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 and 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 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= fb -1 c= 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 G  ee events look like.  Investigate how many G  ee events we could see with 1 months worth of data. Our world Extra Dimensions! pp e- e+ e e G  ee 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 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, 2 nd 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 Cowan RHUL Physics Emission spectrum from Orion 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. B  V 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