Bristol Particle Physics Consolidated Grant 2012-17
Lead Research Organisation:
University of Bristol
Department Name: Physics
Abstract
The University of Bristol proposes to carry out research into the fundamental laws of space, time, matter and force. The current theoretical description of physics at the smallest scales, the Standard Model, is known not to hold at energies greater than around 1TeV. By carrying out experiments at particle colliders, we will observe how and when the Standard Model breaks down; discover new models which accurate describe physics at these scales; measure the parameters of these models; and investigate their significance for cosmology and the study of the large-scale universe. This work will be carried out using a wide range of different experiments and studies.
The experimental data supporting this programme will be obtained using the CMS and LHCb experiments at the CERN LHC, and the NA62 experiment at the CERN SPS. We will use these detectors to work both at the energy frontier, with sensitivity to new heavy particles, and the precision frontier, comparing the largest ever experimental data sets with the predictions of the Standard Model. Having built important components of these experiments, we will continue to operate and maintain the apparatus, and design and install upgraded equipment to further enhance their capabilities.
We will design and construct new particle detectors and instruments, optimised for sensitivity, performance and cost. Along with new techniques we will develop in computing and data analysis, this technology will be used in the future to build new experiments at future colliders, and to solve practical problems in the security, medical and environmental sectors.
The results of our research will be publicised via talks, media involvement and events, in order to enhance public understanding and appreciation of science. We will engage with schools wherever possible, in order to ensure the continued take-up of science subjects at school and university level.
The experimental data supporting this programme will be obtained using the CMS and LHCb experiments at the CERN LHC, and the NA62 experiment at the CERN SPS. We will use these detectors to work both at the energy frontier, with sensitivity to new heavy particles, and the precision frontier, comparing the largest ever experimental data sets with the predictions of the Standard Model. Having built important components of these experiments, we will continue to operate and maintain the apparatus, and design and install upgraded equipment to further enhance their capabilities.
We will design and construct new particle detectors and instruments, optimised for sensitivity, performance and cost. Along with new techniques we will develop in computing and data analysis, this technology will be used in the future to build new experiments at future colliders, and to solve practical problems in the security, medical and environmental sectors.
The results of our research will be publicised via talks, media involvement and events, in order to enhance public understanding and appreciation of science. We will engage with schools wherever possible, in order to ensure the continued take-up of science subjects at school and university level.
Planned Impact
The key beneficiaries of the proposed research programme, and the benefits they are likely to obtain, can be classified as follows:
- The results obtained and techniques developed in this programme will be of direct benefit in the international fields of experimental and theoretical particle physics and astronomy. The research outputs will directly address outstanding questions in these fields.
- Other academic disciplines will benefit directly and indirectly through access to instruments and techniques developed in this research programme. There is also potential impact upon private-sector companies for commercialisation of detector and computing technology. Examples of areas where impact has already been demonstrated include the security and medical instrumentation sectors. UK industry will also benefit through contracts for specialized detectors and electronic / mechanical assemblies.
- The results from high-profile particle physics experiments provide both a significant cultural impact for the general public, and an impact on the science agenda of national and regional government. Engagement of both the general public and policy makers is an explicit aim of this programme, with routes detailed in the pathways to impact document.
- There is a particular impact upon schools and universities, due to the postitive effect of experimental particle physics upon take up of science courses at GCSE, A-Level and degree levels. The results obtained as part of this research programme will help to continue the 'LHC effect', with physics becoming an increasingly popular subject.
- The technological and organisational demands of experimental particle physics have a demonstrated impact upon culture and best practice in universities and academia in general, and will continue to do so. For instance, through the move to open electronic repositories and open publishing; through the use of networking and distributed research in many disciplines; and through well planned and high profile public engagement exercises.
- The results obtained and techniques developed in this programme will be of direct benefit in the international fields of experimental and theoretical particle physics and astronomy. The research outputs will directly address outstanding questions in these fields.
- Other academic disciplines will benefit directly and indirectly through access to instruments and techniques developed in this research programme. There is also potential impact upon private-sector companies for commercialisation of detector and computing technology. Examples of areas where impact has already been demonstrated include the security and medical instrumentation sectors. UK industry will also benefit through contracts for specialized detectors and electronic / mechanical assemblies.
- The results from high-profile particle physics experiments provide both a significant cultural impact for the general public, and an impact on the science agenda of national and regional government. Engagement of both the general public and policy makers is an explicit aim of this programme, with routes detailed in the pathways to impact document.
- There is a particular impact upon schools and universities, due to the postitive effect of experimental particle physics upon take up of science courses at GCSE, A-Level and degree levels. The results obtained as part of this research programme will help to continue the 'LHC effect', with physics becoming an increasingly popular subject.
- The technological and organisational demands of experimental particle physics have a demonstrated impact upon culture and best practice in universities and academia in general, and will continue to do so. For instance, through the move to open electronic repositories and open publishing; through the use of networking and distributed research in many disciplines; and through well planned and high profile public engagement exercises.
Organisations
Publications
[Dijk]van Dijk M
(2014)
TORCH --- a Cherenkov-based Time-of-Flight Detector
in Acta Physica Polonica B Proceedings Supplement
[Remortel]van Remortel N
(2013)
Soft and Semi-hard QCD Dynamics in <span class="cmmi-10">p</span>-<span class="cmmi-10">p </span>Collisions with the CMS Detector
in Acta Physica Polonica B Proceedings Supplement
Aad G
(2015)
Combined Measurement of the Higgs Boson Mass in pp Collisions at sqrt[s]=7 and 8 TeV with the ATLAS and CMS Experiments.
in Physical review letters
Aaij R
(2014)
Measurement of C P violation in B s 0 ? ? ? decays
in Physical Review D
Aaij R
(2014)
Test of lepton universality using b+ ? K+l+l- decays.
in Physical review letters
Aaij R
(2013)
Prompt charm production in pp collisions at s = 7 TeV
in Nuclear Physics B
Aaij R
(2021)
Measurement of the prompt-production cross-section ratio s ( ? c 2 ) / s ( ? c 1 ) in p Pb collisions at s N N = 8.16 TeV
in Physical Review C
Aaij R
(2014)
Measurement of the Bs(0) ? Ds-Ds+ and Bs(0) ? D-Ds+ effective lifetimes.
in Physical review letters
Aaij R
(2021)
Search for long-lived particles decaying to $$e ^\pm $$ $$\mu ^\mp $$ $$\nu $$
in The European Physical Journal C
Aaij R
(2012)
Measurement of the polarization amplitudes and triple product asymmetries in the B s 0 ? ? ? decay
in Physics Letters B
Aaij R
(2015)
Forward production of ? mesons in pp collisions at s = 7 $$ \sqrt{s}=7 $$ and 8 TeV
in Journal of High Energy Physics
Aaij R
(2014)
Observation of photon polarization in the b?s? transition.
in Physical review letters
Aaij R
(2013)
Study of B 0 ? D * - p + p - p + and B 0 ? D * - K + p - p + decays
in Physical Review D
Aaij R
(2013)
Observation of the decay B s 0 ? D ¯ 0 ?
in Physics Letters B
Aaij R
(2015)
Measurement of the ratio of branching fractions B(B[over ¯]^{0}?D^{*+}t^{-}?[over ¯]_{t})/B(B[over ¯]^{0}?D^{*+}µ^{-}?[over ¯]_{µ}).
in Physical review letters
Aaij R
(2013)
Measurement of the branching fractions of the decays B s 0 ? D ¯ 0 K - p + and B 0 ? D ¯ 0 K + p -
in Physical Review D
Aaij R
(2014)
Measurement of polarization amplitudes and CP asymmetries in B 0 ? ?K *(892)0
in Journal of High Energy Physics
Aaij R
(2013)
Model-independent search for CP violation in D 0 ? K - K + p - p + and D 0 ? p - p + p + p - decays
in Physics Letters B
Aaij R
(2015)
Observation of two new ?(b)(-) baryon resonances.
in Physical review letters
Aaij R
(2015)
Search for the ? b 0 ? ?? ' and ? b 0 ? ?? decays with the LHCb detector
in Journal of High Energy Physics
Aaij R
(2013)
Measurement of C P violation and the B s 0 meson decay width difference with B s 0 ? J / ? K + K - and B s 0 ? J / ? p + p - decays
in Physical Review D
Aaij R
(2013)
First measurement of the CP-violating phase in Bs(0) ? ?? decays.
in Physical review letters
Aaij R
(2013)
Exclusive J /? and ?(2 S ) production in pp collisions at $\protect \sqrt{s} = 7$ TeV
in Journal of Physics G: Nuclear and Particle Physics
Aaij R
(2014)
Study of Beauty Hadron Decays into Pairs of Charm Hadrons
in Physical Review Letters
| Description | This award supported several key developments in particle physics. Most notably, early in the funding period the Higgs boson was discovered and considerable effort was then spent to precisely determine its properties to see if it is really exactly as predicted. There were a host of other measurements at various experiments, pinning down details of the standard model and trying to spot deviations. Finally, good progress was made in "spinning out" particle physics technology into other areas, including the development of systems for scanning for dense materials (with security and other applications) as well as for radiotherapy beam monitoring. |
| Exploitation Route | The group is continuing to pursue these lines of research with subsequent grants. Other particle physics groups have also noted our results. And companies are working with us to develop commercial products based on our knowledge exchange. |
| Sectors | Aerospace, Defence and Marine,Digital/Communication/Information Technologies (including Software),Education,Healthcare |
| Description | Research conducted in muon tomography is being investigated by homeland security agencies, the nuclear industry and others as a means of remote, non-invasive imaging. Research in radiotherapy beam monitoring has led to commercial products. |
| First Year Of Impact | 2017 |
| Sector | Aerospace, Defence and Marine,Digital/Communication/Information Technologies (including Software),Healthcare,Security and Diplomacy |
| Impact Types | Societal,Economic |