Basics Of Thermal Field Theory: A Tutorial On Perturbative Computations (lecture Notes In Physics)
by Mikko Laine /
2016 / English / EPUB
4.2 MB Download
This book presents thermal field theory techniques, which can be
applied in both cosmology and the theoretical description of the
QCD plasma generated in heavy-ion collision experiments. It
focuses on gauge interactions (whether weak or strong), which are
essential in both contexts. As well as the many differences in
the physics questions posed and in the microscopic forces playing
a central role, the authors also explain the similarities and the
techniques, such as the resummations, that are needed for
developing a formally consistent perturbative expansion. The
formalism is developed step by step, starting from quantum
mechanics; introducing scalar, fermionic and gauge fields;
describing the issues of infrared divergences; resummations and
effective field theories; and incorporating systems with finite
chemical potentials. With this machinery in place, the important
class of real-time (dynamic) observables is treated in some
detail. This is followed by an overview of a number of
applications, ranging from the study of phase transitions and
particle production rate computations, to the concept of
transport and damping coefficients that play a ubiquitous role in
current developments.
This book presents thermal field theory techniques, which can be
applied in both cosmology and the theoretical description of the
QCD plasma generated in heavy-ion collision experiments. It
focuses on gauge interactions (whether weak or strong), which are
essential in both contexts. As well as the many differences in
the physics questions posed and in the microscopic forces playing
a central role, the authors also explain the similarities and the
techniques, such as the resummations, that are needed for
developing a formally consistent perturbative expansion. The
formalism is developed step by step, starting from quantum
mechanics; introducing scalar, fermionic and gauge fields;
describing the issues of infrared divergences; resummations and
effective field theories; and incorporating systems with finite
chemical potentials. With this machinery in place, the important
class of real-time (dynamic) observables is treated in some
detail. This is followed by an overview of a number of
applications, ranging from the study of phase transitions and
particle production rate computations, to the concept of
transport and damping coefficients that play a ubiquitous role in
current developments.
The book serves as a self-contained textbook on relativistic
thermal field theory for undergraduate and graduate students of
theoretical high-energy physics.
The book serves as a self-contained textbook on relativistic
thermal field theory for undergraduate and graduate students of
theoretical high-energy physics.