High Energy Theoretical Physics
The Standard Model of particle physics describes how the fundamental constituents of matter (quarks and leptons) interact via the strong, weak, and electromagnetic forces. The strong interaction of quarks is described by the theory of quantum chromodynamics (QCD), while the weak and electromagnetic interactions have been unified into the electroweak theory. Beyond the Standard Model, at sufficiently high energy scales, new physical phenomena are expected to happen. Some of these ideas include grand unification, supersymmetry, and various aspects of quantum gravity.
The advent of the proton-proton Large Hadron Collider (LHC) at CERN, in Geneva (Switzerland), where the Higgs boson was discovery in 2012, has boosted High Energy Physics into a new era and has provided us with crucial informations to explore the path beyond the Standard Model. All members of this group are very active in constraining and exploring theories beyond the Standard Model via both precision studies of Standard Model interactions and the interpretation of deviations from Standard Model expectations in a very broad spectrum of phenomena, from collider physics to astrophysical and cosmological data.
Febres Cordero and Reina focus on improving the theoretical accuracy of precision Standard Model calculations which are then compared with data taken at collider experiments such as the LHC. Active areas of research include higher-order QCD and electroweak calculations of collider observables, application and development of cutting-edge analytical and numerical algorithms for the systematic implementation of higher-order perturbative effects in field theory calculations, study of the impact of state-of-the-art theoretical calculations on a broad spectrum of collider phenomenology such as Higgs-boson physics, electroweak physics, QCD, and the constraining of physics beyond the Standard Model via precision fit of Standard Model observables.
Okui's and Tobioka's research covers a broad variety of topics in particle physics and cosmology, such as exploring new mechanisms for electroweak symmetry breaking (a "superconducting" state for the weak nuclear force), analyzing phenomenological implications of supersymmetry, extra dimensions, new strong dynamics, etc., and building models of fermion flavor, neutrino masses and grand unification. The scope of their research include searches for new physics from many complementary areas, from new signatures in collider events to anomalies in flavor physics observables, all the way to astronomical and cosmological observations.
Faculty:
Fernando Febres Cordero
Takemichi Okui
Laura Reina
Kohsaku Tobioka
Find more information about High Energy Theoretical Physics at:
HEP - High Energy Physics.