NewPhysicsInSpace · Indirect Probes of New Physical Phenomena in Space
Horizon 2020 — Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions
- Duration
- 2015-12-31 → 2017-12-30
- EU contribution
- €148,583
- Participants
- 1
- Scheme
- MSCA-IF-EF-RI
Lines connect the coordinator with its partners.
Results in brief
Indirect Probes of New Physical Phenomena in Space
"The project was devoted understanding the signals of new physical phenomena in space. Also, an extra topic of the project was the interplay between terrestrial experiments and space probes. In the project we analysed and modelled cosmic rays (charged energetic particles in space), cosmic gamma-rays, neutrinos and gravitational waves. The project belongs to fundamental physics, witch targets the very basic questions about Nature: the fundamental microstructure of matter; the properties of dark matter; why there are a certain amout of matter, dark matter and dark energy in the Universe; the properties of the very early Universe and so on. The project was on phenomenological physics, in the joint field between the experimental, observational and theoretical physics. The main purpose of the project was to acquire new knowledge about physical Nature. However, the project produced extra benefit for society in many ways: (i) training master and doctoral students; (ii) producing new research methods can be used beyond fundamental physics; (iii) motivating some new technologies for industry. For example, within the project period we had regular meetings with the developers of industrial radiation detectors using (secondary) cosmic rays from atmosphere. The overall objectives of the project were to understand of: -- anomalies in cosmic rays -- ""standard"" astrophysics of cosmic rays -- new probes of physics: gravitational waves from black hole and neutron star mergers, 21 cm radio wave signal from neutral atomic hydrogen in the young Universe -- interplay between the cosmic signals and terrestrial experiments: colliders (Large Hadron Collider in Geneva), direct detection and g-2 experiments etc The main conclusions of the action: (i) the standard picture of cosmic ray production and propagation in the Galaxy needs serious considerations; (ii) to find evidences of new physical phenomena one should merge the information from the known cosmic messengers (cosmic rays, neutrinos, photons form radio to gamma-ray) and new arising messengers (gravitational waves, 21-cm signatures). We can also conclude that the collaborations between this project and the researches working on the topics of data science, detector development and machine learning were beneficial for the both sides. Indirectly, the project initiated a new startup company, Nosob OÜ, operating in the topics of machine learning in medicine."
Data: CORDIS, © European Union
Project objective
The ultimate goal of modern particle and astroparticle physics is to discover new physics beyond the standard model. Gravitation provides an infallible signal ofnew physics – the dark matter (DM). Cosmic rays (along with DM direct detection and collider experiments) can shed light on the non-gravitational nature of the DM. Different spectral and spatial deviations of cosmic ray spectra from standard astrophysical predictions can hint possible annihilation or decay signals of DM. The aim of this research project is to work out constraints of the non-gravitational properties of dark matter using cosmic ray data from satellite based experiments like AMS02 and the Fermi LAT, and from Cherenkov, radio and neutrino telescopes. The discovery or exclusion of dark matter annihilation/decay scenarios and the extraction of the properties of DM from that data needs superb understanding of the standard astrophysical cosmic ray background. The proposed research will start with the study of standard cosmic ray backgrounds, including development of dedicated tools like DRAGON. As a new development, using the anticipated AMS02 data we study whether modification of standard cosmic ray production mechanisms in supernovae will be able to explain the observed positron anomaly. In collaboration with DESY and the Univ. of Cambridge the project continues with searching and constraining signals of new physics in charged cosmic rays as well as in photon and neutrino signals. The project is multidisciplinary combining studies of experimental data and theoretical research in particle physics, astroparticle physics, cosmology, astronomy, nuclear physics and astrochemistry. From the personal career perspective, the proposal would enable the applicant to return from CERN to the NICPB, Tallinn, and bring his gathered international research expertise to an EU country.
Original text from CORDIS.
Participants
- KEEMILISE JA BIOLOOGILISE FUUSIKA INSTITUUT · TallinnCoordinatorEstonia
Links
Data: CORDIS, © European Union