Searching for New Physics in the Laboratory and in the Cosmos

This award funds the research activities of Professor Harikrishnan Ramani at the University of Delaware. This project seeks to advance our understanding of the fundamental laws of nature by developing innovative methods to detect physics beyond the Standard Model of particle physics. A major focus is on exploring the possibility that new stable particles --- such as millicharged particles and gluinos --- exist but have eluded detection by conventional experiments. This project repurposes existing detectors, with only minor modifications, to enable the detection of these elusive particles. It also addresses a particularly challenging scenario in which dark matter interacts solely through gravity, rendering it extremely difficult to study in laboratory settings. By employing sensitive electric field sensors, devising novel search strategies at the Large Hadron Collider, and leveraging astrophysical observations of subtle gravitational effects on star clusters, this research opens new pathways for discovering previously inaccessible forms of new physics. The project addresses foundational open questions in particle physics and cosmology, while serving the national interest by strengthening the scientific infrastructure essential for transformative discoveries. A detection of new particles through these methods would mark the first such discovery on American soil in the 21st century. The project also contributes to public education and scientific literacy through outreach efforts and classroom instruction, including a particle physics course designed specifically for non-science majors. Technically, the project follows a three-pronged approach to probing physics beyond the Standard Model. It includes: (1) searches for fractionally charged particles produced in cosmic ray showers using precision electric field detectors, which offer sensitivity in the MeV–GeV mass range; (2) novel techniques for identifying heavy, stable gluinos --- hypothetical supersymmetric partners of gluons --- that may become trapped in Large Hadron Collider detector material, with a mass reach exceeding 2.5 TeV; and (3) gravitational probes of dark matter via its energy exchange with star clusters, which can reveal evidence for self-interacting or dissipative dark matter. These methods will also shed light on astrophysical substructures far smaller than what is currently observable. Collectively, these efforts leverage precision technologies and astrophysical insight to explore longstanding mysteries about the fundamental constituents of the universe. This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.