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Physics514. Mechanics, Fluids, Chaos. (B) A general introduction to linear and nonlinear dynamical systems with an emphasis on astrophysical systems. Lagrangian and Hamiltonian formulations. Celestial mechanics. Equilibria and stability. Orbits. Resonances. Galactic dynamics. Intended for graduate students and advanced undergraduates. 516. Electromagnetic Phenomena. (B) Nelson. Survey of electrodynamics, focusing on applications to research done in the Department. Topics include mathematical structure and relativistic invariance properties of Maxwell equations, tensor methods, and the generation and scattering of radiation, in vacuum and in materials. Applications vary from year to year but include optical manipulation, astrophysical phenomena, and the generalizations from Maxwell's theory to those of other fundamental interactions (strong, electroweak, and gravitational forces). 518. Introduction to Condensed Matter Physics. (B) Prerequisite(s): Undergraduate training in quantum mechanics and statistical thermodynamics. An introduction to condensed matter physics designed primarily for advanced undergraduate and graduate students desiring a compact survey of the field. Band theory of solids, phonons, electrical magnetic and optical properties of matter, and superconductivity. 522. Introduction to Elementary Particle Physics. (M) Williams. Prerequisite(s): Permission of instructor required. An introduction to elementary particles (photons, leptons, hadrons, quarks), their interactions, and the unification of the fundamental forces. 526. Astrophysical Radiation. (M) This is a course on the theory of the interaction of light and matter designed primarily for graduate and advanced undergraduate students to build the basic tools required to do research in astrophysics. Topics to be discussed include structure of single- and multi-electron atoms, radiative and collisional processes, spectral line formation, opacity, radiation transfer, analytical and numerical methods, and a selection of applications in astrophysics based on student research interest. 530. Modern Optical Physics and Spectroscopy. (K) Prerequisite(s): Working knowledge of electricity and magnetism and quantum mechanics. Graduate level course designed for beginning or intermediate graduate students in physics, but it is likely to be of use to a broader community including beginning graduate students whose research involves light scattering in electrical engineering, chemistry, and biophysics, and advanced undergraduates. Introduction to contemporary optics. Topics include propagation and guiding of light waves, interaction of electromagnetic radiation with matter, lasers, non-linear optics, coherent transcient phenomena, photon correlation spectroscopies and photon diffusion. 531. Quantum Mechanics I. (A) Prerequisite(s): A minimum of one semester of quantum mechanics at the advanced undergraduate level. Wave mechanics, complementarity and correspondence principles, semi-classical (WKB) approximation, bound state techniques, periodic potentials, angular momentum, scattering theory, phase shift analysis, and resonance phenomena. 532. Quantum Mechanics II. (B) Prerequisite(s): PHYS 531. Spin and other two dimensional systems, matrix mechanics, rotation group, symmetries, time independent and time dependent perturbation theory, and atomic and molecular systems. 580. (BCHE580) Biological Physics. (H) Prerequisite(s): PHYS 401 or CHEM 221-222 (may be taken concurrently) or familiarity with basic statistical mechanics and thermodynamics. Recommended: Basic background in chemistry and biology. A survey of basic biological processes at all levels of organization (molecule, cell, organism, population) in the light of simple ideas from physics. Both the most ancient and the most modern physics ideas can help explain emergent aspects of life, i.e., those whichare largely independent of specific details and cut across many different classes of organisms. Topics may include thermal physics, entropic forces, free energy transduction, structure of biopolymers, molecular motors, cell signaling and biochemical circuits, nerve impulses and neural computing, populations and evolution, and the origins of life on Earth and elsewhere.
582. (BE 580) Medical Radiation Engineering. (M) This course in medical radiation physics investigates electromagnetic and particulate radiation and its interaction with matter. The theory of radiation transport and the basic concept of dosimetry will be presented. The principles of radiation detectors and radiation protection will be discussed. 611. Statistical Mechanics. (A) Prerequisite(s): PHYS 401, 531, or equivalent. Introduction to the canonical structure and formulation of modern statistical mechanics. The thermodynamic limit. Entropic and depletion forces. Gas and liquid theory. Phase transitions and critical phenomena. The virial expansion. Quantum statistics. Path integrals, the Fokker-Planck equation and stochastic processes. 622. Introduction to Elementary Particle Physics. (M) Prerequisite(s): PHYS 601. Introduction to the phenomenology of elementary particles, strong and weak interactions, symmetries. 632. Relativistic Quantum Field Theory. (M) Prerequisite(s): PHYS 601. Advanced topics in field theory, including renormalization theory. 633. Relativistic Quantum Field Theory. (M) Prerequisite(s): PHYS 632. A continuation of PHYS 632, dealing with non-Abelian gauge theories. 654. (MATH694) Anomalies in Quantum Field Theory and Superstrings: A Topological Approach. (M) This course is designed for students in both the Physics and Mathematics Departments who are interested in mathematical physics, particularly as it applies to quantum field theory, relativity and superstrings. We will focus on the theory of anomalies from two distinct points of view. 655. (MATH695) Geometry and String Theory. (M) The goal of the course is to introduce students, post-docs and faculty to the mathematics and physics associated with the recent advances in field theory and superstring theory. We will introduce, and use, relatively sophisticated mathematical techniques, such as index theorems, elliptic fibrations and vector bundle theory. These will be applied to important physics topics such as anomalies and F-theory/M-theory duality, with the goal of giving the student high-level familiarity with formal superstring theory. 656. (MATH696) Topics in Mathematical Physics and String Theory. (M) Staff. This interdisciplinary course discusses advanced topics in mathematical physics. Topics may include elliptic operators, heat kernels, complexes and the Atiyah-Singer index theorem, Feynman graphs and anomalies, computing Abelian and non-Abelian anomalies, and the relation of anomalies to the index theorem. 657. (MATH697) Topics in Mathematical Physics and String Theory. (M) Continuation of PHYS 656. Topics may include the family index theorem, equivariant cohomology and loop spaces, the homological algebra of BRST invariance and the Wess-Zumino consistency condition, the descent equations, and worldsheet anomalies in string theory. 661. Solid State Theory I. (M) This course is intended to be an introductory graduate course on the physics of solids, crystals and liquid crystals. There will be a strong emphasis on the use and application of broken and unbroken symmetries in condensed matter physics. Topics covered include superconductivity and superfluidity. 662. Solid State Theory II. (M) A continuation of PHYS 661. 682. Elementary Particle Theory. (M) Gauge theories, the standard model of strong and electroweak interactions, extended electroweak models, unified theories and their theoretical, experimental, and cosmological implications. This course is intended to bring students to the level of current research in elementary particle physics. Faculty
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