Electroweak theory

The electroweak theory unifies two basic forces of nature: the weak force and electromagnetism. This 2007 book 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 construction of 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, stemming from the long teaching experience of the author, to supplement the text. This will be of great interest to graduate students and researchers in elementary particle physics. The electroweak theory unifies two basic forces of nature: the weak force and electromagnetism. This achievement is comparable to Maxwell's unification of electricity and magnetism. The theory made numerous predictions that have been confirmed by experiments. This book is a concise introduction to the structure of the electroweak theory and its applications. Electroweak Theory describes the structure and properties of field theories with global and local symmetries, leading to the construction of the standard model. The greater part of the book explains the basic predictions of the theory. It describes the new particles and processes predicted by the theory, and compares them with experimental results. Among the topics covered are 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. The book contains sections guiding the reader through the complicated calculations of Feynman diagrams, such as box and penguin diagrams. There are discussions of the results and their relevance to physical phenomena. Each chapter contains selected problems, stemming from the long teaching experience of the author, to supplement the text. This will be of great interest to graduate students and researchers in elementary particle physics.

About the Author:
Emmanuel Paschos is Professor of Physics at the University of Dortmund, Germany

The electroweak theory unifies two basic forces of nature: the weak force and electromagnetism. This book 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 construction of the standard model. It describes the new 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, stemming from the long teaching experience of the author, to supplement the text. This will be of great interest to graduate students and researchers in elementary particle physics. Password protected solutions are available to lecturers at www.cambridge.org/9780521860987. Preface; Part I. The Road to Unification: 1. The electromagnetic current and its properties; 2. The weak currents; 3. The quark model; Part II. Field Theories with Global or Local Symmetries: 4. Yang-Mills theories; 5. Spontaneous breaking of symmetries; 6. Construction of the model; 7. The Higgs mechanism in the Glashow-Salam-Weinberg model; 8. The leptonic sector; 9. Incorporating hadrons; Part III. Experimental Consequences and Comparisons: 10. Deep inelastic scattering; 11. Charged current reactions; 12. Neutral currents in semileptonic reactions; 13. Physics of neutrinos; 14. Heavy quarks; 15. CP violation: K mesons; 16. CP violation: D and B mesons; 17. Higgs particles; Epilogue; Appendix A. Conventions, spinors, and currents; Appendix B. Cross sections and traces; Appendix C. Identities for quark bilinears; Index. "Electroweak Theory describes the structure and properties of field theories with global and local symmetries, leading to the construction of the standard model. The greater part of the book explains the basic predictions of the theory. It describes the new particles and processes predicted by the theory, and compares them with experimental results. Among the topics covered are 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."--BOOK JACKET. This 2007 book describes the particles and processes predicting electroweak theory, and compares them with experimental results. It contains selected problems, and will interest graduate students and researchers in elementary particle physics.