Research Tristan du Pree
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Updated:
August 2018
Higgs from Z to A - 'In 2012 the Higgs boson was discovered, at the CERN LHC accelerator. In this research, to be conducted at the ATLAS experiment, physicists will use Higgs bosons to study its properties with precision measurements, to search for other scalar particles, and to shine a light on Dark Matter.' (NWO Vidi abstract)
Higgs bosons and Dark Matter
Since 2010, my research focuses on searches for Higgs bosons and Dark Matter. Using collisions at the CERN Large Hadron Collider, I have two main goals: understand the properties of the Higgs boson, and find the first direct evidence of Dark Matter particles. These are among the Big Physics Questions. To answer these questions, I often use final states with b jets, which originate from the hadronization of long-lived b quarks. For their precise identification and reconstruction, ATLAS and CMS are excellent detectors.
Flavor physics
My PhD research was on the physics of B particles. At LHCb, I searched for asymmetries in the decay of Bs mesons.
Such precision studies are used to search for indirect hints for physics beyond the standard model, and can help to understand the differences between matter and anti-matter in the Universe.
Theoretical physics
My MSc thesis was on the theory of supersymmetric cosmological strings, at Gerard 't Hooft's Institute for Theoretical Physics at Utrecht University. Cosmic strings are topological defects that can appear in various theories, including supersymmetry.