Thermal Field Theory

by Michel Le Bellac

Overview

This text introduces the theoretical framework for describing the quark-gluon plasma, an important new state of matter. The first part of the book is a self-contained introduction to relativistic thermal field theory. Topics include the path integral approach, the real and imaginary time formalisms, fermion fields and gauge fields at finite temperature. The author illustrates useful techniques such as the evaluation of frequency sums and the use of cutting rules. The second part of the book is devoted to recent developments, and gives a detailed account of collective excitations (bosonic and fermionic), showing how they give rise to energy scales that imply a reorganization of perturbation theory. The author also explains the relation with kinetic theory. He works out in detail applications to processes that occur in heavy ion collisions and in astrophysics. Each chapter ends with exercises and a guide to the literature. Graduate students and researchers in nuclear, particle, and astrophysics will benefit from this book.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780521654777
Publisher:	Cambridge University Press
Publication date:	07/03/2000
Series:	Cambridge Monographs on Mathematical Physics
Edition description:	New Edition
Pages:	272
Product dimensions:	6.93(w) x 9.76(h) x 0.63(d)

Table of Contents

Preface; 1. Introduction; 2. Quantum statistical mechanics; 3. The scalar field at finite temperature; 4. Simple applications of perturbation; 5. Dirac and gauge fields at finite temperature; 6. Collective excitations in a plasma; 7. Hard thermal loops and resummation; 8. Dynamical screening; 9. Neutrino emission from stars; 10. Infrared problems at finite temperature; Appendices; References.

Editorial Reviews

"...I found this to be a book which deals very competently with the rather intricate and messy calculations that arise when it is necessary to deal with equilibrium states rather than simple excitations of the vacuum state..." C.A. Hurst, Mathematical Reviews

From the Publisher