Computational Methods for Astroparticle Propagation
This course is designed to provide an introduction to the computational methods used to model the propagation of high-energy cosmic messengers, namely cosmic rays, gamma rays, and neutrinos. Students will learn about the physical processes that govern the propagation of these particles, as well as the techniques used to describe their transport in astrophysical environments. Topics will include the theory of astroparticle transport, the computational techniques commonly employed, and specific codes used by the community. Also discussed will be the limitations of model-building and the role of uncertainties in interpreting the results.
Goals
➡ to understand the basics of how particles travel in universe;
➡ to learn about the computational methods used;
➡ to get a glimpse into some of the codes widely employed by the community;
➡ understand the difficulties and limitations of model-building;
➡ to learn how to build and run a simulation with the CRPropa code.
Course outline
➡ Class 1: introduction to the course and to astroparticle physics.
➡ Class 2: the theory of astroparticle transport; introduction to numerical methods for astroparticle transport: analytical methods.
➡ Class 3: the theory of astroparticle transport; introduction to numerical methods for astroparticle transport: analytical methods.
➡ Class 4: understanding astroparticle data using computational simulations; a primer on the CRPropa framework
➡ Class 5: hands-on class on how to simulate the propagation of particles in the universe with CRPropa
➡ Class 6: discussion on current challenges in astroparticle physics and how they connect to computational modelling; philosophical issues in model-building and how to make sense of observations.
Prerequisites
➡ basic knowledge of electromagnetism and particle physics;
➡ some understanding of Python.
References
➡ T. K. Gaisser et al. Cosmic Rays and Particle Physics. Cambridge U. Press, 2016.
➡ M. S. Longair. High Energy Astrophysics. Cambridge University Press, 3rd ed., 2011.
➡ G. Sigl. Astroparticle Physics: Theory and Phenomenology. Springer, 2017.
➡ A. Shalchi. Nonlinear Cosmic Ray Diffusion Theories. Springer, 2009.
➡ G. Fleishman and I. Toptygin. Cosmic Electrodynamics. Springer, 2013.
Course Materials
➡ Github: contains several notebooks with material on the topics covered, and CRPropa examples
➡ Slides: class 1 class 2 class 3 class 4 class 6
➡ Lecture notes: link
➡ Notes on CRPropa installation: link
Schedule
28/Aug/2023 — 01/09/2023 (1 or 2 lectures per day)