In this volume a wide range of topics in particle physics, string theory and cosmology and their interconnections is covered.

In this volume a wide range of topics in particle physics, string theory and cosmology and their interconnections is covered.

String theory is a model of fundamental physics whose building blocks are one-dimensional extended objects called strings, rather than the zero-dimensional point particles that form the basis for the standard model of particle physics. The phrase is often used as shorthand for Superstring theory, as well as related theories such as M-theory. By replacing the point-like particles with strings, an apparently consistent quantum theory of gravity emerges. Moreover, it may be possible to 'unify' the known natural forces (gravitational, electromagnetic, weak nuclear and strong nuclear) by describing them with the same set of equations. Studies of string theory have revealed that it predicts higher-dimensional objects called branes. String theory strongly suggests the existence of ten or eleven (in M-theory) space-time dimensions, as opposed to the usual four (three spatial and one temporal) used in relativity theory.

This volume outlines the status of fundamental physics at the threshold of the 21st century. Some of the world's leading theorists and experimentalists discuss ongoing research on the following topics: M Theory, Superstring Theory, Supersymmetry and Supergravity, Quantum Gravity, Dark Matter in the Universe, Gravitational Radiation, Proton Decay, Higgs Physics, Cosmology, Bose-Einstein Condensation.

Low energy neutron beams are used to address many questions in nuclear physics, particle physics and astrophysics. The scientific issues include elucidating the nature of time reversal noninvariance; understanding the origin of the baryon asymmetry in the Universe; describing the weak interaction between quarks and between nucleons; understanding the origin of the elements in stellar and big bang nucleosynthesis. This book summarizes how spallation neutron sources work and discuss the advantages of pulsed beams in reducing systematic errors in precision measurements. It also describes recent breakthroughs in ultracold neutron production, together with the physics that will be addressed by the new generation of intense neutron sources. Contents:Spallation Neutron Source with Emphasis on Target Systems (T A Gabriel)The European Spallation Source Project ESS, and Its Particle Physics Programme (D Dubbers)Neutron Decay Beyond the Standard Model (P Herczeg)Symmetry Violation in Heavy Nuclei (V Gudkov)Project of New Neutron EDM Measurements (A Serebov et al.)Magnetic Trapping of Ultracold Neutrons: Prospects for an Improved Measurement of the Neutron Lifetime (P R Huffman et al.)Parity-Violating Neutron Spin Rotation Observable (D M Markoff & F E Wietfeldt)A New Approach to Measuring the Neutron Decay Correlations with Cold Neutrons at Lansce (W S Wilburn et al.)and other papers Readership: Researchers and graduate students in nuclear, high energy, particle and accelerator physics. Keywords:

Bringing together leading researchers from particle physics, astrophysics, and cosmology, Lepton and Baryon Number Violation in Particle Physics, Astrophysics and Cosmology presents reviews of current theoretical ideas, experimental results, and future perspectives in this topical field. The book covers areas related to baryon number (B) and lepton number (L) violation in particle physics, nuclear physics, rare decays, and cosmology. The main topics include B and L violation and grand unified theories; B and L violation in the early universe, cosmology, and astrophysics; Lepton family number violation; and B and L violation and collider physics.