Book Description
A useful scientific theory, claimed Einstein, must be explicable to any intelligent person. In Deep Down Things, experimental particle physicist Bruce Schumm has taken this dictum to heart, providing in clear, straightforward prose an elucidation of the Standard Model of particle physics -- a theory that stands as one of the crowning achievements of twentieth-century science. In this one-of-a-kind book, the work of many of the past century's most notable physicists, including Einstein, Schrodinger, Heisenberg, Dirac, Feynman, Gell-Mann, and Weinberg, is knit together in a thorough and accessible exposition of the revolutionary notions that underlie our current view of the fundamental nature of the physical world. Schumm, who has spent much of his life emmersed in the subatomic world, goes far beyond a mere presentation of the "building blocks" of matter, bringing to life the remarkable connection between the ivory tower world of the abstract mathematician and the day-to-day, life-enabling properties of the natural world. Schumm leaves us with an insight into the profound open questions of particle physics, setting the stage for understanding the progress the field is poised to make over the next decade or two.
Introducing readers to the world of particle physics, Deep Down Things opens new realms within which are many clues to unraveling the mysteries of the universe.
Customer Reviews:
Particle Physics Made Easy.......2007-03-02
This book should be a must read for anyone that tries to understand particle physics. I've been looking for something like this for a long time. The Standard Model is explained with great skill and clarity, and with minimal use of math. This is not a mathematical book, but where minimal mathematics becomes necessary (group theory), it is introduced with the assumption that the reader knows next to nothing (which was my case) and developed to the point where, combined with physics, it makes sense. Most of the math only requires logic, not computations, and all you are required to memorize are a few rules -- conventions -- that only take a couple of lines. Beautiful.
The author limits himself to what is known and generally agreed about particle physics. The limits of the theory are also very well explained, but no significant steps into the unknown are made, which I think it is a good thing for once.
If you like Brian Greene, Michio Kaku, Lisa Randall, and others like them, do them, and yourself, a favor: read "Deep Down Things". It will open new horizons in the way you see, and appreciate, their work. These more popular authors cross into the unknown with beautiful, breathtaking constructs, but none explains the basics as Bruce Schumm does.
A Review From a Non-Physicist.......2007-01-01
Two items set this lay physics book apart: clarity of writing and minimum of speculation. It covers only material amenable to experimentation. This rules out both string theory and multiple universes - each mentioned only briefly. Nor does it dwell on Einstein's theories of special or general relativity - the gravitational physics of the large. "Deep Down Things" is like an introductory text on quantum phenomenon and particle physics without the explicit math and with more explicit wordage.
Particle physics studies the smallest units of matter and how they interact with each other. This led to ever larger particle accelerators during the last 68 years of the 20th century. More than 150 exotic particles have been discovered - every one having differing combinations of properties that boggle the mind. An exotic particle that results from the collision of two protons may exist for only 10 to the minus 12 seconds before it decays into something else. Traveling at close to the speed of light, this is just enough time to leave a (highly sought after) 1 mm mark on a recorder, documenting the brief life of that particle. The Particle Data Group from Berkeley exists just to keep physicists updated on these particles.
For something so fleeting, why do we bother? Because this research is centerstage in explaining the Big Bang and all of cosmology. As by-products, we achieved huge gains in any industry you can name. Unless you live like a Mennonite or are on a boy scout camp-out, these technologies effect the way you live your daily life - ground floor activity on the internet itself came about because physicists desired a more immediate way to share research with each other.
The use of common sense was not a factor in the investigations of particle physics. Instead, knowledge was and is gained through particle accelerators, predictions from abstract mathematical models, and meticulous use of the scientific method by thousands of physicists. The author mentions frequently that the math works out, predicts something, disproves something, needs a cheat factor, etc. This made me want to see the math, but I'm at least a couple of college courses from there, so I guess I'll have to take his word for it. For non-physics, non-math majors, consider reading on despite lack of total understanding or you might bog down in details. As the point of view changes, concepts are restated and you'll get another stab at it. The author starts a sentence on page 187, "If you've understood, even vaguely..." and ends it with "it gets even better (or worse...) as we move on to other properties of elementary particles."
On page 351, he closes with congratulations to anyone who made it to the end - then inserts a joke about the Higgs field that only an "insider" (a physicist or one who read the book) would understand. This is a great book that I highly recommend for any physicist who wants to brush up on particle physics, any undergrad or grad student in physics, or any other scientist types who are persistent enough to want a better handle on this fascinating but difficult subject.
It really is "Breathtaking".......2006-11-30
This is a book about quantum mechanics, and gauge theory in particular. It's essentially non-mathematical, having just a few equations, and requires little mathematical expertise. For readers with math anxiety, or those unfamiliar with partial differential equations, the few equations in the book can be skipped without missing much, as Schumm focuses almost exclusively on providing a qualitative understanding of what's at the heart of the Standard Model of quantum mechanics.
This isn't your typical book on quantum mechanics, aimed at your typical armchair scientists. There's virtually no discussion about various speculative macroscopic aspects of QM, such as freewill. God doesn't come into the picture except as a non-personal synonym for "the universe." Schrödinger's cat isn't discussed. Neither is tunneling, time travel, teleportation, or Bell's inequality. This text is what I'd describe as a nuts-and-bolts qualitative look or introduction to the Standard model. I think it would be excellent reading for anyone contemplating a class in QM, before taking a quantitative and detailed course on the subject. Of course, I'd also recommend it for casual yet serious readers who want to know the basis for modern quantum theory.
The first half of the book lays the groundwork with a discussion of forces of nature, patterns, the building blocks of nature, and symmetry. I particularly liked Schumm's explanation of how symmetry relates to conserved quantities. I think he does an especially nice job of describing Lie groups and segueing the topic into the heart of this book, which is gauge theory.
The gauge principle says that objects within a system are subject to precise laws of interaction. It also says that the wave equation is invariant with respect to local changes in phase. The connection between these two notions (phase invariance and laws of interaction) provides a quantitative theory for causation, known as the gauge principle. [pp. 276-277] I commend Schumm for presenting the basic principles and arguments of gauge theory in a way that can be clearly understood at a qualitative level. Here's a summary of how he does it.
Start with the Schrödinger wave equation. Next, apply the condition that information cannot be instantaneously transmitted or transmitted with arbitrary speed over arbitrary distances. This is a principle that seems deeply ingrained in Einstein's relativity, that no object with non-zero mass energy can travel faster than the speed of light, and is the position taken by Yang and Mills in their 1954 paper in the Physical Review, where they argue the following:
"As usually conceived, however, this arbitrariness is subject to the following limitations: once one chooses [the phase of the wave function] at one space-time point, one is then not free to make any choices at other space-time points. It seems that this is not consistent with the localized filed concept that underlies the usual physical theories. In the present paper we wish to explore the possibility of requiring all interactions to be invariant under independent [choices of phase] at all space-time points. [p. 217-218]
Back to the Schrödinger wave equation, Schumm considers the case of an isolated electron (no potential). To make the wave function invariant with respect to local changes in phase, Schumm describes a trick used by Yang and Mills, in which they added a new term to the wave equation, a so-called "cheating" term, A(x). A(x) changes when the phase of the wave function changes, in just the right way so that the overall wave function is unaltered by local changes in the wave function's phase. This might seem like an obvious and trivial thing to do, but interestingly, when you do this you find that the cheating function, A(x), represents the quantum of the electromagnetic field - the photon. As Schumm explains:
"The inclusion of A(x) thus incorporates, within the field-theoretical description of the particle's behavior, the possibility that the particle emits or absorbs a photon, that is, the possibility that the particle emits or absorbs a quantum of the electromagnetic field."
This is a nifty trick. Start with the Schrödinger equation for an isolated particle, apply the relativity principle by insisting on invariance of local phase shifts, add a "cheating" factor to make phase invariant, and the "cheating factor" ends up being the quantum force mediator of the particle described by the Schrödinger equation. The nature of the cheating term depends on the symmetry of possible changes to the wave function. That's where Lie groups come in, and that's why it's so helpful the way Schumm lays the conceptual foundation with his chapter on Lie groups.
Mathematically, the symmetry of a quantum particle is described by the Lie group that describes possible changes to the particle's wave equation. If the group has only simple phase-change symmetry we end up with quantum electrodynamics, or the quantum theory of the electromagnetic force. For wave functions described by more complicated Lie groups (wave equations that have rotational symmetry in some internal symmetry space), we must add different cheating terms, as many as there are generators of the Lie group. This is the basic idea behind the gauge principle, which is at the heart of the Standard model of quantum mechanics. Of the four known forces of nature, three (electromagnetic, weak nuclear, and the strong nuclear interactions) are explainable from the well-established methods of gauge theory.
This was one of the best books I've read this year. It's long (just short of 360 pages) with lots of material between the covers. You'll want to read the Appendix and notes, and you'll most likely find yourself reading over parts of the book several times, digesting the meaning behind the words. In the end, I think you'll agree with the author's assessment that quantum mechanics - the study of "deep down things" really does reveal a breathtaking beauty of the natural world.
A 'big-picture' conceptual guide to the Standard Model.......2006-08-28
Fed up with useless metaphors which equate the Higgs particle with hangers-on at a party slowing a celebrity's passage? Exasperated at continual references to Lie algebras and gauge theories, which are never explained?
In Peter Woit's recent book `Not Even Wrong', he comments (p. 205) that relativistic quantum field theory is not even studied until the second or third year of graduate school. For the rest of us, there is `Deep Down Things'.
Schumm's objective is to take us on a conceptual tour of the Standard Model of quantum mechanics, without requiring a mastery of the technical apparatus. The first half of the book introduces the four fundamental forces, wave-particle duality and the wave function itself. The approach is historical and visual - plenty of Feynman diagrams - and Schumm assumes the reader is happy with complex exponentials. By chapter 5 we are deep in the eightfold way, and the classification of quarks, leptons (electrons, muons, neutrinos) and bosons (the force quanta).
Chapter 6 begins the process of diving deeper with a discussion of Lie groups and Lie Algebra, motivated by plenty of examples. A Lie group is defined via: (i) a continuous set (i.e. a real or complex manifold such as R^n or C^n) with (ii) operators which are continuous functions over the manifold. Chapter 7 introduces Noether's theorem: `To every differentiable symmetry generated by local actions, there corresponds a conserved quality' and this is linked with symmetries under transformations by the Lie group operators (such as rotations in isospin space which interchange protons and neutrons).
Introductory quantum mechanics courses talk about the physical irrelevance of the phase of the wave function when it comes to the calculation of probabilities of observables. We thus have the concept of global phase invariance. However, this is unphysical - we cannot have the universe adjusting phase by the same amount everywhere at the same time. Yang and Mills in the mid-50s proposed to force the wave function to be invariant under local changes of phase: it turns out the only way to achieve this is to add a new term of the form gA(x)psi(x) where g is a charge parameter associated with the particle, psi(x) is the wave function and A(x) is a new term which turns out to be the field potential function for the relevant force field (electromagnetic in chapter 8). The freedom of choice in choosing the function A is called a gauge freedom, hence gauge theory.
Choose a fundamental particle. Write down its wave function. Identify the spaces in which the particle participates (space-time, isospin, ...). Identify the Lie group which rotates the wave function (state vector) in each of these spaces - U(1), SU(2), SU(3). By the principle of local phase invariance, adjust the original wave function with gauge terms gA(x)psi(x) as above. From making this work mathematically, out pop the corresponding force quanta (= the number of generators of the corresponding Lie algebra above). As the chapter heading puts it: `Physics by Pure Thought'!
Chapter 9 explains how the standard model assigns a mass of zero to all force-field quanta. Any attempt to add mass destroys the local phase invariance that we just discussed. The only way to retrieve the situation is to assume the existence of a new field (the Higgs field) which somehow pervades the universe and which interacts with non-zero-mass force quanta (via the weak force) in a `screening' way which gives them mass. The Higgs field is also responsible for the masses of quarks and leptons. If this is true, there should be a Higgs particle within reach of CERN's Large Hadron Collider in 2007.
This is a really excellent book. If you dimly recall how to solve a differential equation, and are unfazed by the notion of an abelian group, then this book is accessible. By book-end you have the sense that you `get' the big picture of the standard model and its remaining conceptual weaknesses. I would say that if you were an undergraduate interested in theoretical physics and wanted a tour d'horizon, this is the one book which will give it (Penrose's `The Road To Reality' is still too difficult for this purpose).
Best popular particle/quantum physics books I have read.......2006-05-02
Bottom line: Buy it.
If you are tired of books that throw out words like "symmetry" and "gauge theory" without ever explaining (at least conceptually) what these terms mean and how these concepts relate to a deep understanding of particle physics then this is the book to buy.
The author explains the mathematical concepts quite simply and in such a way that if you can read ANY popular book on physics then you can understand how Lie Algebras and Gauge Theories help derive the eightfold way, the charges on some bosons, the probability of the Higgs field/particle, and therefore lead to the Standard Model of particle physics.
Imagine a book which covers these topics (Lie Groups, Lie Algebras and Gauge Theories) without ever seeming mathematically challenging or complex. Here it is.
My only disappointed? It doesn't cover more, because this is the best exposition -- real teaching at a world class level -- of the subjects it does cover. If Schumm ever writes another book I will buy it, sight unseen.
If you have read, or wanted to read "The Road to Reality" by Penrose (which I highly recommend if you have the determination to read it), this will make several sections of that book much easier to understand -- were all of Penrose's explanations as high quality as "Deep Down Things" there would likely never be a better book on these subjects.
For anyone considering this book, the answer is simple: buy it and enjoy reading it.
Book Description
In The Quantum Theory of Fields, Nobel Laureate Steven Weinberg combines his exceptional physical insight with his gift for clear exposition to provide a self-contained, comprehensive, and up-to-date introduction to quantum field theory. This is a two-volume work. Volume I introduces the foundations of quantum field theory. The development is fresh and logical throughout, with each step carefully motivated by what has gone before, and emphasizing the reasons why such a theory should describe nature. After a brief historical outline, the book begins anew with the principles about which we are most certain, relativity and quantum mechanics, and the properties of particles that follow from these principles. Quantum field theory emerges from this as a natural consequence. The author presents the classic calculations of quantum electrodynamics in a thoroughly modern way, showing the use of path integrals and dimensional regularization. His account of renormalization theory reflects the changes in our view of quantum field theory since the advent of effective field theories. The book's scope extends beyond quantum electrodynamics to elementary particle physics, and nuclear physics. It contains much original material, and is peppered with examples and insights drawn from the author's experience as a leader of elementary particle research. Problems are included at the end of each chapter. This work will be an invaluable reference for all physicists and mathematicians who use quantum field theory, and it is also appropriate as a textbook for graduate students in this area.
Customer Reviews:
Very thorough and logical, but somewhat difficult and painful to get through.......2007-07-23
To put the review in perspective, My Background: I am a senior undergraduate engineering/physics student with an interest in mathematics and theoretical physics. This is my third QFT book.
Things I liked about the book:
- The book follows a very logical progression. I love how Weinberg presents a coherent argument based on simple physical principles (specifically Lorentz invariance and the cluster decomposition principle).
- Weinberg takes painstaking effort to avoid hand-waving, and is very careful to enumerate (and make plausible) his assumptions. In so doing, he avoids the sort of black-magic feeling I got when reading some less well written QFT books (see for example: Peskin and Schroeder, which makes a mockery of logical progression in an effort to teach you how to calculate as soon as possible).
- The book was very thorough, and often provided an original approach to the material. The coverage of renormalization seemed natural and coherent, and since the book is presented in a logical order (rather than a historical one) Weinberg avoids justifying renormalization as some mysterious subtraction of infinities, basing it instead on general non-perterbative methods (e.g. poles of the S-matrix, etc...)
What I didn't like about the book:
- As a result of his unwavering emphasis on logical progression, and his inclusion of a vast amount of material (almost all of which is necessary to understand in order to progress through the book), the book is somewhat painful to get through. Be prepared to re-read many of the sections a couple of times, and to make very slow progress.
- Weinberg chooses to present QFT in a very general form (i.e. abstracting it from a particular field such as particle physics or condensed matter physics). This is not necessarily a disadvantage, but I often found my interest waning after reading a few hundred pages without making any contact with phenomenology. Additionally, the excercises were similarly abstract, which makes it difficult (at least for me) to particularly care about their results. (More of a problem for self-study)
- The notation is very complete, which isn't normally a bad thing. However, the equations sometimes become very cumbersome when he includes every index, and every functional dependence regardless of how redundant they may be.
- In his coverage of path integrals, he derives things using functional determinants rather than through the more common generating functional methods. I think this hides a lot of the physical insight of the path integral approach, particularly, its equivalence to the 2nd-quantized approach, and its relation to Feynman diagrams.
- This book will drive the more mathematically inclined crazy, as the author admits, it makes very little attempt at rigour, and is very uncareful. He exchanges orders of limits willy-nilly, and often is not even clear about what sort of limiting process is taking place. There is not discussion of functional integration measures, or convergence, and there is very little justification provided for regularization methods (actually the coverage of dimensional regularization is extremely sparce, and would have been unfollowable, had I not already known it).
General Comments:
- I think that, contrary to some of the previous reviews, that the first few chapters of the book (through 6) would be a good first exposure to quantum field theory. I think the reader would have a much better understanding of the theory. However, the rest of the book is quite advanced, and would not be good for the uninitialized.
- I think that in an effort to make his coverage thorough and abstracting his discussion from phenomenology, the author sacrificed some of the readability of the book. That being said, if you're serious about learning the subject, this is a good resource.
Brilliant.......2006-09-15
Weinberg never disappoints the serious student of theoretical physics. There is no good reason to ignore perusing his texts.
Weinberg is a master expositor and creator of modern physics.
There simply is no good reason not to purchase his volumes.
superb book .......2006-08-16
in my opinion this should be one of the best books in qft.
Althought I've read jauch&rohrlich photons and electrons, p.ramond, itzykson, and ultimately, hatfield, Weinberg lead all of them for many heads. The features of this book are clarity, deepness, rigor, and authoritative treatment of all the topics. The discussion for a lagrangian versus hamiltonian formalism is lucid,and no finded in any other book. Group theory is applyied when is customary without cross over the physical implications. It contains a chapter devoted to scattering like no other book, wich is clear and explain concepts involved with "in" and "out" states(other of the lacks of many books of qft). Even the problems that contain are very well picked up, and solvable in most cases. I could't find any fault or mislead in what i read in this book, perhaps any skilled reader can find some. Even binding and typography are excellent, there is nothing more valuable for hardly 40$.
Reading for Rhetoric.......2006-03-31
Physics is usually a horribly taught subject, that is why most students avoid it. When it is effectively communicated, physics can be wonderful. This book represents the former. It is dense. The author is obviously a brilliant person; but, he is not a brilliant communicator. I've got a Master's in Physics and I was lost by the end of the second chapter. I have no doubt that the mathematics as presented are accurate; however, alone they fail to effectively communicate the substance of the topic to a mere mortal. Weinberg does not spend adequate time discussing the context, reality, or historical evolution of his ideas. I purchased all three volumes and, apparently, waisted my money.
I later purchased Roger Penrose's "The Road to Reality" and thoroughly enjoyed it. It was not an easy read either, but Penrose spent a significant amount of time recounting historical context, impact, and the 'reality' of his ideas.
Perfection, but advanced.......2006-01-10
This is one of the best written physics books to ever hit the market. However, it deals with an advanced topic and its not for the faint of heart or those without the proper background. Weinberg's writing style is remarkably clear. A historical introduction (which is very enlightening) is followed by a nice chapter on relatavistic quantum mechanics. Later chapters which I found very useful include a chapter titled "Quantum Fields and Antiparticles", where he introduces the Dirac formalism, and "The Feynman Rules", which is one of the best presentations on this topic I have come across. Chapters on the Lagrangian methods and path integrals are also good. I would strongly advise the reader to thoroughly study other quantum field theory books before tackling this one.
Also recommended (to get started): "Quantum Field Theory in a Nutshell"
Book Description
In this second volume of The Quantum Theory of Fields, available for the first time in paperback, Nobel Laureate Steven Weinberg continues his masterly expoistion of quantum theory. Volume 2 provides an up-to-date and self-contained account of the methods of quantum field theory, and how they have led to an understanding of the weak, strong, and electromagnetic interactions of the elementary particles. The presentation of modern mathematical methods is throughout interwoven with accounts of the problems of elementary particle physics and condensed matter physics to which they have been applied. Exercises are included at the end of each chapter.
Customer Reviews:
The most authoritative book on QFT ever.......2006-01-02
Before Weinberg's books, a typical graduate student in theoretical physics would study the standard textbooks (e.g. Itzykson-Zuber, Peskin-Schroeder) to pass QFT courses. When confronted with actual research problems, he would discover that all he has learned is how to do calculations in perturbation theory, that he is unfamiliar with a host of ideas and techniques that are widely used in the present-day research literature and that he has to resort to original papers and reviews to learn them.
Weinberg's three-volume set drastically changed this situation, giving the most authoritative and complete presentation of QFT to appear in a textbook. Although it is not suitable for beginning graduate students, it is invaluable for covering all these topics that are typically omitted in QFT courses and for providing valuable insight missing from other textbooks.
The highlight of the set is Volume 2, which includes most topics where Weinberg has made his own invaluable contributions. In his inimitable style, Weinberg guides us through the great developments in QFT from the 1960's to the 1980's, including most topics that are essential for a working knowledge of modern QFT. The presentation is crystal clear throughout and every topic is presented in as much detail as it deserves. In particular, the chapters on spontaneously broken symmetries are simply masterpieces, the treatment of anomalies is the most complete ever, while the chapter on extended objects is a thorough overview of an ever-expanding subject. This book is a must for everyone working on theoretical physics.
If you appreciate Vol 1, you'll want Vol 2. .......2005-03-26
I have found this text extremely useful as a guide to the essentials of modern renormalization theory, as well as modern quantization techniques for Non-abelian gauge theories. The chapter on extended field configurations is nice, though it is meant as an overview and guide to the literature. What I like most about this volume is the discussion of experimental or phenomenological issues that complements many of the discussions. He has a broad base of knowledge in particle physics, as well as field theory. If you don't have volume 1, get that first.
Delightfully insightful.......2002-12-23
This book has some of the most exquisite expositions on the theoretical aspects of quantum field theory that you are ever likely to run into, i.e. Weinberg's name is literally stamped on every page for brilliance. There are topics treated here that are not likely to be found anywhere else, for instance Batalin-Vilkovisky Quantization. Weinberg's treatment of the proof of renormalizability is compact and yet very readable. And his chapter on anomalies is simply speaking the authortiative treatment. This book is a must have for anyone interested in the more theoretical aspects of Field Theory. Though I would recommed a few months with Peskin & Schroeder, and volume 1 of Weinberg to get the full flavour of Weinberg's treatment.
Excellent, despite some idiosyncracies.......1999-01-22
This is another gem of a book by Weinberg. The discussion is fairly modern at places (for instance nice discussion of BRST, BV Formalism, RG and Anomalies), but could have been more modern and compact in certain other places (like chiral lagrangians, standard model etc.). However, even those parts are a pleasure to read. It is just that some other aspects could have been discussed (as I hope he does in the third volume), such as SUSY, especially QFT dualities. Anyway, an excellent book!
Book Description
This book is a modern introduction to the ideas and techniques of quantum field theory. After a brief overview of particle physics and a survey of relativistic wave equations and Lagrangian methods, the author develops the quantum theory of scalar and spinor fields, and then of gauge fields. The emphasis throughout is on functional methods, which have played a large part in modern field theory. The book concludes with a brief survey of "topological" objects in field theory and, new to this edition, a chapter devoted to supersymmetry. Graduate students in particle physics and high energy physics will benefit from this book.
Customer Reviews:
Good physical intuition into the topic.......2007-10-03
To understand quantum field theory it is necessary to read more than one author. Ryder's book should definitely be included in the list of titles.
Overview of QFT for those wanting a refreshing.......2006-12-06
This book should not be used for beginners by which I mean those individuals with a background in QM and SR but not QFT. It presumes, like any QFT text, a thorough understanding of QM and SR. A strong foundation in tensor analysis, group theory, differential geometry and lie groups is recommended.
It has some interesting ways of introducing topics in QFT for example the dirac equation:
The author begins by showing the defects in quantizing the energy mass relationship resulting in the Klein Gordon equation. The author digresses before introducing the dirac equation and goes on about the correspondence between SU(2) and O(3), rotation group in 3-D, and then introduces the correspondence between SL ( 2, C) and the Lorentz group. It is shown that the Lorentz group is essentially SU(2) x SU(2). Thus we can specify a state to be operated by a Lorentz transformation by two angular momenta. Special combinations of these give spinors which transform in specific ways under lorentz transforms. We see that the dirac equation is a relation between these spinors.
Symmetries of the Langrangian and the "appearance" of gauge fields in constraining the Langrangian to certain local symmetries from global ones is introduced almost immediately. We see how this necessitates the introduction of the electromagnetic field. Maxwell's and Proca's equations are put in tensorial form. There is a nice section here on the geometry of gauge fields. Differential geometry really helps here.
The canonical quantization of scalar, spinor and photon fields is undertaken.
Path Integral quantization of spinor scalar and gauge fields is undertaken. The usual topics of functional integration and wick's theorem are dealt with. With see how Zo(J) ..transition amplitude of particle creation and destruction with source..is the generating functional for free particle green functions and it's relation to n point functions and VEV is given.Interaction are introduced and their relation to Zo(J) is explained. The relation between greens functions and the S matrix are derived. It is shown how the usual approach for photons does not work requiring gauge fixing. Fenyman rules for all of these are derived.
Spontaneous Symmetry breaking and the standard model is briefly delved into. Renormalization is dealt with.
Overall, I found the presentation of the material disorganized with poor motivation for the topics. However, the derivations are detailed and a nice supplement to other QFT books.
One major drawback is the lack of problems.
ryder.......2006-02-28
its a good book for the beginners.The only drawback is it does not have exercise problems.
An Inspiring Introduction to QFT.......2002-10-01
One of the basic questions in the education of theoretical physics is, what is a good way of introducing QFT and giving the student a taste of what is to come? In my opinion, this book offers a fine solution to this thorny problem.
There are many sides to this question; for example, there is the view that the students should be exposed to this vast topic in a complete and thorough way (for such a text, I HIGHLY recommend Weinberg's 3 volume set, which, if not commonly regarded as a classic yet, soon will be), and also there is the point of view that most of the students studying QFT are experimentalists, so they should first be exposed to how to calculate amplitudes and cross sections for useful processes as soon as possible (see Peskin-Schroder for an outstanding exemplification of this principle). Both of these points of view have strong arguments supporting them, and there are many other reasonable opinions that might be taken; perhaps this is an indication that there is not any one approach to this subject which is a good introduction for all, but rather that the student must choose intelligently which text he/she finds they are most comfortable with. However, I can say that for me at least, this book had just the right selection of topics and at just the right level to get me interested in the subject and to give me a taste as to what it would be like if I were to go into it in more depth (which indeed I did). Other reviewers are quite right in pointing out that there are several inaccuracies in this text; also in more than a few places the treatment is considerably less clear than it might have been (this is one of the main strengths of Weinberg's set; every last detail is crystal clear, and the physical reasoning in the derivations is very rarely muddled in the math). Perhaps in this sense, the book could have been better written, and just by this element of style, I probably would have rated this 4 stars. However, I think that these valid criticisms are more than offset by the overwhelming strength of the book:that it is truly inspiring. Several reviewers have gone over details; I shall not rehash these matters, but instead leave off with the statement that this book was the best introduction to QFT that I could have bought.
one of good books.......2002-03-08
1)as other reviewers put, we cannot expect every thing from one source. but without doubt, this is a good buy.
2)this is not so pedagogic as the book seller's copy on the backcover. it needs some endeavor of course.
3)major flaw i noticed is only one: at page 150 the author mingled two different things i.e. (a)subsidiary condition which excludes unphysical state from consideration (b)re-definition of norm which brings the unphysical state into consideration.
Book Description
Filling an important gap in the literature, this comprehensive text develops conformal field theory from first principles. The treatment is self-contained, pedagogical, and exhaustive, and includes a great deal of background material on quantum field theory, statistical mechanics, Lie algebras and affine Lie algebras. The many exercises, with a wide spectrum of difficulty and subjects, complement and in many cases extend the text. The text is thus not only an excellent tool for classroom teaching but also for individual study. Intended primarily for graduate students and researchers in theoretical high-energy physics, mathematical physics, condensed matter theory, statistical physics, the book will also be of interest in other areas of theoretical physics and mathematics. It will prepare the reader for original research in this very active field of theoretical and mathematical physics.
Customer Reviews:
Probably the best book on CFT.......2006-10-27
I have come across some books and lecture notes on CFT, but this book truly is great - almost all notes are based on this book. It presents elementary CFT at an understand pace and progresses slowly towards the end to the more advanced topics in 2D string theory and statistical physics.
The book is pleasant to read and the derivations are done well. Some minor errors and typos are forgiven, because the rest of the book makes well up for them. Numerous examples are given in each section and there are many problems at the end of each chapter. Unfortunately, there are no detailed solutions available, as far as I know.
Some prior knowledge of QFT might be useful, but the basics (Lagrangian formalism, Wick's theorem, Noether's theorem and conserved currents, etc.) are provided in the first chapters. This book is highly recommended for those interested in CFT and its application to string theory (and statistical physics), and I even dare to say it is a MUST!
This is a great book for beginners to learn CFT........1999-09-03
This book is really well done. It introduce the theory of conformal fields in a really pedagogical way so that any person not familiar at all with the subject can enjoy it. The review of quantum field theory and statistical mechanics at the begining is excellent and it is of great help if you haven't work with these subjects recently. The book is also filled with many basic applications that make the theory closer to real life.
Congratulations for this nice book!
A definite "must have" for those interested in CFT........1999-08-31
This book is a fine contribution to the literature on conformal field theory and will no doubt become one of the standard references on the subject. It is well worth the price as it gives a comprehensive introduction to the subject. Chapter 5 is a good discussion of local conformal invariance and clears up some of my own misunderstandings of this invariance. The later chapters discuss affine Lie algebras and algebraic considerations in detail.
Very complete, the reference in the field.......1999-04-27
Probably the best book to introduce you to conformal field theory. It starts from basics and go up to coset constrcutions, WZW models. More than a textbook, it is a necessary reference!
Book Description
This is perhaps the most up-to-date book on Modern Elementary Particle Physics. The main content is an introduction to Yang-Mills fields, and the Standard Model of Particle Physics. A concise introduction to quarks is provided, with a discussion of the representations of SU(3).
The Standard Model is presented in detail, including such topics as the Kobayashi-Maskawa matrix, chiral symmetry breaking, and the q-vacuum. Theoretical topics of a more general nature include path integrals, topological solitons, renormalization group, effective potentials, the axial anomaly, and lattice gauge theory.
This second edition, which has been expanded, incorporates the following new subjects: Wilson's renormalization scheme, and its relation to perturbative renormalization; pitfalls in quantizing gauge fields, such as the Gribov ambiguity; the lattice as a consistent regularization; Monte Carlo methods of solution; and the issues, folklores, and scenarios of quark confinement. More than a quarter of the book comprise of new materials.
This book may be used as a text for a one-semester course on advanced quantum field theory, or reference book for particle physicists.
Customer Reviews:
Excellent.......1998-04-23
This is by far one of the best introductory texts on this rapidly changing field. I especially enjoyed the lucid treatment of topological objects in quantum field theory. One of the most appealing qualities of the book was the author's concise, to-the-point style. Very recommendable.
Average customer rating:
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Gravity, Particles and Space-Time
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ASIN: 9810226683 |
Book Description
This volume comprises original and review articles on the frontier problems of the gravitation theory, theoretical and mathematical physics. The volume is dedicated to the memory of Professor Dmitri Ivanenko who made the great contribution to the physical science of the twentieth century.
Book Description
Volume 2 deals at some length with CP-violation, but is mainly devoted to QCD and its application to "hard" processes. The authors briefly cover "soft" hadronic physics, also. This work will provide a comprehensive reference and textbook for all postgraduate students and researchers interested in modern particle physics.
Customer Reviews:
A clear and well thought out treatment.......1998-09-16
Leader and Predazzi have written an exsellent text for graduate students. They cover the wide range of topics in great clarity. Especially in the chapter about renormalization they succeed in presenting the core in detail without technical obfuscation.
Book Description
Nobel Laureate Steven Weinberg continues his masterly exposition of quantum field theory. This third volume of The Quantum Theory of Fields presents a self-contained, up-to-date and comprehensive introduction to supersymmetry, a highly active area of theoretical physics that is likely to be at the center of future progress in the physics of elementary particles and gravitation. The text introduces and explains a broad range of topics, including supersymmetric algebras, supersymmetric field theories, extended supersymmetry, supergraphs, nonperturbative results, theories of supersymmetry in higher dimensions, and supergravity. A thorough review is given of the phenomenological implications of supersymmetry, including theories of both gauge and gravitationally-mediated supersymmetry breaking. Also provided is an introduction to mathematical techniques, based on holomorphy and duality, that have proved so fruitful in recent developments. This book contains much material not found in other books on supersymmetry, some of it published here for the first time. Problems are included.
Customer Reviews:
Defective Hard Cover.......2007-01-04
The whole current production run of this book has a defect. A glue is bleeding through on the inside of the hard cover fold, front and back. This does not seem to affect the structural quality of the book and is not visible from the outside. If you need this book and get it with this defect, don't bother trying to exchange it.
Once again, great book.......2005-03-26
Finding good introductions to supersymmetry can be difficult. Most introductions concentrate on N=1 supersymmetry in four dimensions, and there the superfield forumlation can be useful. However, when you go to N=2 supersymmetry (e.g. when considering theories in five or more dimensions), component fields can be better. Many times it's a matter of taste. For those cases, you have to go to review articles. Anyway, Weinberg concentrates on N=1 4D supersymmetry and supergravity using the superfield formalism. However, he ventures into the N=2 strong-weak coupling results of Seiberg and Witten, which are now a fundamental part of (supersymmetric) field theory. The text is, as the previous volumes are, a fantastic resource for learning the subject, and as a reference (for things like gravity- and gauge-mediated supersymmetry breaking, as well as the minimal supersymmetric standard model, which are open areas of reserach). As for all modern areas of research, the body of knowledge is stacked higher every year; but the topics covered here stand as solid fundamentals of supersymmetry. For more advanced topics, one is forced to go to the recent literature.
A self-contained treatment of the subject.......2000-04-20
If the two first volumes of "The Quantum Theory of Fields" were considered masterpieces in a modern and original presentation of the basics of quantum field theory and its penetration in the recent development of particle physics, with the machinery of spontaneously broken gauge theories, the new volume embraces the wide subject of supersymmetry in Weinberg's typical style, which always means a self-contained treatment of the subject, from its foundations and motivations, to its most recent application as a possible scenario for new physics beyond the Standard Model.
A complete review is published in CERN Courier, May 2000
Weinberg Keeps the level!.......2000-04-07
Great book, contains a lot of material, will be useful to many as a reference on supersymmetry for years to come. Highly Recommended!
Book Description
This book offers an elementary and unified introduction to the non-perturbative results obtained in relativistic quantum field theory based on classical soliton and instanton solutions. Such solutions are derived for a variety of models and classified by topological indices. The methods are then developed for quantizing solitons to obtain quantum particles. Vacuum tunneling, &ugr;-vacua and the dilute-instanton-gas approximation are described in detail. Other instanton effects related to quark-quark forces, confinement, the U(1) problem and Borel summability are also discussed. The emphasis is on presenting the basic ideas in a simple pedagogical way. Technical tools like functional methods, Grassman integrals, homotopy classification, collective co-ordinates etc. are developed ab initio.
The presentation of this work is kept at a fairly simple level and ideas are developed through illustrative examples. Techniques not covered in older field theory textbooks, such as functional integral methods, are presented in some detail to the necessary extent. These techniques are important in their own right. Although the book is mainly addressed to particle physicists and quantum field theorists, several portions will be of relevance to other branches of physics, particularly statistical mechanics. These include three chapters devoted to deriving classical soliton and instanton solutions and one on collective co-ordinates, as well as sections devoted to general techniques.
Customer Reviews:
one of the best books on quantum field theory.......2000-11-25
This is a very well-written, pedagogical book that goes through many aspects of field theory "lore" that are not covered at all in other books that I have seen. A great supplement to the standard field theory texts.
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