Centrum Astronomiczne im. Mikołaja Kopernika PAN
OGŁASZA NABÓR NA STUDIA DOKTORANCKIE W CENTRUM NAUKOWO-TECHNOLOGICZNYM
ASTROFIZYKI CZĄSTEK (ASTROCENT)
Centrum Astronomiczne im. Mikołaja Kopernika ogłasza nabór na I rok studiów doktoranckich na rok akademicki 2019/2020 w prowadzonej przez Centrum Szkole Doktorskiej GeoPlanet. Poszukujemy kandydatów zainteresowanych tematami badawczymi realizowanymi w Centrum Naukowo-Technologicznym Astrofizyki Cząstek (AstroCeNT) – nowej jednostce badawczej utworzonej przy Centrum Astronomicznym im. M. Kopernika w ramach programu Międzynarodowe Agendy Badawcze Fundacji na rzecz Nauki Polskiej. Program jest finansowany z Europejskiego Funduszu Rozwoju Regionalnego. Głównym obszarem działalności AstroCeNTu są badania związane z detekcją fal grawitacyjnych i ciemnej materii przy użyciu zaawansowanych instrumentów technologicznych. Więcej informacji na stronie https://astrocent.camk.edu.pl/.
Studia trwają 4 lata. Studenci I-go roku rozpoczną zajęcia 1 października 2019. W trakcie studiów doktorant powinien zaliczyć przewidziane w programie wykłady i seminaria, w tym wykłady interdyscyplinarne realizowane w instytutach tworzących szkołę doktorską, oraz przygotować pracę doktorską. Wszystkie seminaria oraz wykłady kursowe odbywają się w języku angielskim.
Na stronie https://www.camk.edu.pl/pl/phd/phdtopics_2019-20_2/ można zapoznać się z listą potencjalnych promotorów i opisem zgłoszonych przez nich tematów. Kandydat zamierzający ubiegać się o przyjęcie na studia w Centrum po wybraniu tematu powinien skontaktować się z właściwym opiekunem w celu uzyskania bliższych informacji. Regulamin szkoły doktorskiej oraz program kształcenia znajdują się na stronie https://www.camk.edu.pl/pl/phd/.
Kandydaci są proszeni o złożenie następujących dokumentów:
- wniosku o przyjęcie do szkoły doktorskiej, zgodnie ze wzorem dostępnym na stronie internetowej CAMK wraz ze zgodą na przetwarzanie danych osobowych;
- odpisu dyplomu ukończenia studiów bądź zaświadczenia o ich ukończeniu. W przypadku, gdy kandydat nie dysponuje ww. dokumentami, ma obowiązek dostarczyć je przed przyjęciem do szkoły doktorskiej;
- wykazu ocen uzyskanych na studiach pierwszego i drugiego stopnia lub wykazu ocen uzyskanych w trakcie jednolitych studiów magisterskich;
- życiorysu zawierający przebieg dotychczasowego kształcenia i zatrudnienia;
- listu motywacyjnego zawierającego krótki opis zainteresowań, osiągnięć naukowych, listę publikacji, informacje o zaangażowaniu w działalność naukową (członkostwo w kołach naukowych, udział w konferencjach naukowych, odbyte staże i szkolenia, uzyskane nagrody i wyróżnienia) oraz uzasadnienie zamiaru podjęcia kształcenia w szkole doktorskiej;
- certyfikatu lub innych dokumentów świadczących o stopniu znajomości języka angielskiego, jeśli kandydat nimi dysponuje.
Dodatkowo co najmniej jeden list rekomendacyjny powinien zostać przesłany bezpośrednio na adres: phdstudies@camk.edu.pl. Kandydaci, którzy ukończyli pisanie pracy magisterskiej mogą dołączyć jej kopię.
Wniosek o przyjęcie na studia należy złożyć do Dyrekcji Centrum w terminie do 7 lipca 2019. Aplikacje można składać pocztą lub przez internet, na adres phdstudies@camk.edu.pl.
Listę osób przyjętych na studia ustali Komisja Kwalifikacyjna po przeprowadzeniu wstępnej selekcji i rozmów z wybranymi kandydatami, które odbędą się w dniach 17 i 18 lipca 2019 w godzinach 10-15. O wynikach konkursu kandydaci zostaną powiadomieni pocztą elektroniczną w terminie do końca lipca 2019 r. Dodatkowe informacje można uzyskać od koordynatora szkoły doktorskiej dr hab. Radosława Smolca (smolec@camk.edu.pl) lub w sekretariacie Centrum (mgr Katarzyna Morawska, kasia@camk.edu.pl).
Warszawa, 3 czerwca 2019r.
prof. dr hab. Piotr Życki
Dyrektor Centrum
Proposed subjects of PhD theses 2019/2020 at AstroCeNT
Subject: Measuring infrasound fields influence on GW detectors
Advisor: Prof. Tomasz Bulik (bulik@camk.edu.pl)
Co-advisor: Dr. Mariusz Suchenek
The project aims at the construction of an infra-sound sensor working in the frequency range below 10Hz. The sensor will be the basis for construction of a system to monitor the infra-sound field inside buildings in real time. The second part of the project is the construction of data acquisition system allowing to measure infra-sound from a network of 10-20 sensors and off-line analysis of infra-sound sources.
Subject: Design and testing of a new magnetic seismic sensor
Advisor: Prof. Tomasz Bulik (bulik@camk.edu.pl)
Co-advisor: Dr. Mariusz Suchenek
Construction and optimization of the seismic sensor working on the basis of magnetic compensation of a suspended test mass. The goal is to construct a sensor that will measure the mechanical vibration through the voltage required to maintain the suspended mass at rest.
Subject: Measurement of nuclear recoils in liquid argon for dark matter searches
Advisor: Prof. Leszek Roszkowski (CAMK PAN)
Co-advisor: Dr Masayuki Wada (CAMK PAN, mwada@princeton.edu)
Co-advisor: Prof. Cristiano Galbiati (Princeton and GSSI, Italy, galbiati@Princeton.edu)
Today, dark matter represents the first evidence for new physics beyond the Standard Model, which is extremely successful to explain all observed phenomena in experimental particle physics, including the recent discovery of the Higgs boson. Currently, DarkSide, a liquid argon-based direct dark matter search experiment, has world-leading sensitivity for light dark matter candidates. The detailed characterization of liquid argon response to nuclear recoils (possible signals from dark matter particles) at low energy is essential to extend the sensitivity to lighter dark matter particles.
This project involves research on different aspects of the liquid-argon Time Projection Chamber (TPC) including designing and building of TPC, handling cryogenic system, simulating detector response using GEANT4, data acquisition, and analysis to draw physics results. Within this project, the obtained results will be used to re-analyze available data from DarkSide-50 experiment, which could lead to the world best results for light dark matter search.
The position is available for up to four years and funded by a studentship of 4700 PLN per month, plus medical and social insurance benefits. The position is available from Autumn 2019. The candidate is expected to have master degree in physics or astronomy at the starting date.
Note: This project is optionally available as a dual PhD program with Gran Sasso Science Institute (GSSI), leading to two PhD degrees (one in Poland and one in Italy); the successful candidate must satisfy PhD requirements of both CAMK PAN and GSSI. Long-term visits to GSSI will optionally be funded.
Subject: Development of ultra-radiopure photodetector and light guides for Dark Matter direct search and neutrinoless double beta decay experiment
Advisor: Prof. Leszek Roszkowski (Astrocent, CAMK PAN)
Co-advisor: Dr Masayuki Wada (Astrocent, CAMK PAN, mwada@princeton.edu)
Co-advisor: Prof. Cristiano Galbiati (Princeton and GSSI, Italy, galbiati@Princeton.edu)
In rare event search experiments, such as dark matter searches and neutrinoless double beta decay searches, background event rates have to be suppressed below expected signal rates. In order to reach ultimate sensitivities for those searches, background contributions from detector components need to be suppressed. In this project, we focus on the photodetection part of detectors (silicon-based photodetector modules and light guides), which is a leading background contributor in both dark matter and neutrinoless double beta decay searches.
This project involves research on different aspects of the photodetector in cryogenic temperature including searching for radiopure components for the photo-detector and light guide, assaying materials, handling cryogenic system, and optimization of coupling between the photodetector and the light guide. This project also aims to design a photodetector module and to estimate sensitivities for future experiments.
The position is available for up to four years and funded by a studentship of 4700 PLN per month, plus medical and social insurance benefits. The position is available from Autumn 2019. The candidate is expected to have master degree in physics or astronomy at the starting date.
Note: This project is optionally available as a dual PhD program with Gran Sasso Science Institute (GSSI), leading to two PhD degrees (one in Poland and one in Italy); the successful candidate must satisfy PhD requirements of both CAMK PAN and GSSI. Long-term visits to GSSI will optionally be funded.
Subject: Optimization of pulse-shape discrimination for liquid argon based dark matter searches using silicon photomultipliers
Advisor: Prof. Leszek Roszkowski (CAMK PAN)
Co-advisor: Dr Marcin Kuźniak (CAMK PAN, mkuzniak@physics.carleton.ca)
Co-advisor: Dr Davide Franco (Astroparticle and Cosmology (APC) laboratory in Paris, France, dfranco@in2p3.fr)
Liquid argon based dark matter detectors currently taking data (DEAP-3600) or planned (DarkSide-20k, Argo) have a significant potential to discover Weakly Interacting Massive Particles (WIMPs) and will reach the ultimate sensitivity accessible to such searches. With silicon photomultipliers (SiPM), recently introduced novel light sensors to be used by the next round of experiments, pulse-shape discrimination (the key technique necessary to mitigate backgrounds in liquid argon), requires computational and experimental studies necessary to optimize it for better sensitivity to WIMPs.
This project includes testing of novel SiPM modules developed by the DarkSide collaboration, as well as the cutting-edge digital version of SiPMs, which is under development for future detectors at the Universite de Sherbrooke (Canada) and elsewhere.
Data from small and intermediate scale prototype detectors operated by the Global Argon Dark Matter Collaboration will be available for this analysis, with the goal of extracting important physics results with the optimized method.
The position is available for up to four years and funded by a studentship of 4700 PLN per month, plus medical and social insurance benefits. The position is available from Autumn 2019. The candidate is expected to have master degree in physics or astronomy at the starting date.
Note: This project is optionally available as a dual PhD program with the Astroparticle and Cosmology (APC) laboratory in Paris, leading to two PhD degrees (one in Poland and one in France); the successful candidate must satisfy PhD requirements of both CAMK PAN and APC. Long-term visits to APC and Sherbrooke will optionally be funded.
Subject: Development of novel wavelength shifters for future dark matter detectors
Advisor: Prof. Leszek Roszkowski (CAMK PAN)
Co-advisor: Dr Marcin Kuźniak (CAMK PAN, mkuzniak@physics.carleton.ca)
Co-advisor: Prof. Cristiano Galbiati (Princeton and GSSI, Italy, galbiati@Princeton.edu)
Liquid argon based dark matter detectors currently taking data (DEAP-3600) or planned (DarkSide-20k, Argo) have a significant potential to discover Weakly Interacting Massive Particles (WIMPs) and will reach the ultimate sensitivity accessible to such searches. In such detectors, wavelength shifter (WLS) materials are used to convert argon scintillation light (at 128 nm) to visible wavelengths, which can be efficiently detected by standard sensors.
This project involves comparative study of the most commonly used WLS and its novel alternatives, and selecting the best candidate tailored for specific application in the planned experiments, which would lead to extending their physics reach. Another aspect of this study is the compatibility of such new materials with silicon photomultipliers (SiPM) used by DarkSide-20k, quantifying their impact on the sensitivity of future experiments, and optimizing the light collection with Monte Carlo simulations.
The scope of this work includes R&D shared with collaborating institutions in Poland, Canada and Italy, and possible participation in development and installation of SiPM and WLS for the DarkSide-20k veto at Laboratori Nazionali del Gran Sasso (Italy).
The position is available for up to four years and funded by a studentship of 4700 PLN per month, plus medical and social insurance benefits. The position is available from Autumn 2019. The candidate is expected to have master degree in physics or astronomy at the starting date.
Note: This project is optionally available as a dual PhD program with Gran Sasso Science Institute (GSSI), leading to two PhD degrees (one in Poland and one in Italy); the successful candidate must satisfy PhD requirements of both CAMK PAN and GSSI. It will possibly involve extended visits to GSSI and Carleton University (Canada).
Subject: Search for dark matter with liquid argon detectors
Advisor: Prof. Leszek Roszkowski (CAMK PAN)
Co-advisor: Dr Marcin Kuźniak (CAMK PAN, mkuzniak@physics.carleton.ca)
Co-advisor: Dr Davide Franco (Astroparticle and Cosmology (APC) laboratory in Paris, France, dfranco@in2p3.fr)
The DEAP-3600 is a single-phase detector located 2 km underground at SNOLAB (Sudbury, Ontario), which searches for dark matter particle interactions with 3.3 tonnes total mass of liquid argon (LAr). DEAP-3600 has published the best limit on the WIMP-nucleon cross-section measured on Ar, and continues to take data as currently the only running LAr detector, with nearly 0.5 PB of data already collected and more coming in, bringing DEAP towards the design sensitivity competitive with xenon detectors.
The final analysis of the full 3-year dataset will require much more aggressive mitigation of backgrounds from natural sources of radioactivity as well as a multivariate, machine learning and/or profile likelihood ratio based analysis approach, which in a large part still needs to be developed.
The proposed topic involves analysis of data collected by the DEAP-3600 detector, with particular emphasis to exotic dark matter scenarios (Boosted Dark Matter, in particular) and background mitigation. Another aspect of this work is exploring the sensitivity of future detectors (DarkSide-20k, Argo) to this type of physics, and how it is impacted by instrumental backgrounds and non-linear response effects associated with the novel silicon photomultiplier-based detection and acquisition system.
The position is available for up to four years and funded by a studentship of 4700 PLN per month, plus medical and social insurance benefits. The position is available from Autumn 2019. The candidate is expected to have master degree in physics or astronomy at the starting date.
Note: This project is optionally available as a dual PhD program with the Astroparticle and Cosmology (APC) laboratory in Paris, leading to two PhD degrees (one in Poland and one in France); the successful candidate must satisfy PhD requirements of both CAMK PAN and APC. Long-term visits to APC and Carleton University (Canada) will optionally be funded.
