Experimental Nuclear and Subnuclear Physics
The Nuclear and Subnuclear Physics deals with the study of the reactions between elementary particles. The theory that defines our current knowledge in this area is called the Standard Model. The ongoing research aims to reach a deeper understanding of this theory and, at the same time, to the discovery of phenomena that lead to its overcoming.
Research in this area is carried out in collaboration with the National Institute of Nuclear Physics (INFN) and takes place in various international laboratories: CERN in Geneva, Fermilab in Chicago, Paul Scherrer Institut (PSI), Rutherford Appleton Laboratory (RAL) and the laboratories of Mainz and Bonn.
The local activities concern: particle physics, astroparticle physics and nuclear physics.
Study of the interactions between fundamental constituents of matter through the use of particle accelerators. The main objectives are the study of the properties of the Higgs boson and the search for possible physics scenarios beyond the Standard Model.
Local activities concern experiments at CERN (ATLAS, CMS, MUonE) and PSI (MEG), as well as R&D studies for the realization of the next generation of colliders: futures collider (RD_FCC) and muon collider (RD_MUCOL).
Study of the aspects of fundamental physics that cannot be investigated with particle accelerators and that are carried out indirectly, using the cosmos as a natural accelerator or studying extremely rare processes.
Local activities concern the study of the properties of neutrinos (ICARUS) and the study of the flux of high-energy cosmic rays (HERD).
Study of the properties of nuclear matter, from its basic components to the heaviest and most complex nuclei, present in nature or artificially produced.
Local activities concern the phase transition of nuclear and hadronic matter (ALICE), the nuclear and dynamic structure of reactions (FAMU and n_TOF) and the dynamics of quarks and hadrons (MAMBO).