Cosmos, Fields, and Particles (CCP)

This course describes the various detectors and the physical processes involved in particle detection in high-energy physics. Next, we will describe how the main particle accelerators work—not only in high-energy physics but also in many other fields, such as medicine, industry, materials science, archaeology, and more.

The course provides a detailed description of the physical processes and experimental techniques involved in the detection of charged and neutral particles in detectors, as these detections form the basis of all physical measurements.

We will provide a detailed description of the various types of radiation and particle-matter interactions.

We will focus on describing the methodologies associated with these processes as well as their statistical analysis.

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English tutorial course for students in the Master 2 Physics program who are preparing for a career in an English-speaking professional environment in a contemporary context.

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This course covers the essential fundamentals needed for a solid understanding of the physics of stellar atmospheres and stellar winds. The key elements of radiation transfer theory are covered, both in local thermodynamic equilibrium (LTE) and out of LTE, as well as the description of the gas (equation of state) and its interaction with the radiation field (opacities). Modern models and simulations are presented along with their application to determining stellar parameters—particularly chemical composition—through spectroscopy. The different types of stellar winds (pressure, radiative, and hybrid) are described using theories compared with observational data.

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During the “Observational Astrophysics 2” course, students must complete all stages of an observational astrophysics study. From defining the spectroscopic or photometric observations to be conducted during a four-night stay at the Haute-Provence Observatory, to modeling and critically discussing their measurements and writing a scientific report, students take an active role in this course.

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Interstellar Medium: Physicochemical Processes—Phases—Radioastronomy.

This course provides an introduction to the physicochemical processes relevant to the interstellar medium (dynamic, thermal, and chemical processes) as well as the associated observational techniques (molecular spectroscopy, radio astronomy). The main phases of the interstellar medium (ionized, atomic, and molecular phases) are also covered.

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This course provides a comprehensive overview of the Standard Model of particle physics. We will begin by studying the Dirac equation, the quantum description of the dynamics of a spin-½ particle. Next, we will examine how to describe electromagnetic interactions using quantum electrodynamics. Next, we will address weak interactions and their unified description with the electromagnetic interaction through the electroweak theory. Finally, we will study gauge theories and their spontaneous symmetry breaking in order to present the complete theory of the Standard Model of particle physics. To conclude, we will provide a brief overview of theories beyond the Standard Model.

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This course is an introduction to relativistic quantum field theory and its applications in particle physics. Using a scalar field as an example, we will develop the formalisms of canonical quantization and path integral quantization before introducing perturbation theory and some concepts of renormalization. We will discuss the quantization of spin-1/2 and spin-1 fields, concluding with a discussion of quantum electrodynamics.

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This course is an introduction to the standard model of cosmology, covering its theoretical and phenomenological aspects. It focuses on the hot inflationary Big Bang model. It builds on the M1 course in general relativity and cosmology.

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The lab exercises focus on the detection and measurement of cosmic rays (muons).

The goal will be to become familiar with a data acquisition system designed for measuring cosmic rays (primarily muons). Students will need to understand how the various components of the acquisition chain work individually (power supplies, photomultipliers, scintillators, discriminators, oscilloscopes, etc.) and then build their own acquisition system using these components. One objective of the system could be to determine the mass of the muon, but other applications are possible and are left to the students’ imagination.

Students will then need to collect data using their devices and analyze that data, taking into account the systematic and statistical errors in the dataset.

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This course describes the theoretical and observational foundations of the so-called cosmological dark matter problem. Dark matter manifests itself through gravitational effects at various astrophysical scales, ranging from the scale of galaxies to cosmological scales (the observable universe as a whole). It constitutes approximately 85% of the total matter in the universe, and it is impossible for it to be composed of the elementary particles that characterize ordinary, known matter. The course will focus in particular on potential solutions to this problem that connect the infinitely small (elementary particles) to the infinitely large (the large-scale universe).

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A 3- to 6-month internship (21 ECTS) in a laboratory designed to provide immersion in the world of research and preparation for the dissertation. This internship may be completed in a research laboratory in France or abroad. It runs from March¹ to May 31, the deadline for submitting the written report. An oral defense takes place in early June. The internship may be extended until August 31 in order to transition directly into the thesis. Topics cover a broad spectrum ranging from theoretical physics (cosmology, particle physics, and astroparticle physics) to experimental physics (LHC experiments, the search for gravitational waves or dark matter, large-field cosmological surveys, etc.).

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This course is an introduction to the acceleration, propagation, and radiation mechanisms of energetic particles in astrophysical media. It will cover the fundamental concepts in this field.

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The Observational Astrophysics 1 Workshop provides an introduction to conducting an observational study (photometry or spectroscopy) of astrophysical objects (stars, nebulae) at the M1 level. Students carry out every step of the process, from planning and conducting observations at the Faculty of Sciences’ astronomical observatory to calibrating and analyzing the data obtained. This module is designed to prepare students for the M2 module “Observational Astrophysics Workshop 2” (HAP905P).

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In this course, we study the theory of general relativity—that is, the modern description of universal gravitation. After a brief review of special relativity, we will familiarize ourselves with the basic concepts of general relativity by examining some accepted particular solutions to these equations in well-defined physical contexts: a weak field at the Earth’s surface, the geometry around an isolated spherical star, and the universe on large scales. This will allow us to generalize our understanding and construct the theory, then derive the field equations—that is, Einstein’s equations. The course will conclude with a discussion of black holes and gravitational waves.

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This course aims to provide a foundation in astronomy and astrophysics, which will be useful in the other astrophysics courses in the master’s program. It also illustrates how concepts from physics are applied to describe astrophysical objects. Most of the concepts covered here will be explored in greater depth later in the^second-year courses.

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Fluids are all around us at all times and on every scale. Understanding fluid mechanics means understanding the mechanics of our surroundings—air and water, in particular. As such, hydrodynamics is part of a physicist’s basic knowledge.

The course “Hydrodynamics” provides an introduction to the mechanics of ideal incompressible fluids (Euler) and Newtonian viscous fluids (Navier-Stokes). Classical flow patterns are presented, along with the concepts of the boundary layer, instability, and turbulence. The focus is on physical concepts rather than on advanced mathematical or numerical solution methods.

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English tutorial course for students in the Master's 1 Physics program who are working toward professional proficiency in scientific English.

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This course is one of the cornerstones of modern physics. It provides a body of knowledge that is strictly necessary for all physics tracks, as it lays the groundwork for the theoretical description of the interaction between the electromagnetic field and elementary quantum systems such as two-level systems, atoms, and molecules. It also provides the knowledge necessary for understanding lasers, modern optical devices, and spectroscopic methods and analyses.

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The purpose of this module is to enable students to compare experimental results with their theoretical knowledge. Particular attention is given to writing up results and presenting them in the form of oral presentations. The work is organized into an eight-hour session for which the students choose a topic. They record their results and analyses in a lab notebook modeled after the protocols used in laboratories. At the end of the semester, students select a topic, which they develop into a final report that they defend orally. This course serves as preparation for the internships students will complete during their program.

Examples of available experiments: optical spectroscopy (IR, visible), gamma, X-ray, and acoustic spectroscopy; low-temperature photoluminescence; near-field spectroscopy (AFM, STM); electron microscopy...

The range of experiments offered covers the areas of physics taught in the various physics tracks. Students must choose from among these experiments those that best align with their interests. Significant effort is made to incorporate new data-acquisition technologies and the use of computer tools to compare experimental results with theory.

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This course unit covers a review and in-depth exploration of programming techniques, as well as an introduction to computational physics. We will begin with a review of procedural programming using Python 3. We will then take an in-depth look at numerical methods relevant to physics, studying a selection of classical algorithms from numerical analysis and applying them to physics problems.

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This course is intended as an introduction to astroparticle physics (cosmic accelerators, gamma rays, multi-messenger phenomena, experimental techniques, etc.).

The course builds on the knowledge acquired in the third year of undergraduate studies to offer students a brief introduction to astroparticle physics. After a description of the general context, two examples of detectors used in gamma-ray astronomy will be discussed in detail, followed by an introduction to the physics of multi-messenger astrophysics (particularly through the detection of gravitational waves). The course will then address the physics of cosmic rays (CRs), the issues surrounding the acceleration and propagation of CRs, and the hypothesis that supernova remnants act as galactic accelerators of CRs (description of the first-order Fermi acceleration mechanism).

The course will conclude with a discussion of the cosmological challenges posed by future ground-based and space-based wide-field surveys (LSST and Euclid, in particular).

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This course is designed to introduce and develop several fundamental concepts and tools of non-relativistic quantum physics necessary for understanding the physical processes that describe the interactions between the elementary constituents of matter and radiation. We will also cover second quantization and the path integral formulation of quantum mechanics, which provide the ideal framework for the development of quantum field theory and its various applications (e.g., high-energy physics, condensed matter physics).

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Introduction to Advanced Statistical Physics: grand canonical ensemble; quantum statistics; quantum fluids (Bose-Einstein condensation, thermal radiation; Sommerfeld theory); phase transitions; Ising model; mean-field theory; dynamics of complex systems.

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This course is an introduction to the Standard Model of particle physics. We will begin by reviewing the elementary particles and their interactions. Next, we will examine how to use Lie group theory to classify these elementary particles. Finally, we will discuss the concept of electromagnetic interactions for charged particles without spin (scalar electrodynamics).

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Fluid mechanics is a fundamental tool for the sciences of the Universe: from Earth and the giant planets to stars, accretion disks, and the interstellar medium, it is an essential approach for studying astrophysical objects. The course unit “Fluid Dynamics in Astrophysics and Cosmology” builds upon the “Hydrodynamics” course unit and is organized around three central themes in astrophysics: rotating fluids, thermal convection, and magnetohydrodynamics.

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This 7-week internship (usually from around the end of April to the end of June) (10 ECTS) will provide students with their first exposure to the world of research in astrophysics, cosmology, or particle physics. Internships at the intersection of these disciplines—more commonly referred to as “astroparticle physics”—are also available. Internships may have a more theoretical or more experimental focus, depending on the choices of the students and their supervisors.

This internship can be completed at a research laboratory in France or abroad. However, it is traditionally carried out at one of the two UMRs at the University of Montpellier 2: the Montpellier Universe and Particles Laboratory (LUPM, IN2P3) or the Charles Coulomb Laboratory (L2C, INP).

The internship will allow the student to interact with a research team (national and/or international) and begin to explore the research topics they would most like to pursue in their future studies.

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