Quantum Chromodynamics and Effective Field Theory, 10 credits
Academic year 2022/2023
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Autumn 2022, 67%, Campus
Start date: 31 October 2022
End date: 15 January 2023
Application deadline: 19 April 2022
Application code: UU-13093 Application
Language of instruction: English
Location: Uppsala
Selection: Higher education credits in science and engineering (maximum 240 credits)
Registration: 17 October 2022 – 30 October 2022
Entry requirements: 120 credits in science/engineering with Quantum Field Theory or Advanced Particle Physics. Proficiency in English equivalent to the Swedish upper secondary course English 6.
Fees:
If you are not a citizen of a European Union (EU) or European Economic Area (EEA) country, or Switzerland, you are required to pay application or tuition fees. Formal exchange students will be exempted from tuition fees, as well as the application fee. Read more about fees.
Application fee: SEK 900
Tuition fee, first semester: SEK 24,167
Tuition fee, total: SEK 24,167
About the course
The course focuses on the strong interaction and on its theoretical description based on quantum chromodynamics (QCD). The deep connection between interactions and symmetries is pointed out. General features and shortcomings of the standard model of particle physics are reviewed. QCD is described as a working theory for the strong interaction and at the same time as a prototype for a perfect quantum field theory in the sense that it is well-defined by perturbation theory at high energies and by lattice-QCD at low energies.
Properties of quarks, gluons and their composite objects, the hadrons are reviewed. Features of the strong interaction are discussed, most notably asymptotic freedom, confinement and chiral symmetry breaking. Conceptual and technical aspects of perturbative and effective field theories are studied and a brief introduction to quantum field theory on a lattice is provided. Spontaneous symmetry breaking is discussed including the Higgs mechanism.