Thesis supervisor: Yoshikazu Nagai
Location of studies (in Hungarian): Eötvös Loránd University, Faculty of Science, Institute of Physics (with visits to CERN, Geneva, Switzerland) Abbreviation of location of studies: ELTE
Description of the research topic:
"Neutrinos are one of the most mysterious members of the Standard Model, a framework for describing fundamental forces and particles in nature. While neutrinos are among the most abundant elementary particles in the universe, they are very elusive, making their detection a challenging experimental feat. One way to overcome such an experimental challenge is to make a powerful neutrino beam using high-intensity proton accelerator. Current and future front-runner neutrino experiments are eager to precisely study neutrino properties using accelerator-generated neutrinos.
In modern accelerator-based neutrino experiments, neutrino beams are created from the decays of secondary hadrons produced in hadron-nucleus interactions. Hadron production is the leading systematic uncertainty source on the neutrino flux prediction, while a precise prediction of the neutrino flux is critical for the success of accelerator-based neutrino experiments. In this research, students will conduct hadron production measurements with the NA61/SPS Heavy Ion and Neutrino Experiment (NA61/SHINE) which is a fixed-target experiment at the CERN Super Proton Synchrotron (SPS). Students will have opportunities to join all aspects of the NA61/SHINE experiment and will summarize her/his study as a Ph.D dissertation which will improve the physics reach of neutrino experiments."
Required language skills: English Further requirements: Experience of computer programming (preferably C++), basic knowledge of particle physics. Students will join the experimental neutrino physics group at ELTE and travel regularly to the NA61/SHINE experiment at the CERN SPS in Geneva, Switzerland.