"This award is funded under the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (Public Law 111-5)."
The last decade has witnessed a revolution in our understanding of the early and present Universe with the confirmation that seeds of quantum mechanical origin are ultimately responsible for the formation of galaxies, and that 95% of the energy density in the Universe is in the form of Dark Matter and Dark Energy. Forthcoming cosmological observations and accelerator experiments will reveal more awe inspiring phenomena that will challenge our understanding but present us with the opportunity of an unprecedented convergence of nuclear, particle physics, astrophysics and cosmology. The discovery that neutrinos have masses and mix ushered in a new era in which early Universe cosmology, large scale structure formation and stellar evolution combine with cosmological observations and accelerator experiments to offer a glimpse beyond the standard model of particle physics which may open the window towards deeper understanding of Dark Matter and Dark Energy. This project describes a continuation of interdisciplinary research efforts in early Universe Cosmology and Particle Physics. We present a program to assess neutrinos in extensions beyond the standard model as possible Dark Matter candidates by providing a comprehensive framework to study their production, evolution and gravitational clustering properties. We also seek to understand quantum processes and correlations during the inflationary stage in the early Universe and their potential observability with forthcoming measurements. This program is driven by and complements strong experimental and observational programs in particle physics, astrophysics and cosmology, and implements a wide range of interdisciplinary methods borrowed from quantum optics and condensed matter out of equilibrium to provide a fundamental framework for the assessment of novel phenomena and explore their observable consequences. This is an interdisciplinary program at the forefront of nuclear and particle physics and astrophysics and cosmology. Neutrinos not only open a window to physics beyond the standard model, but are the common link between nuclear and particle physics, astrophysics and cosmology. The notion that the Universe that we see today was born out of small quantum fluctuations during an early phase of rapid expansion is awe inspiring, intellectually challenging and stimulating. Understanding the past and present of our Universe and the origin of the largest structures beginning from the smallest constituents, and opening a window to the early Universe with satellites, telescopes, detectors and accelerators are clearly some of the most fascinating intellectual questions, and undoubtedly one of the most challenging and rewarding endeavors. The broader impacts are as follows: Many of the aspects explored in this program, such as quantum kinetics and coherence are of broad interest across fields. Furthermore neutrino oscillations provide an arena to study macroscopic quantum coherence and the interplay between environmental decoherence and relaxation. The concepts and methods involved in this study are also relevant in condensed matter and quantum optics motivated by quantum computing. The appeal of studying the early Universe and some of the most exotic objects in the present Universe goes beyond the scientists working in these areas, and reaches out to the broad audience.
