New Approaches to Modeling and Searching for Physics Beyond the Standard Model

Colorado State University, Fort Collins CO

Investigators

Abstract

This award funds the research activities of Professor Joshua Berger at Colorado State University. Dark matter is a form of matter that makes up roughly one quarter of the total energy of the universe, yet its properties remain a mystery. Developing an understanding of its nature would help understand the basic laws of the universe and the history that lead to the world as we see it today. In his research, Professor Berger will develop new models of dark matter and study avenues to testing these models, with the goal of ultimately developing a complete picture of dark matter’s role in the universe. His research places a particular emphasis on the potential of current and upcoming neutrino experiments, such as the massive Deep Underground Neutrino Experiment (DUNE) with facilities in both Illinois and South Dakota, to extend their current program to a search for dark matter. Another exciting direction that his work will explore is the potential of high-precision measurements of the properties of atoms to detect dark matter. His research will have significant broader impacts. Professor Berger will work with graduate students, providing training in computing and problem-solving skills that have a long history of value to both academic and non-academic work. He will also give public lectures on his research results and support his students in gaining experience communicating with the scientific and non-scientific public. He has a history of incorporating results from his research into his courses and will continue to do so. More technically, he will study the production and detection of new dark sector particles at fixed-target neutrino experiments such as the Short-Baseline Neutrino Experiments and DUNE. The high intensity beams of these experiments have been shown to have leading sensitivity to models such as Higgs portal scalars and Axion-Like Particles (ALPs). Professor Berger will explore further signals of dark sectors and dark matter at such experiments. He will also explore astrophysical sources of dark matter signals, including scenarios with boosted dark matter and macroscopic dark matter scenarios, at the large volume far detectors at DUNE and other long-baseline neutrino experiments. Beyond the work on dark matter at neutrino experiments, Professor Berger will explore new models for dark matter detection in high-precision studies of atomic properties. Ultralight dark matter has been shown to lead to potentially observable deviations in atomic physics measurements. This work will focus on developing strategies to explore new models and to extend the scope of prior searches. It will be performed in collaboration with the atomic physics group at Colorado State University. Professor Berger’s research extends into probes of particle physics in cosmology, including signals of new physics in measurements of gravitational wave spectra and development of new mechanisms of baryogenesis in early universe phase transitions. 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.