SFB 1258:  Neutrinos and Dark Matter in Astro- and Particle Physics (NDM)

• Subject Area: Physics
• Term: since 2017
• Website: Homepage
• Project identifier: Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG) - Project number 283604770

The research of the CRC 1258 is at the crossroads of astro and particle physics. We focus on neutrinos, the most abundant matter particles of our universe, and on dark matter, that is driving cosmic dynamics at galactic scales and beyond. If dark matter indeed consists of new elementary particles, they interact even more feebly than neutrinos. Unravelling the properties of either requires detectors of unprecedented size, sensitivity, and purity. Theoretically, the observed small neutrino masses and the very existence of dark-matter particles are phenomena outside the Standard Model of particle physics, yet the correct extension remains to be identified. Finally, neutrinos provide a structural piece of support for multi-messenger astronomy as they can reveal properties of extreme astrophysical sources not otherwise accessible.The principal investigators of this CRC based in Munich/Garching and Vienna are leaders in theoretical and experimental particle and astroparticle physics. Together with a group of about 100 researchers, the CRC 1258 is pursuing a research program structured in three areas:Area N (Neutrinos): addressing particle properties of neutrinosWe strive to unravel the Dirac vs. Majorana nature, determine the absolute neutrino mass scale with KATRIN, find additional neutrino species or interactions, or a deviation from unitarity in the active-flavor mixing matrix. We have shaped the technology for the next-generation double beta decay experiment LEGEND following GERDA, developed key contributions to JUNO and the IceCube-Upgrade (previously PINGU), and launched the NUCLEUS project on coherent neutrino-nucleus scattering.Area D (Dark matter): searching for dark matter particles, notably WIMPs, axions, and other long-lived particle candidatesOur strategy includes direct detection with CRESST, indirect detection with IceCube, new theoretical tools to study subtle quantum effects in interaction processes for heavy WIMPs, and phenomenological signatures at the LHC at CERN. We have proven the feasibility of the MADMAX axion detection concept and opened the path for ALICE to advance the study if anti-matter could be produced by dark-matter annihilation.Area M (Messengers): exploring neutrinos as astronomical messengers and investigating the state of matter in compact stellar objects with accelerator experiments We pursue the search for astrophysical counterparts to explain the cosmic neutrino emission observed by IceCube. The upcoming JUNO, the planned IceCube-Gen2, and the targeted Pacific Ocean Neutrino Experiment (P-ONE) will complement the surveys later. Studying compact objects left over from core-collapse supernovae is laying the theoretical ground for observing the diffuse supernova neutrino background (DSNB) in JUNO. With ALICE data, we will investigate if neutron stars actually contain hyperons. Our research program is complemented by a topical school for graduate education (GS) and a public outreach program (PR).

• DFG Programme: Collaborative Research Centres
• International Connection: Austria, USA

Current projects

• 01 - Neutrino mass and nature: neutrinoless double beta decay – towards LEGEND-1000 (Project Heads Majorovits, Béla ;  Mertens, Susanne ;  Schönert, Stefan )
• 02 - Neutrino mass and mixing: at the intersection between IceCube and JUNO (Project Heads Caldwell, Allen ;  Eller, Philipp ;  Oberauer, Lothar ;  Resconi, Elisa )
• 03 - Confronting neutrino mass models with cosmology and terrestrial experiments (Project Heads Garbrecht, Björn ;  Harz, Julia ;  Ibarra, Alejandro )
• 04 - Determination of neutrino mass with KATRIN (Project Heads Agostini, Matteo ;  Mertens, Susanne )
• 05 - Neutrino interaction: exploring coherent neutrino-nucleus scattering with NUCLEUS (Project Heads Jericha, Erwin ;  Strauss, Raimund )
• 06 - Dark matter direct detection: deciphering signals at ultra-low energy (Project Heads Petricca, Federica ;  Schieck, Jochen ;  Schönert, Stefan )
• 07 - Challenging dark matter models at colliders (Project Heads Frederix, Rikkert ;  Haisch, Ulrich ;  Harz, Julia ;  Weiler, Andreas )
• 08 - Dark matter indirect detection: phenomenology and searches with IceCube (Project Heads Ibarra, Alejandro ;  Resconi, Elisa )
• 09 - Quantum effects in dark matter processes (Project Heads Beneke, Martin ;  Garny, Mathias ;  Ibarra, Alejandro )
• 11 - Phenomenology of light dark matter (Project Heads Garny, Mathias ;  Ibarra, Alejandro )
• 12 - Anti-nuclei from dark matter? (Project Heads Fabbietti, Laura ;  Ibarra, Alejandro )
• 13 - Multi-Messenger searches for high energy neutrino counterparts (Project Heads Padovani, Paolo ;  Resconi, Elisa )
• 14 - Gammy-ray bursts: from models to the observation of neutrinos (Project Heads Greiner, Jochen ;  Resconi, Elisa )
• 15 - The diffuse supernova neutrino background (DSNB): from modelling to detection in JUNO (Project Heads Janka, Hans-Thomas ;  Oberauer, Lothar )
• 16 - Particle physics in supernovae: axions and collective flavor conversion (Project Heads Janka, Hans-Thomas ;  Raffelt, Georg )
• 17 - Stellar matter: hyperons and axions in neutron stars (Project Heads Fabbietti, Laura ;  Weiler, Andreas )
• 18 - New direction in multi-messenger astronomy: IceCube-Gen2 and the Pacific Ocean Neutrino Experiment (Project Head Resconi, Elisa )
• 19 - Integrated Research Training Group (MONA) (Project Heads Garbrecht, Björn ;  Ibarra, Alejandro ;  Mertens, Susanne ;  Oberauer, Lothar )
• 20 - Visualizing the invisible: Neutrinos and dark matter for the citizens (Project Head Resconi, Elisa )
• 21 - Central Tasks of the Collaborative Research Centre (Project Head Resconi, Elisa )

Completed projects

• 05 - Neutrinos and proton decay: signal from grand unification (Project Heads Ratz, Michael ;  Vaudrevange, Patrick Karl Simon )
• 05 - Sterile neutrinos and the matter-antimatter asymmetry of the universe (Project Head Garbrecht, Björn )
• 10 - Axion dark matter: new experimental search, phenomenological motivation, and theoretical background (Project Heads Caldwell, Allen ;  Raffelt, Georg ;  Vaudrevange, Patrick Karl Simon )
• 17 - Stellar matter: supernovae as sources of r-process elements (Project Head Bishop, Shawn )

• Applicant Institution: Technische Universität München (TUM)
• Participating Institution: European Southern Observatory (ESO); Österreichische Akademie der Wissenschaften ; Institut für Hochenergiephysik; Max-Planck-Institut für Astrophysik (MPA); Max-Planck-Institut für Physik (Werner-Heisenberg-Institut); Max-Planck-Institut für extraterrestrische Physik (MPE)
• Participating University: Technische Universität Wien
• Spokesperson: Professorin Dr. Elisa Resconi