Particle Physics and Particle Astrophysics projects
Our experimental work falls into four main categories: experimental high energy physics, the search for dark matter, neutrino astrophysics, and neutrino physics, including neutrino factory R&D.
For further information about our research please see our group website: http://www.hep.shef.ac.uk
Muon tomography for geological structures and CCS repositories.
Supervisor: Dr Vitaly Kudryavtsev
This is an STFC-funded Global Challenge studentship. The funding covers standard RCUK stipend and Unversity fees for a period of up to 4 years.
The successful candidate will be working with Dr Vitaly Kudryavtsev and Prof Jon Gluyas (University of Durham), as well as with other people in the Particle Physics and Particle Astrophysics group (Dr Lee Thompson and Prof. Neil Spooner) on muon tomography as a novel technique for studying and monitoring changes in various geological structures, in particular geological repositories to be used for carbon dioxide storage in various CCS projects.
The work on muon tomography for CCS is carried out by a large consortium of universities and other organisations including Sheffield, Durham, Bath, RAL, NASA and industrial partners. The student will join this team and contribute to this large-scale project.
Successful applicant should know or be able to quickly learn experimental techniques in particle physics and programming in C++. During their PhD they will also need to learn certain aspects of geology and geochmistry linked to CCS.
The project is open to UK nationals and EU nationals who have been resident in the UK for 3 last years.
Informal enquiries can be addressed to Dr Vitaly Kudryavtsev at v.kudryavtsev@sheffield.ac.uk
Applicants should apply to the University using the online application system: www.sheffield.ac.uk/postgraduate/research/apply
Inclusive Supersymmetry Searches with ATLAS
Supervisor: Dr D Costanzo
Email: d.costanzo@sheffield.ac.uk
The student will develop tools to test supersymmetry using multijet + missing ET decay signatures. The understanding of detector response will be crucial at the beginning of ATLAS operation to separate real physics effects from instrumental backgrounds. The student will also work on tracking reconstruction to enhance jet algorithms using an energy flow approach.
Searching for SUSY Stop Squarks with the ATLAS experiment at the CERN LHC
Supervisor: Prof D Tovey
Email: d.r.tovey@sheffield.ac.uk
The student will develop techniques for searching for supersymmetric stop squarks at ATLAS and apply them to the latest data from the experiment. The project will focus on the fully hadronic channel in which two stop squarks each decay to a top quark and a neutralino (the lightest supersymmetric particle), and each top quark decays to three jets. The signature of this process is at least two b-jets, four light jets, no leptons (electrons or muons), and large missing transverse energy. This channel offers the best possibility for discovering stop squarks at the LHC, with stop squarks themselves expected to be significantly lighter, and hence more observable, than other strongly interacting SUSY particles. This project therefore offers the student the possibility of making a Nobel prize winning discovery!
Search for the Higgs boson in 4 lepton decays with ATLAS
Supervisor: Dr E Paganis
Email: e.paganis@sheffield.ac.uk
Higgs→4l is the golden channel for Higgs masses greater than 130GeV. Electron-based calibration of the LAr EM calorimeter, using test-beam and first data. Commissioning and calibration of the SCT tracker. Combination of calorimeter and tracker information for optimum energy linearity and resolution. Development of analysis chain. Search for Higgs.
Search for the Higgs boson in 2 photon decays with ATLAS
Supervisor: Dr E Paganis
Email: e.paganis@sheffield.ac.uk
Higgs→2photon is the golden discovery channel for Higgs masses of 110-130GeV. Commissioning and calibration of the SCT tracker. Photon calibration of the LAr EM calorimeter, using test beam and first data. Conversion reconstruction. Study of photon/jet separation and fake photon rejection. Search for Higgs.
Experimental Dark Matter – DRIFT directional programme
Supervisor: Prof N Spooner
Email: n.spooner@sheffield.ac.uk
Hardware development, construction and/or data analysis with US collaborators of the direction sensitive DRIFT II and DRIFT III dark matter experiments including: analysis to search for Supersymmetric dark matter particles with a directional signal; development of ultra-low background gas detectors and readout electronics schemes; construction of DRIFT III, the world’s largest directional DM detector; development of analysis code for track reconstruction; optimization and data analysis for extraction of neutralino limits and track directional information; possibility to work in Los Angeles and New Mexico (USA).
Search for Dark Matter Annual Modulation at the South Pole – DM-ICE project
Supervisor: Prof N Spooner
Email: n.spooner@sheffield.ac.uk
Participate in the search for a galactic particle dark matter signasl using annual modulation with the DM-ICE experiment 2.5 km below the South Pole, including one or more of the following: analysis of data from the 17 kg prototype scintillator now running in the ice; development of the new 250 kg ultra-low background detector being built for deployment at the South Pole; development and test of new sodium iodide crystals for the detector; possibility to participate in deployment activities at the Antarctic South Pole.
Liquid Argon Detectors for Neutrino Oscillation Experiments and Proton Decay
Supervisor: Prof N Spooner
Email: n.spooner@sheffield.ac.uk
Development of liquid argon detectors for next-generation long base-line neutrino oscillation experiments including the multi-national LBNE being built in the US: design and construction of liquid argon test detectors; application of charge and light readout devices (Silicon photo-sensors, photomultipliers, GEMs and micromegas); development of purification techniques; measurement of liquid argon parameters including electron drift; beam tests and simulations of sensitivity to background particles and neutrinos; participation in LBNE; possibility to work at UCLA (Los Angeles) and Fermilab (Chicago).
Particle Detectors for Energy, Medicine, Climate Change and Security Industry
Supervisor: Prof N Spooner
Email: n.spooner@sheffield.ac.uk
Development of novel detectors for: muon tomography to allow monitoring of CO2 stored underground to combat climate change; medical positron emission tomography using novel liquid argon technology; directional neutron detection for national security applications, using gas-based detectors. Projects in detector hardware development and simulations or analysis with links to industry.
Muon Cooling at MICE
Supervisor: Dr C Booth
Email: c.booth@sheffield.ac.uk
MICE addresses a technical challenge facing construction of a Neutrino Factory, the reduction of muon emittance. The student will be involved in finalising the ISIS target drive (a Sheffield responsibility) and its control, MICE data acquisition and analysis of data to measure muon cooling.
Targetry for a Neutrino Factory
Supervisor: Dr C Booth
Email: c.booth@sheffield.ac.uk
The student will join the Sheffield team simulating shock in high power targets, preparing for beam tests and modelling particle production and trapping (using HARP data) and induced radiation effects from interactions of a multi-MW beam with target, support structure and dump.
Studying Neutrino Oscillations with the T2K experiment
Supervisor: Dr L Thompson
Email: l.thompson@sheffield.ac.uk
The Sheffield T2K group are currently involved in analyses of so-called CCpi0 events, i.e. charged current events that contain one neutral pion, an important channel when understanding electron neutrino appearance systematic errors. The group also has responsibility for timing calibration in the ND280 detector. The student will also have the opportunity to spend longer periods of time (typically 6-12 months) out at J-PARC where they will participate in shifts work on the T2K ND280 near detector at J-PARC in Japan.
CO2 Storage Monitoring using Cosmic Rays
Supervisor: Dr L Thompson
Email: l.thompson@sheffield.ac.uk
As a result of a recent large grant awarded by the Department of Energy and Climate Change (DECC), there is work taking place in the Sheffield PPPA group to design and develop detectors for cosmic ray muons that can be deployed around the depleted North Sea oil fields that will form many of the proposed storage sites for captured carbon dioxide. This experimental PhD programme will revolve around the development, deployment and operation of novel cosmic ray detectors, capable of operating at elevated temperatures and in restricted volumes.
Neutrino Oscillation Studies using the LBNE Detector
Supervisor: Dr L Thompson
Email: l.thompson@sheffield.ac.uk
The Long Baseline Neutrino Experiment (LBNE) is based in the US and is a next generation neutrino experiment that will study the phenomenon of neutrino oscillations in unprecedented detail. This PhD project focusses on understanding the performance of the proposed liquid Argon far detector (FD) as well as working with teams in the US to develop reconstruction algorithms and calibration techniques for the detector.
Neutrino Oscillation Measurements with T2K
Supervisor: Dr C Cartwright
Email: s.cartwright@sheffield.ac.uk
The student will contribute to the construction and commissioning of the T2K280m Detector, particularly the electromagnetic calorimeter. The focus of the project will be in software and analysis work, including simulation, performance studies and analysis of first data.
Gravitational Wave Searches with LIGO/GEO600/Virgo
Supervisor: Dr E Daw
Email: e.daw@sheffield.ac.uk
As members of the LIGO scientific collaboration, the Sheffield HEP group participates in the ground based gravitational wave searches using the LIGO, GEO600 and Virgo detectors. Current research, in collaboration with astronomy professor, Vik Dhillon, includes astronomical observations in the optical and radio in connection with gravitational wave searches, and in the development of novel detector characterisation and data analysis techniques for fast, real time gravitational wave searches.
Applications from students wishing to pursue STFC-funded gravitational wave research at the University of Sheffield are welcome.
Dark Matter Search with EDELWEISS and EURECA
Supervisor: Dr V Kudryavtsev
Email: v.kudryavtsev@sheffield.ac.uk
EDELWEISS is a cryogenic experiment searching for Weakly Interactive Massive Particles (WIMPs) – the most plausible candidates to the dark matter in the Universe. The EURECA project is a future scale-up of the cryogenic technology to tonne-scale target masses. The PPPA group at the University of Sheffield is involved in the EDELWEISS and EURECA experiments with a prime responsibility for modelling background radiation and improvement of the detector sensitivity through the provision of low-background environment. The PhD project includes Monte Carlo simulations of background for, and analysis of data from the EDELWEISS-III experiment, currently under construction at the Modane Underground Laboratory (France), as well as modelling background for EURECA and designing shielding and active veto system for this detector. The candidate should have a good knowledge of particle physics and programming skills. The knowledge of nuclear physics and particle astrophysics is desirable.
Neutrino Oscillation Study and Proton Decay Search with LAGUNA-LBNO and LBNE
Supervisor: Dr V Kudryavtsev
Email: v.kudryavtsev@sheffield.ac.uk
LAGUNA-LBNO is a pan-European project for design, construction and operation of the many kilotonne scale detectors for neutrino physics, astrophysics and proton decay search. LBNE is a similar project in the USA. The PPPA group is involved in both projects and one of the responsibilities is modelling background produced by cosmic-ray muons and investigating the sensitivity of the experiments to different tasks. This PhD project includes Monte Carlo simulations of muons and muon-induced cascades for different detector designs, studying discrimination between signal and background events and evaluating detector sensitivity. The candidate should have a good knowledge of particle physics and programming skills. The knowledge of nuclear physics and particle astrophysics is desirable.
Cosmic-Ray Muons in Different Applications
Supervisor: Dr V Kudryavtsev
Email: v.kudryavtsev@sheffield.ac.uk
Cosmic-ray muons are known to be useful in applications beyond particle astrophysics. They have helped to map structure of volcanoes and finding voids in various geological structures. Other possible applications include studies of geological repositories including monitoring carbon capture, tracing illicit nuclear materials etc. The PPPA group at the University of Sheffield, in collaboration with other institutions and industrial partners, pursues a wide programme related to these muon applications. This PhD project offers an opportunity for a student to apply the knowledge of particle/astroparticle physics and detector technology in other areas which are linked to key problems of contemporary world: atmospheric pollution, climate change, nuclear security etc.