My project looked for a way to mathematically track the data collected for the Standard Model Higgs Boson search at CERN (European Organization for Nuclear research):
A bit of Background on the matter:
Standard Model Higgs:
- Made up of a subatomic particle (Higgs Boson) and a ubiquitous field (Higgs Field)
- Predicted by a group of physicists led by Peter Higgs (where the name comes from) in the 1960's
- Field is responsible for giving electrons and other subatomic particles masses (like quarks, protons, leptons, etc) through Higgs Mechanism (the more a particle interacts with field, more mass it acquires)
- Boson will provide proof of the Higgs Field existing
Now, it may seem easy to think "oh, that doesn't seem like a hard thing for a particle to do, create mass", but it is. This boson fits in to a gigantic theory called the Standard Model. The Standard Model is like a gigantic puzzle, trying to fit all the known particles together and explain how they interact with one another. This theory is not only based on conceptual thinking, but complex mathematics called the Lagrangian. I won't go too far into detail, but these PDF's explain in detail how the equations are formed, what they do, and etcetera. The equation basically breaks up into creating a particle that is massive, scalar, and self-interacting, fitting the description of the SM Higgs.
This particle is found via the the Large Hadron Collider at CERN (LHC). This is a gigantic particle-accelerator that collides millions upon millions of protons together every second.
Now, the experiments at CERN that search for the SM Higgs are the ATLAS Experiment and CMS. I was able to email and get in contact with a member of the ATLAS Experiment. He provided me with hundreds upon thousands of graphs to use. Within the links below, the GIF graphs show the accumulation of data. Some of this data was used in my project for analysis.
https://twiki.cern.c...cale-Short2.gif
https://twiki.cern.c...cale-Short2.gif
https://twiki.cern.c...e-NoMuProf2.gif
https://twiki.cern.c...e-NoMuProf2.gif
The actual graphs used can be found somwhere in here: https://atlas.web.ce...SICS/CONFNOTES/
So, after combing through these graphs, choosing the 8 I wanted to use, and asking for their data plots, I ended up having to estimate all the data points myself due to legal issues with giving me the plots. These graphs ranged from January 2011 to December 2012. (I will upload pictures of the graphs used in a little bit)
After this was done, I tried to create a Java/HTML5 program that I could put the data coordinates in, have them show up on a virtual graph, and have the equation graphed with the equation. However, the program took a turn for the worse as I ended up struggling through it and was not able to fix the issues there were with the data manipulation and accumulation, so it was trashed. However, my school's laptop has a graphing program (LoggerPro) where I was able to input the data coordinates, graph it, and get the equation. With the equation used, it gave me the estimated sigma value and estimated mass.
(Graphs are uploading and will be included later)
(Data table is being uploaded and will be included later)
In conclusion, it was found that I could mathematically track and predict the mass of the SM Higgs Boson using the ATLAS Experiment's data for the SM Higgs Boson search. If I am able to get this program working (maybe with someone's help on here), I would be able to use it at the fair I am going to in the beginning of April as well as send it to my CERN contact.
At my PJAS meet, I received a First Award Perfect Score, only one of 4 from the 42 members from my school to participate, and only one of a select few from the entire meet. At the local science fair I participated in on Sunday-Wednesday (March 10-13), I won 1st place in high school mathematics and was a candidate for best in fair. Although I did not receive best in fair, I did win a Society of Professional Engineer's award for Mathematics. From winning 1st place, I am moving on to the Delaware Valley Science Fair in the beginning of April. At this fair, I could win partial/full scholarships to Drexel Univeristy, University of the Sciences, as well as many other colleges, and take home a small portion of the over $1,000,000 given away in scholarships that evening. If I do win at the Valley fair, I may even be able to go to the Intel International Science and Engineering Fair!
It stood out above the rest
The candidacy for best in fair was realized with this (just one of 4 people to receive this).
Coincidentally enough, CERN announced they are almost certain they've discovered a Higgs Boson, but they still need to do more work to determine if it is indeed the SM Higgs. This won't happen, however, until 2015 when the LHC is finished repairs. CERN's Announcement about Higgs
If you have any questions (other than when I will be uploading graphs and such), ask away! If you are interested, I can also send you the 70 page paper/report I wrote for the science fair that covers the topic in much more depth than I did here.
Edited by LaMbChOpZ, 14 March 2013 - 09:47 PM.