PH4100 Major Projects in Particle Physics 2009/2010

Accelerator projects

• Laser-wire• Lasers+Optics• Electronics

• Beam position Monitors• Electronics• RF systems

• Coherent Diffraction Radiation• Theory calculations• Instrument design

• Potential supervisors:• Grahame Blair• Stewart Boogert• Pavel Karataev

Recommended pre-requisite: MSci Course in Acc. Phys. (PH4450)

RHUL post-grad in Tsukuba

Acoustic Measurements of Photon Beams Acoustic Measurements of Photon Beams and Bunches of High Energy Particlesand Bunches of High Energy Particles

Bunch profile measurements at modern accelerators are not possible with 'traditional' techniques.

Can acoustic measurements replace these? Measure the mechanical vibrations caused by a beam hit. Reconstruct the incident beam.

Project Construct laser test-stand to test this principle Develop software simulation package

Compare measurements with theory Prerequisites

PH4450: “Physics of Particle Accelerators” Dr Stephen MolloyDr Stephen Molloy

Search for the Higgs particle at the LHC

the Higgs boson Particle that might be

responsible for the mechanism of particles mass in the Standard Model!

Its properties are also important

Project based on analysis of simulated pp data in the ATLAS detector

Higgs produced with a top and anti-top quark at the LHC

ALEPH event display of a possible Higgs event?Dr. Pedro Teixeira-Dias

Search for

using the ATLAS detector

c=0.1100 fb-1

c=0.01100 fb-1

I. Belotelov et al. CMS NOTE 2006/104, CMS PTDR 2006

Find out how we can search for extra dimensions using particle physics detectors. Study how we identify electrons in the ATLAS detector. Investigate what typical Z’ ee and Gee events look like. Investigate how many Gee events we could see with 1 months worth of data.

Our world

Extra Dimensions! p p

e-

e+

e

e

Gee events

Dr Tracey Berry

Studies using top quark ATLAS simulated events to look for new physics

Top quark is heaviest particle Special relationship with the

Higgs boson New physics will impact the

production and decay of top quarks

Project will involve collaboration with SEPnet (RHUL or other) phenomenologist

Still need to be defined over the summer

Project uses simulated data

020406080

100120140160180

Mass (GeV/c

2 )

nu c b W Z top

Dr. Veronique Boisvert

PP Phenomenology Projects

Dr. Nikolas Kauer Data-driven background estimation

for SUSY & Higgs searches using LHC data

Loop corrections (GOLEM)

MC validation with data

BSM phenomenology Dr. Stephen West

Supersymmetric model building Non-standard Higgs physics Innovative models of dark matter Neutrino physics Early Universe cosmology

Evidence for Dark matter

Gluon-induced WW background:

Recommended courses

Programming in C++ most likely (PH2150 Java is fine)

PH4515 “Computing and Statistical Data Analysis (Glen Cowan)” course is recommended

Also recommended: PH3520 (Particle Physics 3rd year) PH4442 (Particle Physics, 2nd term)

PH4100 Major Projects in Astronomy

Possible projects:

I. Spectroscopy

II. Photometry

III. Solar System observations

Primary tools:

I. RHUL Observatory

II. Computing and data analysis

Potential supervisors:

Glen Cowan

Stewart Boogert

Spectroscopy

Glen CowanRHUL Physics

Emission spectrum fromOrion nebula

Rebecca Smith

Analysis of strength and shape of spectral lines,→ information about composition, temperature, pressure.

Computing (C++), data analysis (→PH4515)

Photometry

UBVRI filters to measure magnitudes of e.g. variable stars:

Also e.g. V vs. BV for stellar clusters (HR diagram);surface brightness of galaxies, ...

M51 Robin Emerson

Solar System and Planetary Science

Search for new (and observe known) asteroids and comets.

Comet Machholz

Melissa George