| Date | Reading and Homework Assignment (* items optional) |
|---|---|
| Mon. Jan. 11, 2016 |
The basics of accelerator physics: an overview of accelerator properties. No homework. |
| Wed. Jan. 13, 2016 |
Energy and Luminosity: the two major parameters of a particle
accelerator. Fixed target and collider cases. Proof that a FODO
arrangement leads to a net focusing effect. We call this "strong
focusing".
Homework (due 1/20/16): Make, using ROOT or python, a "Livingston plot" (look up what that is) for accelerators in the 1990's and beyond, including any that are planned (5 to 10 are enough). Of course, we are only interested in nuclear and particle physics accelerators. Plot also the design luminosity vs. Year as a separate plot. |
| Fri. Jan. 15, 2016 |
The Large Hadron Collider (by Dr. V. Kaushik).
No homework. |
| Wed. Jan. 20, 2016 |
A review of QED cross-sections: energy dependence, dependence on
charge, helicity. The ratio R_{e+e-} as a function of energy. The
number of colors of quarks.
Homework (due 1/27/16): Griffiths 8.1, 8.2*. |
| Fri. Jan. 22, 2016 |
Scattering of electrons from protons at high energies: how to deal
with the proton, which is not an elementary particle, using only
Lorentz invariance and gauge invariance. Only two unknown "form factors"
remain after imposing these conditions and their q2=0 limit
can be obtained by considering the proton to be fundamental, like the
muon. Comments on deep inelastic scattering and why it deserves more
attention in a particle physics course!
Homework (due 1/27/16): Griffiths 8.5, 8.6*. |
| Mon. Jan. 25, 2016 |
The WKB approximation and George Gamow's theory of alpha decay. This
theory explains the Geiger-Nutall Law and how to get 26 orders of
magnitude in lifetimes when the alpha energies all lie in a narrow
range of [4, 9] MeV. Extensions to the theory deal with centrifugal
barriers due to the l-value differing from zero, and due to different
masses in the four alpha-decay families.
Homework (due 2/3/16): No homework. |
| Wed. Jan. 27, 2016 | Concepts in scattering theory:
elastic scattering, channels, impact parameter, Q-value, cross-section
(total, elastic, inelastic), flux, event rate. The de Broglie
wavelength. Semi-classical approach leads to a rough correspondence
between impact parameter zones around the scatterer and angular
momentum, but this only works on average. The method of partial waves:
incoming and outgoing spherical waves. Scattering amplitude for a
given l-value.
Homework (due 2/3/16): No homework. |
| Fri. Jan. 29, 2016 |
Partial waves, continued. Hard sphere, black disk. Resonance theory, general ideas.
Homework (due 2/3/16): No homework. |
| Mon. Feb. 1, 2016 |
A survey of resonance theory: connection with the logarithmic
derivative at the nuclear surface, resonance conditions,
Blatt-Weisskopf barrier penetration factors, the Argand
plot, the S-matrix, and K-matrix theory.
Homework (due 2/10/16): No homework. |
| Wed. Feb. 3, 2016 |
QCD vs. QED and their essential differences: coupling constant, color,
number of diagrams, non-Abelian nature, SU(3). Feynman rules for QCD.
Homework (due 2/10/16): Griffiths 8.12, 8.13*. |
| Fri. Feb. 5, 2016 |
Calculation of color factors for the simplest QCD processes:
quark-antiquark, and quark-quark to show that the qqbar preferred
state is a singlet, an argument (not proof!) of why mesons are in
singlet states. Similarly, the di-quark preferred state is a triplet,
which when combined with another quark again indicates stable
color-singlet baryons.
Homework (due 2/10/16): Griffiths 8.17. |
| Mon. Feb. 8, 2016 |
qqbar annihilation calculation; branching ratio of eta to gg vs eta to gamma gamma.
Homework (due 2/17/16): Griffiths 8.21. |
| Wed. Feb. 10, 2016 |
Renormalization in QED and QCD. The running of coupling constants with
energy in QED and in QCD. A simple derivation of the
Renormalization Group Equation. The β(g) function in SU(N).
The particle physics part of the story of Ken Wilson.
Homework (due 2/17/16): No homework. |
| Fri. Feb. 12, 2016 |
Beta Decay: Energy range of beta rays. K-capture. Angular momentum and
energy arguments for Pauli's neutrino hypothesis. Phase space, the
electron energy spectrum, Kurie plots, the end point of the spectrum,
and neutrino mass. Allowed and forbidden decays. Fermi and
Gamow-Teller transitions. The four-particle vertex and Fermi theory of
beta decay.
Homework (due 2/17/16): No homework. |
| Mon. Feb. 15, 2016 |
4-fermion vertices and the Fermi theory of weak interactions. The
interaction of electrons and neutrinos. The Fermi constant GF and its
connection to the mass of the W-boson and the weak
charge. Transformation properties of bilinear covariants under Lorentz
transformations and parity; construction of currents with such
behavior. Cases considered include S (scalar), P (pseudo-scalar), V
(vector), A (axial vector), and T (tensor).
Homework (due 2/24/16): No homework. |
| Wed. Feb. 17, 2016 |
Neutrino-electron scattering cross-section. The scale of weak
interaction cross-sections. The helicity of fermions interacting in
weak processes. Unitarity violation when the Fermi constant is used blindly.
Homework (due 2/24/16): Griffiths 9.2. |
| Fri. Feb. 19, 2016 |
The muon decay rate: calculation using the 4-fermion vertex. The
electron energy spectrum in muon decays; its V-A nature. In what sense
does the "muon analyze its own spin".
Homework (due 2/24/16): Find the differential decay rate for muons (dΓ/dE, where E is the electron energy) assuming a V+A weak interaction. |
| Mon. Feb. 22, 2016 |
The total muon decay rate. The Michel parameter ρ and the time
dependence of its measured value. Neutron decay and the neutron lifetime. The CVC and PCAC hypotheses. The Cabibbo angle. The Kobayashi-Maskawa matrix. Branching fractions of the W+ boson and the case for color. Homework (due 3/2/16): Griffiths 9.10. |
| Wed. Feb. 24, 2016 |
The pion decay rate (into lepton and neutrino) and helicity suppression.
Homework (due 3/2/16): Griffiths 9.16. |
| Fri. Feb. 26, 2016 |
Semileptonic decays: modification of the muon decay formula for cases
where Q >> me. Non-leptonic decays. The GIM mechanism to explain the lower-than-expected decay rate of K0L → μ+μ- and the prediction and discovery of charm. Mixing of the W0 and the B to produce the γ and the Z0. Couplings of the Z0 to neutrinos, charged leptons, up-type quarks and down-type quarks. Neutral current events and how they differ from charged current events. Homework (due 3/2/16): No homework. |
| Mon. Feb. 29, 2016 |
The lifetimes of charged leptons, heavy quarks, W and Z bosons, and
how we measure them. Production cross-sections of W, Z bosons at
hadron colliders.
Homework (due 3/16/16): Using dimensional and any other necessary simple considerations, estimate the decay width of the W boson into leptons and for the Z boson into neutrinos. Extend these to estimate the total widths. |
| Wed. Mar. 2, 2016 |
Production and decay of the W and Z bosons. pT
distributions of W bosons; W production cross-section.
Homework (due 3/16/16): No homework. |
| Fri. Mar. 4, 2016 |
Angular distribution of muons in the process
e+e- → μ+μ- at
the Z pole via the Feynman diagram calculation and via simpler arguments.
Decay modes of the tau lepton and their branching fractions.
Homework (due 3/16/16): Griffiths 9.31. |
| Mon. Mar. 14, 2016 |
Steven Weinberg's reductionist program and recounting of the
history
of spontaneous symmetry breaking and the Standard Model
as told to CERN Courier in January, 2008.
The Euler-Lagrange equations for fields; illustrated by the case of
electrostatics.
Homework (due 3/23/16): No homework. |
| Wed. Mar. 16, 2016 |
Examples of Lagrangian densities and the associated field equations:
the Klein-Gordon and Dirac Lagrangians. What happens to the Dirac
Lagrangian when the Dirac field is multiplied by a complex phase;
current conservation.
Homework (due 3/23/16): No homework. |
| Fri. Mar. 18, 2016 |
Gauging the U(1) symmetry: introduction of the covariant derivative
and thereby the photon field Aμ(x). What is a truth table?
Homework (due 3/23/16): No homework. |
| Mon. Mar. 21, 2016 |
Extending gauge invariance from U(1) to SU(N): the case of QCD.
A simple program to read the given truth table for
e+e- collisions.
Homework (due 3/30/16): Make histograms of the number of particles in events and of the px of all pions in all events. |
| Wed. Mar. 23, 2016 |
A quick review of the elements of gauge theories. An introduction to
spontaneous symmetry breaking. A further change to read_table.cc -
print the masses of pions.
Homework (due 3/30/16): No homework. |
| Fri. Mar. 25, 2016 |
Why an explicit mass term for the gauge fields violates gauge
invariance and how the Higgs mechanism keeps this from happening.
Homework (due 3/30/16): Use the truth.inp file and find decays of the phi to K+K-. Using the prescription given in class for track resolutions and smearing, make a histogram of the KK mass after smearing kaon track momenta. For some guidance, see the following talk; an example of error estimates is on page 20. Vertex and Tracking detectors - Desy |
| Mon. Mar. 28, 2016 |
Integration of gauge symmetries and the Higgs mechanism to create the
Electroweak theory of Glashow, Salam, and Weinberg using the concept
of "weak isospin". Couplings of the Z and the Higgs. The many
unexplained parameters of the Standard Model.
Homework (due 4/6/16): No homework. |
| Wed. Mar. 30, 2016 |
LHC physics: the Higgs and SUSY using the lectures of Peskin and
Carena, SSI 2012.
Homework (due 4/6/16): No homework. |
| Fri. Apr. 1, 2016 |
[Lecture preponed to 3/31] LHC physics: the LHC accelerator and CMS
using the lectures of Zimmermann and Bortoletto from
SSI 2012.
Homework (due 4/6/16): No homework. |
| Mon. Apr. 4, 2016 |
A live demo of the installation and use of Pythia 8.2.
Homework (due 4/13/16): Generate Z bosons with Pythia 8.2, make them decay to b and b-bar pairs, find the jets, and reconstruct the Z mass from the jet 4-momenta. Your final histogram should have at least 100 entries. |
| Wed. Apr. 6, 2016 |
CP violation: "12 Best Reasons to Like CP Violation" by Yossi Nir, also at
SSI 2012.
Homework (due 4/13/16): Find the best recently determined values of the elements of the CKM matrix from the PDG or elsewhere. Use them to draw (using graph paper or a computer program such as ROOT or matplotlib) the specific unitarity triangle which is used to define the angles α, β, and γ. |
| Fri. Apr. 8, 2016 |
Further implementation of Pythia 8.2. Discussion of projects.
Homework (due 4/13/16): No homework. |
| Mon. Apr. 11, 2016 |
Further lectures on CP violation by
T. Sanda
and
Z. Ligeti.
Homework (due 4/20/16): No homework. |
| Wed. Apr. 13, 2016 |
Lecture on Belle II at 4:15 PM on 4/14/16.
Homework (due 4/20/16): Find the Cherenkov angle for a 2 GeV kaon incident normal to a quartz bar (n = 1.46). What is the path length and arrival time when a photon travels, with internal reflection, to the nearest photodetector? Repeat for a pion of the same momentum. |
| Fri. Apr. 15, 2016 |
Further discussion of projects (studies of jets, vertices, and missing
Et) and Pythia code to achieve results.
Homework (due 4/20/16): Please continue to work on your chosen project. Don't hesitate to ask questions, especially if you need ideas about what to do, or get stuck with a coding issue. Of course, I can suggest solutions, and help with pieces of code, but realize that you want to write most of the code yourselves. |
| Mon. Apr. 18, 2016 |
Introduction to Neutrino Oscillations.
Lectures
by A. de Gouvea.
Homework (due 4/25/16): Select your favorite neutrino oscillation experiment and find appropriate values for the distance to the detector (L), and for the neutrino energy (E). Assume that there are only 2 neutrino species and determine the oscillation probability (from the produced flavor to the other flavor) for the experiment using values for the mixing angle and mass-squared difference from the PDG. |
| Wed. Apr. 20, 2016 |
Neutrino Oscillations, continued, based on the same lecture as last
time. The Mikhayev-Smirnov-Wolfenstein effect due to electron
neutrinos experiencing a different potential in matter (which has
electrons but not muons or taus). Results from SNO, Borexino and
Gallium experiments based on the MSW effect. Distinguishing the mass
heirarchies using this effect. CP violation in neutrino oscillations.
Homework (due 4/25/16): No homework. |
| Fri. Apr. 22, 2016 |
Further discussion of projects (studies of jets, vertices, and missing
Et) and Pythia code to achieve results. Matching jets to partons.
Homework (due 4/25/16): No homework. |
| Mon. Apr. 25, 2016 |
A computational exercise in particle physics.
No homework. |