RUI: Uncovering the Particle Nature of Hidden Sectors

这一瑞奖资助了哈维·马德学院布莱恩·舒夫教授的研究活动。组成宇宙中大部分物质的暗物质的性质，以及物质超过反物质的来源，是粒子物理学中两个突出的重大问题。这些现象只能在存在新的粒子和作用力的情况下才能解释，这些新的粒子和作用力迄今逃脱了探测；这种迄今未知的粒子的集合被称为“隐藏部分”。舒夫教授的研究设计并研究了隐藏扇区的理论，目的是更彻底地理解它们如何解释标准模型中未解释的问题。舒夫教授还研究了隐藏扇区的实验表现，提出了对隐藏扇区粒子的新的经验测试，并研究了新粒子的信号如何隐藏在现有实验的数据中。这项研究促进了基础科学最重要的方面之一的进步，即发现新的物理定律和更好地理解宇宙的内容和结构，从而促进国家利益。该项目还产生了重大的更广泛的影响：本科生研究人员是项目成功不可或缺的一部分，来自代表性不足群体的学生的参与和培训将是优先事项。这项研究将导致粒子物理研究工具的开发，本科生研究人员可以使用这些工具并公开使用。舒夫教授还将发表公开演讲，以提高人们对粒子物理学的认识和兴趣，并将为未来的第一代大学生和来自不同背景的学生开展外展和招聘活动。在更技术性的层面上，舒夫教授将对动机良好的、多成分的隐藏部门进行详细的现象学研究，并将为实验搜索设计新的策略。研究的重点之一将是隐藏的部分，包括右手中微子，这可以解释中微子质量、重子不对称和暗物质。舒夫教授的研究将使用模拟数据和分析计算来绘制出当前实验的敏感性以及覆盖范围中的差距。作为一个具体的例子，舒夫教授将领导一项由签名驱动的研究，研究在低能量的B工厂对撞机和大型强子对撞机上发现新的隐藏扇区粒子的前景。这将导致对长寿命粒子的全面搜索策略的开发和提出，从而增强实验发现新粒子的前景。最后，Shuve教授将研究隐藏扇区的宇宙学驱动参数空间，特别是多组分隐藏扇区的冻结暗物质和瘦身发生，这将在隐藏扇区的理论动机和实验研究之间建立更紧密的联系。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 RUI award funds the research activities of Professor Brian Shuve at Harvey Mudd College.The nature of the dark matter comprising most of the matter in the Universe, and the origin of the excess of matter over antimatter, are two major outstanding problems in particle physics. These phenomena can only be explained if there exist new particles and forces that have so far evaded detection; this collection of hitherto-unknown particles is known as the "hidden sector". Professor Shuve's research devises and investigates theories of hidden sectors with the aim of understanding more thoroughly how they can account for the unexplained questions of the Standard Model. Professor Shuve also studies the experimental manifestations of hidden sectors, proposing new empirical tests of hidden-sector particles as well as examining how signals of new particles could be hiding in the data of existing experiments. This research promotes progress in one of the most important aspects of fundamental science, namely the discovery of new physical laws and an improved understanding of the content and structure of the Universe, and thus advances the national interest. This project also has significant broader impacts: undergraduate student researchers are integral to the success of the project, and the involvement and training of students from under-represented groups will be prioritized. This research will lead to the development of tools for particle-physics research that are accessible to undergraduate researchers and made publicly available. Professor Shuve will also deliver public lectures to broaden awareness and interest in particle physics and will undertake outreach and recruitment activities for prospective first-generation college students and students from diverse backgrounds.On a more technical level, Professor Shuve will perform detailed phenomenological studies of well-motivated, multi-component hidden sectors and will devise new strategies for experimental searches. One focus of the research will be on hidden sectors including right-handed neutrinos, which can account for neutrino masses, the baryon asymmetry, and dark matter. Professor Shuve's research will use simulated data and analytic calculations to map out sensitivities of current experiments as well as gaps in coverage. As a specific example, Professor Shuve will lead a signature-driven study of the prospects of discovering new hidden-sector particles at low-energy B-factory colliders and the Large Hadron Collider. This will result in the development and proposal of comprehensive search strategies for long-lived particles that enhance the prospects for experimental discoveries of new particles. Finally, Professor Shuve will study the cosmologically motivated parameter space of hidden sectors, particularly for freeze-in dark matter and leptogenesis in multi-component hidden sectors, and this will establish stronger connections between theoretical motivations of hidden sectors and experimental searches.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.