1. Review of Special Relativity and Symmetries

Lorentz transformations; matrix formulation; relativistic effects on particle lifetimes; four-vectors; covariant and contravariant forms; metric tensor; light cone; general Lorentz transformations; Lorentz boosts; rapidity and pseudorapidity; relativistic velocity addition; four-momentum; mass-shell condition; invariant mass of a system; particle decays; elastic and inelastic collisions; nuclear and particle reactions; laboratory and center-of-momentum reference frames; natural units; Mandelstam variables and their physical interpretation; crossing symmetry; particle helicity and chirality; discrete symmetries: C, P, and T; G-parity.

2. Experimental Tools of Subatomic Physics

Operational definition of cross section; angular distributions; excitation functions; angle-integrated cross sections; energy-integrated cross sections; luminosity and integrated luminosity; general behavior of nuclear and subnuclear reaction cross sections; Fermi’s Golden Rule for subatomic reactions and decays; phase space; resonance phenomena; resonance strength; studies of subatomic particle states in formation and production processes; three-body decays and Dalitz plots; Feynman diagrams; transition amplitudes; Standard Model interaction vertices.

3. Selected Topics in Nuclear Physics

Properties of the nuclear force; the two-nucleon system; the lightest nuclei and many-body force effects; advanced topics in alpha decay; review of beta decay; determination of the Fermi constant from superallowed beta decays; Sargent’s rule; electron capture; gamma decay; selection rules; Weisskopf estimates and reduced transition probabilities; recoil effects in gamma decay; the Szilard-Chalmers effect; the Mössbauer effect and its applications; compound nucleus reactions; partial and reduced widths; Wigner limits; angular distributions and light-nucleus spectroscopy; detailed balance principle; direct reactions; knockout reactions; review of the nuclear shell model; limitations of independent-particle models; cluster models; the molecular orbital method.

4. Electron-Nucleus and Electron-Proton Scattering

Rutherford and Mott scattering cross sections; electric form factor; four-momentum transfer; magnetic form factor; Rosenbluth cross section; proton charge distribution; inelastic electron-proton scattering; the variables ν, x (Bjorken x), and y; results of deep inelastic scattering and the parton model; structure functions; Bjorken scaling; the Callan-Gross relation; valence and sea quarks; considerations on parton distribution functions.

5. The Quark World and the Classification of Subnuclear Particles

Nucleon structure; quark families; quark electric charges; quark momentum distributions; properties of bare quarks; hadron phenomenology: baryons and mesons; the existence of color charge; gluons; color neutrality in hadrons; the strong coupling constant; asymptotic freedom and confinement; violation of scale invariance in structure functions; physics at electron-positron colliders; Bhabha and Møller scattering; lepton-pair production; discovery of the tau lepton; muon-production cross sections; resonance phenomena in e⁺e⁻ collisions; the ρ and ω resonances; the φ meson and Zweig’s rule; discovery of the J/ψ particle: the Richter and Ting experiments; the Υ resonances; studies of the Z⁰ resonance at LEP; non-resonant hadron production; the R ratio and the number of colors; double- and triple-jet hadron emission; group theory and the classification of hadrons.

6. Isospin in Nuclei and Particles

Isospin symmetry in nucleons and nuclei; isobaric analogue states; isospin multiplets; isospin considerations and nuclear reaction cross sections; isospin channels in transfer reactions; the Thomas-Ehrman shift; isospin in particle physics; hypercharge; branching-ratio calculations in particle production; isospin channels in two-particle systems.

For Nuclear Physics topics:

1. S. Wong, Introductory Nuclear Physics, Wiley

2. B. Cohen, Concepts of Nuclear Physics, McGrawHill

3. E. Segrè, Nuclei e Particelle, II edizione, Zanichelli

4. K.N. Mukhin, Experimental Nuclear Physics, MIR

5. L. Valentin, Noyaux and Particules, Hermann

For Sub-nuclear Physics topics:

1. B.R. Martin, G. Shaw, Particle Physics, IV edition, Wiley

2. F. Halzen, A.D. Martin, Quarks & Leptons, Wiley

3. B. Povh et al, Particelle e Nuclei, Bollati Boringhieri

4. W.E. Burcham, M. Jobes, Nuclear and Particle Physics, Longman 

5. A. Bettini, Introduction to Elementary Particle Physics, Cambridge

As a reference for exercises:

I. Lombardo, Problemi di fisica nucleare e subnucleare, CEA Zanichelli