Neutrinos exposed: from the cosmos to deep underground

粒子物理学的标准模型(SM)高精度地描述了宇宙的许多基本定律，但它仍然无法解释某些观测结果。与SM最明显的偏离是加拿大-日本诺贝尔奖获得者的发现，该发现揭示了一种中微子可以振荡成另一种口味。SM无法解释的另一个观察结果是，宇宙中充满了物质，而不仅仅是光，光是物质-反物质湮灭的产物。此外，有迹象表明，SM没有预测到额外的中微子或奇异的相互作用。观察到中微子对物质-反物质对称性的破坏将是一项开创性的发现，可以解释今天仍然存在的问题。此外，对超新星中微子的测量将是了解超新星动力学和提供更多中微子信息的关键。 全球正在努力通过测量中微子质量的细节以及中微子如何随时间变化来实现中微子物理学的下一次突破。为了保持加拿大在中微子物理学方面的世界领先声誉，参与这项工作是必不可少的。深部地下中微子实验(沙丘)代表着向前迈出的大胆一步，它采用了一种新的探测器技术，并能够在极其广泛的能量范围内测量中微子。准备于2024年开始的沙丘将由两个巨大的探测器组成：一个位于伊利诺伊州的费米拉布，另一个位于1300公里外的南达科他州。沙丘将使用中微子光束，其能谱比任何其他实验都要宽。这一光谱提供了一个独特的机会来测量中微子质量的性质，量化物质-反物质对称性破坏，并有可能发现更多的中微子。此外，Far探测器将对大气和超新星中微子敏感。沙丘计划的成功有赖于几个组成部分：探测器校准的可靠计划，数据采集组件的仔细设计，以及确保加速器束精确测量的计划：稳定的中微子束和中微子相互作用的准确模型。这项建议在这些领域提供了重要的投入，这些领域利用了PI的专业知识，更广泛地说，加拿大的专业知识在ATLAS和T2K实验中一直是如此关键。 今年，黛博拉·哈里斯和克莱尔·大卫开始在约克大学担任全职教授和助理教授，尼古拉·伊利克开始担任多伦多大学的助理教授和粒子物理研究所的科学家。这项提议支持一个团队，该团队将在探测器开发和物理分析方面进行国际合作，以使沙丘受益。由这笔赠款支持的团队将进行国际合作，使用高性能计算来模拟和分析数据。他们将利用这一经验在中微子物理学方面取得下一步飞跃，并为他们职业生涯的下一步做准备。

The Standard Model (SM) of Particle Physics describes many of the universe's fundamental laws with high precision, yet it still fails to explain certain observations. The most glaring deviation from the SM is the Canadian-Japanese Nobel-prize winning discovery that revealed that one flavor of neutrino can oscillate into another. Another observation the SM cannot explain is the fact that the universe is filled with matter and not just light, the product of matter-antimatter annihilation. Furthermore, there are hints of additional neutrinos or exotic interactions not predicted by the SM. Observing a violation of the matter-antimatter symmetry by neutrinos would be a groundbreaking discovery and could explain the matter that remains today. Moreover, measurements of supernova neutrinos will be key to understand the dynamics of supernovae and provide more information on neutrinos. A global effort is underway to make the next breakthrough in neutrino physics by measuring the details of neutrino masses and how neutrinos change over time. To maintain Canada's world-leading reputation in neutrino physics, participation in this effort is essential. The Deep Underground Neutrino Experiment (DUNE) represents a bold step forward with a new detector technology and the ability to measure neutrinos over an extremely broad energy range. Poised to start in 2024, DUNE will consist of two massive detectors: one located at Fermilab in Illinois, and one located 1300 km away in South Dakota. DUNE will use neutrino beams with energy spectra broader than any other experiment. This spectrum offers a unique opportunity to measure the nature of the neutrino masses, to quantify the matter-antimatter symmetry violation, and to potentially discover additional neutrinos. In addition, the Far Detector will be sensitive to atmospheric and supernovae neutrinos. The success of DUNE relies on several components: a robust plan for detector calibration, careful design for the data acquisition components, and a program to ensure precise accelerator-beam measurements: a stable neutrino beam and accurate models of how neutrinos interact. This proposal provides important input in these areas that take advantage of the PI's expertise, and more broadly the Canadian expertise that has been so crucial in the ATLAS and T2K experiments. This year Deborah Harris and Claire David started at York University as full and assistant Professors, and Nikolina Ilic started as an Assistant Professor at the University of Toronto and an Institute of Particle Physics Research Scientist. This proposal supports a team that will collaborate internationally in both detector development and physics analysis, to benefit DUNE. The team supported by this grant will collaborate internationally, using high performance computing to simulate and analyze data. They will use that experience both to take the next leap forward in neutrino physics and to prepare for the next steps in their careers.