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EXC 3107:  Color meets Flavor - Search for new phenomena in strong and weak interactions

Subject Area Particles, Nuclei and Fields
Term since 2026
Project identifier Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG) - Project number 533766364
 
Questions about the nature of matter and the fundamental forces, about the history of the Universe and the origin of everything we observe have always been at the core of human curiosity. Today, the Standard Model of Particle Physics describes the interactions between the fundamental building blocks of matter, the quarks and leptons, but leaves several central questions unanswered: What is the mechanism behind the formation of matter by the strong „color“ force? How did the asymmetry between matter and antimatter in the Universe emerge and how is it related to the different „flavors“ of quarks seen in the weak interaction? Are there yet unknown particles or forces? The proposed Cluster of Excellence “Color meets Flavor” (CmF) will address these questions by combining the expertise of world-renowned experts in strong and weak interaction physics and the leading experiments in the field. Among the most exciting results in particle physics of recent years are the observation of exotic bound states of quarks as well as intriguing measurements of the decays of heavy quarks. Since quarks are not observed as free particles but form bound states, their study requires a precise understanding of both the strong force responsible for their binding and the weak force involved in their decays. This interplay between color and flavor lies at the heart of the cluster’s research. CmF aims to advance our understanding of how matter emerges from the fundamental building blocks, unravel the nature of the exotic states, and search for new phenomena in strong and weak processes. The research in CmF focuses on the physics of quarks, the physics of the Higgs boson, and the search for the axion. CmF covers the whole energy range relevant for these studies, spanning several orders of magnitude, by making leading contributions to medium- and high-energy experiments at KEK and CERN, and by building up a worldwide unique experiment at the ELSA accelerator in Bonn at lower energies, as well as new experiments for axion searches at Bonn and DESY. Theoretical methods range from effective quantum field theories for low-energy hadronic interactions to precision calculations for high-energy reactions and numerical simulations of the strong interaction with high-performance computers. The research groups at Bonn, Dortmund, Siegen, and Jülich perfectly complement each other to tackle this challenging research program. CmF will create an overarching structure to foster efficient collaboration between the participating institutions and between experiment and theory, and will join scientific communities working on different aspects of strong and weak interactions. CmF will establish a diverse, supportive, and creative research environment and provide world-class training through a common education program and comprehensive support for early-career researchers. As a world-leading center for the physics of the strong and weak interactions, CmF will shape the future of the field.
DFG Programme Clusters of Excellence (ExStra)
Participating Institution Forschungszentrum Jülich
 
 

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