Volume 11, Issue 2
19
Group Theory for the Standard Model of Particle Physics and Beyond Subject Area Particle physics Description A graduate level text book on group theory in gauge theories Author Ken Barnes Publisher/Suppliers CRC Press (Taylor & Francis Group) <www.crcpress.com> Date/Edition 2010/1st edition ISBN 978-1-4200-7874-9 Level Graduate and beyond Price ÂŁ38.99
The best understanding we Summary Review have of the laws of our universe is enshrined in the standard model of particle range: * poor to ***** good physics and various Academic content ***** extensions. This model Usefulness to student **** describes the matter and interaction content of the Usefulness to teacher ***** universe and has been tested Meets objectives ***** to an enormous degree of Accuracy ***** precision. The framework of the standard model is the gauge theory, which is built on underlying symmetries obeyed by the particles in the theory and, as a result, an understanding of the mathematics of symmetry, known as group theory, is now essential to any student or researcher in particle or theoretical physics. This new book, by Ken Barnes, provides a lucid and readable account of group theory relevant to gauge theories and is a welcome addition to the available texts in the area. The book arose from several lecture courses given at the University of Southampton, and the approachable and chatty book style reflects this origin. The presentation of difficult topics is clear and suitable for a reader new to the subject, while enough material is included to make this book useful as a reference for more experienced researchers. The book opens with a discussion on symmetries and conservation laws, followed by very useful chapters on angular momentum and tensor-like objects. This serves as a useful review and defines the notation used in the rest of the book. Following this are chapters on external and internal symmetries (including the basis of special relativity) and a chapter on Lie group techniques directed towards the needs of the standard model. These chapters are well written and shed a lot of light on these tricky areas. Following this, the author describes many features of the standard model in a group theoretic context, including spontaneous symmetry breaking and the Higgs mechanism. The material is a pleasure to read and enlightening. Finally the topic of beyond the standard model is discussed, with references to expected developments and discoveries in this sector. Overall, this book is well written and presents this important topic in an excellent and clear way. The author himself admits that students of experimental particle physics may get a little lost along the way but will have plenty to gain, and readers with a more theoretical background will find this book an essential read. In conclusion, every student and researcher in high energy physics should read this excellent book
Robert Appleby School of Physics and Astronomy Oxford Road Manchester M13 9PL October 2010