Particle Physics and Cosmology

Abstract

In the first Lecture, the Big Bang and the Standard Model of particle physics are introduced, as well as the structure of the latter and open issues beyond it. Neutrino physics is discussed in the second Lecture, with emphasis on models for neutrino masses and oscillations. The third Lecture is devoted to supersymmetry, including the prospects for discovering it at accelerators or as cold dark matter. Inflation is reviewed from the viewpoint of particle physics in the fourth Lecture, including simple models with a single scalar inflaton field: the possibility that this might be a sneutrino is proposed. Finally, the fifth Lecture is devoted to topics further beyond the Standard Model, such as grand unification, baryo- and leptogenesis - that might be due to sneutrino inflaton decays - and ultra-high-energy cosmic rays - that might be due to the decays of metastable superheavy dark matter particles.