Explorations of the Universe with the BABAR and LSST Experiments

Stanford University, Stanford CA

Investigators

Abstract

This award enables the Stanford University group led by Principle Investigator Patricia Burchat to maximize the long-term benefit of its investment in the BABAR experiment at SLAC and contribute to a new effort in observational cosmology through the proposed Large Synoptic Survey Telescope (LSST). The intellectual merit of the project follows from searching for ways to improve the Standard Model (SM) of particle physics. The SM does not address the "hierarchy" problem and its particle content does not contain a candidate for the dark matter in the Universe. The highly sensitive searches and precision studies conducted with bottom, charm and tau decays at the B Factories impose severe constraints on any model that is introduced to address the deficiencies of the SM. The analyses that will be conducted by the Stanford group on the final BABAR data sample will leave a legacy of results that will help define the theories that are developed to describe the universe. The Stanford group will complete ongoing searches for new physics in rare or forbidden charm and B decays, conduct the final time-dependent Dalitz-plot analysis of B -> rho-pi to extract the CKM angle alpha, begin studies to elucidate the nature of recently observed but perplexing charmonium-like states, and continue to play a significant role in organizing the production of the simulated data samples needed to carry out all physics analyses in BABAR. The initiation of a program based on the LSST will enable the group to study gravitational lensing as a cosmological probe which is sensitive to all matter in the universe - baryonic and dark matter. The Stanford group has been focusing on pre-LSST astronomical data sets (in particular, images of deep galaxy clusters from the 8-meter Subaru telescope) to gain technical experience in "pipeline" development needed for analysis of gravitational lensing, especially photometry and the measurement of galaxy shapes, and studies related to systematic uncertainties that will potentially limit the sensitivity of LSST for cosmology. Broader impacts include participation in an inter-experiment study of issues related to data preservation and long-term analysis in high energy physics, particularly directed to the BaBar data set. As part of this effort, the Stanford group is focusing on how long-term data storage and access can be optimized for outreach and education to benefit the general public, high school students and teachers, students in college-level particle physics courses, and the training of future graduate students in particle physics. Prototype formats and tutorials are being designed and developed, and will be tested in a particle physics course taught by the PI. In addition, activities aimed at increasing and diversifying the cohort of students who receive a physics education will continue.