Beyond the Minimal Dark Sector: Finding New Physics in Cosmology and Colliders

二十世纪下半叶导致了一项了不起的科学成就：建立了所谓的粒子物理标准模型。作为一种理论，它包含了所有已知的自然粒子和力，不包括重力。它在描述已知现象方面取得了极大的成功，但我们不禁要问，是否存在超越标准模型的物理学。是否存在对宇宙重要的自然力或物质的新状态？在这个项目中，PI打算在标准模型之外探索新的物理理论，专注于大多数传统模型中缺乏的有趣的现象学信号。他将研究许多课题，包括地球和宇宙实验中暗部门的意外信号，允许更大范围的气味破坏的模型，中微子质量和暗物质之间的联系，以及由宇宙射线信号驱动的暗物质模型。通过探索这些明显不同的领域--暗物质、宇宙射线、中微子物理和对撞机物理--之间可能存在的联系，PI希望深入了解这些不同的未探索现象的可能性质，并找到地球和宇宙研究相互补充的方法。该项目还预计将产生两个更广泛的关键影响。首先，PI将继续努力参加暑期学校，并将定期编制一套关于暗物质的更新讲稿。这将为一个快速发展的领域的研究生或感兴趣的教师提供重要的资源。其次，PI将继续与北卡罗来纳州塞勒姆的州长西部学校进行非常成功的外联工作。这个公共暑期班吸引了来自全州不同社会经济背景的学生，为感兴趣和有才华的学生提供了一个促进物理研究和职业生涯的机会，并建议他们走上这条道路。该项目在过去几年中非常成功，并通过既定的教育设置与新的学生群体进行年复一年的互动。

The latter half of the twentieth century led to a remarkable scientific achievement: the establishment of the so-called Standard Model of particle physics. As a theory, it incorporates all known particles and forces of nature, excluding gravity. It has been extremely successful in describing known phenomena, but we are prompted to ask whether there is physics beyond the Standard Model. Are there new forces of nature, or new states of matter, which are important to the universe? In this project, the PI intends to explore new theories of physics beyond the Standard Model, focusing on interesting phenomenological signals absent in most conventional models. He will study many topics including unexpected signals of the dark sector in terrestrial and cosmological experiments, models which allow wider ranges of flavor violation, connections between neutrino masses and dark matter, and models of dark matter motivated by cosmic ray signals. By exploring what connections could exist between these apparently disparate fields --- dark matter, cosmic rays, neutrino physics, and collider physics --- the PI hopes to gain insights into the possible nature of these diverse unexplored phenomena, and find ways in which terrestrial and cosmological studies can complement one another.This project is also envisioned to have two key broader impacts. First, the PI will maintain a continued effort to participate in summer schools and will compile a regularly updated set of lecture notes on dark matter. This will provide an important resource for graduate students or interested faculty in a rapidly evolving field. Second, the PI will continue his very successful outreach effort with the Governor's School West in Salem, North Carolina. This public summer school draws students from across the state, from varied socioeconomic backgrounds, providing an opportunity to promote physics research and careers to interested and talented students, and counsel them on pursuing such a path. This program has been highly successful over the last several years, and offers year- on-year interactions with new groups of students through an established educational setup.