Public Abstract

DE-SC0016021: LHC Research at Boston University

Award Status: Active

Institution: Trustees of Boston University, Boston, MA
UEI: THL6A6JLE1S7
DUNS: 049435266

Most Recent Award Date: 09/30/2025
Number of Support Periods: 10
PM: Patwa, Abid

Current Budget Period: 06/01/2025 - 03/31/2026
Current Project Period: 06/01/2025 - 03/31/2028
PI: Rohlf, James

Supplement Budget Period: N/A

Public Abstract

Project Title: LHC Research at Boston University James Rohlf (Principal Investigator); Dillion Brout (Co-Investigator); Zeynep Demiragli (Co-Investigator); Frank Golf (Co-Investigator); Kirit Karkare (Co-Investigator); David Sperka (Co-Investigator); and Indara Suarez (Co-Investigator) Task A: Energy Frontier Research with CMS (Profs. Demiragli, Golf, Rohlf, Sperka, Suarez) Boston University Professors Demiragli, Golf, Rohlf, Sperka, and Suarez plan to lead research efforts with the Compact Muon Solenoid (CMS) detector at the CERN Large Hadron Collider (LHC). The group intends to search for physics beyond the Standard Model using both traditional methods and alternate trigger strategies as well as advance methods that deploy artificial intelligence and machine learning (AI/ML) tools and algorithms. The group also plans to pursue measurements and searches in the Higgs and top sectors, including those with enhanced AI/ML methods. Moreover, the group plans to provide essential support for the AMC13 readout electronics, the Level-1 Global Trigger, and High-Level-Trigger scouting system during the LHC Run 3. Additionally, the Boston University CMS group will lead the design of the HL-LHC (Phase 2) inner tracker detector upgrade and MIP timing detector readout electronics with efforts on hard/firm/software development and multi-board integration. Task B: Cosmic Frontier Research with DESI (Profs. Brout, Demiragli, Karkare, Rohlf) Professors Ahlen, Brout, Demiragli, Karkare, and Rohlf will lead research using the Dark Energy Spectroscopic Instrument (DESI). The effort builds on previous Boston University Scientific Instrument Facility (SIF) construction of the focal surface. The work will address the projected hardware needs of DESI-II with the goals of understanding dark energy, dark matter, and the sum of neutrino masses. The proposal also addresses the synergy between DESI and the Rubin Large Synoptic Survey Telescope (LSST) Dark Energy Science Collaboration (DESC) as well as cross-correlation of DESI measurements with the cosmic microwave background (CMB). Task C: Cosmic Frontier Research with LSST (Prof. Brout) Professor Brout will work on LSST measurements of dark energy, dark matter, and cosmic dynamics using Type Ia Supernovae. Brout will specialize in building SNIa light-curve datasets and addressing systematic uncertainties. As co-Convener of the LSST-DESC Time Domain Working Group, Brout will ensure preparedness for time-domain physics. Brout will process an all-sky DECam dataset through LSST difference-imaging pipelines to validate against DES, analyze the Year 1 data once available, re-simulate with systematic advances, and perform pipeline testing and modifications. Task D: Cosmic Frontier Research with the CMB (Prof. Karkare) Professor Karkare plans to lead an effort on CMB-S4 focusing on calibration and instrumental systematics, a key component for ultra-sensitive constraints on inflation. Karkare will experimentally test telescope shielding strategies and derive instrumental calibration requirements needed to minimize systematic contamination to the CMB maps. This work comes at a critical time for CMB-S4 and its potential revision to an all-Chilean configuration, since shielding and calibration factor heavily into the instrument configuration and observation strategy.

Project Title: LHC Research at Boston University

James Rohlf (Principal Investigator); Dillion Brout (Co-Investigator); Zeynep Demiragli (Co-Investigator); Frank Golf (Co-Investigator); Kirit Karkare (Co-Investigator); David Sperka (Co-Investigator); and Indara Suarez (Co-Investigator)

Task A: Energy Frontier Research with CMS (Profs. Demiragli, Golf, Rohlf, Sperka, Suarez)

Boston University Professors Demiragli, Golf, Rohlf, Sperka, and Suarez plan to lead research efforts with the Compact Muon Solenoid (CMS) detector at the CERN Large Hadron Collider (LHC). The group intends to search for physics beyond the Standard Model using both traditional methods and alternate trigger strategies as well as advance methods that deploy artificial intelligence and machine learning (AI/ML) tools and algorithms. The group also plans to pursue measurements and searches in the Higgs and top sectors, including those with enhanced AI/ML methods. Moreover, the group plans to provide essential support for the AMC13 readout electronics, the Level-1 Global Trigger, and High-Level-Trigger scouting system during the LHC Run 3. Additionally, the Boston University CMS group will lead the design of the HL-LHC (Phase 2) inner tracker detector upgrade and MIP timing detector readout electronics with efforts on hard/firm/software development and multi-board integration.

Task B: Cosmic Frontier Research with DESI (Profs. Brout, Demiragli, Karkare, Rohlf)

Professors Ahlen, Brout, Demiragli, Karkare, and Rohlf will lead research using the Dark Energy Spectroscopic Instrument (DESI). The effort builds on previous Boston University Scientific Instrument Facility (SIF) construction of the focal surface. The work will address the projected hardware needs of DESI-II with the goals of understanding dark energy, dark matter, and the sum of neutrino masses. The proposal also addresses the synergy between DESI and the Rubin Large Synoptic Survey Telescope (LSST) Dark Energy Science Collaboration (DESC) as well as cross-correlation of DESI measurements with the cosmic microwave background (CMB).

Task C: Cosmic Frontier Research with LSST (Prof. Brout)
Professor Brout will work on LSST measurements of dark energy, dark matter, and cosmic dynamics using Type Ia Supernovae. Brout will specialize in building SNIa light-curve datasets and addressing systematic uncertainties. As co-Convener of the LSST-DESC Time Domain Working Group, Brout will ensure preparedness for time-domain physics. Brout will process an all-sky DECam dataset through LSST difference-imaging pipelines to validate against DES, analyze the Year 1 data once available, re-simulate with systematic advances, and perform pipeline testing and modifications.

Task D: Cosmic Frontier Research with the CMB (Prof. Karkare)
Professor Karkare plans to lead an effort on CMB-S4 focusing on calibration and instrumental systematics, a key component for ultra-sensitive constraints on inflation. Karkare will experimentally test telescope shielding strategies and derive instrumental calibration requirements needed to minimize systematic contamination to the CMB maps. This work comes at a critical time for CMB-S4 and its potential revision to an all-Chilean configuration, since shielding and calibration factor heavily into the instrument configuration and observation strategy.