Fundamentals in Nuclear Physics

Covers all the phenomenological and experimental data on nuclear physics and demonstrates the latest experimental developments that can be obtained. §Introduces modern theories of fundamental processes, in particular the electroweak standard model, without using the sophisticated underlying quantum field theoretical tools. §Incorporates all major present applications of nuclear physics at a level that is both understandable by a majority of physicists and scientists of many other fields, and usefull as a first introduction for students who intend to pursue in the domain.This course explores nuclear physics and its applications ranging from the structure of nuclei and their reactions, to astrophysics and cosmology. The physics is introduced with arguments based on simple ideas such as the empirical structure of nuclear forces and its interplay with the Pauli principle and Coulomb repulsion. The book then develops elementary nuclear models and illustrates nuclear systematics with experimental data. Reactions and decays are discussed both phenomenologically and from the point of view of fundamental electro-weak interaction theory. The discussions of fission and fusion emphasize nuclear energy production. This leads directly into nuclear astrophysics and nucleosynthesis. The book ends with a presentation of the latest ideas about cosmology. As a primer this course will lay the foundations for more specialized subjects within the vast domain of nuclear physics as a whole.§This book emerged from a series of topical courses the authors delivered at the Ecole Polytechnique and will be useful for advanced undergraduates and for scientists in a variety of fields.