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Introduction to Particle Accelerators (NPAP MOOC)

Approx. 12 hours to complete

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Course Summary

This course provides an introduction to particle accelerators, including their history, principles, and applications. Learners will gain an understanding of the basic concepts of particle accelerators and their role in scientific research and technology.

Key Learning Points

Learn the basic principles and history of particle accelerators
Understand the different types of accelerators and their applications
Explore the role of accelerators in scientific research and technology

Job Positions & Salaries of people who have taken this course might have

Accelerator Physicist
- USA: $90,000 - $120,000
- India: ₹6,00,000 - ₹12,00,000
- Spain: €35,000 - €60,000
Research Scientist
- USA: $60,000 - $120,000
- India: ₹4,00,000 - ₹10,00,000
- Spain: €28,000 - €60,000
Particle Accelerator Engineer
- USA: $70,000 - $110,000
- India: ₹5,00,000 - ₹10,00,000
- Spain: €30,000 - €50,000

Learning Outcomes

Understand the basic principles of particle accelerators
Identify the different types of accelerators and their applications
Evaluate the role of accelerators in scientific research and technology

Prerequisites or good to have knowledge before taking this course

Basic knowledge of physics and mathematics
Familiarity with scientific terminology

Course Difficulty Level

Intermediate

Course Format

Online self-paced
Video lectures
Quizzes and assignments

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Description

Welcome to the Nordic Particle Accelerator Program's (NPAP) Massive Open Online Courses and to the fascinating world of particle accelerators!

Did you know that in the year of 2000 there were more than 15 000 particle accelerators in the world? Yet, today it has grown to more than 30 000 of them! A third of the particle accelerators are dedicated to medical applications, such as radio therapy, and a half are used for ion implantation in semiconductor devices. Also numerous particle accelerators are used for sterilizing food. Despite these everyday life examples of small particle accelerators, it is the large accelerators, like the Large Hadron Collider at CERN, that most people associate with particle accelerators. There will be many new applications for particle accelerators in the future and by that there is a need for MOOCs that describe the techniques and applications of these machines.. The NPAP series of MOOCs consists of three MOOCs designed to disseminate knowledge about particle accelerator technology to impacted fields. The courses have been made possible thanks to the support of the Erasmus Plus, Strategic Partnership funding of the European Commission and thanks to the dedicated lecturers from the universities of Lund, Uppsala, Arhus, Oslo and Jyväskylä, and by experts from the MAX IV Laboratory and European Spallation Source (ESS), both in Lund, Sweden. In many of the lectures we detail the MAX IV Laboratory and ESS - currently hosting the most powerful synchrotron light source and neutron source in the world. In the MAX IV Laboratory intense X-ray beams are produced by electrons that are first accelerated to almost the speed of light, and at ESS protons will be accelerated and, by a process called spallation, generate intense beams of neutron. The X-ray and neutron beams are used for looking into matter, down to the atomic level. The MAX IV Laboratory and ESS form a unique European center of excellence for thousands of scientists that together build the world of tomorrow. We also take a closer look at the Large Hadron Collider, at CERN, in Geneva. This powerful machine has already had an immense impact on theoretical physics and will continue to contribute to our knowledge of nature for quite some time. The first course in our NPAP series is the Introduction to Particle Accelerators. It explains how a particle accelerator can generate light of wavelengths down to one Angstrom. It also explains how the ESS facility can create a massive flux of neutrons by accelerating protons and let them smash into a disk of tungsten. The initial modules provide the basic knowledge about linear and circular accelerators that is required to understand other types of accelerators, like the Large Hadron Collider (LHC), at CERN in Geneva. We describe LHC and give an introduction to the elementary particle physics it is used for. We continue by describing some new concepts for future particle accelerators, like plasma driven accelerators. The second MOOC in the series is called "Fundamentals of Particle Accelerator Technology (NPAP MOOC)" and offers four modules: The Radio Frequency (RF) System of Accelerators; Magnet technology for accelerator; Beam Diagnostics; Basics of Vacuum techniques. The third MOOC is - Medical Applications of Particle Accelerators, which offers the four modules: Introduction to the course and radiotherapy; Linear electron accelerators for radiotherapy; Proton therapy part I; Proton therapy part II and the production of medical radionuclides. The three MOOCs can be taken either separately or as a package. For students that intend to take all three courses we recommend that they are taken in order. Get started and join us on this journey through the world of particle accelerators and be amazed by their importance for our lives and societies! Best Regards, The NPAP Team!

Knowledge

You will learn how electrons can create light
You will learn the basic principles of synchrotron light sources and MAX-IV
You will learn how protons can be accelerated in a linear accelerator and how they can produce neutrons by spallation at the ESS
You will learn what particle colliders are and what they can be used for

Outline

Accelerators for Synchrotron Light
Where does light come from?
Which type of light do we need?
Introduction to synchrotron accelerators
How does an accelerator for synchrotron radiation work?
The evolution of accelerators for synchrotron light
Start and welcome!
Try an experiment - light
Try another experiment - detector
Try thinking with your hand - motion in a magnet
How magnets affect particles
Light and light sources
Accelerators to make light
The development of accelerators for synchrotron light
Accelerators for synchrotron light: Graded test

Photon light sources and MAX IV
Electromagnetic spectrum
Discovery of synchrotron radiation
General characteristics of synchrotron radiation
Bending magnets radiation
Wigglers and undulators
Free Electron Lasers
Configurations. SASE and seeding
Welcome to the second module
Useful links about FELs
Links to further reading
Photon Light Sources
Critical wavelength
Bending magnets, wigglers and undulators
Free Electron lasers
Photon light sources:Graded test

Spallation sources and ESS
Basics of neutron scattering science
Neutron spallation sources
The basics of ESS
Challenges for the ESS accelerator
The ESS Accelerator
How to observe the ESS beam
To avoid melting the target
The discovery of the neutron
Neutron sources - Extra reading
Neutron E-Learning platforms
Introductory reading
ESS - Complementary information
The ESS accelerator - extra reading
More about ESS Beam Diagnostics
Introduction and Neutron science
ESS
Neutron science and ESS: Graded test

Particle Colliders
Introduction to Particle Colliders
Going into matter, the standard model
Particle collider characteristics
Introduction to CERN
LHC main parameters and technological choices
Linear Colliders
ILC and CLIC
Future Circular Colliders
Conclusions
Introduction to Particle Colliders
The Standard Model - further reading
Links particles and particle accelerators
More links
Existing CERN movies
Learning outcomes
Introduction to Particle Colliders
The LHC and its experiments
Linear Colliders
Future Circular Colliders
Particle colliders: Graded test

Stay tuned for upcoming resources
Want to learn more about accelerating sciences and pushing their frontiers ?

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Summary of User Reviews

The Introduction to Particle Accelerators course on Coursera has received positive reviews from students. Many users found the course material to be engaging and informative. Overall, the course is highly recommended for anyone interested in learning about particle accelerators.

Key Aspect Users Liked About This Course

The course material was engaging and informative.

Pros from User Reviews

The course provides a comprehensive overview of particle accelerators.
The instructors are knowledgeable and engaging.
The course includes practical examples and exercises.
The course is well-structured and easy to follow.
The course is suitable for beginners and advanced learners alike.

Cons from User Reviews

Some users found the course content to be too basic.
The course may be too technical for some learners.
The course may not be suitable for learners without a background in physics.
The course quizzes and assignments may be challenging for some learners.
The course videos may be too long for some learners.

Recommended for you

Introduction to Particle Accelerators (NPAP MOOC)

Welcome to the Nordic Particle Accelerator Program's (NPAP) Massive Open Online Courses and to the fascinating world of particle accelerators! Also numerous particle accelerators are used for sterilizing food....

Save Course