Space and Cosmic Ray Physics (2023)
Corso di insegnamento per il Dottorato di Ricerca in Fisica
Type: 3 CFU, 16h, FIS/05
Program: Cosmic rays, mostly atomic nuclei, have their origin beyond the solar system and while crossing the universe in all directions bombard Earth continuously. The study of the cosmic radiation have been made indirectly with detector apparatus located on Earth or directly with detectors placed on stratospheric balloons and satellites. This course will focus on space-borne and balloon-borne detection of space charged particles. It is meant to introduce the fundamental concepts of cosmic ray detection and performance, near-Earth environment and the principles of radiation shielding needed to long-term travles in space. Cosmic rays, mostly atomic nuclei, have their origin beyond the solar system and while crossing the universe in all directions bombard Earth continuously. Despite more than a century of research, much of its mysteries remain. For instance, its charged nature makes them while traveling sensitive to magnetic fields existing in space preventing unveiling their sources upon detection near Earth with particle spectrometers..
Lecturers: Fernando Barao (LIP-Lisbon, PT); Nicola Tomassetti (UniPG)
Textbooks: Course material, slides and lecture notes will be made available
Timetable: from April 17th, Monday, to April 27th, Friday.
Introduction to Space Physics (2021 & 2022)
Corso di insegnamento per il Dottorato di Ricerca in Fisica
Type: 1.5 CFU, 8h, FIS/05
Program: Heliophysics: the Sun variability and the solar cycle; the solar wind and the heliosphere; the interplanetary magnetic field, the interstellar space. Space plasmas: basic properties, Debye length and plasma parameter, plasma frequency, continuity equation. Heliospheric and magnetospheric plasmas. Single particle motion, cyclotron motion, drift equations, orbit theory. Magnetic dipole and bottle. Adiabatic invariants. Particles in the Earth magnetosphere. Transport of solar particles and cosmic rays in the heliosphere: turbulence and spatial diffusion, convection and cooling, drift, acceleration.
Lecturer: Nicola Tomassetti
Textbooks: M. B. Kallenrode, “Space Physics – An Introduction to Plasmas and Particles in the Heliosphere and Magnetospheres”, 2004 Springer. Course material, slides and notes will be made available.
Timetable: Course 2021: Monday 9:00 – 11:00 & Tuesday 9:00 – 11:00, since 29 November 2021 to 7 December 2021. Course 2023: Monday 9:00 – 11:00 & Tuesday 9:00 – 11:00 since 9 to 17 May 2022 .