Project:	Probing the Weak Interaction With Early Universe Physics
Disciplines:	Astrophysics, Physics, ACM (with interest in physics or astrophysics)
Mentor:	Chad Kishimoto, Associate Professor, (PMA), ckishimoto@sandiego.edu
Mentor URL:	https://www.sandiego.edu/cas/directory/biography.php?profile_id=769  (opens in new window)
Background:	NOTE: This project is being offered by a Caltech alum and is open only to Caltech students. The project will be conducted at the University of San Diego in San Diego, CA. The neutrino was proposed by Wolfgang Pauli nearly a century ago. Since then, careful experimentation has found that there are three types, or "flavors", of neutrinos; that this flavor is not a good quantum number, so its flavor "oscillates" as it propagates; and that they have non-zero, yet tiny, masses, and are left-handed. Investigating the weak interaction in the laboratory is a difficult endeavor because the weak interaction is--well--weak. This project looks to leverage the hot and dense early universe, fractions of a second after the Big Bang, to explore questions in weak interaction physics.
Description:	I am looking for one or two students to work on open projects in my group. One type of project is more computationally intensive in solving Boltzmann equations. To study the weak interaction in the early universe, beyond work already done, understanding and probing out-of-equilibrium processes is vital, yet computationally expensive. In these projects, students will develop and validate code to self-consistently calculate collision integrals and solve for neutrino evolution in the early universe. Projects include studying Beyond Standard Model processes that may distort neutrino spectra and self-consistently solving neutrino evolution with both quantum mechanical and scattering involved. Some previous coding comfort is valuable, but you will grow as a coder over the summer. A second type of project connects astrophysical observables to weak interaction physics. To study the weak interaction in the early universe, we need to draw connections with astrophysical observables, most notably the CMB, the synthesis of the first elements, and the formation of large scale structures. Students will write code to interface between larger codes written by my group and other public code that connects weak interaction physics to observables. Projects include novel mechanisms for the production of dark matter and Beyond Standard Model physics.
References:	arxiv.org/abs/2109.11176 arxiv.org/abs/1110.6479 arxiv.org/abs/2306.16532 arxiv.org/abs/2205.09777 arxiv.org/abs/2405.06509
Student Requirements:	Some experience with quantum (at least Ph12) and some coding experience; a strong interest in physics or astrophysics is a must
Programs:	This AO can be done under the following programs:   Program    Available To        SURF    Caltech students only  Click on a program name for program info and application requirements.