87982 - Flavour Physics

Learning outcomes

At the end of the course the student will become familiar with the basic concepts of heavy flavor and neutrino physics. He/she will be acquainted with the rich CKM and PMNS phenomenology, from CP violation in the hadronic and leptonic sectors up to search for New Physics through the measurement of rare decays. The student will also be able to conceive an experimental apparatus useful for these searches and distinguish between the main experimental techniques used to reach this goal.

Course contents

The course is divided into two modules:

• Module 1: weak hadronic interaction and CP violation (24 hours prof. Angelo Carbone)
• Module 2: flavour physics in the letponic sector (24 hours prof. Maximiliano Sioli)

For both modules, after a brief introduction of the theoretical framework, phenomenological and experimental aspects will be also presented.

Module 1: weak hadronic interaction and CP violation

The quark mixing and the Cabibbo-Kobayashi-Maskawa (CKM) matrix. The weak neutral current. Quantum mechanic oscillations in the K, D, and B meson systems and experimental results. CP violation in the K, D, and B meson decays and experimental results. The Unitarity Triangle of the CKM matrix and the current experimental knowledge. Rare K, D, and B decays and experimental results. The indirect search for New Physics with the flavor physics experiment.

Module 2: flavour physics in the letponic sector

Charged and neutral leptons in the Standard Model. Physics of massive neutrinos. Mechanisms of neutrino mass generation. Neutrino cross sections. Experimental searches in the framework of seesaw mechanisms (colliders, beam dumps). Neutrinoless Double Beta Decay. Flavor mixing and CP violation in the neutral sector. Short/medium/long baselines (accelerators and reactors). Connection with Cosmology. Leptogenesis. Dark sector. Flavor violation in the charged sector. Electron and muon magnetic dipole moments.

Readings/Bibliography

CP violation, Bigi and Sanda

Modern Particle Physics - Thomson, Mark

C. Giunti and C. W. Kim, “Fundamentals of Neutrino Physics and Astrophysics”, Oxford University Press, 2007

Teaching methods

The lecture will be held on the blackboard (or table) and are supplemented by video projection and slides.

Assessment methods

The exam will be written for both modules. The written exam will include two exercises and two open questions on both modules. It is possible to arrange a possible oral exam (optional) in case of success in the written exam.

Teaching tools

Lecture notes are available on https://virtuale.unibo.it

Office hours

See the website of Angelo Carbone

See the website of Maximiliano Sioli