Introduction to Particle Physics

Obsah

1. Overview of elementary particles and their interactions 
   
   1. The fundamental interactions 
      
   2. Quantum electrodynamics 
      
   3. Quantum chromodynamics 
      
   4. Weak interactions 
      
   5. Briefly on neutrino oscillations 
      
2. Conservation laws and symmetries 
   
   1. Decays and conserved quantities 
      
   2. The concept of symmetry and symmetry groups 
      
   3. Introduction to group theory: SU(2) vs. SO(3) 
      
   4. Isospin 
      
   5. Charge conjugation and parity 
      
   6. CP-violation and the TCP theorem 
      
3. Theory of relativistic kinematics 
   
   1. Lorentz transformations 
      
   2. 4-vectors 
      
   3. Energy and momentum 
      
   4. Collisions 
      
4. Quantum electrodynamics and Feynman rules 
   
   1. The Dirac equation 
      
   2. The photon 
      
   3. Feynman calculus: application to decays and scattering 
      
   4. Casimir’s trick and trace theorems 
      
   5. Treatment of bubble diagrams 
      
   6. Computation of various cross sections and lifetimes 
      
   7. Renormalization 
      
5. Weak interactions and electroweak theory 
   
   1. Charged leptonic weak interactions 
      
   2. Charged weak interactions of quarks 
      
   3. Neutral weak interactions 
      
   4. Electroweak unification 
      
   5. Electroweak mixing 
      
6. Quantum chromodynamics 
   
   1. Hadron production via e− − e+ collisions 
      
   2. Elastic e − p scattering 
      
   3. Feynman rules for QCD 
      
   4. Color factors 
      
   5. Briefly on asymptotic freedom 
      
7. Relativistic field theory and gauge theories 
   
   1. Lagrangians in relativistic field theory 
      
   2. Local gauge invariance 
      
   3. Interpreting L: importance of the mass term 
      
   4. Spontaneous symmetry breaking 
      
   5. Higgs mechanism 
      
   6. Yang-Mills theory 
      

Popis

The aim of this book is to present fundamental concepts in particle physics. 

This includes topics such as the theories of quantum electrodynamics, quantum chromodynamics, weak interactions, Feynman diagrams and Feynman rules, important conservation laws and symmetries pertaining to particle dynamics, relativistic field theories, gauge theories, and more. 

In addition to explaining the underlying theories in a detailed manner, we provide a number of examples that will illustrate the formalisms "in action".

About the author

J.L. holds since 2013 a position as Professor of Physics at the Norwegian University of Science and Technology. His research is focused on theoretical quantum condensed matter physics and he has received several prizes for his Ph.D work on the interplay between superconductivity and magnetism. He has also received the American Physical Society ”Outstanding Referee” award, selected among over 60.000 active referees. In teaching courses such as Classical Mechanics and Particle Physics for both undergraduate and graduate students, he has invariably received high scores from the students for his pedagogical qualities and lectures. His webpage is found here.