Acronyms: HEP
Type: Disciplinario
Year founded: 2003
Coordinator: Prof. Alberto Gago
E-mail address: grupo.altas.energias@pucp.edu.pe
General objectives:
High energy physics, also referred to as particle physics, studies matter and interactions at their most fundamental level. The Standard Model describes matter as quarks and leptons, interacting through strong, electromagnetic and weak forces. Quarks are fermions divided into up and down types, which are subject to the three interactions. Leptons are also fermions, but do not interact through the strong force. They are divided into charged leptons and neutrinos, with only the former interacting through the electromagnetic force. The forces, in turn, are described by gluons (strong), photons (electromagnetic) and W and Z bosons (weak). Masses in the model are due to the Brout-Englert-Higgs mechanism, which manifests itself by the Higgs boson.
The High Energy Physics (HEP) group at Pontificia Universidad Católica del Perú (PUCP) is the leading particle physics group in Peru. Since its foundation on 2003 by Prof. Alberto Gago, the group has been actively involved in cutting-edge research.
The group activities involve participation in experiments such as ALICE (heavy ion collisions at the LHC), MINERvA (neutrino cross-section measurements), and DUNE (neutrino oscillations). The phenomenology interest of the group lies primarily in physics and astrophysics related to neutrinos. Nevertheless, we are also involved in several topics ranging from multimessenger studies to searches for physics beyond the Standard Model at colliders.
Research lines:
Our group concentrates on the following areas:
- Neutrino oscillation phenomenology
- Heavy neutrino physics
- Multimessenger astronomy
- Neutrino astrophysics
- Portable detector design
- Long-lived particles.
- Supersymmetry
The group is also a member of the following experiments:
Web: https://investigacion.pucp.edu.pe/grupos/hep/