CAREER: Searching for Dark Sectors from Earth to Sky

University Of Oregon Eugene, Eugene OR

Investigators

Abstract

This CAREER award funds the research activities of Professor Tien-Tien Yu at the University of Oregon. After many years of increasingly compelling observational evidence, scientists have come to believe that most of the matter in the Universe is unlike the ordinary matter that we see and interact with every day. This matter is called “dark matter” as it cannot be observed directly. Instead, the existence of dark matter is deduced through its gravitational effects on astrophysical objects such as stars and galaxies, which hints that it could be either a new type of particle or several different types of particles that together comprise a dark sector. The fact that dark matter interacts gravitationally suggests that it has a mass, but the range of possible dark-matter masses is unknown. In recent years, research has facilitated an explosion of ideas and experimental efforts aimed at searching for dark-sector candidates across a wide range of masses. In anticipation of the plethora of data and potential discoveries that will be enabled by these experimental efforts, Professor Yu will conduct an original research program focused on searching for and understanding a wide range of dark-sector theories in which she will elucidate the possible interpretations of a putative experimental signal. Research on dark-sector physics advances the national interest by promoting the progress of science in one of its most fundamental directions: the discovery and understanding of new physical law. More technically, Professor Yu will unravel the dependence of dark-matter direct-detection rates on astrophysical uncertainties by applying a variety of different astrophysical models to dark matter-electron scattering calculations. In addition, she will develop a framework for presenting dark matter-electron scattering rates in a manner that is independent of the underlying astrophysical model, thereby circumventing the limitations on interpretation set by astrophysical uncertainties. She will also uncover the potential of sub-GeV dark matter experiments by exploring the signatures of a broad range of theoretical models. Her work will allow for more robust interpretations of the experimental data and provide the foundational research for potential transformative discoveries. She will also explore in more detail the interplay between dark matter and gravitational waves, starting with a thorough calculation of neutron-star superradiance. This project is also envisioned to have significant broader impacts. Professor Yu will integrate her research and educational goals by developing a unique scientific communication program that aims to increase the accessibility of complex physics concepts through visual media. Comics and visual media provide a unique and accessible format to engage diverse audiences. Professor Yu will develop a new program in visual scientific communication through collaboration with the University of Oregon’s strong Comic Studies program. By integrating visual media as the primary framework, this program aims to build skills and attitudes among underrepresented minority students in physics to enhance retention while simultaneously providing engaging, informal STEM education to a broad audience including humanities and design students. This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.