Quantum Chromodynamics

Relations:

In order to register for the course 02ZQCD, the student must have successfully completed or received credit for and not exhausted all examination dates for the course 02KTPA2. The course 02ZQCD can be graded only after the course 02KTPA2 has been successfully completed.

Course guarantor:

Jana Bielčíková

Lecturer:

Jana Bielčíková

Tutor:

Jan Čepila, Matěj Vaculčiak

Supervisor:

Department of Physics

Synopsis:

The goal of these lectures is to acquire knowledge about basic principles of strong interaction starting from the

constituent quark model and SU(3) flavour symmetry, studies of nucleon structure in deep inelastic scattering of leptons on nucleons and parton model to basics of Quantum Chromodynamics and its practical applications in the context of current experiments in high energy physics and physics of ultra-relativistic heavy-ion collisions.

Requirements:

Knowledge of basic course of physics, knowledge of quantum mechanics and quantum field theory

Syllabus of lectures:

1. Spectrum of hadrons, basics of group theory

2. Non-relativistic model of constituent quarks, SU(3) flavour and SU(3)xSU(2) flavour-spin symmetry

3. Elastic, inelastic and deep inelastic lepton-nucleon scattering

4. Parton model (parton distribution functions, sum rules, universality of structure functions, annihilation of electrons and positrons at high energies, Drell-Yan production of dileptons)

5. Lagrangian of Quantum Chromodynamics (QCD), differences between quantum electrodynamics and chromodynamics, QCD running coupling constant and its measurements, asymptotic freedom, perturbative QCD

6. Feynman rules in QCD and calculation of basic processes: quark-quark, quark-gluon and gluon-gluon scattering

7. QCD improved parton model (WWA approximation, branching functions, DGLAP evolution equations)

8. Jets (jet reconstruction algorithms, jet measurements)

9. Monte-Carlo generators in particle physics and hadronization

10. Quark confinement, chiral symmetry, quark-gluon plasma, lattice QCD calculations

11. Spin and three-dimensional structure of the nucleon

Syllabus of tutorials:

1. Hadron spectra, basic ideas of group theory

2. Non-relativistic model of constituent quarks

3.Elastic and inelastic scattering of leptons and nucleons

4.Parton model (parton distribution functions, counting rules)

5. Fragmentation and fragmentation functions

6. High energy electron - positron annihilation, Drell-Yan dilepton production

7. Lagrangian of quantum chromodynamics (QCD), differences between electrodynamics and chromodynamics

8. Feynman rules on tree level, calculation of scatterings: quark-quark, quark-gluon and gluon-gluon

9. Running coupling constant of QCD and it's measurement, asymptotic freedom, perturbative quantum chromodynamics

10. Jets, high-energy physics experiments and jet reconstruction algorithms

11. Quark confinement, chiral symmetry, quark-gluon plasma

12. Lattice QCD calculations

Study Objective:

Knowledge:

Basics of the theory of strong interactions and quantum chromodynamics focused mainly on present particle experiments

Skills:

Independent solution of simple examples in quantum chromodynamics and following difficult calculations

application of the above mentioned knowledge

Study materials:

Key references:

[1] F. Halzen, A.D. Martin, Quarks and Leptons , John Wiley and sons, 1984

[2] W. Greiner, S. Schramm, E. Stein, Quantum Chromodynamics , Springer, 1989

[3] J. Chýla, Quarks, partons and Quantum Chromodynamics, (skripta k přednášce na MFF UK Praha 2003)

Recommended references:

[4] R. Vogt, Ultrarelativistic Heavy-Ion Collisions, Elsevier Science, 2007, 6. kapitola

[5] H. Georgi, Lie Algebras in Particles Physics (From Isospin to Unified Theories), Addison-Wesley Publ., 1982

Note:

Time-table for winter semester 2024/2025:

Time-table is not available yet

Time-table for summer semester 2024/2025:

Time-table is not available yet

The course is a part of the following study plans:

• Jaderná a částicová fyzika (compulsory course in the program)
• Kvantové technologie (elective course)