Particles, Astroparticles, Cosmology: Theory

Particles, Astroparticles, Cosmology: Theory – PACT

Manager: Felix BRÜMMER

Introduction

PACT is a research team of theoretical physicists working on topics dealing with the infinitely small (elementary particle physics), the infinitely large (astrophysical and cosmological scales), and the inter-connections between these two extremes.

Among the key topics investigated in the group, one finds: the building and study of particle theories beyond the standard model (BSM) in which new particles and interactions may arise, potentially unifying on energy scales close to the Planck mass; the theoretical and phenomenological exploration of the dark matter problem in astrophysics and cosmology, from model-building perspectives to the assessment of the best strategies to search for signatures in astrophysical, cosmological, or laboratory observables; the study of the primordial universe (inflation, generation of the matter-antimatter asymmetry, primordial magnetic fields, etc.).

The PACT team at the LUPM  is composed of 8 permanent researchers and faculties, a few emeriti, and several postdocs and PhD students. It has scientific ties with the IFAC team at the neighbor L2C laboratory, which comprises 3 permanent researchers.

 

Research topics

PACT’s expertise in the theoretical particle physics is relevant to several topics:
– Minimal Supersymmetric Standard Model (MSSM) or its extension with singlets (NMSSM, N2MSSM).
– SUSY breaking models (supergravity, GMSB).
– Computation of SUSY particle spectrums by dedicated codes (NMSSMTools).
– Theoretical and experimental constraints on SUSY models.
– Collider signatures of new physics.
– Effective field theories applied to new physics searches and to dark matter.
– QCD spectral sum rules.
– Operator valued distribution functions in QFTs.
– Top quark and Higgs boson phenomenology – connections with new physics searches.

The bulk of PACT’s activities in astroparticle physics and cosmology comprises:
– Dark matter particle model building; primordial black holes.
– Study of dark matter production mechanisms and decoupling in the early universe.
– Particle dark matter searches (WIMPs, gravitinos, axions, dark photons, etc.).
– Theoretical predictions for indirect dark matter searches using: BBN, the CMB, gamma rays, antimatter cosmic rays.
– Theoretical predictions for direct dark matter searches.
– Structuring and dynamics of dark matter on small scales (subhalos) and impact on searches.
– Phase-space distribution of dark matter in structures.
– Early universe: inflation, BBN, primordial magnetic fields, primordial black holes, baryogenesis, dark energy.
– High-energy astrophysics: Galactic cosmic rays, cosmic antimatter, gamma-rays (standard vs. exotic production).

 

Scientific projects
  • GaDaMa (ANR-18-CE31-0006) – manager J. Lavalle
  • Dark21 (IN2P3) – manager V. Poulin

 

Team Members
  • Former members of the team
    • ABUH-AJAMIEH Fayez (PD OCEVU) → (2019)
    • DESAI Nishita (PD OCEVU) → Tata Institute (2018)
    • FACCHINETTI Gaétan (PhD st., ENS & U. Montpellier)  → ULB-Brussels
    • LACROIX Thomas (PD CNRS) → IFT-Madrid (2019)
    • MURGIA Riccardo (PD CNRS)
    • PETAC Mihael (PD, ANR)
    • RENARD Fernand (CNRS) → retired (2019)
    • RUFFAULT Ronan (PhD st., U. Montpellier) → high-school teacher (2018)
    • STREF Martin (PhD & ATER U. Montpellier) → LAPTh-Annecy (2019)

Link to the seminar agenda of the PACT (LUPM) and IFAC (L2C) groups:
https://www.coulomb.univ-montp2.fr/Seminaires-IFAC?lang=en

Link to the IFAC-L2C group webpage:
https://www.coulomb.univ-montp2.fr/-Equipe-Interactions-fondamentales-astroparticules-et-cosmologie-?lang=en

Link to the webpage of the quantum field theory group at L2C:
https://www.coulomb.univ-montp2.fr/-Equipe-Theorie-des-champs-et-?lang=en

 

 

Team publications

 

 

 

 

 

 

Summary

Introduction

Team members

Team publications

Research topics