Thermal field theory

Now in paperback, this text introduces the theoretical framework for describing the quark-gluon plasma, an important new state of matter. The first part of this book is a self-contained introduction to relativistic thermal field theory. Topics include the path integral approach, the real and the ima...

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Bibliographic Details
Main Author: Le Bellac, Michel
Format: eBook
Language:English
Published: Cambridge Cambridge University Press 1996
Series:Cambridge monographs on mathematical physics
Subjects:
Online Access:
Collection: Cambridge Books Online - Collection details see MPG.ReNa
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100 1 |a Le Bellac, Michel 
245 0 0 |a Thermal field theory  |c Michel Le Bellac 
260 |a Cambridge  |b Cambridge University Press  |c 1996 
300 |a xiii, 256 pages  |b digital 
505 0 |a 1. Introduction -- 2. Quantum statistical mechanics -- 3. The scalar field at finite temperature -- 4. Simple applications of perturbation theory -- 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 -- A Formulary -- B Operator formalism 
653 |a Many-body problem 
653 |a Quantum chromodynamics 
653 |a High temperatures 
653 |a Field theory (Physics) 
653 |a Mathematical physics 
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989 |b CBO  |a Cambridge Books Online 
490 0 |a Cambridge monographs on mathematical physics 
856 4 0 |u https://doi.org/10.1017/CBO9780511721700  |x Verlag  |3 Volltext 
082 0 |a 530.144 
520 |a Now in paperback, this text introduces the theoretical framework for describing the quark-gluon plasma, an important new state of matter. The first part of this book is a self-contained introduction to relativistic thermal field theory. Topics include the path integral approach, the real and the imaginary time formalisms, fermion fields and gauge fields at finite temperature. Useful techniques such as the evaluation of frequency sums or the use of cutting rules are illustrated on various examples. The second part of the book is devoted to recent developments, giving a detailed account of collective excitations (bosonic and fermionic), and showing how they give rise to energy scales which imply a reorganization of perturbation theory. The relation with kinetic theory is also explained. Applications to processes which occur in heavy ion collisions and in astrophysics are worked out in detail. Each chapter ends with exercises and a guide to the literature