Frontier Physics Group

We are a group of elementary particle physicists engaged in a several experiments that seek to better our understanding of the universe around us at the most fundamental level.

Our group is currently playing leading roles on three major experiments: NOνA, a long-baseline neutrino experiment that is measuring fundamental neutrino parameters, searching for exotic phenomena such as supernova neutrinos, magnetic monopoles, and weakly interacting massive particles; Mu2e, which will probe for a variety of new physics phenomena with unprecendented sensitivity through the search for muon to electron conversion, and LDMX, which is seraching for light dark matter. NOvA and Mu2e are being hosted at Fermilab, the premier particle accelerator in the United States. LDMX will run at the Stanford Linear Accelerator Facility. Finally, we are also engaged in two experiments, EGP and NAUM, both searching for hidden structurs in ancient pyramids using the technology we have developed for the Mu2e Cosmic Ray Veto Detector. NAUM will probe the Pyramid of Kukulkan at Chichen Itza and EGP proposes to probe the Great Pyramid of Khufu in Egypt.

NOvA is currently taking data and producing seminal physics results, Mu2e is under fabrication, and LDMX is in the advanced planning stage. We have been members of NOvA and Mu2e since their inception. The UVA group designed, fabricated, and commissioned the NOνA Power Distribution System; designed the NOνA Detector Controls and Monitoring System; fabricated the NOνA Block Instrumentation System; and played a leading role inthe design of the NOνA Data Acquisition System. UVA members have lead, or co-lead, the Offline Computing Group, the Data-Driven Trigger Group, and the Exotics Group. We are leading the Mu2e Cosmic Ray Veto Group, the fabrication of which is taking place in the High Energy Physics Laboratory, and lead the Mu2e Institutional Board.

If you are interested in joining our quest we are always looking for smart, motivated, enthusiatic graduate and undergraduate students.

UVA undergraduate physics major Sydney Roberts entering the pyramid of Kukulkan at Chichen Itza in preparation of a cosmic-ray muon tomography scan.

The UVA contingent of the Intensity Frontier Group in our picnic area (2018). Front row (left to right): Quincy Mendelson, Adelaide Pollard, Hannah Woodward, Hannah Hiscott. Seond row: Eric Fernandez, Craig Group, Yuri Oksuzian, Anna Hall. Back row: Ethan Jones, Craig Dukes, Nignshun Chen, Thomas Stewart, Klye Fielman, Danny Mills. Not present: Ben Barton, Mary Blankemeier, Kristen Schumacher.

Ralf Ehrlich in front of the NOvA remote shift station.

The Antimatter Asymmetry Group in front of the first large prototype module for Mu2e (2015).

NOvA power distribution box: designed and built by the uVa group.

Bridget Mason, Ralf Ehrlich, Stephen Goadhouse, and Craig Dukes in front of the UVa-designed NOvA relay rack.

Dukes with high-rate MWPC prototype for CKM buit by the UVa group.

Jefferson's Lawn at night.

UVa group members Dukes, Ehrlich, Wang, and Goadhouse in front of the NOvA near detector prototype.

Having dinner at the Fermilab User's Center.

The NOvA power distribution system: designed and built at UVa.

University of Virginia lawn with the Rotunda in the background.

HyperCP MWCP designed and built at UVa, with Prof. Nelson and postdoc White.

The UVa-designed relay rack holding block instrumentation equipment used for the installation and monitoring of the NOvA Far Detector.

UVa postdoc Casey Durandet working on the fibers in the hadronic calorimeter built for HyperCP and also used in the MIPP experiment.

Road trip to the NOvA Far Detector site. From left to right: Stephen Goadhouse, Alexander Sirota, Elton Ho, Guillaume Bailey, Ralf Ehlich, and Bridget Mason.

Lunch on the Downtown Mall.

The High Energy Physics Laboratory at UVa.

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