Fundamentals of Particle Physics
Understanding the Standard Model

This modern text bridges between basic descriptive and purely theoretical books, making the subject accessible to graduate students.

Pascal Paganini (Author)

9781009171588, Cambridge University Press

Hardback, published 14 September 2023

550 pages
28 x 19 x 3.2 cm, 0.987 kg

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.

Preface
Notation and Constants
1. Particle physics landscape
2. Preliminary concepts: special relativity and quantum mechanics
3. Collisions and decays
4. Conservation rules and symmetries
5. From wave functions to quantum fields
6. A brief overview of quantum electrodynamics
7. From hadrons to partons
8. Quantum Chromodynamics
9. Weak interaction
10. Electroweak interaction
11. Electroweak symmetry breaking
12. The Standard Model and beyond
Appendix A. Elements of group theory for particle physics
Appendix B. Special Unitary group SU(2)
Appendix C. Special Unitary group SU(3) and SU(N)
Appendix D. Lorentz and Poincaré groups
Appendix E. Calculating with the Dirac delta distribution
Appendix F. Contour integration in the complex plane
Appendix G. Useful formulas with ? matrices
Appendix H. Fermi's golden rule and time dependent perturbation
References
Index.

Subject Areas: Particle & high-energy physics [PHP]