Oxford Consolidated Grant Application 2012

粒子物理学试图从基本粒子（夸克和轻子）、基本力（强、电磁力、弱力和引力）和介导它们的力粒子（光子、W/Z、胶子和引力子）的相互作用来理解宇宙及其演化。在过去的三十年里，我们看到了一个强大的、非常成功的理论框架的发展，它被称为标准模型，在这个理论框架中，几乎所有可用的粒子物理数据都可以得到解释。然而，虽然这是一个美丽的理论，但这个模型是不完整的，因为它不能完全解释我们周围的世界。牛津大学的研究项目将显著提高我们对取代标准模型的任何“新物理学”理论的理解，并将指导发展标准模型的理论工作。大型强子对撞机（LHC）目前正在高能物理的能量前沿运行，并在几毫秒内重现了大爆炸的条件。牛津大学在探测器操作和从ATLAS和LHCb实验中提取物理结果方面发挥着重要作用。这些实验有可能彻底改变我们对粒子物理学的理解。在ATLAS中，牛津大学的物理学家们正在寻找难以捉摸的“希格斯粒子”，这种粒子的场被认为是赋予宇宙质量的原因。我们也在寻找具有“超对称”（SUSY）的粒子，这一理论将为构成宇宙很大一部分的“暗物质”提供解决方案；ATLAS也在寻找额外的维度。牛津大学的物理学家们在LHCb实验中，通过研究夸克和反夸克行为的细微差异——“cp违逆”，努力更好地理解宇宙中物质-反物质不对称的起源。在接下来的十年里，大型强子对撞机将升级到更高的能量和强度，因此ATLAS和LHCb的探测器改进正在准备中。升级后的探测器将使粒子物理学达到前所未有的灵敏度极限，以进行不可避免的新物理观测。在我们的工作中，我们正在启用强大的计算资源和分析工具，这是提取大量数据所必需的。我们参与了与大型强子对撞机的大型实验相辅相成的高精度实验。EDELWEISS实验正在探索粒子物理学和宇宙学中一些最重要的问题；特别是直接寻找暗物质，候选粒子是最轻的超对称性粒子。类似地，nEDM实验将测量中子电偶极矩到前所未有的精度，这也将补充LHCb实验中cp破坏的测量。通过在日本进行的T2K实验和仍处于起步阶段的项目，牛津大学的物理学家们旨在更好地理解难以捉摸的中微子，特别是它从一种味道到另一种味道的“振荡”。SNO+实验将测量中微子的其他基本性质，比如它是否是自己的反粒子。我们已经在CDF和ZEUS实验中进行了一些非常精确的标准模型测量——比如弱力载体、W玻色子的质量，以及质子的详细结构。这些结果将用于大型强子对撞机的分析，说明实验进化的力量和重要性。在我们的研究过程中，牛津大学将继续发展和提高我们在机械和电子设计方面的能力，这样我们就能保留建造最复杂的设备的能力，无论我们的物理目标需要多大的设备。我们决心在未来的粒子物理领域保持我们在科学卓越和主要的最先进的探测器建设方面的世界领先地位。对于粒子物理学来说，这是激动人心的时刻，牛津大学决心在其中发挥重要作用。

Particle physics seeks to understand the Universe and its evolution in terms of the interplay of elementary particles (the quarks and leptons) the fundamental forces (the strong, electromagnetic, and weak forces and gravity) and the force-particles that mediate them (photons, W/Z, gluons and gravitons). The last thirty years has seen the development of a robust and extremely successful theoretical framework, known as the Standard Model, in which almost all of the available particle-physics data can be explained. However, whilst this is a beautiful theory, the model is incomplete since it doesn't completely explain the world that we see around us. Oxford's research programme will advance significantly our understanding of whatever "new-physics" theory will emerge to replace the Standard Model, and will guide the theoretical work to develop it. The Large Hadron Collider (LHC) is now running at the energy frontier of high-energy physics, and reproduces the conditions within milliseconds of the Big Bang. Oxford plays a major role in the detector operation and the extraction of physics results from both the ATLAS and LHCb experiments. These experiments have the potential to completely revolutionise our understanding of particle physics. In ATLAS, Oxford physicists are searching for the elusive "Higgs particle", whose field is believed to be responsible for giving mass to the Universe. We are also searching for particles having "supersymmetry" (SUSY), a theory that would provide a solution to the "dark-matter" that makes up a large fraction of the Universe; ATLAS is also searching for extra dimensions. Oxford physicists on the LHCb experiment strive for a better understanding of the origin of the matter-antimatter asymmetry in the Universe, by studying subtle differences in the behaviour of quarks and antiquarks - "CP-violation". Over the next decade, the LHC will upgrade to higher energy and intensity, and so detector improvements are being prepared for both ATLAS and LHCb. The upgraded detectors will take particle physics to an unprecedented limit of sensitivity for the inevitable new-physics observations. Throughout our work we are enabling powerful computing resources and analysis tools that are necessary for the extraction of vast volumes of data.We participate in high-precision experiments which are complementary to the large experiments at the LHC. The EDELWEISS experiment is exploring some of the most important questions in particle physics and cosmology; in particular the direct search for dark matter, a candidate being the lightest SUSY particle. Similarly the nEDM experiment will measure the neutron electric dipole moment down to unprecedented precision, and which will also complement measurements of CP-violation from the LHCb experiment.Through the T2K experiment in Japan and projects still at their inception, Oxford physicists aim for a better understanding the elusive neutrino, and in particular its "oscillation" from one flavour to another. The SNO+ experiment will measure other fundamental properties of the neutrino, such as whether or not it is its own antiparticle. We already have made some Standard Model measurements to great precision in the CDF and ZEUS experiments - such as the mass of the weak-force carrier, the W boson, and the detailed structure of the proton. These results will be carried forward to LHC analyses, illustrating the power and importance of experimental evolution.Throughout our research, Oxford will continue to develop and enhance our capabilities in mechanical and electronic design so that we will retain the ability to construct the most sophisticated apparatus of whatever size may be required for our physics objectives. We are determined to retain our world-leading role for scientific excellence and major state-of-the-art detector construction in particle physics for the future. These are exciting times for particle physics, and Oxford are determined to play a major role.