8.851
Effective Field Theory
Covers the framework and tools of effective field theory, including: identifying degrees of freedom and symmetries; power counting expansions (dimensional and otherwise); field redefinitions, bottom-up and top-down effective theories; fine-tuned effective theories; matching and Wilson coefficients; reparameterization invariance; and advanced renormalization group techniques. Main examples are taken from particle and nuclear physics, including the Soft-Collinear Effective Theory.
Spring 2013
Topics
- Introduction to Effective Field Theory (EFT)
- Dimensional Power Counting
- Field Redefinitions
- Matching and Decoupling
- Classic Operator Renormalization Group Equations (RGE)
- Chiral Lagrangians
- Chiral Loops
- Heavy Quark Effective Theory (HQET)
- HQET Matching & Power Corrections
- HQET Examples
- Renormalons
- More Renormalons
- EFT with Fine Tuning
- EFT with Fine Tuning Part 2
- Soft-Collinear Effective Theory (SCET) Introduction
- SCET Collinear Wilson Lines
- SCET Multipole Expansion
- SCET Beyond Tree Level
- SCET Beyond Tree Level 2
- SCET Wilson Coefficients
- SCET Sudakov Logarithms
- SCET for DIS
- SCET for Dijets
- SCET II
- SCET II Rapidity RGE
- SCET for LHC
Readings
- There is no required textbook. Some of the reading will be taken from the following texts. If you want to buy a book, I suggest Heavy Quark Physics, but note that it will only be useful for < 20% of the material.
- Donoghue, John F., Eugene Golowich, et al. Dynamics of the Standard Model . Cambridge University Press, 1992. ISBN: 9780521362887.
- Collins, John C. Renormalization . Cambridge University Press, 1984. ISBN: 9780521242615.
- Ellis, R. K., W. J. Stirling, et al. QCD and Collider Physics . Cambridge University Press, 1996. ISBN: 9780521581899.
- There is no required textbook. Some of the reading will be taken from the following texts. If you want to buy a book, I suggest Heavy Quark Physics , but note that it will only be useful for \(<20 %\) of the material.
- Weinberg, Steven. Chapter 18 in The Quantum Theory of Fields . Vol. 2. Cambridge University Press, 2005. ISBN: 9780521670548.
- Peskin, Michael E., and Daniel V. Schroeder. Chapter 12 in An Introduction to Quantum Field Theory . Westview Press, 1995. ISBN: 9780201503975.
- For those needing a review of the SM look at: Manohar, Aneesh Vasant, and Mark B. Wise. Chapter 1 in Heavy Quark Physics . Cambridge University Press, 2007. ISBN: 9780521037570.
- For the Dimensional Regularization read: Collins, John C. Chapter 4 in Renormalization: An Introduction to Renormalization, the Renormalization Group, and the Operator-Product Expansion (Cambridge Monographs on Mathematical Physics) . Cambridge University Press, 1984. ISBN: 9780521242615.
- Read the following to complement our Chiral Perturbation theory discussion this week: Georgi, Howard. Section 2.6, and Chapter 5 in Weak Interactions and Modern Particle Theory . Benjamin/Cummings Publishing Company, 1984. ISBN: 9780805331639.
- Donoghue, John F., Eugene Golowich, and Barry R. Holstein. Dynamics of the Standard Model . Cambridge University Press, 1992, pp. 97–115. ISBN: 9780521362887 is also good reading.
- Readings from Manohar, Aneesh Vasant, and Mark B. Wise. Heavy Quark Physics . Cambridge University Press, 2000. ISBN: 9780521037570.
Spring 2006 · Strong Interactions: Effective Field Theories of QCD
Topics
- Introduction to Effective Field Theory (EFT), Standard Model Review
- EFT Basics
- EFT for Massive Particles
- Chiral Perturbation Theory
- Heavy Quark Effective Theory
- ChPT for Matter Fields, EFT with a Fine Tuning
- Non-Relativistic QCD
- Prelude to SCET
- Soft-Collinear Effective Theory
- Student Presentations
Readings
- Manohar, Aneesh V., and Mark B. Wise. Heavy Quark Physics . Cambridge, UK; New York City, NY: Cambridge University Press, 2000. ISBN: 9780521642415 (hb).
- Donoghue, J. F., E. Golowich, and B. H. Holstein. Dynamics of the Standard Model . New York, NY: Cambridge University Press, 1992. ISBN: 9780521362887.
- Ellis, Stirling, and Webber. QCD and Collider Physics. New ed. New York, NY: Cambridge University Press, December 4, 2003. ISBN: 9780521545891.
- Barger, and Phillips. Collider Physics . Boulder, CO; Oxford, England: Westview Press, 1996. ISBN: 9780201149456.
- Muta. Foundations of Quantum Chromodynamics. River Edge, NJ: World Scientific, 1998. ISBN: 9789810226749.
- Narison. QCD as a Theory of Hadrons . Cambridge, UK; New York, NY: Cambridge University Press, 2004. ISBN: 9780521811644.
- Peskin, M. E., and D. V. Schroeder. An Introduction to Quantum Field Theory . New York, NY: Harper Collins, June 1995. ISBN: 9780201503975.
- Pokorski, S. Gauge Field Theories . Cambridge, UK: Cambridge University Press, February 28, 2000. ISBN: 9780521472456 (hardback), 9780521478168 (paperback).
- Collins, J. Renormalization: An Introduction to Renormalization, the Renormalization Group, and the Operator-product Expansion. Cambridge [Cambridgeshire], UK; New York, NY: Cambridge University Press, 1986, c1984. ISBN: 9780521311779.
- Lec #: 3 · readings assignments: Standard Model Review: Read section 1.1 of Manohar, and/or chapter 2 of Georgi; Also read 1.2, 1.3, and 1.4 of Manohar
- Lec #: 4 · readings assignments: Look at the paper handed out in class: Buchmuller, W., and D. Wyler. “dim-6 Operators.” Nuclear Physics B268 (1986): 621.
- Lec #: 9 · readings assignments: Read Georgi Section 2.6 and chapter 5 to complement our Chiral Perturbation theory discussion this week. The pion scattering loop from class is quoted with slightly more detail in 5.10. Donoghue et al. pp. 97-115 is also good reading.
- Lec #: 11-12 · readings assignments: Reading for this week is chapter 2 and chapter 3 of Manohar.
- Lec #: 13-14 · readings assignments: Reading for this week is chapter 3 and chapter 4 of Manohar.
- Manohar, A., and M. Wise. Heavy Quark Physics. Cambridge, UK; New York City, NY: Cambridge University Press, 2000. ISBN: 9780521642415 (hb).
Prerequisites & course information
Prereq: 8.324 Acad Year 2027-2028: Not offered Acad Year 2028-2029: G (Fall) 3-0-9 units Credit cannot also be received for 8.S851
Sources
- Course catalogue ↗2026–2027
- MIT OpenCourseWare ↗Spring 2013
- MIT OCW syllabus ↗
- MIT OCW readings ↗
- MIT OCW calendar ↗
- MIT OpenCourseWare ↗Spring 2006
- MIT OCW calendar ↗
- MIT OCW readings ↗
- MIT OCW syllabus ↗
- Historical MIT OpenCourseWare offering. Named reading entries and schedule topics are automatically extracted from the linked source pages.
- Historical MIT OpenCourseWare offering. Named reading entries and schedule topics are automatically extracted from the linked source pages.