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This book describes the development of our understanding of the strong interactions in particle physics, through its competing ideas and personalities, its false starts, blind alleys, and moments of glory – culminating with the author's discovery of quarks, real particles living in a deeper layer of reality. How were quarks discovered, what did physicists think they were, and what did they turn out to be? These questions are answered through a collection of personal remembrances. The focus is on the reality of quarks, and why that reality made them so difficult to accept. How Feynman and Gell-Mann practiced physics, with their contrasting styles and motivations, presented different obstacles to accepting this reality. And how was the author, as a graduate student, able to imagine their existence, and act on it? Science buffs, students, and experts alike will find much here to pique their interest and learn about quarks along the way.
This textbook provides an accessible introduction to quantum field theory and the Standard Model of particle physics. It adopts a distinctive pedagogical approach with clear, intuitive explanations to complement the mathematical exposition. The book begins with basic principles of quantum field theory, relating them to quantum mechanics, classical field theory, and statistical mechanics, before building towards a detailed description of the Standard Model. Its concepts and components are introduced step by step, and their dynamical roles and interactions are gradually established. Advanced topics of current research are woven into the discussion and key chapters address physics beyond the Standard Model, covering subjects such as axions, technicolor, and Grand Unified Theories. This book is ideal for graduate courses and as a reference and inspiration for experienced researchers. Additional material is provided in appendices, while numerous end-of-chapter problems and quick questions reinforce the understanding and prepare students for their own research.
This book explores the fractionalization of particles in physics, how interactions between individual particles and with their background can modify their fundamental quantum states. Covering a large breadth of topics with an example-driven approach, this comprehensive text explains why phases of matter must be described in terms of both symmetries and their topology. The majority of important results are derived in full with explanations provided, while exercises at the end of each section allow readers to extend and develop their understanding of key topics. The first part presents polyacetylene as the paradigmatic material in which electric charge can be fractionalized, while the second part introduces the notion of invertible topological phases of matter. The final part is devoted to the 'ten-fold way', a classification of topological insulators or superconductors. The text requires a solid understanding of quantum mechanics and is a valuable resource for graduate students and researchers in physics.
The third edition of this successful textbook has been redesigned to reflect the progress of the field in the last decade, including the latest studies of the Higgs boson, quark–gluon plasma, progress in flavour and neutrino physics and the discovery of gravitational waves. It provides undergraduate students with complete coverage of the basic elements of the Standard Model of particle physics, assuming only introductory courses in nuclear physics, special relativity and quantum mechanics. Examples of fundamental experiments are highlighted before discussions of the theory, giving students an appreciation of how experiment and theory interplay in the development of physics. The author examines leptons, hadrons and quarks, before presenting the dynamics and the surprising properties of the charges of the different forces, concluding with a discussion on neutrino properties beyond the Standard Model. This title is also available as open access on Higher Education from Cambridge University Press.
This text is a modern introduction to the Standard Model of particle physics for graduate students and advanced undergraduate students. Assuming only prior knowledge of special relativity and non-relativistic quantum mechanics, it presents all aspects of the field, including step-by-step explanations of the theory and the most recent experimental results. Taking a pedagogical, first-principles approach, it demonstrates the essential tools for students to process and analyse experimental particle physics data for themselves. While relatively short compared to other texts, it provides enough material to be covered comfortably in a two-semester course. Some of the more technical details are given in optional supplementary boxes, while problems are provided at the end of each chapter. Written as a bridge between basic descriptive books and purely theoretical works, this text offers instructors ample flexibility to meet the needs of their courses.
Providing a new perspective on quantum field theory, this book gives a pedagogical exposition of non-perturbative methods in relativistic quantum field theory and introduces the reader to modern research in theoretical physics. After describing non-perturbative methods in detail, it uses these methods to explore two-dimensional and four-dimensional gauge dynamics. The book concludes with a summary emphasizing the interplay between two- and four-dimensional gauge theories. Aimed at graduate students and researchers, this book covers topics from two-dimensional conformal symmetry, affine Lie algebras, solitons, integrable models, bosonization, and 't Hooft model, to four-dimensional conformal invariance, integrability, large N expansion, Skyrme model, monopoles and instantons. Applications, first to simple field theories and gauge dynamics in two dimensions, and then to gauge theories in four dimensions and quantum chromodynamics in particular, are thoroughly described. Published originally in 2010, this title has been reissued as an Open Access publication on Cambridge Core.
Motivated by dramatic developments in the field, this book provides a thorough introduction to spin and its role in elementary particle physics. Starting with a simple pedagogical introduction to spin and its relativistic generalisation, the author avoids the obscurity and impenetrability of traditional treatments of the subject. The book surveys the main theoretical and experimental developments, as well as discussing exciting plans for the future. Emphasis is placed on the importance of spin-dependent measurements in testing QCD and the Standard Model. This book will be of value to graduate students and researchers working in all areas of quantum physics and particularly in elementary particle and high energy physics. It is suitable as a supplementary text for graduate courses in theoretical and experimental particle physics. This title, first published in 2001, has been reissued as an Open Access publication on Cambridge Core.
The second edition of this introductory graduate textbook provides a concise yet accessible introduction to the Standard Model. It has been updated to account for the successes of the theory of strong interactions and the observations on matter–antimatter asymmetry. It gives a coherent presentation of the phenomena and theory that describe neutrino mass as well as an account of progress in the theory of strong interactions. The book develops clearly the theoretical concepts from the electromagnetic and weak interactions of leptons and quarks to the strong interactions of quarks. Each chapter ends with problems, with hints to selected problems provided at the end of the book. The mathematical treatments are suitable for graduates in physics, while more sophisticated mathematical ideas are developed in the text and appendices. First published in 2007, this title has been reissued as an Open Access publication on Cambridge Core.
This book provides a concise introduction to quantum fields on a lattice: a precise and non-perturbative definition of quantum field theory obtained by replacing continuous space-time by a discrete set of points on a lattice. The path integral on the lattice is explained in concrete examples using weak and strong coupling expansions. Fundamental concepts such as 'triviality' of Higgs fields and confinement of quarks and gluons into hadrons are described and illustrated with the results of numerical simulations. The book also provides an introduction to chiral symmetry and chiral gauge theory, as well as quantized non-Abelian gauge fields, scaling and universality. Based on the lecture notes of a course given by the author, this book contains many explanatory examples and exercises, and is suitable as a textbook for advanced undergraduate and graduate courses. Originally published in 2002, this title has been reissued as an Open Access publication on Cambridge Core.
Elementary particles can be identified through various techniques, depending on the purpose of the measurement and which relevant quantities, such as time, energy, and spatial coordinates, have to be measured. Detectors cover the measurement of energies spanning from the very low to the highest energies observed in cosmic rays. Describing the instrumentation for experiments in high energy physics and astroparticle physics, this edition describes track detectors, calorimeters, particle identification, neutrino detectors, momentum measurement, electronics, and data analysis. It also discusses applications of these detectors in other fields, such as nuclear medicine, radiation protection, and environmental science. Problem sets have been added to each chapter and additional instructive material has been provided, making this an excellent reference for graduate students and researchers in particle physics. First published in 2008, this title has been reissued as an Open Access publication on Cambridge Core.
The most non-trivial of the established microscopic theories of physics is quantum chromodynamics, QCD, the theory of the strong interaction. A critical link between theory and experiment is provided by the methods of perturbative QCD, notably the well-known factorization theorems. Giving an accurate account of the concepts, theorems and their justification, this book is a systematic treatment of perturbative QCD. As well as giving a mathematical treatment, the book relates the concepts to experimental data, giving strong motivations for the methods. It also examines in detail transverse-momentum-dependent parton densities, an increasingly important subject not normally treated in other books. Ideal for graduate students starting their work in high-energy physics, it will also interest experienced researchers wanting a clear account of the subject. First published in 2011, this title has been reissued as an Open Access publication on Cambridge Core.
Non-Abelian gauge theories, such as quantum chromodynamics (QCD) or electroweak theory, are best studied with the aid of Green's functions that are gauge-invariant off-shell, but unlike for the photon in quantum electrodynamics, conventional graphical constructions fail. The pinch technique provides a systematic framework for constructing such Green's functions, and has many useful applications. Beginning with elementary one-loop examples, this book goes on to extend the method to all orders, showing that the pinch technique is equivalent to calculations in the background field Feynman gauge. The Schwinger–Dyson equations are derived within the pinch technique framework, and are used to show how a dynamical gluon mass arises in QCD. Finally the volume turns to its many applications. This book is ideal for elementary particle theorists and graduate students. This 2011 title has been reissued as an Open Access publication on Cambridge Core.
The electroweak theory unifies two basic forces of nature: the weak force and electromagnetism. This is a concise introduction to the structure of the electroweak theory and its applications. It describes the structure and properties of field theories with global and local symmetries, leading to the standard model. It describes the particles and processes predicted by the theory, and compares them with experimental results. It also covers neutral currents, the properties of W and Z bosons, the properties of quarks and mesons containing heavy quarks, neutrino oscillations, CP-asymmetries in K, D, and B meson decays, and the search for Higgs particles. Each chapter contains problems to supplement the text, stemming from the author's long teaching experience. This will be of great interest to graduate students and researchers in elementary particle physics. Originally published in 2007, this title has been reissued as an Open Access publication on Cambridge Core.
This book provides a self-contained and systematic introduction to classical electron theory and its quantization, non-relativistic quantum electrodynamics. The first half of the book covers the classical theory. It discusses the well-defined Abraham model of extended charges in interaction with the electromagnetic field, and gives a study of the effective dynamics of charges under the condition that, on the scale given by the size of the charge distribution, they are far apart and the applied potentials vary slowly. The second half covers the quantum theory, leading to a coherent presentation of non-relativistic quantum electrodynamics. Topics discussed include non-perturbative properties of the basic Hamiltonian, the structure of resonances, the relaxation to the ground state through emission of photons, the non-perturbative derivation of the g-factor of the electron and the stability of matter. First released in 2004, this title has been reissued as an Open Access publication on Cambridge Core.
Nuclear Superfluidity is a monograph devoted exclusively to pair correlations in nuclei. It begins by exploring pair correlations in a variety of systems including superconductivity in metals at low temperatures and superfluidity in liquid 3He and in neutron stars. The book goes on to introduce basic theoretical methods, symmetry breaking and symmetry restoration in finite many-body systems. The last few chapters are devoted to introducing results on the role of induced interactions in the structure of both normal and exotic nuclei. The most important of these is the renormalization of the pairing interaction due to the coupling of pairs of nucleons to low energy nuclear collective excitations. This book will be essential reading for researchers and students in experimental and theoretical nuclear physics, and related research fields such as metal clusters, fullerenes and quantum dots. This 2005 title has been reissued as an Open Access publication on Cambridge Core.
Heavy ion collision experiments recreating the quark-gluon plasma that filled the nascent universe have established that it is a nearly perfect liquid that flows with such minimal dissipation that it cannot be seen as made of particles. String theory provides a powerful toolbox for studying matter with such properties. This book provides a comprehensive introduction to gauge/string duality and its applications to the study of the thermal and transport properties of quark-gluon plasma, the dynamics of how it forms, how it flows, and its response to probes including jets and quarkonium mesons. Calculations are discussed in the context of data from RHIC and LHC and results from finite temperature lattice QCD. This is an ideal reference for students and researchers in string theory, quantum field theory, quantum many-body physics, heavy ion physics and lattice QCD. This title from 2014 has been reissued as an Open Access publication on Cambridge Core.
The Lund model, inspired by quantum chromodynamics, has provided a promising approach to the dynamics of quark and gluon interactions. Starting with a brief reprise of basic concepts in relativity, quantum mechanics of fields and particle physics, this book discusses: the dynamics of the massless relativistic string; confinement; causality and relativistic covariance; Lund fragmentation processes; QED and QCD Bremsstrahlung; multiplicities and particle-parton distributions. Throughout the book, theory is confronted with current experimental data, and implications for future experiments are also considered. The book also explores the relationships between the Lund model and other models based on field theory (the Schwinger model, S-matrix models, light-cone algebra physics and variations of the parton model), and models based on statistical mechanics (the Feynman-Wilson gas, scaling, iterative cascade models). This title, first published in 1998, has been reissued as an Open Access publication on Cambridge Core.
In the last decade methods and techniques based on supersymmetry have provided deep insights in quantum chromodynamics and other non-supersymmetric gauge theories at strong coupling. This book summarizes major advances in critical solitons in supersymmetric theories, and their implications for understanding basic dynamical regularities of non-supersymmetric theories. After an extended introduction on the theory of critical solitons, including a historical introduction, the authors focus on three topics: non-Abelian strings and confined monopoles; reducing the level of supersymmetry; and domain walls as D-brane prototypes. They also provide a thorough review of issues at the cutting edge, such as non-Abelian flux tubes. The book presents an extensive summary of the current literature so researchers in this field can understand the background and related issues. First published in 2009, this title has been reissued as an Open Access publication on Cambridge Core.
This book introduces the quantum theory of gauge fields, emphasising four non-perturbative methods which have important applications: path integrals, lattice gauge theories, the 1/N expansion, and reduced matrix models. Written as a textbook, it assumes a knowledge of quantum mechanics and elements of perturbation theory, while many relevant concepts are introduced at a basic level in the first half of the book. The second half comprehensively covers large-N Yang–Mills theory. The book uses an approach to gauge theories based on path-dependent phase factors known as Wilson loops, and contains problems with detailed solutions to aid understanding. Suitable for advanced graduate courses in quantum field theory, the book will also be of interest to researchers in high energy theory and condensed matter physics as a survey of recent developments in gauge theory. Originally published in 2002, this title has been reissued as an Open Access publication on Cambridge Core.
D-branes represent a key theoretical tool in the understanding of strongly coupled superstring theory and M-theory. They have led to many striking discoveries, including the precise microphysics underlying the thermodynamic behaviour of certain black holes, and remarkable holographic dualities between large-N gauge theories and gravity. This book provides a self-contained introduction to the technology of D-branes, presenting their development in a pedagogical manner. The introductory material is developed by first starting with the main features of string theory needed to get rapidly to grips with D-branes. Many advanced applications are covered, with discussions of open problems which could form the basis for other avenues of research. Suitable as a textbook in graduate courses on modern string theory and theoretical particle physics, it will also be an indispensable reference for seasoned practitioners. First published in 2003, this title has been reissued as an Open Access publication on Cambridge Core.