Group Theory in Subnuclear Physics

The book, which has grown out of a course given over the past ten years, provides an introduction to group theory and its application in subnuclear physics, particularly in multi-quark systems and hadron spectroscopy. A number of exercises, with solutions, are included.

This book is a useful and accessible introduction to symmetry principles in particle physics. New ideas are explained in a way that throws considerable light on difficult concepts, such as Lie groups and their representations. This book begins with introdutions both to the types of symmetries known in physics and to group theory and representation theory. Successive chapters deal with the symmetric groups and their Young diagrams, braid groups, Lie groups and algebras, Cartan''s classification of semi-simple groups, and the Lie groups most used in physics are treated in detail. Gauge groups are discussed, and applications to elementary particle physics and multiquark systems introduced throughout the book where appropriate. Many worked examples are also included. There is a growing interestinthe quatk structure of hadrons and in theories of particle interactions based on the principle of gauge symmetries. In this book the concepts of group theory are clearly explained and their applications to subnuclear physics brought up-to-date.