76348 - Principles and Applications of Nuclear and Subnuclear Physics

Learning outcomes

At the end of the course the student knows the principles and the theoretical models to describe the structure and interactions of the atomic nucleus and the subatomic particles including the most important applications.

Course contents

The course consists of two distinct themes (theoretical and applicative ones) with the aim of providing a description of nuclea / subnuclear physics and its applications, using a didactic approach appropriately targeted to the knowledge and skills of a student of the third year of the Degree in Physics.

For the first part, a mini-course of nuclear structure will be developed with the dual purpose of providing the essential phenomenology to understand the most recent spectroscopic measurements and to "develop" the computing capacities associated with quantum mechanics through some models (shell, Nilsson, Cranking, collective Bohr, etc ...) basic.

For the second part, we will discuss topics related to nuclear astrophysics: Death of stars and formation of compact objects. White Dwarfs: History, Theory (Thermodynamic Elements, Degenerative Gas, Zero Point Pressure, Chandrasekhar Limit, Politropic Equations).

Experimental evidences about neutron stars: History (First Approaches of Landau, Zwicky and Baade) Theory (General relativity elements, Tolman-Oppenheimer-Volkof equation, Theoretical description of a pulsar, Electrodynamic of a rotating star, Pulsar emission).

Experimental observations (X-ray observations, pulsar discovery, pulsar phenomena, neutron stars as supernovae remnants)

Readings/Bibliography

Lectures and texts on http://www.fisicanucleare.it

Teaching methods

Recitations

Assessment methods

Oral examinations

Links to further information

http://www.fisicanucleare.it

Office hours

See the website of Paolo Finelli

See the website of Giovanni Carlo Bonsignori