Fundamental Interactions And Cosmology

In this book, the author leads the reader, step by step and without any advanced mathematics, to a clear understanding of the foundations of modern elementary particle physics and cosmology. He also addresses current and controversial questions on topics such as string theory. The book contains gentle introductions to the theories of special and general relativity, and also classical and quantum field theory. The essential aspects of these concepts are understood with the help of simple calculations; for example, the force of gravity as a consequence of the curvature of the space-time. Also treated are the Big Bang, dark matter and dark energy, as well as the presently known interactions of elementary particles: electrodynamics, the strong and the weak interactions including the Higgs boson. Finally, the book sketches as yet speculative theories: Grand Unification theories, supersymmetry, string theory and the idea of additional dimensions of space-time. Since no higher mathematical or physics expertise is required, the book is also suitable for college and university students at the beginning of their studies. Hobby astronomers and other science enthusiasts seeking a deeper insight than can be found in popular treatments will also appreciate this unique book.

The Yang-Mills theory of gauge interactions is a prime example of interdisciplinary mathematics and advanced physics. Its historical development is a fascinating window into the ongoing struggle of mankind to understand nature. The discovery of gauge fields and their properties is the most formidable landmark of modern physics. The expression of the gauge field strength as the curvature associated to a given connection, places quantum field theory in the same geometrical footing as the gravitational field of general relativity which is naturally written in geometrical terms. The understanding of such geometrical property may help one day to write a unified field theory starting from symmetry principles. Of course, there are remarkable differences between the standard gauge fields and the gravitational field, which must be understood by mathematicians and physicists before attempting such unification. In particular, it is important to understand why gravitation is not a standard gauge field. This book presents an account of the geometrical properties of gauge field theory, while trying to keep the equilibrium between mathematics and physics. At the end we will introduce a similar approach to the gravitational field.

This book contains pedagogical lectures on both theoretical and experimental particle physics, cosmology, and atomic trap physics. Numerous additional contributions provide up-to-date information on new experimental results from accelerators, underground laboratories, and nuclear astrophysics. This combination of pedagogical talks and topical short discussions presents a comprehensive amount of information and latest developments to researchers. Sample Chapter(s). Chapter 1: New Physics and the LHC (9,214 KB). Contents: New Physics and the LHC (G Altarelli); Very High Energy Cosmic Rays: Results from the Pierre Auger Observatory (C E Covault); Neutrinos at Lake Louise (S Davidson); Physics Impact of the Tevatron (D C O''Neil); Cosmology and the LHC (V Rubakov); CMK Angle Measurements from BABAR (J M Anderson); An Overview of Top Quark Analyses from the CMS Collaboration (J Andrea); Heavy Quark Production at HERA and Heavy Quark Contributions to the Proton Structure Function (D Bartsch); ATLAS Commissioning and Physics with Early Data (P J Bell); Search for Heavy Stable Charged Particles at CMS (J Chen); A High-Sensitivity Search for Charged Lepton Flavor Violation at Fermilab (E C Dukes); Prospects for CP Violation Studies at LHCb (V V Gligorov); Measurements of a 3 () at Belle (Y Horii); High P T Jets and Photons at Dy (Z Hubacek); SUSY Search at ATLAS (Y Kataoka); Neutrino Physics with the IceCube Detector (J Kirkyluk); Determination of the Strong Phase in D 0 OaAE K + C - Using Quantum-Correlated Measurements (A Lincoln); Results on Top Quark Physics at Dy (Y Peters); Quarkonium Production and Polarisation with Early Data at ATLAS (D D Price); and other papers. Readership: Graduate students, researchers and academics in high energy physics (HEP), astrophysics and atomic physics."

This current updated and expanded text reflects the large number of scientific advances, both theoretically and experimentally, within the discipline of cosmoparticle physics in the last 10 years. Some of the topics that have been added, updated include but are not limited to; HND or CMD+HND scenarios being implemented into sterile neutrino scenarios, the ramifications of extending the forms of dark matter with respect to our view of neutrinos, the origin of baryon matter and the need for non-baryonic matter in current theories, problems the existence of dark matters raises with respect to cosmoparticle physics and the relationship with (meta) stable (super) weakly interacting particles predicted by the extension of the standard model, restrictions on baryon and lepton photons, as well as problems associated with cosmological expansion just to name a few. These and many other topics are readdressed in light of recent both experimental and theoretical developments. Other areas of that will be of interest to the reader include the puzzles presented by direct and indirect effects of dark matter (e.g, results of experiments such as DAMA/NaI, DAMA/LIBRA and PAMELA) may lead to nontrivial new solutions for the problem of its nature, like the existence of new stable families of quarks and leptons and composite dark matter scenario. The present work will be of interest to any researcher interested in this fascinating field dealing with fundamental interactions of the micro- and macroworld.

This proceedings volume contains pedagogical lectures on theoretical and experimental particle physics, cosmology and atomic trap physics. It also includes additional contributions that provide up-to-date information on new experimental results from accelerators, underground laboratories, and nuclear astrophysics. This combination of pedagogical talks and topical short talks provides comprehensive information to researchers in the fields of particle physics, cosmology and atomic trap physics.

Space-based laboratory research in fundamental physics is an emerging research discipline that offers great discovery potential and at the same time could drive the development of technological advances which are likely to be important to scientists and technologists in many other different research fields. The articles in this review volume have been contributed by participants of the international workshop "From Quantum to Cosmos : Fundamental Physics Research in Space" held at the Airlie Center in Warrenton, Virginia, USA, on May 21-24, 2006. This unique volume discusses the advances in our understanding of fundamental physics that are anticipated in the near future, and evaluates the discovery potential of a number of recently proposed space-based gravitational experiments. Specific research areas covered include various tests of general relativity and alternative theories, search of physics beyond the Standard Model, investigations of possible violations of the equivalence principle, search for new hypothetical long- and short-range forces, variations of fundamental constants, tests of Lorentz invariance and attempts at unification of the fundamental interactions. The book also encompasses experiments aimed at the discovery of novel phenomena, including dark matter candidates, and studies of dark energy.

This proceedings volume contains pedagogical lectures on theoretical and experimental particle physics, cosmology and atomic trap physics. It also includes additional contributions that provide up-to-date information on new experimental results from accelerators, underground laboratories, and nuclear astrophysics. This combination of pedagogical talks and topical short talks provides comprehensive information to researchers in the fields of particle physics, cosmology and atomic trap physics. Readership: Graduate students, researchers and academics in high energy physics, particle physics and astrophysics.