Probing the Physics of the Hierarchy Problem

University Of Notre Dame, Notre Dame IN

Investigators

Abstract

This proposal focuses on two important areas -- the collider phenomenology of beyond the standard model particle physics and the cosmological mystery of dark energy Present day physics is faced with at least two fine tuning problems. The first has to do with why the scale of masses is the Electro Weak scale and not the Planck scale. The second has to do with why at this period of time the Universe has just started to accelerate, after a period of deceleration. It might be hoped that the source of these two hierarchy problems might be a result of the same underlying physics. However, at present the approach to these two problems must necessarily be different. For the first problem we propose to look at non-canonical signatures in the Higgs boson sector, including flavor changing signatures and CP violation. In the latter problem models of dark energy will be built starting from the underlying ultraviolet physics, and then their cosmological implications will be studied.