Provide lectures on basics and applications of modern nuclear physics. Discuss important topics concerning a variety of phenomena. Discuss recent relevant articles, some of which are assigned as homework.
Atomic nuclei can be uniquely modeled as strongly correlated, self-bound, many-body quantum systems. By studying the physics of atomic nuclei, students will learn both theories and applications of quantum mechanics and quantum field theory. This class will also cover cutting-edge experiments on nuclei using modern accelerators, and recent experimental equipment and methods that are important to further understand nuclear physics.
Students will understand basic nuclear physics that treats atomic nuclei as self-bound many-body quantum systems through recent progress in the cutting-edge fields (physics of unstable nuclei and hyper-nuclei). They will also be able to obtain a better perspective on their own research by learning about such advanced nuclear physics and the relevant applications to condensed-matter physics and astrophysics.
In this course, students will learn about the quantum dynamics of nuclei, nuclear structure and reactions, and the basic theory of strong interactions through various models and relevant experiments. They will also learn about recent theoretical and experimental work in this field.
Atomic nuclei, strong interaction, self-bound systems, quantum many-body systems, nuclear structure, nuclear reaction, experiments using accelerators, rare isotopes, nucleo-synthesis, hypernuclei, strangeness
✔ Specialist skills | Intercultural skills | Communication skills | ✔ Critical thinking skills | ✔ Practical and/or problem-solving skills |
Two professors of nuclear physics will give lectures: Prof. Kazuyuki Sekizawa treats nuclear physics with protons and neutrons, in particular, microscopic approaches for nuclear many-body problems and their applications. Prof. Hiroyuki Fujioka treats nuclear physics with hyperons (hypernuclei) with strangeness. Lectures are given in English. Slides are primarily used in the class with some handouts. Blackboards are used as well for explaining the points.
Course schedule | Required learning | |
---|---|---|
Class 1 | Overview of nuclear physics | Understand the richness of nuclear many-body problems |
Class 2 | Mean-field approaches: Hartree-Fock and density functional theories | Understand basics of microscopic mean-field approaches for nuclear many-body problems |
Class 3 | Nuclear pairing: Bardeen-Cooper-Schrieffer and Hartree-Fock-Bogoliubov theories | Understand how pairing correlations are described within mean-field approaches |
Class 4 | Nuclear collective excitations: Random phase approximation | Understand how to describe nuclear collective excitations within random phase approximation |
Class 5 | Nuclear reactions: Time-dependent mean-field approaches | Understand how various nuclear reactions are described within time-dependent mean-field approaches |
Class 6 | Equation of state and neutron stars | Understand the relation between an equation of state and neutron star structure and various phases of dense nuclear matter |
Class 7 | Quantized vortices and pulsar glitch phenomenon | Understand the nature of quantized vortices (flux tubes) in superfluid (superconductor) and its relation to pulsar glitch phenomenon |
Class 8 | Basics of hypernuclear physics | Understand the basics of hypernuclear physics |
Class 9 | Production of Λ hypernuclei I | Understand the production method of Λ hypernuclei by using meson beams |
Class 10 | Production of Λ hypernuclei II | Understand the production method of Λ hypernuclei by using electron beams |
Class 11 | Structure of Λ hypernuclei | Understand the structure of Λ hypernuclei and hyperon-nucleon interaction |
Class 12 | Decay of Λ hypernuclei | Understand the decay mechanism of Λ hypernuclei |
Class 13 | Σ hypernuclei and Ξ hypernuclei | Learn about Σ hypernuclei and Ξ hypernuclei |
Class 14 | Double Λ hyperncuei | Learn about double Λ hypernuclei |
To enhance effective learning, students are encouraged to spend approximately 100 minutes preparing for class and another 100 minutes reviewing class content afterwards (including assignments) for each class.
They should do so by referring to textbooks and other course material.
None required.
Handouts are given in the class, or via OCW.
To be evaluated based on an examination, and report(s) dealing with problems indicated in the class
Basic under-graduate quantum physics course is a prerequisite.
Please check the class schedule. The detailed schedule by Sekizawa and Fujioka will be given in the first class