Admission Requirements
Bachelor of Physics with the course Physics of Elementary Particles or a clear equivalent. Recommended Origin and Structure of the Standard Model and Origin and Evolution of the Universe
Description
This course will discuss how particle physics defines physics of the early universe, the subsequent cosmological scenario and the current state of the universe. Starting with basics of the Standard Model of particle physics (SM), we will see how the whole intricate structure of this theory exhibits itself in a hot and dense, quickly expanding universe. We will demonstrate that this allows to use astrophysical and cosmological observational data to check the SM. The next part will discuss the shortcomings of the Standard Model and different approaches to resolve them, as well as implications of this beyond the SM physics for the early universe (most importantly: the nature of dark matter, dark energy, mechanisms of baryogenesis and inflation).
Topics:
Primoridal nucleosynthesis and big bang theory
Neutrinos in the early univrese and relic neutrinos at present epoch
Dark matter: evidence, DM particles, massive neutrinos as dark matter.
Neutrino masses, mixing angle, CP violation
DM as beyond the SM physics. Possible properties of non-SM DM particles: WIMPs, super-WIMPs, axions
Basic ideas of effective field theory and the structure of the Standard Model of particle physics.
Neutrino masses as BSM physics
The problem of baryogenesis. Baryogenesis as a beyond SM phenomenon
An overview of various beyond SM scenarios and their implications for cosmology.
Course objectives
The course will give an overview of cosmological observations, which are interested for particle physics. Students will obtain practical knowledge in relativistic quantum mechanics, BBN, neutrino physics, dark matter properties calculation.
Transferable skills
You will be able to
learn to make a relation between mathematical models and physical systems, in both directions
improve you skills of planning time for doing weakly assignments
Timetable
Physics Schedule
For detailed information go to Timetable in Brightspace
You will find the timetables for all courses and degree programmes of Leiden University in the tool MyTimetable (login). Any teaching activities that you have sucessfully registered for in MyStudyMap will automatically be displayed in MyTimeTable. Any timetables that you add manually, will be saved and automatically displayed the next time you sign in.
MyTimetable allows you to integrate your timetable with your calendar apps such as Outlook, Google Calendar, Apple Calendar and other calendar apps on your smartphone. Any timetable changes will be automatically synced with your calendar. If you wish, you can also receive an email notification of the change. You can turn notifications on in ‘Settings’ (after login).
For more information, watch the video or go the the 'help-page' in MyTimetable. Please note: Joint Degree students Leiden/Delft have to merge their two different timetables into one. This video explains how to do this.
Mode of instruction
See Brightspace
Assessment method
Homeworks – 40%
Written exam – 60%
Final grade is a sum of grades for the homeworks and exam.
Exam can be retaken
Reading list
Introduction to the Theory of the Early Universe: Hot Big Bang Theory by D.Gorbunov & V.Rubakov, World Scientific, 2010;
Principles of physical cosmology by P.J.E. Peebles, Princeton University Press, 1993; -http://arxiv.org/abs/hep-ph/0004188 by J.Garcia-Bellido
Registration
As a student, you are responsible for registering for each course component. This can be done via Mystudymap. You do this twice a year: once for the courses you want to take in semester 1 and once for the courses you want to take in semester 2.
Registration for courses in the first semester is possible from July onwards; registration for courses in the second semester is possible from December onwards. For more information, see this page
Please note that it is mandatory for all students to register for their exams. This can be done up to and including 10 calendar days prior to the exam or up to five calendar days in case of a retake exam (retake registration opens 30 days before the retake takes place). You cannot participate in the exam or retake without a valid registration in My Studymap.
Contact
Lecturer: Dr. Alexey Boiarskyi