Course manual 2016/2017

Course content

Symmetries and their violation play an outstanding role in particle physics. A key example is CP violation, where C and P denote the charge-conjugation and parity transformations, respectively. In the Standard Model, this phenomenon is closely connected with the quark-flavour sector, which is still a big mystery. A particularly interesting laboratory to explore CP violation and ``quark-flavour mixing" is given by B mesons, which are composed of a heavy b quark and a light anti-quark. After a general introduction and motivation, we shall discuss the quark-flavour sector of the Standard Model, classify B-meson decays, introduce the theoretical tools to deal with them (such as low-energy effective Hamiltonians), investigate the requirements for non-vanishing CP-violating asymmetries, and discuss the most important benchmark decays, which include some of the rarest processes Nature has to offer. We will also confront theory with experiment by addressing the picture emerging from the most recent data of the Large Hadron Collider at CERN.

Study materials

Other

  • See: http://arXiv.org/abs/arXiv:0802.2882

Objectives

This course will give a detailed discussion of the quark-flavour sector of the Standard Model and the theoretical framework to describe CP-violating phenomena and rare decays. The students will encounter calculations of specific meson decays and of low-energy effective Hamiltonians, including a discussion of QCD corrections. The main objective is that the students should after the course be in a position to understand the main challenges in quark-flavour physics, should be able to write down the Feynman diagrams for any given meson decay and should be able to calculate general expressions for the corresponding transitions amplitudes and observables.

Teaching methods

  • Lecture
  • Tutorial

The lecture is complemented by tutorials, which take place right after the lectures, to deepen the understanding of the topics discussed in the lecture. 

Learning activities

Activity

Number of hours

Hoorcollege

12

Tentamen

4

Werkcollege

12

Zelfstudie

56

Attendance

The programme does not have requirements concerning attendance (OER-B).


Additional requirements for this course:

Assessment

Item and weight Details

Final grade

1 (100%)

Tentamen

Oral or written (depending on the number of participants)

Inspection of assessed work

The date, time and location of the inspection moment are in the DataNose timetable.

Assignments

Onderstaande opdrachten komen aan bod in deze cursus:

  •    Naam opdracht 1 : beschrijving 2
  •    Naam opdracht 2 : beschrijving 1
  •    ....

Fraud and plagiarism

Dit vak hanteert de algemene ‘Fraude- en plagiaatregeling’ van de UvA. Onder plagiaat of fraude wordt verstaan het overschrijven van het werk van een medestudent dan wel het kopiëren van wetenschappelijke bronnen (uit bijvoorbeeld boeken en tijdschriften en van het Internet) zonder daarbij de bron te vermelden. Uiteraard is plagiaat verboden. Hier wordt nauwkeurig op gecontroleerd en streng tegen opgetreden. Bij verdenking van plagiaat wordt de examencommissie van de opleiding ingeschakeld. Wanneer de examencommissie overtuigd is dat er plagiaat gepleegd is dan kan dit maximaal leiden tot een uitsluiting van al het onderwijs van de opleiding voor een heel kalenderjaar. Zie voor meer informatie over het fraude- en plagiaatreglement van de Universiteit van Amsterdam.www.uva.nl/plagiaat

Course structure

Weeknummer Onderwerpen Studiestof
1 Introduction, Symmetries, Standard Model, Leptonic B-Meson Decays.  
2  Semi-leptonic and Non-leptonic B-Meson Decays, Low-Energy Effective Hamiltonians, CP Asymmetries, Amplitude Relations.  
3  Impact of New Physics, CP Violation in Neutral B-Meson Decays, Rare B-Meson Decays, Contact with the Forefront of Research.  
4  Exam.  
5    
6    
7    
8    

Timetable

Additional information

Location: Nikhef.

Prior knowledge: this course requires elementary familiarity with Particle Physics and Quantum Field Theory at a basic level. 

Contact information

Coordinator

  • prof. dr. R. Fleischer

Teaching assistant: Ruben Jaarsma, MSc.