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_
S
1
S
2
m
1
m
2
+
S
1
S
3
m
1
m
3
+
S
2
S
3
m
2
m
3
_
where A
_
1
4m
2
u
1
m
u
m
s
_
for J
P
=
1
2
+
M
uus
= 2m
u
+ m
s
+ A
_
1
4m
2
u
+
1
2m
u
m
s
_
for J
P
=
3
2
+
.
[10]
The
+
and
+
baryons are bound states of uus quarks. The
+
baryon
has spin-
1
2
and the
+
baryon has spin-
3
2
. Calculate the masses of the
+
and
+
and compare with the measured values of m(
+
) = 1.19 GeV and
m(
+
) = 1.38 GeV. [3]
The
+
and
+
decay predominantly via the following decay modes
+
p [uud] +
0
[(u u d
d)/
2]
+
[uds] +
+
[u
d]
where the quark contents of the hadrons are shown in the square brackets.
Draw Feynman diagrams for these decays and explain why the total widths,
(
+
) 8 10
12
MeV and (
+
) 36 MeV, are signicantly dierent. [5]
[Mass of the u-quark, m
u
362 MeV; mass of the s-quark, m
s
537 MeV;
A
= 0.026 GeV
3
.]
D3
3
A3 The Breit-Wigner cross-section for the production of an intermediate
resonant state in particle collisions can be written as
(i R f) =
g
p
2
f
[E E
R
]
2
+
2
R
/4
.
Explain the physical meaning of each symbol in the above expression. [3]
In an e
+
e
is chosen to produce
Z
0
bosons at rest. Show that the cross-section for Z
0
decays into
fermion-antifermion pairs (f
f) can be written as
_
e
+
e
Z
0
f
f
_
=
3
M
2
Z
e
+
e
f
f
[
s M
Z
]
2
+
2
Z
/4
and sketch its behaviour for
s < 150 GeV. What other physical process can
occur for
s 150 GeV ? [6]
Draw a Feynman diagram for the decay of the Z
0
f
f and list all possible
Standard Model decay modes of the Z
0
. Calculate the cross-section at the Z
0
peak
for the decay of the Z
0
into quark-antiquark pairs and compare it to that for Z
0
decays into e
+
e
Z
0
Z
0
H.
Draw a Feynman diagram of this reaction. The branching fraction for the Higgs
decay to b
b. Explain
why b quarks can help to distinguish e
+
e
Z
0
H from the background reaction
e
+
e
Z
0
Z
0
. [4]
_
_
Mass of the Z
0
= 91.2 GeV; spin of the Z
0
= 1;
total width of the Z
0
= 2.5 GeV;
Z
0
partial width to each charged lepton type,
e
+
e
= 84 MeV;
Z
0
partial width to each neutrino species,
= 167 MeV;
Z
0
partial width to each up-type quark,
u u
= 252 MeV;
Z
0
partial width to each down-type quark,
d
d
= 414 MeV;
hc = 0.197 GeV fm and 1 barn = 10
28
m
2
.
_
_
D3
(TURN OVER
4
SECTION B
B4 Write brief notes on three of the following: [25]
(a) the formation and properties of protostars;
(b) the Lagrange points and the orbits of test particles in the gravitational
two-body problem;
(c) the generation and transport of energy in stars;
(d) the Equivalence Principle.
B5 Describe briey the events that are thought to occur when a 10 solar mass
star becomes a supernova. [7]
The total energy released in such a supernova is of order 2 10
46
J and
about half of this is emitted in the form of neutrinos, with a typical energy of
10 MeV, over a period of about 10 seconds. If this supernova exploded at a
distance of 30 parsecs from the Earth, how large would the ux of neutrinos be at
the Earth? [1 parsec = 3 10
16
m] [3]
The envelope of the star, which has a mass of 2 10
31
kg, is expelled at a
velocity of 7 10
6
m s
1
forming a supernova remnant. Outline the subsequent
evolution of this remnant and its interaction with the interstellar medium. [5]
Given that the mean density of the interstellar medium is
10
6
particles m
3
, nd the radius of the remnant at which the mass of material
swept up is equal to that of the envelope and estimate the time t
1
after the
explosion at which this occurs. [3]
Neglecting the eect of radiative cooling, show that at time t, which is much
greater than t
1
, the radius R of the remnant is given by
R = C
_
E
_
1/5
t
2/5
where E is the original kinetic energy of the remnant, is the density of the
interstellar medium, and C is a constant. [4]
Taking C to have the value 1.4, estimate the time that would elapse between
the arrival of the neutrinos and the arrival of the shock front at the Earth. [3]
D3
5
B6 The cosmological eld equations can be written in the form
R
R
+
4G
3
(1 + )
3
= 0,
_
R
R
_
2
8G
3
3
=
kc
2
R
2
.
Describe briey the physical meanings of the quantities appearing in these
equations. [3]
Explain the signicance of the Hubble parameter H =
R/R and discuss
recent data giving its current value. [4]
Show that for a universe with k = 0, the second eld equation requires that
m
+
= 1, where
m
=
8G
3H
2
and
=
3H
2
.
[3]
Describe briey the astronomical evidence that constrains the current values
of
m
and
) plane and
indicate on it which regions are allowed according to the various sets of recent
observations. [4]
Show that, with the assumptions that k = 0 and = 0, can be eliminated
between the eld equations to obtain the relationship 2
H + 3H
2
= . Show that a
solution to this equation is
H(t) =
_
/3
tanh
_
3t
2
_
/3
_
and nd an expression for the age of the Universe in terms of the current values of
H and
. [6]
Make an estimate of the age of the Universe using this expression and the
best values that are currently known for the cosmological parameters. [3]
Using the expression for H(t), discuss the eventual fate of the Universe if
these assumptions are correct. [2]
END OF PAPER
D3