Astroparticles, Part 2 : gravitational effects

Duration

10h Th, 5h Pr

Number of credits

Lecturer

Jean-René Cudell

Language(s) of instruction

English language

Organisation and examination

Teaching in the second semester

Units courses prerequisite and corequisite

Prerequisite or corequisite units are presented within each program

Learning unit contents

Study of unification theories and field theory in curved spacetime.

Contents
1. Grand unification and SU(5)
2. The hierarchy problem, the vacuum stability problem
3. Discussion R1

4. Particle creation in an expanding universe
5. The Unruh effect
6. Discussion R2

7. The Hawking temperature and the thermodynamics of black holes
8 and 9. Inflation
10. Discussion R3
 

Learning outcomes of the learning unit

These lectures will discuss the possible relationships between some key observables in astrophysics and the present status of particle physics, mainly concerning dark matter, inflation and black holes.
At the end of the course, students will be able:
1) to build theories that contain a dark-matter  candidate;
2) to understand the modern concept of particle, and its dependence on the frame of reference;
3) to calculate particle creation effects associates with gravity;
4) to calculate the entropy of a black hole.

Prerequisite knowledge and skills

SPAT0060-1 or an equivalent course.

Planned learning activities and teaching methods

This course is based on lectures,  and to discussion sessions where problems (see the course webpages for the list) are discussed, as shown in the table of contents. The problems will be solved by the students, under the guidance of the instructor. Preparing them is strongly advised.

Mode of delivery (face-to-face ; distance-learning)

The references for each lecture, notes and the list of problems are available on the course web pages.

Recommended or required readings

Viatcheslav Mukhanov and Sergei Winitzki, "Introduction to Quantum Effects in Gravity", Cambridge University Press, 2007.

Assessment methods and criteria

Written exam, followed by a discussion. The first question is on the theory, and the list of possible questions is available on the course web pages (it is subject to change during the year). The second question (given after the theory question is returned) is an open-book exercise. The written part lasts 2 hours.

Work placement(s)

Organizational remarks

The course will be organised in 10 one-and-a-half-hour lectures/discussion sessions (see contents).

Contacts

Jean-René Cudell
Institute of physics  19A Allée du 6 août Bldg B5a (4th floor, room 4/44) Université de Liège Tél. : 04/3663654
E-mail: jr.cudell@ulg.ac.be
Web pages: http://www.theo.phys.ulg.ac.be

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