Corso di laurea magistrale in Fisica

AVVISO: IL CORSO INIZIERA' LUNEDI 30 SETTEMBRE.

Knowledge acquired in the courses of General Relativity and Introduction to Field Theory is strongly recommended.

The course provides an introduction to the following topics: physics of the early Universe, connection between particle physics and cosmology, some astrophysical applications of particle physics, especially related to the dark matter and cosmic ray problems.

Knowledge and understanding

Knowledge and understanding of the standard cosmological model, of the inteconnection between fundamental physics and cosmology and of some of the main applications of particle physics to astrophyscs and cosmology.

 Applying knowledge and understanding

Development of the ability to comprehend and master the mathematical tools necessary to solve complex problems. Ability to perform theoretical calculations concerning the study of the evolution of the Universe and of the behavious of elementary particles in the context of the thermal and non-thermal Universe.

Observational facts on the fundamental properties if the Universe

Brief summary of General Relativity (if required)

Cosmological Principle, Robertson-Walker metric, Friedmann model

Dynamical evolution of the Universe

Thermodynamics in the expanding Universe

Boltzmann equation: equilibrium and decoupling

Elementary particles in the early Universe

Neutrinos in the early Universe

Primordial Nucleosynthesis

Cosmic microwave background radiation:formation, properties, anisotropies

Neutrino physics

Supernovae neutrinos 

Galactic cosmic rays: Sources, acceleration, propagation, fluxes at Earth

Gamma rays from space

Multi-messenger techniques in astroparticle physics

Particle cadidates for Dark Matter

Particle dark matter searches: astrophysical signals and connection to searches for new physics at accelerators

Lessons at the blackboard, with explicit development of all formalism.

It is important that students are registered on the Campusnet platform, as that is the only official communication channel that the teacher will have available to contact students quickly.

The exam consists in an oral examination, of typical duration of 40 minutes, during which the student has to develop ab initio two of the topics explained during the lectures. It will be evaluated the correcteness, the depth and the orgnicity of the exposition, from both a mathematical and physical point of view. 

The lectures are not based on a single book: therefore attendance is higly recommended.

Recommended books:

E.W. Kolb, M.S. Turner: "The Early Universe" (Addison Wesley)

S. Weinberg: "Gravitation and Cosmology" (Wiley)

S. Weinberg: "Cosmology" (Oxford University Press)

J. Peacock: "Cosmological Physics" (Cambridge University Press)

J. Bernstein: "Kinetic Theory in the Expanding Universe" (Cambridge Monographs on Mathematical Physics)

J. Lesgourgues, G. Mangano, G. Miele, S. Pastor: "Neutrino Cosmology" (Cambridge University Press)

S. Carroll: "Spacetime and Geometry"(Benjamin Cummings)

L. Bergstrom, A. Goobar: "Cosmology and Particle Astrophysics" (Springer)

P.J.E. Peebles: "Principles of Physical Cosmology" (Princeton University Press)

P. Di Bari: "Cosmology and the Early Universe" (CRC Press)

S. Dodelson and F. Schmidt: "Modern Cosmology" (Academic Press)