U.S. Particle Accelerator School
U.S. Particle Accelerator School
America's National School of Accelerator Science and Technology

Nobel-Prize Magnitude Science with Accelerators course

Sponsoring University:

Stony Brook University

Course:
Nobel-Prize Magnitude Science with Accelerators (undergraduate level) - course cancelled

Instructors:

Vladimir Litvinenko, CASE/SBU/BNL and Yue Hao, BNL/CASE

Purpose and Audience
This course focuses on highlights of scientific discoveries and breakthroughs using accelerators. Achievements in various sciences recognized by a few dozen Nobel Prizes will be used as starting points for the in-depth discussion of research opportunities opened by various accelerators. The course is suitable for undergraduate and entry-level graduate students in natural sciences, engineering and students from other fields using accelerators for research and development.

Prerequisites
General understanding of classical physics (including relativity) and electromagnetism and quantum mechanics at the undergraduate level such as "Introduction to Special Relativity" by Robert Resnick, or "Introduction to Electrodynamics" by David J. Griffiths.

It is the responsibility of the student to ensure that they meet the course prerequisites or have equivalent experience.

Objectives
This course focuses on demonstrating the splendor and the importance of accelerators in sciences to undergraduate students. While accelerator concepts and principles of their operation will be introduced, they will be directly connected to a unique discovery related to these types of accelerators.

Instructional Method
This course will offer a series of lectures during both morning and afternoon sessions. Typically the morning lectures will be focused on the scientific discoveries enabled by accelerators and the afternoon lectures will be focused on accelerator physics behind these capabilities. Homework problems will be assigned each day and instructors will be available to help answer questions about the homework and lectures during the evening exercise sessions and the weekend. There will be a final exam on the last day of the class.

Course Content
Preliminary course synopsis:
Day 1. Why Accelerators? An Introduction.
Day 2. Nobel Prizes in Accelerator Science
Day 3. Accelerators and Elementary Particles
Day 4. Accelerators and Nuclear Physics
Day 5. Accelerators and Chemistry
Day 6. Accelerators and Biology
Day 7. Accelerators and Medicine
Day 8. Accelerator and Material Science
Day 9. Future Directions for Accelerators
Day 10. Final Exam
The lectures will begin with a short introduction into accelerator physics and a brief review of the relevant aspects of special relativity and electromagnetic theory. Figures of merit for accelerators in high-energy physics as well as applications of synchrotron radiation and industry will be introduced. The main body of the lectures will be paired morning-afternoon lectures. An example: discussion in the morning of the Nobel prizes in chemistry (1997, 2009…) which used synchrotron radiation for the research will be followed by discussion of synchrotron radiation sources and FELs in the afternoon. The series will be finished with two future direction lectures emphasizing cutting-edge accelerator science (LHC, laser accelerators, FELs, ERLs, etc.).

Reading Requirements
(to be provided by the USPAS) "An Introduction to the Physics of High Energy Accelerators", by D.A. Edwards and M.J. Syphers, Wiley Interscience, 1992. Optional reading materials will be supplied in electronic form.

Credit Requirements
Students will be evaluated based on performance: activity in the class (15%), homework assignments (50% of final grade), final exam (35% of final grade).

Stony Brook University course: PHY 390 section 02

IU/USPAS course: Physics 470