Looking for the invisible Universe: Dark Matter and Neutrinos

Master seminar (MVSem) in Particle Physics.

Lecturer:

L. Gastaldo Loredana.Gastaldo@kip.uni-heidelberg.de

M. Lindner lindner@mpi-hd.mpg.de

U. Uwer uwer@pi0.physi.uni-heidelberg.de

Time/venue:

Fridays, 15:30-17:00, INF 226, R. 00.101 (Gold Box K1)

Start: Friday, April 24, 2020, 15:30

Attention: To minimize infection risks with the corona virus the seminar will be held as "tele-seminar" using the zoom conference tool. Please contact us if you want to join the seminar talks.

Content:

Astronomical and cosmological observations require the existence of dark matter in our universe. Today, Dark Matter is generally thought to have particle nature, where the dark matter particles have relatively long lifetimes, interact gravitationally and, possibly, also via the weak interaction.

In the Standard Model of particle physics, only neutrinos have the correct properties, but, due to their small mass, neutrinos can only account for a small fraction of the observed Dark Matter in our universe. In extended versions of the standard model sterile neutrinos, in particular keV-sterile neutrinos can contribute as warm dark matter candidates.

Light supersymmetric particles are an example for weakly interacting massive particles (WIMPs) which are candidates for cold darm matter. Other viable dark matter candidates are axions, which have been introduced to solve the strong CP-problem of QCD, or axion-like particles.

The seminar will address the astrophysical and cosmological evidences which led to the postulation of dark matter. It will discuss the most prominent dark matter candidates and the different direct and indirect methods to search for their existence. Particular emphasis is put on the determination of neutrino masses, the search for sterile neutrinos, WIMPS and axions.
 

Possible seminar topics:

1. DM in the Universe: Rotational curves, Structure formation and CMB, Gravitational lensing
2. Direct neutrinos mass measurements
3. Search for neutrinoless  double beta decay
4. Coherent neutrin scattering
5. keV sterile neutrino searches
6. eV sterile neutrinos: LSND & miniBoone (UU)
7. Indirect searches for DM
8. High and low mass WIMP searches         
9. DM seaches at the LHC
10. Axion searches
11. Light Axion searches

Remark on  the grading:

For the grading the scientific quality, the didactic presentation and the writeup each count one third. 

To register:

https://uebungen.physik.uni-heidelberg.de/uebungen/teilnehmer.php?gid=6079

• Seminar
  15 participants