Selected Exercises in Particle and Nuclear Physics


Book Description

This book presents more than 300 exercises, with guided solutions, on topics that span both the experimental and the theoretical aspects of particle physics. The exercises are organized by subject, covering kinematics, interactions of particles with matter, particle detectors, hadrons and resonances, electroweak interactions and flavor physics, statistics and data analysis, and accelerators and beam dynamics. Some 200 of the exercises, including 50 in multiple-choice format, derive from exams set by the Italian National Institute for Nuclear Research (INFN) over the past decade to select its scientific staff of experimental researchers. The remainder comprise problems taken from the undergraduate classes at ETH Zurich or inspired by classic textbooks. Whenever appropriate, in-depth information is provided on the source of the problem, and readers will also benefit from the inclusion of bibliographic details and short dissertations on particular topics. This book is an ideal complement to textbooks on experimental and theoretical particle physics and will enable students to evaluate their knowledge and preparedness for exams.




The Anomalous Magnetic Moment of the Muon


Book Description

This book reviews the present state of knowledge of the anomalous magnetic moment a=(g-2)/2 of the muon. The muon anomalous magnetic moment is one of the most precisely measured quantities in elementary particle physics and provides one of the most stringent tests of relativistic quantum field theory as a fundamental theoretical framework. It allows for an extremely precise check of the standard model of elementary particles and of its limitations.




Top Quark Physics at Hadron Colliders


Book Description

This will be a required acquisition text for academic libraries. More than ten years after its discovery, still relatively little is known about the top quark, the heaviest known elementary particle. This extensive survey summarizes and reviews top-quark physics based on the precision measurements at the Fermilab Tevatron Collider, as well as examining in detail the sensitivity of these experiments to new physics. Finally, the author provides an overview of top quark physics at the Large Hadron Collider.




Introduction to Relativistic Heavy Ion Physics


Book Description

This book attempts to cover the fascinating field of physics of relativistic heavy ions, mainly from the experimentalist's point of view. After the introductory chapter on quantum chromodynamics, basic properties of atomic nuclei, sources of relativistic nuclei, and typical detector set-ups are described in three subsequent chapters. Experimental facts on collisions of relativistic heavy ions are systematically presented in 15 consecutive chapters, starting from the simplest features like cross sections, multiplicities, and spectra of secondary particles and going to more involved characteristics like correlations, various relatively rare processes, and newly discovered features: collective flow, high pT suppression and jet quenching. Some entirely new topics are included, such as the difference between neutron and proton radii in nuclei, heavy hypernuclei, and electromagnetic effects on secondary particle spectra.Phenomenological approaches and related simple models are discussed in parallel with the presentation of experimental data. Near the end of the book, recent ideas about the new state of matter created in collisions of ultrarelativistic nuclei are discussed. In the final chapter, some predictions are given for nuclear collisions in the Large Hadron Collider (LHC), now in construction at the site of the European Organization for Nuclear Research (CERN), Geneva. Finally, the appendix gives us basic notions of relativistic kinematics, and lists the main international conferences related to this field. A concise reference book on physics of relativistic heavy ions, it shows the present status of this field.




Statistical Methods for Data Analysis in Particle Physics


Book Description

This concise set of course-based notes provides the reader with the main concepts and tools needed to perform statistical analyses of experimental data, in particular in the field of high-energy physics (HEP). First, the book provides an introduction to probability theory and basic statistics, mainly intended as a refresher from readers’ advanced undergraduate studies, but also to help them clearly distinguish between the Frequentist and Bayesian approaches and interpretations in subsequent applications. More advanced concepts and applications are gradually introduced, culminating in the chapter on both discoveries and upper limits, as many applications in HEP concern hypothesis testing, where the main goal is often to provide better and better limits so as to eventually be able to distinguish between competing hypotheses, or to rule out some of them altogether. Many worked-out examples will help newcomers to the field and graduate students alike understand the pitfalls involved in applying theoretical concepts to actual data. This new second edition significantly expands on the original material, with more background content (e.g. the Markov Chain Monte Carlo method, best linear unbiased estimator), applications (unfolding and regularization procedures, control regions and simultaneous fits, machine learning concepts) and examples (e.g. look-elsewhere effect calculation).




Superstrings and Supergravity,


Book Description

The topics covered in this book include: Aspects of Quantum gravity. Introduction to supersymmetry. Supersymmetric field theories and the gauge covariant field theory of strings. Superspace and supergraphs. Connection between supergravity and strings. Introduction to superstring. Scatter coupling supergravity - general features and new results. Supersymmetry, supergravity and superstring phenomenology. Kaluza klein and superstrings.




The Additional Dimensions


Book Description

Given the unprecedented opportunities that architects have been given to build in China since the turn of the century, it is surprising that we should focus on a modest middle school in the suburbs of Beijing Yet, as Austin Williams explains, the Chinese firm Atelier Fronti have tried with Baiziwan Middle School to make architecture relevant in a process which has very little regard for it. World / Building is a series of essays exploring how contemporary architecture informs the world. And how the world informs it. It is also a platform for architectural critics to explore in depth their craft through a building that explores this conundrum. It asks the obvious question, "what should architecture do?" and the less obvious one: “how should it be judged?”




Diffraction Radiation from Relativistic Particles


Book Description

This book deals with diffraction radiation, which implies the boundary problems of electromagnetic radiation theory. Diffraction radiation is generated when a charged particle moves near a target edge at a distance ( – Lorentz factor, – wave length). Diffraction radiation of non-relativistic particles is widely used to design intense emitters in the cm wavelength range. Diffraction radiation from relativistic charged particles is important for noninvasive beam diagnostics and design of free electron lasers based on Smith-Purcell radiation which is diffraction radiation from periodic structures. Different analytical models of diffraction radiation and results of recent experimental studies are presented in this book. The book may also serve as guide to classical electrodynamics applications in beam physics and electrodynamics. It can be of great use for young researchers to develop skills and for experienced scientists to obtain new results.




Electronics for Radiation Detection


Book Description

There is a growing need to understand and combat potential radiation damage problems in semiconductor devices and circuits. Assessing the billion-dollar market for detection equipment in the context of medical imaging using ionizing radiation, Electronics for Radiation Detection presents valuable information that will help integrated circuit (IC) designers and other electronics professionals take full advantage of the tremendous developments and opportunities associated with this burgeoning field. Assembling contributions from industrial and academic experts, this book— Addresses the state of the art in the design of semiconductor detectors, integrated circuits, and other electronics used in radiation detection Analyzes the main effects of radiation in semiconductor devices and circuits, paying special attention to degradation observed in MOS devices and circuits when they are irradiated Explains how circuits are built to deal with radiation, focusing on practical information about how they are being used, rather than mathematical details Radiation detection is critical in space applications, nuclear physics, semiconductor processing, and medical imaging, as well as security, drug development, and modern silicon processing techniques. The authors discuss new opportunities in these fields and address emerging detector technologies, circuit design techniques, new materials, and innovative system approaches. Aimed at postgraduate researchers and practicing engineers, this book is a must for those serious about improving their understanding of electronics used in radiation detection. The information presented here can help you make optimal use of electronic detection equipment and stimulate further interest in its development, use, and benefits.




Weak Scale Supersymmetry


Book Description

This OA text develops the basic concepts of supersymmetry for experimental and phenomenological particle physicists and graduate students.