Newswise Feature Channel: Particle Physics

Using machine learning to speed up simulations of irregularly shaped particles

University Of Illinois Grainger College Of Engineering — Fri, 23 Aug 2024 15:05:32 EST

Researchers at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign have trained neural networks to predict interactions between irregularly shaped particles to accelerate molecular dynamics simulations.

Superconductivity Is Unpredictable at the Edge

Department of Energy, Office of Science — Fri, 23 Aug 2024 14:05:24 EST

A recent study shows that the superconducting edge currents in the topological material molybdenum telluride (MoTe2) can sustain large changes in the "glue" that keeps the superconducting electrons paired. To sustain these changes, the bulk and the edge of MoTe2 must behave differently. This surprise finding will help researchers create and control anyons and aid in the development of future energy-efficient electronics.

How Particles of Light May Be Producing Drops of the Perfect Liquid

Department of Energy, Office of Science — Thu, 22 Aug 2024 09:05:36 EST

Underground at the Switzerland-France border, the Large Hadron Collider (LHC) at CERN holds the record for the world's largest particle accelerator. Its ring alone is nearly 17 miles around. With this tool, scientists smash together subatomic particles to help them better understand the tiny building blocks of the universe. One area that scientists use the LHC to study is the quark-gluon plasma.

In Neutrinos, Quantum Entanglement Leads to Shared Flavor

Department of Energy, Office of Science — Fri, 02 Aug 2024 15:05:08 EST

Neutrinos can change their identities or "flavors" when they interact. Researchers recently found that the neutrinos in a very dense environment such as a core collapse supernova can develop strong correlations through mutual interactions. This means that over time, neutrinos with different initial flavors reach a similar equilibrium flavor and energy distribution.

Cryomodule Assembly Technicians Rev Up Jefferson Lab's Electron-Beam Racetrack

Thomas Jefferson National Accelerator Facility — Tue, 30 Jul 2024 16:00:09 EST

This article features the Jefferson Lab SRF Operations Department's cryomodule assembly technicians, a team of master craftsmen who build, test and install cryomodules in particle accelerators. Their work enables scientific discoveries at Jefferson Lab and beyond.

Microwave Popcorn to Particle Accelerators: Magnetrons Show Promise as Radiofrequency Source

Thomas Jefferson National Accelerator Facility — Tue, 23 Jul 2024 10:45:18 EST

Building on nearly 15 years of research, physicists at the U.S. Department of Energy's Thomas Jefferson National Accelerator Facility are exploring magnetrons as the drivers of modern particle accelerators. This could lower the carbon footprint of these energy-hungry machines and help them benefit society far beyond the realm of scientific research.

Oxygen Tweaking May be Key to Accelerator Optimization

Thomas Jefferson National Accelerator Facility — Thu, 11 Jul 2024 17:05:04 EST

Researchers at the U.S. Department of Energy's Thomas Jefferson National Accelerator Facility are exploring how adding oxygen to the surfaces of particle accelerator cavities, one of the most critical parts of an accelerator, can help scientists custom-tailor their properties for maximum efficiency and minimum cost.

SLAC researchers pioneer new methods in ultrafast science for sharper molecular movies

SLAC National Accelerator Laboratory — Fri, 05 Jul 2024 13:05:44 EST

Improvements to the lab's "electron camera" use AI and "time stamping" to help reveal nature's speedy processes more accurately.

Large variations in composition and toxicity of ambient particles found in 31 major cities in China

Chinese Academy of Sciences — Tue, 02 Jul 2024 07:05:38 EST

In an effort looking for optimized air pollution control, scientists from Peking University have detected large variations in the composition and toxicity of ambient particles collected from 31 major Chinese cities located across varying latitudes. The results imply an urgent need to rethink the suitability of current air quality standard adopted, i.e., sole use of PM mass concentration.

Particle Physics with a CERN Scientist - Dr. Christina Kourkoumelis

Newswise — Mon, 01 Jul 2024 20:05:52 EST

The Curious by Nature podcast episode, "Particle Physics with a CERN Scientist," featuring Dr. Christina Kourkoumeli, is now available on Spotify and Apple Podcast. Dr. Kourkoumeli began her career as a scientist when our understanding of atomic particles emerged.

Experimental Physics Leads to Award-Winning Research

Thomas Jefferson National Accelerator Facility — Wed, 29 May 2024 09:35:22 EST

Jefferson Lab Staff Scientist Holly Szumila-Vance earns the 2024 Guido Altarelli Award for outstanding contributions to experimental physics.

Expanding the Hunt for Hidden Dark Matter Particles

Department of Energy, Office of Science — Mon, 06 May 2024 15:05:30 EST

Theoretical models of dark matter predict that its signals can be detected using low-background radiation detectors. By looking for specific types of dark matter and finding no signal, scientists operating the Majorana Demonstrator experiment have significantly narrowed the characteristics of potential dark matter particles. The results will help design future experiments.

Super Strong Magnetic Fields Leave Imprint on Nuclear Matter

Brookhaven National Laboratory — Fri, 23 Feb 2024 10:05:36 EST

A new analysis by the STAR collaboration at the Relativistic Heavy Ion Collider (RHIC), a particle collider at the U.S. Department of Energy's (DOE) Brookhaven National Laboratory, provides the first direct evidence of the imprint left by what may be the universe's most powerful magnetic fields on "deconfined" nuclear matter. The evidence comes from measuring the way differently charged particles separate when emerging from collisions of atomic nuclei at this DOE Office of Science user facility.

Altermagnetism proves its place on the magnetic family tree

Paul Scherrer Institute — Wed, 14 Feb 2024 20:05:59 EST

Experiments at the Swiss Light Source SLS prove the existence of a new type of magnetism, with broad implications for technology and research.

Scientists Locate the Missing Mass Inside the Proton

Department of Energy, Office of Science — Wed, 14 Feb 2024 15:05:28 EST

A proton's core consists of three valence quarks, but they contribute only a small fraction of the proton's mass. Most of the mass emerges from intricate quark dynamics and is primarily governed by the strong force mediated by gluons.

Physicist helps set the U.S. priorities for investing millions in particle physics

Iowa State University — Wed, 14 Feb 2024 11:05:15 EST

As part of a panel of 32 physicists, Iowa State's Amanda Weinstein helped set the priorities for the country's particle physics research agenda.

SNO+ Reveals the Power of Neutrinos

Department of Energy, Office of Science — Tue, 06 Feb 2024 14:05:56 EST

It may be snowy outside, but the water in the SNO+ experiment isn't for building snowmen. SNO+ is short for the Sudbury Neutrino Observation+, a neutrino experiment 2 kilometers underground in a mine in Ontario, Canada.

Lab Repurposes a Former Particle Accelerator to Become a Scientific Data Center Facility

Department of Energy, Office of Science — Thu, 01 Feb 2024 10:05:19 EST

We're all about finding new ways to save energy and money at the Department of Energy (DOE), especially when it comes to our facilities.

Excavation of colossal caverns for Fermilab's DUNE experiment completed

Fermi National Accelerator Laboratory (Fermilab) — Thu, 01 Feb 2024 09:00:05 EST

The excavation of the caverns that will house the gigantic particle detectors of the Deep Underground Neutrino Experiment in Lead, South Dakota is complete.

Silviu Covrig Dusa: Then and Now / 2012 Early Career Award Winner

Department of Energy, Office of Science — Mon, 29 Jan 2024 14:05:15 EST

For scientists to probe materials with electron beams, they require software, such as the finite element for software called Computational Fluid Dynamics, used by Silviu Covrig Dusa to make precision measurements at the Thomas Jefferson National Accelerator Facility.