QCD and Collider Physics

This book gives a detailed overview of collider physics with special emphasis on the study of Quantum Chromodynamics, one of the triumphs of modern particle physics. The most important applications at high-energy colliders are described in detail. This title is also available as open access on Cambridge Core.

One of the triumphs of modern particle physics has been the extent to which Quantum Chromodynamics (QCD) has successfully accounted for the strong interaction processes observed at high-energy particle colliders, for example the production of heavy quarks and jets of particles, and the short-distance parton structure of the proton. This book gives a detailed overview of collider physics with special emphasis on the study of QCD. After a general description of the QCD Lagrangian, and the properties of asymptotic freedom and colour confinement which derive from it, the most important applications at high-energy colliders are described in detail. These include the production of jets, heavy quarks, electroweak gauge bosons and Higgs bosons. The various methods of measuring the strong coupling constant are summarised. Many of the theoretical results are calculated from first principles. This title is also available as open access on Cambridge Core.