To learn the concepts and phenomena related to the physics of weak interactions and of neutrino.
Course Prerequisites
Notions of nuclear and subnuclear physics, radioactivity, electromagnetism and quantum mechanics.
Teaching Methods
Lectures.
Assessment Methods
Oral interview with possibility of a seminar on topics chosen from selected literature.
Texts
C. Giunti and C.W. Kim, ”Fundamental of Neutrino Physics and Astrophysics”, Oxford University Press (2007). R.N. Mohapatra and P.B. Pal, ”Massive Neutrinos in Physics and Astrophysics”, World Scientific Lecture Notes in Physics - Vol. 72 (2003). F. Terranova, ”A Modern Primer in Particle and Nuclear Phsyics”, Oxforx University Press (2021) Slides from the lectures
Contents
The course is based on the study of the weak interaction phenomenology (parity violation, neutrino and electron helicity, angular distributions) and of the theoretical formalism used for its description (Dirac theory and V-A theory). The topics covered are then devoted to the research fields connected with the physics of neutrino: - double beta decay: massive neutrinos, Dirac and Majorana neutrinos, double beta decay with and without neutrino emission, survey of experiments and discussion of experimental results; - ElectroWeak model (mentions) and neutrinos in the Standard Model. Neutrino Cross Sections. - neutrino oscillations: theoretical formalism and ideal experiments, neutrinos from accelerators, reactors, atmospheric and solar, survey of experiments and discussion of experimental results.
