APS Neutrino Study: Report of the Neutrino Astrophysics and Cosmology Working Group

In 2002, Ray Davis and Masatoshi Koshiba were awarded the Nobel Prize in Physics ``for pioneering contributions to astrophysics, in particular for the detection of cosmic neutrinos.'' However, while astronomy has undergone a revolution in understanding by synthesizing data taken at many wavelengths, the universe has only barely been glimpsed in neutrinos, just the Sun and the nearby SN 1987A. An entire universe awaits, and since neutrinos can probe astrophysical objects at densities, energies, and distances that are otherwise inaccessible, the results are expected to be particularly exciting. Similarly, the revolution in quantitative cosmology has heightened the need for very precise tests that depend on the effects of neutrinos, and prominent among them is the search for the effects of neutrino mass, since neutrinos are a small but known component of the dark matter. In this report, we highlight some of the key opportunties for progress in neutrino astrophysics and cosmology, and the implications for other areas of physics

Electric dipole moments and the search for new physics

Static electric dipole moments of nondegenerate systems probe mass scales for physics beyond the Standard Model well beyond those reached directly at high energy colliders. Discrimination between different physics models, however, requires complementary searches in atomic-molecular-and-optical, nuclear and particle physics. In this report, we discuss the current status and prospects in the near future for a compelling suite of such experiments, along with developments needed in the encompassing theoretical framework.Comment: Contribution to Snowmass 2021; updated with community edits and endorsement

Quantitative Analysis of Proton Content in Deuterated Poly(methyl methacrylate) for Thin Neutron Window Material Selection in Ultra-cold Neutron Experiments

A suitable material selection for a deuterated polymer window used in the nEDM@SNS experiment, which aims to make the world\u27s best measurement of the neutron\u27s electric dipole moment, is essential. The nEDM@SNS will significantly improve our understanding of how matter was formed during the Big Bang. To achieve this, nEDM@SNS requires maximum delivery of cold neutrons to the inside of a cell containing superfluid helium-4, cooled to 0.5 K, to produce the ultra-cold neutrons (UCNs) needed for the experiment.The ratio of the Hydrogen/Deuteron cross-section of ~12 highlights that materials containing hydrogen are much more likely to scatter, absorb, or deflect neutrons. This could potentially reduce the number of UCNs needed and produce unwanted background signals. To investigate the proton content of the deuterated poly(methyl methacrylate) (d-PMMA) sample, a Nuclear Magnetic Resonance (NMR) technique is used. TMS (tetra-methyl silane) and a separate fully-protonated PMMA sample are used for calibration. By employing a standardized sample preparation protocol and a MATLAB algorithm to calculate the signal strength attributed to the NMR peaks, the amount of protons in the polymer can be identified

APS Neutrino Study: Report of the Neutrino Astrophysics and Cosmology Working Group

In 2002, Ray Davis and Masatoshi Koshiba were awarded the Nobel Prize in Physics ``for pioneering contributions to astrophysics, in particular for the detection of cosmic neutrinos.'' However, while astronomy has undergone a revolution in understanding by synthesizing data taken at many wavelengths, the universe has only barely been glimpsed in neutrinos, just the Sun and the nearby SN 1987A. An entire universe awaits, and since neutrinos can probe astrophysical objects at densities, energies, and distances that are otherwise inaccessible, the results are expected to be particularly exciting. Similarly, the revolution in quantitative cosmology has heightened the need for very precise tests that depend on the effects of neutrinos, and prominent among them is the search for the effects of neutrino mass, since neutrinos are a small but known component of the dark matter. In this report, we highlight some of the key opportunties for progress in neutrino astrophysics and cosmology, and the implications for other areas of physics