South-Eastern Particle Theory Alliance Sussex - RHUL - UCL 2017-2020 - Sussex node

这项提议的研究加入了苏塞克斯、皇家霍洛威和伦敦大学学院粒子理论小组的科学家们，他们在三个大标题下寻找新的物理学：对撞机和低能现象学：大型强子对撞机将基本粒子加速到接近光速的速度，使它们的有效质量增加了10亿倍。通过将这些粒子粉碎在一起，将会有新的发现，也会有新的物理理论有待检验。我们将致力于一项复杂的任务，将这些碰撞的碎片与理论家提出的新模型联系起来，以解释宇宙中一些最令人困惑的问题——质量的起源是什么？有量子引力理论吗？粒子天体物理学和宇宙学：在过去的十年中，最活跃的研究领域之一是粒子物理学和宇宙学之间的接口。为了了解宇宙的历史，我们必须了解大爆炸最初时刻的物理定律，当时温度和粒子能量都很大。相反，通过今天对宇宙的详细观察，我们可以追溯到当时的条件，并推断出高能的物理定律。我们的研究将解决关于宇宙的重大问题：为什么物质比反物质多？中微子和暗物质的本质是什么？有证据表明弦或其他宇宙缺陷存在吗？我们能不能用一个包罗万象的理论来理解宇宙从暴胀时代到现在的历史？量子场论的固定点：最近发现，类似标准模型的理论可以是基本的和预测的，直到最高能量，而不需要渐进自由，这为未知领域打开了一扇门。这些新颖的理论为完善标准模型提供了替代方法，并从一个全新的角度解决了其公开的挑战。我们的研究将侧重于对这些新型理论的系统评价，包括标准模型之外的基准模型的构建。我们将这些研究与我们对广义相对论量子版本的持续探索结合起来。这些情景的预测将与粒子对撞机和宇宙学的数据进行对比。

The proposed research joins scientists of the particle theory groups at Sussex, Royal Holloway and University College London in the hunt for new physics under three broad headings:Collider and low-energy phenomenology:The Large Hadron Collider boosts elementary particles to velocities so close to that of light that their effective mass grows by a factor of a billion. By smashing these particles together there are new discoveries to be made, and new theories of physics to test. We will work on the complex task of relating the debris of these collisions to the new models put forward by theorists to explain some of the most puzzling questions of the universe - what is the origin of mass? and is there a quantum theory of gravity? Particle astrophysics and cosmology:One of the most active areas of research in the past decade has been at the interface between particle physics andcosmology. In order to understand the history of the universe we must understand physical laws in the first moments of the Big Bang, when temperatures and particle energies were huge. Conversely, by detailed observations of the universe today we can trace back the conditions and make deductions about physical laws at high energies.Our research will tackle big questions about the universe: why is there more matter than antimatter? what is the nature of neutrinos and dark matter? is there any evidence out there for strings or other cosmic defects? and can we understand the history of the universe from the epoch of inflation until the present day in one overarching theory?Fixed points of quantum field theory:The recent discovery that Standard Model-like theories can be fundamental and predictive up to highest energies without being asymptotically free has opened a door into uncharted territory. These novel theories offer alternative ways to UV complete the Standard Model and to address its open challenges from an entirely new angle. Our research will focus on the systematic evaluation of these new types of theories, including the construction of benchmark models beyond the Standard Model. We combine these studies with our continuing quest towards a quantum version of general relativity. Predictions of these scenarios will be contrasted with data from particle colliders and cosmology.