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Hands-on Astroparticle Physics at Gran Sasso Summer Institute

Written by katrinlink on . Posted in

1 September 2014

During the Gran Sasso Summer Institute 2014 graduate students and young post-docs will put their hands on the experiments currently running in the largest underground laboratory in the world.

The main research field at the Gran Sasso National Laboratory is astroparticle physics, lying at the intersection of particle physics, astrophysics and cosmology. Main items of research are: neutrino physics, cross-section measurements of rare nuclear processes of astrophysical relevance, neutrino-less double beta decay, dark matter searches, low rate counting for radioactivity measurements.

Neutrino experiments as BOREXINO, ICARUS, LVD, OPERA aimed at identifying and characterizing neutrinos from different natural sources, like the Sun, the Earth, the atmosphere, supernovae, or artificially produced by accelerators and other sources. CUORE, GERDA search for neutrinoless double beta decay in different isotopes. Dark matter and WIMP searches are performed in detectors exploiting complementary techniques like CRESST, DAMA, DarkSide and Xenon. Nuclear cross sections relevant in astrophysical and cosmological processes are directly measured in an underground facility called LUNA. Small effects due to general relativity are also studied by the GINGER experiment. Innovative experimental technologies are being developed by the COBRA and LUCIFER projects, aiming at the discovery of neutrinoless double beta decay.

The participants, under the supervision the Gran Sasso researchers, will be directly involved in some research activities within these experiments. The work will be carried on in small groups of 2-3 students, to promote discussion and interaction among each other in a very informal and constructive way.

Every day students will also attend short lectures, preparatory for the practical activities, about experimental topics, techniques and methods of underground astroparticle physics.

Achieved results will be published as proceeding papers in a peer-reviewed journal. Excursions and social events are planned to give the participants the chance to discover the Gran Sasso National Park and its surroundings, including the top of “Gran Sasso” Mountain (Corno Grande), the charming medieval villages nearby and the unique Castle of Calascio, where the famous movie “Ladyhawke” has been filmed.