David Toback Texas A&M University Physics 102 January 2013
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October 2011 David Toback, Texas A&M University Research Topics Seminar 1 David Toback Texas A&M University Physics 102 January 2013 Cosmology and Particle Physics in a Single Experiment
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Cosmology and Particle Physics in a Single Experiment. David Toback Texas A&M University Physics 102 January 2013. Outline. Cosmology and Particle Physics Dark Matter Evolution of the Universe Particle Physics and the Large Hadron Collider (LHC) - PowerPoint PPT Presentation
Transcript of David Toback Texas A&M University Physics 102 January 2013
October 2011 David Toback, Texas A&M UniversityResearch Topics Seminar 1
David TobackTexas A&M University
Physics 102January 2013
Cosmology and Particle Physics in
a Single Experiment
Outline• Cosmology and Particle
Physics–Dark Matter–Evolution of the Universe–Particle Physics and the Large Hadron Collider (LHC)
Can we discover Dark Matter with giant accelerators like the LHC as a way of learning about our Universe?
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Dark Matter
September 2012
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What is some of
the evidenc
e for Dark
matter?
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As the Solar System Turns
Gravity and General Relativity
http://faculty.physics.tamu.edu/toback/Talks/Video/Lab4_SS1_video.swf
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Is that what our galaxy, the Milky Way, looks like?
Do the stars orbit like the planets in our solar system?
Outer stars go around much more
slowly?
As the Galaxy Turns
http://faculty.physics.tamu.edu/toback/Talks/Video/Lab4_GX1_video_slow.swf
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Lots of Dark Matter out there!
What’s the Matter in the
Universe?
No clue what this stuff is…
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The Known Particles– No known
particles have the properties of Dark Matter
– Other credible reasons to believe there are new fundamental particles to be discovered
– Maybe Dark Matter is a New Particle!
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Hypothesis:The Dark Matter in the Universe is made up of LOTS of particles
that we haven’t discovered yet!Best Guess: Got created in the Early
Universe like everything else and is still here today!
Big Bang!
Then Universe gets bigger
Dark Matter = New Particle?
High energy collisions between particles in the
early Universe If they created Dark Matter, maybe
we can also in an experiment!
Make a Hypothesis based on Astronomy, Cosmology and Particle
Physics
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Particle PhysicsHow might Giant Particle
Accelerators Help us Answer The Dark Matter
Question?
Tevatron at Fermilab
Large Hadron Collider (LHC)
at CERN
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Can we Make and Discover Dark Matter?
• High energy collisions between particles in the Early Universe
• Recreate the conditions like they were RIGHT AFTER the Big Bang
• If we can produce Dark Matter in a collision then we can STUDY it
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High Energy Collisions New particles
Tevatron ≈10 ps after the Big Bang
LHC ≈1 ps after the Big Bang
Dark Matter Partic
le
Dark M
atte
r Par
ticle
Detector
Proton Anti-Proton
Ok… Its more complicated than this
since Dark Matter Particles don’t easily
interact with detectors…
Nor do we usually produce them directly
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Example DetectorSurround the collision
point with a detector and look at the stuff pops out after a
collision as it interacts with the various
components
Powerful multi-purpose detector
Really Big with LOTS of cool electronics and
other toys!
10 MetersTall!
30 Meters Long!
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Where in the world is the LHC?
GenevaFrance
SwitzerlandJura Mountains
100 yardsUnderground!
The accelerator
Actually… It’s down here
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Another view of the LHC
CMS
ATLAS
27 km in Circumference!
One of the largest and the most complex scientific
instrument ever conceived & built by humankind
pp
Collides high energy protons
Two huge detectors
Lake LemanGeneva Airport
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What does it DO?Accelerates protons to REALLY high energies, then bashes them together
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High Energy CollisionsSo… The LHC makes
really high energy collisions that might produce Dark Matter so we can discover it
LHC is creating the conditions like they were RIGHT AFTER the Big Bang
Can study Cosmology, Particle Physics and Astronomy with one experiment!
Other Exciting Possibilities• May be able to discover
Supersymmetry• Have we discovered the
Higgs Boson?–One of the many Higgs bosons?
• Explain why there is more matter than anti-matter in the Universe
• Hint for Extra Dimensions or String Theory? David Toback, Texas A&M University 18
September 2012
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Conclusions• It’s an incredibly exciting time to
be a scientist!• Astronomy, Cosmology and
Particle Physics are all coming together!
• Starting to understand the Big Bang and Dark Matter!
• If our understanding is correct, a major discovery may be just around the corner at the LHC!
Wanna join us? We need your
help!
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AbstractPhysicists have entered a golden age of
science. We are starting to be able to answer some of the most exciting questions ever asked, including questions that touch on the Big Bang, the fundamental building blocks of nature, and the Dark Matter that fills the Universe. There is good reason to believe that by using the world’s highest energy particle accelerators we can discover how the biggest things in the Universe (like the Universe itself) and the smallest things (like quarks and electrons) are inextricably linked at the most fundamental levels. Perhaps a new fundamental particle is just around the corner to be discovered.
