Selected topics in nuclear and particle physics

This course presents the physical principles and the recent research developments on three topics of particle and nuclear physics: the physics of neutrinos, dark matter, and plasma of quarks and gluons. An emphasis is given on experimental aspects in these three fields.

Content

Neutrino physics:

• Absolute neutrino mass measurements, beta and double-beta decay experiments.
• Neutrino mass generation mechanism, Majorana and Dirac particles.
• Neutrino oscillations, MNS matrix.
• Cosmic neutrinos : origin, energy spectrum and detection.

Dark matter:

• Evidence for dark matter from astronomical and cosmological data.
• Relic particles of the "Big bang". Candidates for dark matter, and link with particle physics beyond the Standard Model.
• Direct and indirect searches for dark matter.

Quark gluon plasma (QGP):

• Plasma of quark and gluons: properties, plasma signatures, production in the collisions of heavy ions.