Coursebooks

Selected topics in nuclear and particle physics

PHYS-400

Lecturer(s) :

Blanc Frédéric

Language:

English

Summary

This course presents the physical principles and the recent research developments on three topics of particle and nuclear physics: the physics of neutrinos, dark matter, and plasma of quarks and gluons. An emphasis is given on experimental aspects in these three fields.

Content

Neutrino physics:

• Absolute neutrino mass measurements, beta and double-beta decay experiments.
• Neutrino mass generation mechanism, Majorana and Dirac particles.
• Neutrino oscillations, MNS matrix.
• Cosmic neutrinos : origin, energy spectrum and detection.

Dark matter:

• Evidence for dark matter from astronomical and cosmological data.
• Relic particles of the "Big bang". Candidates for dark matter, and link with particle physics beyond the Standard Model.
• Direct and indirect searches for dark matter.

Quark gluon plasma (QGP):

• Plasma of quarks and gluons: properties, plasma signatures, production in the collisions of heavy ions.

 

Learning Prerequisites

Recommended courses

Nuclear and particle physics I and II, Quantum mechanics I and II, Elementary particle physics I, Physics of atoms, nuclei and elementary particles

Learning Outcomes

By the end of the course, the student must be able to:

• Interpret fundamental results in neutrino, dark matter, and quark and gluon plasma physics
• Identify the physical observables in these three fields of research
• Judge the experimental methods and results presented in scientific publications
• Discuss the experimental principles in these fields
• Assess / Evaluate the experimental sensitivity of experiments

Teaching methods

Ex cathedra and exercises in the classroom

Assessment methods

oral exam (100%)

Supervision

Office hours	No
Assistants	Yes
Forum	No

Resources

Moodle Link

• https://moodle.epfl.ch/course/view.php?id=2861