Recent Results in Experimental Particle Physics

A weekly discussion of recent publications

Physics 605 (1 hour credit, P/NP) Instructor: Jim Brau

This class will meet 1 hour per week to discuss recent experimental results in particle physics, and some observational results on related astrophysics topics. Each week, one recent paper will be the focus of the discussion. Each student will be responsible during the term for leading the class in the discussion of recent papers describing experimental or observational results. Examples of results that we are likely to discuss are:

Bs mixing measurement

CDF

http://arxiv.org/abs/hep-ex/0606027

D0

http://arxiv.org/abs/hep-ex/0603029

Search for the Higgs boson at the Tevatron

http://arxiv.org/abs/hep-ex/0605088

http://arxiv.org/abs/hep-ex/0512051

Axion search

LLNL results

http://arxiv.org/abs/astro-ph/0603108

PVLAS results

http://arxiv.org/abs/hep-ex/0507061

Direct Dark Matter search

CDMS

http://arxiv.org/abs/astro-ph/0509269

http://arxiv.org/abs/astro-ph/0509259

http://arxiv.org/abs/astro-ph/0507190

DAMA

http://arxiv.org/abs/astro-ph/0307403

Indirect observation of dark matter

Bullet Cluster

http://arxiv.org/abs/astro-ph/0608407

Other results will be chosen based on student interest.

There will be an organizational meeting to plan the term on September 28 or 29. The time will be set by student availability. In order to enroll in this class, students must complete the half sheet on the front counter of the Physics Office that is used for research, dissertation, reading, etc. credits, indicate enrollment in Physics 605, and record J. Brau as instructor.