in the universe. The research involves both further exploration of several "cold" DM scenarios, and also detailed study of the possibilities of detecting or constraining the properties of various hypothetical DM particles via laboratory and accelerator experiments, cosmic radiation, and further aalysis of Supernova 1987a. Another subject of research is the possibility that galaxy and cluster formation is triggered by loops of "cosmic string;" the project will study the detailed evolution of loops, and also investigate cosmic string models that are consistent with a form of expansion of the universe that is called "inflation". The project will also attempt to ascertain the nature of the DM and the initial conditions by detailed study of the dynamics of disk galaxies and of the evolution of galaxies and their clustering, in anticipation of extensive new data. Finally, it will study the various theories of particle physics beyond the standard model both for their implications regarding the DM and for insights into the big unsolved problems of cosmology such as the value of the cosmological constant. This project will help refine our theories of the large scale structure of the universe, the early moments of the universe, and the nature of up to 99% of the matter in the universe.