Lectures: topics and files

 
M1 Basic concepts The first five lectures contain introductory material from M1 and also from other sources (Krane; Griffith, other) to help you to understand M. Some M1 sections are left out for later lectures. Scope and topics of Nuclear Physics. Course scope, organization, sources of information. Basic characteristics of nuclei, charge/matter distribution. Units in NP. M 1.1.1, 1.7, 2.2 Classification of subatomic particles; elementary, hadrons, nuclei. Fermions and bosons; spin and statistics. Fundamental forces, force carriers. Standard Model. Cosmological evolution from Big Bang to nuclei and atoms; nuclear reactions in the Early Universe. M 1.1, 1.2 Some concepts of QM and consequences for nuclei. Nuclear spin, parity, discrete energy states. γ transition; γ emission and IC. Nuclear EM moments, HFI, HF structure of nuclear energy levels. Unstable states and resonances. M 1.1, 1.3.1, 1.6.3 (Krane Ch 2, 16) Some concepts of special relativity. Klein Gordon equation. Yukawa potential. Dirac relativistic wave equation for electrons; antiparticles. M 1.5 Interactions involving nuclei and particles. Space-time symmetries and conservation laws. Feynman diagrams M 1.4 (Krane, Griffiths) NP#5 M2 Nuclear phenomenology M4 Experimental methods Systematics of known nuclei, Segre plot details. Mass spectrometry, nuclear mass, mass defect, binding, nucleon separation energy. Nuclear stability, Liquid Drop Model, SEMF. M 2.1- 2.3 NP#6 Nuclear instability, modes of decay. Radioactivity, spontaneous and induced. Energetics of radioactive decay, Q value. Radioactive decay law, constant, units, SpA. Bateman equations, equilibria in sequential decays and radioisotope production. M2.4,2.5,2.8 NP#7 Liquid Drop Model /SEMF at work: α decay; β decay (Q, mass parabolas; lifetimes, ββ2ν, ββ0ν); mechanism of nuclear fission; summary on success and failure. M2.6, 2.7 NP#8 Radioactivity and radiation in our environment and life. Radiation sources and processes in nature; common anthropogenic sources; various ways they affect us & are used by us. Biological effects: dose, dose rate, risk, benefits, regulations. (M8.4)+ more NP#9 Nuclear reactions: Mechanisms, cross section, energy balance, Q, threshold, optical model, kinematic analysis, angular distribution. M2.9, 1.6.2 2.1.2, 2.2.2 NP#10 Nuclear reactions (cont) Accelerators and beams M 4.2 Stellar nucleosynthesis M8.2.3 NP#11 MIDTERM EXAM: Monday, February 20 Interaction of radiation with matter. Mechanisms, stopping power, ranges M4.3 Detectors. γ spectroscopy. M4.4 + NP#12 M7 Models and theories of nuclear physics Models of the nuclear structure; Fermi Gas Model; Density of states M7.1, 7.2, A2 NP*13 Shell Model. Nuclear EM moments. M7.3, 7.4 NP*14 Shell Model at work. Collective motions; Collective Models. Unified Models. Current status and future prospects. HFI M 7.5+ NP*15 16. The Golden Rule and the quantum theory of radioactive decay A2, A3, M7.6 to 7.8 γ emission and IC: selection rules. Fermi theory of β decay, neutrino mass NP*16 M8 Applications of nuclear physics: NP in other fields of science and in modern life Induced fission and chain reaction: how to achieve safe fission? Nuclear fission reactors, incl. Canadian reactors; nuclear power in XXI Century. M8.1+ (Lilley 10) NP*17 Nuclear fusion. Fusion reaction rates. M8.2 NP*18 (review also NP*2, NP*11) Nuclear analytical techniques (radioactive tracing; trace element analysis: NAA, NRA, PIXE,..; HFI techniques (NMR, MS), and nuclear imaging (projection & tomographic) NP*19 NP in medicine M8.4 (L8,9, Krane20) NP*20 M9 Outstanding questions and future prospects Frontiers of nuclear physics M9 (except of 9.3 and 9.5) NP*21 March 30 POSTER SESSION: research project presentations        April 3 Poster session wrap-up and course review. HW-6, HW-7 comments. April 7, 9-12 FINAL EXAM @ DSB C116

Textbook chapters

  1.   1  Basic concepts                                                 

  2. 2  Nuclear phenomenology                                 

  3. 4  Experimental methods                                 

  4. 7  Models and theories of nuclear physics           

  5. 8  Applications of nuclear physics                        

  6. 9  (selected sections) Outstanding questions and future prospects

  7. Appendices A, B, C, E

Lecture topics


Lecture files (pdf)

Materials of this course may not be redistributed without explicit permission of the instructor