Particle Physics and Cosmology


Book Description

This readable introduction to particle physics and cosmology discusses the interaction of these two fundamental branches of physics and considers recent advances beyond the standard models. Eight chapters comprise a brief introduction to the gauge theories of the strong and the electroweak interactions, the so-called grand unified theories, and general relativity. Ten more chapters address recent concepts such as composite fermions and bosons, supersymmetry, quantum gravity, supergravity, and strings theories, and relate them to modern cosmology and experimental astronomy.




Recent Developments in Particle Physics and Cosmology


Book Description

The NATO Advanced Study Institute 2000 was held in Cascais, a small town located in a renowned beach resort area, near Lisbon. The aim of the Meeting was to provide an overview and to cover the recent devel opments in some of the most important topics in Particle Physics and Cosmology, including Neutrino Physics, CP violation, B-Physics, Baryo genesis, Dark Matter, Inflation, Supersymmetry, Unified Theories, Large Extra-Di~ensions and M-theory. In the NATO ASI 2000, we had the priv ilege to have among the lecturers, some of the most prominent physicists working in the fields of Particle Physics and Cosmology. Furthermore, there was a strong participation by a large number of young scientists, including graduate students and post-docs who had an opportunity to learn about the latest developments in the field and discuss the various topics with lec turers and other participants. The enthusiasm of the young participants, the generosity of the lecturers in giving their time to participate in open discussions and debates, together with the social events and the pleasant environment of Cascais, all contributed to the great success of the Meeting. We are very grateful to Camara Municipal de Cascais for their support and organization of the reception in the beautiful Palace Condes Castro de Guimaraes and we are also specially grateful to colonel Eugenio de Oliveira for his support, to commander A. Monteiro de Macedo and to Mr.




Neutrinos in Particle Physics, Astronomy and Cosmology


Book Description

"Neutrinos in Particle Physics, Astronomy and Cosmology" provides a comprehensive and up-to-date introduction to neutrino physics, neutrino astronomy and neutrino cosmology. The intrinsic properties and fundamental interactions of neutrinos are described, as is the phenomenology of lepton flavor mixing, seesaw mechanisms and neutrino oscillations. The cosmic neutrino background, stellar neutrinos, supernova neutrinos and ultrahigh-energy cosmic neutrinos, together with the cosmological matter-antimatter asymmetry and other roles of massive neutrinos in cosmology, are discussed in detail. This book is intended for researchers and graduate students in the fields of particle physics, particle astrophysics and cosmology. Dr. Zhizhong Xing is a professor at the Institute of High Energy Physics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, China; Dr. Shun Zhou is currently a postdoctoral fellow at the Max Planck Institute for Physics, Germany.




Particle Physics and Inflationary Cosmology


Book Description

A monograph on inflationary cosmology and cosmological phase transitions, investigating modern cosmology's relationship to elementary particle physics. This work also includes a non-technical discussion of inflationary cosmology for those unfamiliar with the theory.




Cosmic Rays and Particle Physics


Book Description

Over recent years there has been marked growth in interest in the study of techniques of cosmic ray physics by astrophysicists and particle physicists. Cosmic radiation is important for the astrophysicist because in the farther reaches of the universe. For particle physicists, it provides the opportunity to study neutrinos and very high energy particles of galactic origin. More importantly, cosmic rays constitue the background, and in some cases possibly the signal, for the more exotic unconfirmed hypothesized particles such as monopoles and sparticles. Concentrating on the highest energy cosmic rays, this book describes where they originate, acquire energy, and interact, in accreting neutron stars, supernova remnants, in large-scale shock waves. It also describes their interactions in the atmosphere and in the earth, how they are studied in surface and very large underground detectors, and what they tell us.




Fundamentals of Cosmic Particle Physics


Book Description

This current updated and expanded text reflects the large number of scientific advances, both theoretically and experimentally, within the discipline of cosmoparticle physics in the last 10 years. Some of the topics that have been added, updated include but are not limited to; HND or CMD+HND scenarios being implemented into sterile neutrino scenarios, the ramifications of extending the forms of dark matter with respect to our view of neutrinos, the origin of baryon matter and the need for non-baryonic matter in current theories, problems the existence of dark matters raises with respect to cosmoparticle physics and the relationship with (meta) stable (super) weakly interacting particles predicted by the extension of the standard model, restrictions on baryon and lepton photons, as well as problems associated with cosmological expansion just to name a few. These and many other topics are readdressed in light of recent both experimental and theoretical developments. Other areas of that will be of interest to the reader include the puzzles presented by direct and indirect effects of dark matter (e.g, results of experiments such as DAMA/NaI, DAMA/LIBRA and PAMELA) may lead to nontrivial new solutions for the problem of its nature, like the existence of new stable families of quarks and leptons and composite dark matter scenario. The present work will be of interest to any researcher interested in this fascinating field dealing with fundamental interactions of the micro- and macroworld.




Introduction to Particle and Astroparticle Physics


Book Description

This book introduces particle physics, astrophysics and cosmology. Starting from an experimental perspective, it provides a unified view of these fields that reflects the very rapid advances being made. This new edition has a number of improvements and has been updated to describe the recent discovery of gravitational waves and astrophysical neutrinos, which started the new era of multimessenger astrophysics; it also includes new results on the Higgs particle. Astroparticle and particle physics share a common problem: we still don’t have a description of the main ingredients of the Universe from the point of view of its energy budget. Addressing these fascinating issues, and offering a balanced introduction to particle and astroparticle physics that requires only a basic understanding of quantum and classical physics, this book is a valuable resource, particularly for advanced undergraduate students and for those embarking on graduate courses. It includes exercises that offer readers practical insights. It can be used equally well as a self-study book, a reference and a textbook.




Lost in Math


Book Description

In this "provocative" book (New York Times), a contrarian physicist argues that her field's modern obsession with beauty has given us wonderful math but bad science. Whether pondering black holes or predicting discoveries at CERN, physicists believe the best theories are beautiful, natural, and elegant, and this standard separates popular theories from disposable ones. This is why, Sabine Hossenfelder argues, we have not seen a major breakthrough in the foundations of physics for more than four decades. The belief in beauty has become so dogmatic that it now conflicts with scientific objectivity: observation has been unable to confirm mindboggling theories, like supersymmetry or grand unification, invented by physicists based on aesthetic criteria. Worse, these "too good to not be true" theories are actually untestable and they have left the field in a cul-de-sac. To escape, physicists must rethink their methods. Only by embracing reality as it is can science discover the truth.




Particle Physics and Cosmology: Dark Matter


Book Description

At least eighty percent of the mass of the universe consists of some material which, unlike ordinary matter, neither emits nor absorbs light. This book collects key papers related to the discovery of this astonishing fact and its profound implications for astrophysics, cosmology, and the physics of elementary particles. The book focuses on the likely possibility that the dark matter is composed of an as yet undiscovered elementary particle, and examines the boundaries of our present knowledge of the properties such a particle must possess.




Fundamentals of Neutrino Physics and Astrophysics


Book Description

Our Universe is made of a dozen fundamental building blocks. Among these, neutrinos are the most mysterious - but they are the second most abundant particles in the Universe. This book provides detailed discussions of how to describe neutrinos, their basic properties, and the roles they play in nature.