Undiscovered subatomic particles?

OXFORD, Miss. – The work of University of Mississippi physics researchers at the Fermi National Accelerator Laboratory could point to undiscovered subatomic particles that could change the very understanding of how the universe works. 

Since its inception in 2008, the Department of Energy’s Fermi National Accelerator Laboratory’s Muon g-2 experiment, has attempted to seek new physics beyond the Standard Model, by which scientists describe and predict the actions of the universe’s basic building blocks. 

On Aug. 10, the Muon g-2 experiment found that some of the observations differ from the predictions of the Standard Model to such a degree that the differences point to the existence of previously unknown particles affecting the rotation of muons - subatomic particles roughly 200 times heavier than an electron. 

Scientists from 33 institutions across seven countries contributed to the experiment. 

Breese Quinn, UM professor of physics and director of the UM Center for Multimessenger Astrophysics, has been working on Muon g-2 since 2013. 

“Our g-2 experiment is probably the most important particle physics experiment in the world right now,” Quinn said. “This is the best evidence we’ve had for decades that we have something new in the field of particle physics.”  

In 2001, DoE's Brookhaven National Laboratory found significant hints that there are some elements that the Standard Model cannot correctly predict. 

The Fermilab Muon g-2 experiment sought to improve on those results. 

Understanding and accurately predicting forces and subatomic particles that the model does not cover could help scientists better understand the universe, Quinn said. 

Though the work is not yet finished – Quinn estimated the final data results in 2025 – these early implications show that many unknown factors may still remain that could influence particle physics. (UM 08/11/23) Researchers Find Evidence of Undiscovered Particles in New Study - Ole Miss News