Carolina Symposium on Neutrino Physics: Its Impact on Particle Physics, Astrophysics and Cosmology

University Of South Carolina At Columbia, Columbia SC

Investigators

Abstract

9988661 Kubodera Interconnection between microscopic physics and astrophysical phenomena is one of the most fascinating aspects of nature. In particular, we now know that neutrinos play a key role in many areas of particle physics, nuclear physics and astrophysics. The recent discovery of neutrino oscillation gives the first exciting hint of new physics beyond the standard model. It is clearly extremely important to further study the oscillation and other fundamental properties of neutrinos. It is also important to improve our knowledge of neutrinos-nucleus reactions, which are crucial for understanding stellar collapse and the origin of chemical elements. These and many other interesting questions can be investigated at stopped pion neutrino facilities like the planned spallation neutron source (SNS) at the Oak Ridge National Laboratory. The SNS offers a unique opportunity to build a large neutrino detectors that are ideally suited for neutrino oscillation measurements and studying neutrino-nucleus reactions. It is clearly desirable to place this project in the broad context of the current status of neutrino physics in general and its relation to astrophysics and cosmology. We therefore wish to organize a three-day symposium entitled Carolina Symposium on Neutrino Physics (CSNP), with two main goals: (1) To explore and exchange ideas on the latest developments in general frontiers of neutrino physics, both experimental and theoretical; (2) To address specific issues pertaining to the above-mentioned stopped-pion neutrino facility. We request the NSF to partially support CSNP with a grant belonging to the category: ``Conferences, Symposia and Workshops". The CSNP will also include an educational session in which the main themes of the symposium will be presented as a universal view for the general public.