| 2015-08-17 11:12:27 |
|
Advanced Summer School in Physics at Yerevan Physics Institute
Twenty-four students from Yerevan State University and the Armenian State Pedagogical University participated in the Advanced Summer School in Physics that was held from Aug. 17-20 at the Yerevan Physics Institute (YerPhI), named in honor of its founder Artem Alikhanyan.
YerPhI Director Ashot Chilingarian opens the summer school and delivers the opening lecture.
Lectures and classes, delivered by senior scientists from various divisions of YerPhI, were held both at the Cosmic Ray Division’s (CRD) Nor Ambert Cosmic Ray research center on Mt. Aragats and at the Yerevan Physics Institute’s headquarters in Yerevan.
A series of 15 lectures and classes introduced the students to the latest developments in cosmic ray and atmospheric physics, cosmology, accelerator physics, information technology (IT), and the practical applications of these recent developments. During laboratory sessions, students assembled systems of particle detectors, measured the elemental composition of materials, and familiarized themselves with modern Graphic Processing Unit (GPU) servers. They also evaluated the yield of medical isotopes produced at YerPhI’s newly established Medical Isotope Division; here, the goal is to produce much-needed medical isotopes for Armenia’s medical institutions.
On the final day of classes the group visited CRD’s research center and cosmic ray observatory at 10,500-ft. elevation on Mt. Aragats. This is the world’s largest research center for monitoring secondary cosmic rays. The students examined CRD’s network of particle detectors, which register various subatomic components, as well as other instruments used in research atmospheric physics. They saw how the data is used in formulating a deeper understanding of solar and atmospheric physics, lightning initiation, and how this information is used to help predict space weather events.