Level of Education
4-year college degree
ECTS
3 credits
Training Structure
College of Sciences
Number of hours
24h
Description
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).
Objectives
This course is an introductory course designed to provide students with the basic concepts required for the “High-Energy Astrophysics” course (HAP001P) in Semester 3 of the CCP Master’s program.
Mandatory Prerequisites
General education in physics at the L3 level,
- Nuclear and particle physics,
- Mathematics for Physics.
Recommended prerequisites:
Basics of:
- Special relativity and relativistic kinematics,
- Nuclear physics,
- Basic knowledge of galactic and extragalactic astrophysics.
Knowledge Assessment
A 3-hour final written exam without reference materials.
Course Outline
Course materials/tutorials and lectures/answers to exercises in English. I. Overview of Astroparticle Physics
1/ Two examples from gamma-ray astronomy
a) Space-based observatory (Fermi-LAT)
Ex. 1: GeV Galactic Center as seen by Fermi-LAT
Example 2: Gamma-Ray Bursts and Quantum Gravity
b) Ground-based observatory (HESS)
Ex 1: The TeV Galactic Center as seen by HESS
Example 2: Supernova Remnants as a Source of Cosmic Rays
2/ Astroparticle at LUPM: Modeling, HESS2, CTA, SVOM, LSST
3/ New Area: Gravitational Waves and Time-Domain Astronomy
II/ Cosmic Rays:
1/ Cosmic-ray spectra
2/ Number and Energy Density of Cosmic Rays
3/ Detection of Very High-Energy Cosmic Rays: The Pierre Auger Observatory
4/ The Greisen-Zatsepin-Kuzmin (GZK) effect
5/ Hillas Diagram
6 Fermi acceleration mechanism
III/ Overview of Expected Cosmological Results from Future Wide-Area Spectroscopic Survey Experiments
IV/ Dark Matter (if there's time left)