LHC Theory Initiative

该奖项资助了大型强子对撞机理论计划，这是一个竞争性的国家奖学金计划，支持理论粒子物理学博士后的培训。粒子物理学的最终目标是确定支配物质、能量、空间和时间的基本原理。标准模型（SM）对已知的粒子和力提供了一个经过验证的定量描述。大量证据表明，SM是不完整的，它是一个更基本理论的低能量极限。欧洲核子研究中心的大型强子对撞机（LHC）于2010年开始物理运行，2012年7月4日，ATLAS和CMS合作宣布发现了一个质量接近125 GeV的新共振。随后的实验证实，这种新粒子看起来很像长期寻找的希格斯玻色子。欧洲核子研究中心正在将大型强子对撞机的能量提高一倍，并显著提高其亮度。物理学目标包括精确测量希格斯粒子的性质，以及直接寻找新粒子，尤其是暗物质。要充分发挥大型强子对撞机的潜力，需要精确的理论预测。例如，由于大型强子对撞机的高亮度，很难将信号从背景中分离出来。这类过程的最低阶预测表现出显著的不确定性，可以通过在摄动理论中加入高阶来降低。此外，有必要深入探索特征和策略，以充分利用新的发现，并充分利用这个强大的实验设施的物理潜力。该奖学金项目将有助于确保美国拥有所需的年轻理论家，以充分受益于其在大型强子对撞机实验设施上的投资。这里提出的活动是提供必要的计算工具和理论结果，以充分提取LHC的物理结果。提议的活动包括SM和超越SM模型的高阶QCD和电弱校正的计算，以及新的，改进的淋浴算法的发展。同样重要的是开发健壮且经过良好测试的蒙特卡罗工具，以便用理论模型来处理数据。在这些领域仍有许多工作要做。

This award funds the LHC Theory Initiative, a competitive national fellowship program supporting the training of postdoctoral fellows in theoretical particle physics.The ultimate goal of particle physics is to identify the fundamental principles that govern matter, energy, space and time. The Standard Model (SM) provides a well tested quantitative description of the known particles and forces. A body of evidence suggests that the SM is not complete, and that it is the low-energy limit of a more fundamental theory.The CERN Large Hadron Collider (LHC) began physics operations in 2010, and on July 4, 2012, the ATLAS and CMS collaborations announced discovery of a new resonance with a mass near 125 GeV. Subsequent running has confirmed that the new particle looks like the long-sought Higgs boson. CERN is in the process of doubling the LHC's energy and significantly increasing its luminosity. Physics goals include precision measurements of Higgs properties, as well as direct searches for new particles, especially dark matter. Accurate theoretical predictions are needed for the LHC to realize its full potential. For example, because of the LHC's high luminosity, it can be difficult to separate signals from backgrounds. The lowest-order predictions for such processes exhibit significant uncertainties that can be reduced by including higher orders in perturbation theory. Also, it is essential to explore signatures and strategies in depth to make the most of the new discoveries and to fully exploit the physics potential of this powerful experimental facility. This fellowship program will help ensure that the United States has the young theorists it needs to gain full benefit from the investment it has made in the LHC experimental facility.The activities proposed here are to provide calculational tools and theoretical results necessary to fully extract physics results from the LHC. Proposed activities include calculations of higher-order QCD and electroweak corrections in the SM and beyond-the-SM models, as well as the development of new, improved, shower algorithms. Also important is the development of robust and well-tested Monte Carlo tools to confront the data with theoretical models. Much remains to be done in these areas.