Exploring the Universe with Neutrinos and Muons – with Professor Uchida
Event Description
public in-person lecture
Neutrinos and muons are particles which have been known about for many decades yet many mysteries remain…find out where research is leading us.
Yoshi Uchida - Professor of Physics, Department of Physics, Imperial; UK representative for the T2K and COMET experiments.
To build a new fundamental physics experiment is much like asking Nature a question that it has never been asked before. To analyse the experiment’s data is to listen for the answer. In particle physics research, the study of particle collisions at large accelerators to search for unknown particles plays a prominent role, but answers to fundamental questions about the Universe can also be found by observing more familiar particles in more detail than ever before.
Neutrinos and muons are two such types of particles which have been known about for many decades. Indeed, large numbers of them are being produced naturally and are passing through us all the time. As we have studied them, we have learned more about the Universe, yet many mysteries remain, and the experiments we are building are set to reveal much more in our quest for a deeper understanding.
In this talk, Professor Yoshi Uchida will introduce his favourite particles, starting from the humble electron. He will then explain how the experiments work, with a particular focus on the T2K and COMET experiments and how Imperial students and researchers have contributed to them, and where this research is leading us.
Professor Uchida specialises in experimental particle physics with a current focus on neutrinos and muons. Previously of Stanford University, with degrees from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and Kyoto University, he spent a number of years at the CERN particle physics laboratory near Geneva.
At this time, much research work was centred on the J-PARC accelerator laboratory in Japan, as the UK representative for the T2K neutrino oscillation experiment and COMET, an experiment searching for discoveries by studying muons in depth. These are conducted together with collaborating researchers from 20 or so other countries. Operating in such an international field of science, one long-term aim is to be able to contribute to hosting a major experiment that is situated in the UK.
The image above features Drs Lauren Anthony and Artur Sztuc from Imperial College working inside the Super-Kamiokande neutrino detector, a part of the T2K neutrino oscillation experiment.
Image used with kind permission of Kamioka Observatory, ICRR (Institute for Cosmic Ray Research), The University of Tokyo.
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The location for this event is the Skempton Building, South Kensington Campus, Imperial College London, SW7 2BX. Nearer the time you will be sent an email with the specific lecture theatre. The event will finish around 8.20pm and then refreshments will be available for Friends networking.
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