Entry requirements

120 credits and Advanced particle physics and Cosmology

Learning outcomes

The course should prepare the students for research in the field of astroparticle physics, providing the necessary background so they can understand the literature and critically evaluate the significance of forthcoming experimental results and developments in the field.

On completion of the course, the student should:

• Know which kind of astrophysical environments can give rise to extremely high energetic radiation in the form of protons, gamma rays and neutrinos, and be able to explain the physical processes that produce such high energy radiation.
• Be able to explain the experimental techniques that are used to detect such radiation, as well as to identify and describe the leading experimental efforts in the field worldwide.
• Be able to explain how particle physics determines the evolution of the Universe and how the dark matter problem can be related to particle physics
• Be able to name the most common dark matter candidates
• Be familiar with the fundamental particles and their interactions in situations of relevance in astrophysics and cosmology (ie, early universe, astrophysical objects), including supersymmetry

Content

Summary of the Standard Model of elementary particle physics, including supersymmetry. Summary of

the Big Bang model. Matter, antimatter and radiation in the universe. The high-energy universe: active galactic

nuclei, gamma-ray bursts, microquasars. Production and propagation of high energy cosmic rays and neutrinos.

Experimetal techniques: detectors of atmospheric cosmic ray showers, gamma-ray telescopes, neutrino telescopes.

The problem of dark matter in the universe and experimental evidence. Candidates of dark matter. Direct and

indirect detection of dark matter.

Instruction

Lectures

Assessment

Home assignments plus a final written report on a topic chosen by the student among a proposed list, or any other relative to the contents of the course, previous agreement with the teacher. The report will be presented also orally.

The report must follow the structure of a scientific monographic paper.

If there are special reasons for doing so, an examiner may make an exception from the method of assessment indicated and allow a student to be assessed by another method. An example of special reasons might be a certificate regarding special pedagogical support from the disability coordinator of the university.