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  • Textbook
  • © 2015

Introduction to Particle and Astroparticle Physics

Questions to the Universe

  • Introduces both particle and astroparticle physics in a balanced way, at the university level
  • Discusses the most recent discoveries
  • Provides information on the latest cosmic ray detectors and the observational implications of new concepts in cosmology
  • Requires only a basic knowledge of quantum mechanics
  • Includes supplementary material: sn.pub/extras

Part of the book series: Undergraduate Lecture Notes in Physics (ULNP)

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Table of contents (11 chapters)

  1. Front Matter

    Pages i-xxiii
  2. Understanding the Universe: Cosmology, Astrophysics, Particles, and Their Interactions

    • Alessandro De Angelis, Mário João Martins Pimenta
    Pages 1-20
  3. The Birth and the Basics of Particle Physics

    • Alessandro De Angelis, Mário João Martins Pimenta
    Pages 21-69
  4. Cosmic Rays and the Development of Particle Physics

    • Alessandro De Angelis, Mário João Martins Pimenta
    Pages 71-99
  5. Particle Detection

    • Alessandro De Angelis, Mário João Martins Pimenta
    Pages 101-187
  6. Particles and Symmetries

    • Alessandro De Angelis, Mário João Martins Pimenta
    Pages 189-244
  7. Interactions and Field Theories

    • Alessandro De Angelis, Mário João Martins Pimenta
    Pages 245-360
  8. The Higgs Mechanism and the Standard Model of Particle Physics

    • Alessandro De Angelis, Mário João Martins Pimenta
    Pages 361-420
  9. The Standard Model of Cosmology and the Dark Universe

    • Alessandro De Angelis, Mário João Martins Pimenta
    Pages 421-504
  10. The Properties of Neutrinos

    • Alessandro De Angelis, Mário João Martins Pimenta
    Pages 505-536
  11. Messengers from the High-Energy Universe

    • Alessandro De Angelis, Mário João Martins Pimenta
    Pages 537-616
  12. Astrobiology and the Relation of Fundamental Physics to Life

    • Alessandro De Angelis, Mário João Martins Pimenta
    Pages 617-646
  13. Back Matter

    Pages 647-661

About this book

This book, written by researchers who had been professionals in accelerator physics before becoming leaders of groups in astroparticle physics, introduces both fields in a balanced and elementary way, requiring only a basic knowledge of quantum mechanics on the part of the reader. 

The new profile of scientists in fundamental physics ideally involves the merging of knowledge in astroparticle and particle physics, but the duration of modern experiments is such that people cannot simultaneously be practitioners in both. Introduction to Particle and Astroparticle Physics is designed to bridge the gap between the fields. It can be used as a self-training book, a consultation book, or a textbook providing a “modern” approach to particles and fundamental interactions.

Authors and Affiliations

  • Department of Mathematics, Physics and Computer Science, University of Udine and INFN Padova, Padova, Italy

    Alessandro De Angelis

  • Laboratório de Instrumentação e Física de Partículas, University of Lisboa, Lisboa, Portugal

    Mário João Martins Pimenta

About the authors

Alessandro de Angelis is a high-energy physicist and astrophysicist. Full Professor at the University of Udine and the Instituto Superior Técnico (IST) of the University of Lisbon, he is currently Director of Research at INFN Padova and chairman of the collaboration board managing the MAGIC gamma-ray telescope at the Northern European Observatory, La Palma, Canary Islands. His main research interest is fundamental physics, especially astrophysics and elementary particle physics at accelerators. After graduating from Padova University, Professor de Angelis was employed at CERN in the 1990s, and he later became a founding member of the collaboration board managing the NASA Fermi gamma-ray telescope. He has been a lecturer in electromagnetism and astroparticle physics in Italy and Portugal and Visiting Professor at the ICRR in Tokyo, the Max-Planck Institute in Munich, and the University of Paris VI.

Mário Pimenta is a high-energy physicist and astrophysicist. He is Full Professor at the Instituto Superior Técnico (IST) of the University of Lisbon. In addition he is currently Director of the Laboratório de Instrumentação e Partículas (LIP), coordinator of the international PhD doctoral network IDPASC, and Portuguese representative at the Pierre Auger Observatory in Argentina. He was formerly a member of the WA72, WA74, NA38, and DELPHI experiments at CERN and of the EUSO collaboration at ESA. Professor Pimenta’s main research interests lie in high-energy physics, especially cosmic rays of extremely high energy, and the development of innovative detectors for astroparticle physics. After graduating from Lisbon and Paris VI universities, he was employed at CERN in the late 1980s. He has been a lecturer in general physics and particle physics in Portugal; he has also lectured at the University of Udine and been visiting professor at SISSA/ISAS in Trieste.

Bibliographic Information