2002-2003 Description of Courses: Physics (Graduate)
- PHY 800: Research Methods
- PHY 810: Methods of Theoretical Physics
- PHY 820: Classical Mechanics
- PHY 831: Statistical Mechanics
- PHY 832: Topics in Statistical Mechanics (MTC)
- PHY 832A: Chaos and Nonlinear Dynamics in Statistical Mechanics
- PHY 832B: Phase Transitions and Critical Phenomena in Statistical Mechanics
- PHY 832C: Linear Response Theory in Quantum Statistical Systems
- PHY 832D: Superfluidity and Superconductivity in Statistical Mechanics
- PHY 841: Classical Electrodynamics I
- PHY 842: Classical Electrodynamics II
- PHY 850: Electrodynamics of Plasmas
- PHY 851: Quantum Mechanics I
- PHY 852: Quantum Mechanics II
- PHY 853: Advanced Quantum Mechanics
- PHY 854: Quantum Electrodynamics
- PHY 861: Beam Physics
- PHY 881: Subatomic Physics
- PHY 891: Elementary Particle Physics
- PHY 899: Master's Thesis Research
- PHY 901: Frontiers in Physics and Astronomy
- PHY 905: Special Problems
- PHY 962: Topics in Beam Physics (MTC)
- PHY 971: Atomic and Electronic Structure (formerly PHY 871, Condensed Matter Physics)
- PHY 972: Topics in Condensed Matter Physics (MTC)
- PHY 972A: Condensed Matter: Many-Body Problems
- PHY 972B: Condensed Matter: Disordered Solids
- PHY 972C: Condensed Matter: Superfluidity and Superconductivity
- PHY 972D: Condensed Matter: Magnetism
- PHY 972E: Condensed Matter: Macroscopic Systems
- PHY 980: Advanced Reading in Physics
- PHY 981: Nuclear Structure
- PHY 982: Topics in Nuclear Physics (MTC)
- PHY 982A: Nuclear Physics: Heavy Ion Reactions
- PHY 982B: Nuclear Physics: Nuclear Structure
- PHY 983: Nuclear Astrophysics
- PHY 992: Quantum Chromodynamics (MTC)
- PHY 992A: Quantum Chromodynamics: Hadron Interactions
- PHY 992B: Quantum Chromodynamics: Lepton-Hadron Interactions
- PHY 999: Doctoral Dissertation Research
MSU Physics & Astronomy Course Info
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Here follow the course descriptions:
- Research Methods
- Fall, Spring, Summer Semester
- 3 credits ( 3 hr lecture or equivalent, 0 or more hr lab)
- A student may earn a maximum of 6 credits in all enrollments for this
course.
- Restrictions: Open only to graduate students in Astronomy and
Astrophysics and in Physics.
Design and setup of experiments in various faculty research areas. Data
collection and analysis. Study and practice of theoretical methods.
- Methods of Theoretical Physics
- Fall Semester
- 3 credits ( 3 hr lecture, 0 hr lab)
Theoretical methods used in classical mechanics, quantum mechanics, electrodynamics, and statistical mechanics.
- Classical Mechanics
- Fall Semester
- 3 credits ( 3 hr lecture, 0 hr lab)
Two-body central force problem, Hamilton's principle, Lagrangian and Hamiltonian
equations of motion, variational methods, small oscillations, classical fields.
- Statistical Mechanics
- Spring Semester
- 3 credits ( 3 hr lecture, 0 hr lab)
Equilibrium statistical mechanics and thermodynamics. Boltzmann transport
equations and hydrodynamics. Brownian and Langevin motion.
- Topics in Statistical Mechanics
- A Multi-Titled Course (MTC)
- Fall Semester
- 3 credits ( 3 hr lecture, 0 hr lab)
- A student may earn a maximum of 12 credits in all enrollments for this
course.
- Prerequisites:
Advanced topics in statistical matter physics and nuclear physics.
-
- Chaos and Nonlinear Dynamics in Statistical Mechanics
- 3 credits ( 3 hr lecture, 0 hr lab)
- Prerequisites:
- Application of statistical mechanics principles to
nonlinear dynamics and chaos.
-
- Phase Transitions and Critical Phenomena in Statistical Mechanics
- 3 credits ( 3 hr lecture, 0 hr lab)
- Prerequisites:
- Application to critical phenomena. Phase transitions, Landau theory, scaling.
-
- Linear Response Theory in Quantum Statistical Systems
- 3 credits ( 3 hr lecture, 0 hr lab)
- Prerequisites:
- Linear response theory in quantum statistical systems. Applications to
magnetism, electrical and optical response functions. Fluctuations.
-
- Superfluidity and Superconductivity in Statistical Mechanics
- 3 credits ( 3 hr lecture, 0 hr lab)
- Prerequisites:
- Applications to superfluidity and superconductivity.
- Classical Electrodynamics I
- Spring Semester
- 3 credits ( 3 hr lecture, 0 hr lab)
- Prerequisites:
Electrostatics, magnetostatics, time-varying fields and Maxwell's equations.
Gauge transformations. Poynting's theorme and conservation laws.
- Classical Electrodynamics II
- Fall Semester
- 3 credits ( 3 hr lecture, 0 hr lab)
- Prerequisites:
- PHY 841 and PHY 810 or concurrently
Plane electromagnetic waves, polarization states, reflection, refraction. Wave
guides and resonant cavities. Radiating systems, dipole fields, radiated power.
Special theory of relativity.
- Electrodynamics of Plasmas
- Spring Semester of odd-numbered years
- 3 credits ( 3 hr lecture, 0 hr lab)
- Interdepartmental with EE & AST. Administered by EE Dept.
- Prerequisites:
Plasma kinetic and macroscopic plasma transport theory. Electromagnetic wave
propagation and charged particle diffusion processes in plasma. Electromagnetic
energy absorption via elastic and inelastic collisions. DC, RF, and microwave
discharges.
- Quantum Mechanics I
- Fall Semester
- 3 credits ( 3 hr lecture, 0 hr lab)
- Restrictions: Open only to graduate students in College of Engineering
and College of Natural Science.
Axioms of quantum and wave mechanics, applications to spherically symmetric
potentials. Hydrogen atom, harmonic oscillator, matrix mechanics, angular
momentum theory, rotations.
- Quantum Mechanics II
- Spring Semester
- 3 credits ( 3 hr lecture, 0 hr lab)
- Prerequisites:
Approximation methods, perturbation theory, atomic physics applications,
scattering theory, identical particles, Pauli principle, Bose and Einstein
statistics, Hartree-Fock approximation, collisions of identical particles,
radiation.
- Beam Physics
- Spring Semester of odd-numbered years
- 3 credits ( 3 hr lecture, 0 hr lab)
- Prerequisites:
Particle accelerator theory and design.
- Advanced Quantum Mechanics
- Fall Semester
- 3 credits ( 3 hr lecture, 0 hr lab)
- Prerequisites:
Quantum description of relativistic particles and fields. Dirac equation,
interpretation of negative energy states, Lagrangian field theory, quantization
of free fields, interactions, perturbation theory, S-matrix, and Feynman rules.
- Quantum Electrodynamics
- Spring Semester of odd-numbered years
- 3 credits ( 3 hr lecture, 0 hr lab)
- Prerequisites:
Application of quantum field theory to the interaction of electrons and photons:
pair annihilation, Compton scattering. Bound states, renormalization theory.
- Subatomic Physics
- Fall Semester
- 3 credits ( 3 hr lecture, 0 hr lab)
- Prerequisites:
Application of conservation laws and physical principles to basic quantum
mechanical problems in MeV energy range and femtometer size range. Application
to nuclear data.
- Elementary Particle Physics
- Spring Semester
- 3 credits ( 3 hr lecture, 0 hr lab)
- Prerequisites:
Nonabelian gauge theory, spontaneously broken gauge theory, electroweak
interaction, W and Z boson coupling to quarks and leptons; QCD, charm, top and
bottom quarks, particle generations.
- Master's Thesis Research
- Fall, Spring, Summer Semester
- 1 to 6 credits.
- A student may earn a maximum of 24 credits in all enrollments for this
course.
- Restrictions: Open only to graduate students in Physics.
- Frontiers in Physics and Astronomy
- Spring Semester
- 1 credit.
Seminar and discussions in physics and astronomy. Attendance at weekly colloquium.
- Special Problems
- Fall & Spring Semesters
- 1 to 4 credits.
- A student may earn a maximum of 9 credits in all enrollments for this course.
- Restrictions: Open only to graduate students in the Department of Physics and Astronomy.
In-depth study of a topic in physics or in astrophysics and astronomy.
- Topics in Beam Physics
- A Multi-Titled Course (MTC)
- Fall, Spring, Summer Semester
- 3 credits ( 3 hr lecture, 0 hr lab)
- A student may earn a maximum of 12 credits in all enrollments for this
course.
- Prerequisites:
Selected topics in accelerator physics.
-
- Nonlinear Beam Dynamics
- 3 credits ( 3 hr lecture, 0 hr lab)
- Prerequisites:
- The dynamics of particle beams.
-
- Particle Accelerators
- 3 credits ( 3 hr lecture, 0 hr lab)
- Prerequisites:
- Theory of particle accelerator design.
-
- U. S. Particle Accelerator School
- 3 credits
- Prerequisites:
- Participation in suitable courses offered by the U.S. Particle Accelerator School.
-
- Seminar in Beam Physics Research
- 3 credits
- Prerequisites:
- Presentation of current research projects.
(formerly PHY 871, Condensed Matter Physics)
- Atomic and Electronic Structure
- Spring Semester
- 3 credits ( 3 hr lecture, 0 hr lab)
- Recommended Background:
- (PHY 491 and PHY 852 and PHY 841 and PHY 831)
Atomic structure, bravais lattices, x-ray scattering. Vibrations, phonons, neutron scattering. Electron in solids, electron gas. Bloch's theorem. Metals, semiconductors and insulators. Introduction to cooperative phenomena.
- Topics in Condensed Matter Physics
- A Multi-Titled Course (MTC)
- Fall, Spring Semester
- 3 credits ( 3 hr lecture, 0 hr lab)
- A student may earn a maximum of 12 credits in all enrollments for this
course.
- Prerequisites:
- PHY 831, PHY 852, PHY 871
Advanced topics in many-body problems, disordered solids, superfluidity
superconductivity magnetism, or macroscopic systems.
-
- Condensed Matter: Many-Body Problems
- 3 credits ( 3 hr lecture, 0 hr lab)
- Prerequisites:
- PHY 831, PHY 852, PHY 871
- Advanced topics in many-body problems: interacting fermion systems, boson
systems. Electron-phonon interactions.
-
- Condensed Matter: Disordered Solids
- 3 credits ( 3 hr lecture, 0 hr lab)
- Prerequisites:
- PHY 831, PHY 852, PHY 871
- Advanced topics in disordered solids: single-defect and many-defect problems,
effective medium theories.
-
- Condensed Matter: Superfluidity and Superconductivity
- 3 credits ( 3 hr lecture, 0 hr lab)
- Prerequisites:
- PHY 831, PHY 852, PHY 871
- Advanced topics in superfluidity and superconductivity:
superfluidity in helium-3 and helium-4, superconductivity in metals.
-
- Condensed Matter: Magnetism
- 3 credits ( 3 hr lecture, 0 hr lab)
- Prerequisites:
- PHY 831, PHY 852, PHY 871
- Advanced topics in magnetism: localized and itinerant magnetic systems, ground
state properties, excitations, finite temperature properties.
-
- Condensed Matter: Macroscopic Systems
- 3 credits ( 3 hr lecture, 0 hr lab)
- Prerequisites:
- PHY 831, PHY 852, PHY 871
- Advanced topics in macroscopic systems: structure, dynamics, and fluctuations.
- Advanced Reading in Physics
- Fall, Spring, Summer Semester
- 1 to 3 credits.
- A student may earn a maximum of 4 credits in all enrollments for this
course.
- Restrictions: Approval of department required.
- Nuclear Structure
- Fall, Spring Semesters
- 3 credits ( 3 hr lecture, 0 hr lab)
- Recommended Background:
- (PHY 492 and PHY 831 and PHY 841 and PHY 852)
Nuclear forces, nuclear matter, nuclear-structure models, few-nucleon systems, electromagnetic and weak transitions.
- Topics in Nuclear Physics
- A Multi-Titled Course (MTC)
- Fall, Spring Semester
- 3 credits ( 3 hr lecture, 0 hr lab)
- A student may earn a maximum of 12 credits in all enrollments for this
course.
- Prerequisites:
Heavy ion reactions or nuclear structure.
-
- Nuclear Physics: Heavy Ion Reactions
- 3 credits ( 3 hr lecture, 0 hr lab)
- Prerequisites:
- PHY 831, PHY 852, PHY 881
- Scattering, particle transfer, resonance reactions, fission. Time-dependent
Hartree-Fock, Vlasov equation. Nuclear transport equations, particle production,
nuclear liquid-gas phase transition, quark-gluon plasma.
-
- Nuclear Physics: Nuclear Structure (superseded by PHY 981)
- 3 credits ( 3 hr lecture, 0 hr lab)
- Prerequisites:
- Nuclear forces, nuclear matter, nuclear-structure models, and few-nucleon
systems.
- Nuclear Astrophysics
- Fall & Spring Semesters
- 3 credits ( 3 hr lecture, 0 hr lab)
- Recommended Background:
- (PHY 410 and PHY 472 and PHY 482)
Low energy reaction theory, survey of astrophysics, physics of nuclei and reaction relevant to astrophysics, nuclear reaction rates in stellar environments, stellar evolution, solar neutrinos, big bang nucleosynthesis, dark matter, supernova explosions, r-process, hot CNO and rp-process, cosmochronology.
- Quantum Chromodynamics
- A Multi-Titled Course (MTC)
- Fall Semester
- 3 credits ( 3 hr lecture, 0 hr lab)
- A student may earn a maximum of 12 credits in all enrollments for this
course.
- Prerequisites:
Hadron-hadron interactions, interaction of hadrons with leptons.
-
- Quantum Chromodynamics: Hadron Interactions
- 3 credits ( 3 hr lecture, 0 hr lab)
- Prerequisites:
- Current topics in hadron-hadron interactions.
-
- Quantum Chromodynamics: Lepton-Hadron Interactions
- 3 credits ( 3 hr lecture, 0 hr lab)
- Prerequisites:
- Current topics in interaction of hadrons with leptons.
- Doctoral Dissertation Research
- Fall, Spring, Summer Semester
- 1 to 24 credits.
- A student may earn a maximum of 99 credits in all enrollments for this
course.
- Restrictions: Open only to graduate students in Physics.
This WWW page was created and is maintained by
George J. Perkins, based on information in MSU's AIS database, accessible on-campus via
http://www.reg.msu.edu/Courses/Search.asp.
- updated: 2003.01.03 (Friday) 12:23:34 EST -