The new experiments underway at the Large Hadron Collider at CERN in Switzerland may significantly change our understanding of elementary particle physics and, indeed, the universe. Suitable for first-year graduate students and advanced undergraduates, this textbook provides an introduction to the field
Introduction to Elementary Particle Theory details the fundamental concepts and basic principles of the theory of elementary particles. The title emphasizes on the phenomenological foundations of relativistic theory and to the strong interactions from the S-matrix standpoint. The text first covers the basic description of elementary particles, and then proceeds to tackling relativistic quantum mechanics and kinematics. Next the selection deals with the problem of internal symmetry. In the last part, the title details the elements of dynamical theory. The book will be of great use to students and researchers in the field of particle physics.
Since the development of natural philosophy in Ancient Greece, scientists have been concerned with determining the nature of matter's smallest constituents and the interactions among them. This textbook examines the question of the microscopic composition of matter through an accessible introduction to what is now called 'The Physics of Elementary Particles'. In the last few decades, elementary particle physics has undergone a period of transition, culminating in the formulation of a new theoretical scheme, known as 'The Standard Model', which has profoundly changed our understanding of nature's fundamental forces. Rooted in the experimental tradition, this new vision is based on geometry and sees the composition of matter in terms of its accordance with certain geometrical principles. This textbook presents and explains this modern viewpoint to a readership of well-motivated undergraduate students, by guiding the reader from the basics to the more advanced concepts of Gauge Symmetry, Quantum Field Theory and the phenomenon of spontaneous symmetry breaking through concrete physical examples. This engaging introduction to the theoretical advances and experimental discoveries of the last decades makes this fascinating subject accessible to undergraduate students and aims at motivating them to study it further.
This is a practical introduction to the principal ideas in gauge theory and their applications to elementary particle physics. It explains technique and methodology with simple exposition backed up by many illustrative examples. Derivations, some of well known results, are presented in sufficient detail to make the text accessible to readers entering the field for the first time. The book focuses on the strong interaction theory of quantum chromodynamics and the electroweak interaction theory of Glashow, Weinberg, and Salam, as well as the grand unification theory, exemplified by the simplest SU(5) model. Not intended as an exhaustive survey, the book nevertheless provides the general background necessary for a serious student who wishes to specialize in the field of elementary particle theory. Physicists with an interest in general aspects of gauge theory will also find the book highly useful.
This book provides a comprehensive overview of modern particle physics accessible to anyone with a true passion for wanting to know how the universe works. We are introduced to the known particles of the world we live in. An elegant explanation of quantum mechanics and relativity paves the way for an understanding of the laws that govern particle physics. These laws are put into action in the world of accelerators, colliders and detectors found at institutions such as CERN and Fermilab that are in the forefront of technical innovation. Real world and theory meet using Feynman diagrams to solve the problems of infinities and deduce the need for the Higgs boson.Facts and Mysteries in Elementary Particle Physics offers an incredible insight from an eyewitness and participant in some of the greatest discoveries in 20th century science. From Einstein's theory of relativity to the spectacular discovery of the Higgs particle, this book will fascinate and educate anyone interested in the world of quarks, leptons and gauge theories.This book also contains many thumbnail sketches of particle physics personalities, including contemporaries as seen through the eyes of the author. Illustrated with pictures, these candid sketches present rare, perceptive views of the characters that populate the field.The Chapter on Particle Theory, in a pre-publication, was termed 'superbly lucid' by David Miller in Nature (Vol. 396, 17 Dec. 1998, p. 642).
This book is written for students and scientists wanting to learn about the Standard Model of particle physics. Only an introductory course knowledge about quantum theory is needed. The text provides a pedagogical description of the theory, and incorporates the recent Higgs boson and top quark discoveries. With its clear and engaging style, this new edition retains its essential simplicity. Long and detailed calculations are replaced by simple approximate ones. It includes introductions to accelerators, colliders, and detectors, and several main experimental tests of the Standard Model are explained. Descriptions of some well-motivated extensions of the Standard Model prepare the reader for new developments. It emphasizes the concepts of gauge theories and Higgs physics, electroweak unification and symmetry breaking, and how force strengths vary with energy, providing a solid foundation for those working in the field, and for those who simply want to learn about the Standard Model.
ACCOUNTING PRINCIPLES Meeting the need for a coherently written and comprehensive compendium combining field theory and particle physics for advanced students and researchers, this volume directly links the theory to the experiments. It is clearly divided into two sections covering approaches to field theory and the Standard Model, and rounded off with numerous useful appendices. A timely work for high energy and theoretical physicists, as well as astronomers, graduate students and lecturers in physics. From the contents: Particles and Fields Lorentz Invariance Dirac Equation Field Quantization Scattering Matrix QED: Quantum Electrodynamics Radiative Corrections and Tests of Qed Symmetries Path Integral : Basics Path Integral Approach to Field Theory Accelerator and Detector Technology Spectroscopy The Quark Model Weak Interaction Neutral Kaons and CP Violation Hadron Structure Gauge Theories Appendices Volume 2 (2013, ISBN 3-527-40966-1) will concentrate on the main aspects of the Standard Model by addressing its recent developments and future prospects. Furthermore, it will give some thought to intriguing ideas beyond the Standard Model, including the Higgs boson, the neutrino, the concepts of the Grand Unified Theory and supersymmetry, axions, and cosmological developments.
This particle physics textbook for senior undergraduates and early graduates explains the Standard Model of particle physics, both the theory and its experimental basis. The point of view is thoroughly modern. Theory relevant to the experiments is developed in detail but in a simplified way without needing full knowledge of quantum field theory.