Symmetries in Quantum Physics
Published on 17. June 1996
Book
Hardback
333 pages
978-0-12-248455-1 (ISBN)
Description
This text focuses on the physics of symmetries, developing symmetries and transformations through concrete physical examples and contexts rather than presenting the information axiomatically, mathematically, and abstractly. Readers are introduced gradually to advanced mathematical procedures, including the Wigner and Racah algebras and their applications to various symmetry groups. The book also includes some of the latest research on the use of non-invariance and non-compact groups in the consideration of relativistic and many-particle problems of atoms and nuclei.
This book is an updated replacement for the text Irreducible Tensorial Sets (Academic Press, 1959). Parts A and B of the present book grew out of occasional lectures in the intervening decades at the University of Chicago, where it became neccessary to update or elaborate upon certain points. Part C has been built more recently to deal with innovations and new information in the field of mathematical physics. The book as a whole develops the subject of symmetry from a physical point of view, allowing students and researchers to gain new insight on their subject. This book can be used both as a text and as a reference by students and scientists in the field.
This book is an updated replacement for the text Irreducible Tensorial Sets (Academic Press, 1959). Parts A and B of the present book grew out of occasional lectures in the intervening decades at the University of Chicago, where it became neccessary to update or elaborate upon certain points. Part C has been built more recently to deal with innovations and new information in the field of mathematical physics. The book as a whole develops the subject of symmetry from a physical point of view, allowing students and researchers to gain new insight on their subject. This book can be used both as a text and as a reference by students and scientists in the field.
Reviews / Votes
"Written by the distinguished professor Ugo Fano of the University of Chicago and one of his brilliant collaboratos, A. R. P. Rau of Louisiana State University, is divided into three parts: Parts A and B grew out of a thorough elaboration of the classical monograph by Fano and G. Racah, while Part C, devoted to higher symmetries than su(2, the algebra of angular momenta, is new and justifies the more general title of the present work. The high level of discussion of the theory, as well as the small number of physical applications worked out in detail, makes the book more suited to readers with some knowledge of angular momentum theory rather than to beginners,..."--MATHEMATICAL REVIEWS
More details
Language
English
Place of publication
San Diego
United States
Publishing group
Elsevier Science Publishing Co Inc
Target group
College/higher education
Professional and scholarly
Dimensions
Height: 229 mm
Width: 152 mm
Weight
630 gr
ISBN-13
978-0-12-248455-1 (9780122484551)
Copyright in bibliographic data is held by Nielsen Book Services Limited or its licensors: all rights reserved.
Schweitzer Classification
Other editions
Additional editions
U. Fano | A. R. P. Rau
Symmetries in Quantum Physics
E-Book
06/1996
Academic Press
€60.95
Available for download
Persons
Content
Introduction: Symmetry and the Selection of Variables. Algebraic Elements. Reduction Procedure and Irreducible Tensorial Sets. Further Aspects of Reduction. Structure of the Book. Quaternions. Part A: State Representatives and r<$>-Transformations: Their Construction and Properties. Infinitesimal Rotations and Angular Momentum:<$> Basic Relations. Analytical Example: Infinitesimal Transformation of Cartesian Coordinates. The Angular Momentum Matrices of Quantum Mechanics. The Fundamental Representation. Frame Reversal and Complex Conjugation:<$> Analytical Representation and Implications of Frame Reversal. Contragradience and the Construction of Invariants. Cartesian Base for Integer j<$> [greater than or equal to sign here]1. Standard r<$>-Transformation Matrices and Their Applications:<$> Explicit Form and Properties. Macroscopic Applications. Applications to Quantum Physics. Coordinate Inversion and Parity Eigenfunctions. Reduction of Direct Products (Addition of Angular Momenta):<$> Structure and Properties of the Reducing Matrix. Reduction of r<$>-Transformation Products. Irreducible Product Sets. Symmetrization of Wigner Coefficients: Invariant Triple Product and 3-j<$> Coefficients. Part B: Tensorial Aspects of Quantum Physics.<$> Tensorial Sets of Quantum Operators:<$> The Liouville Representation of Quantum Mechanics. Quantum Mechanics of Particles with Spin 1/2. Two-Level Systems. Particles With Spin j<$>>1/2: Wigner-Eckart Theorem. Systems with 2j<$>+1 Levels. Transfer of Angular Momentum. Calculation of Matrix Elements. Recoupling Transformations: 6-j<$> and 9-j<$> Coefficients:<$> Transformation Matrices and Their Analysis. Symmetrized Recoupling: 6-j<$> and9-j<$> Coefficients. Products of Operators. Combining Operators of Different Systems. Illustrations. Partially Filled Shells of Atoms or Nuclei:<$> Qualitative Discussion. Shell-wide Treatment. Algebra of Triple Tensors and Its Applications. PartC: Symmetries of Higher Dimensions.<$> Discrete Transformations of Coordinates:<$> Point Symmetry Operations and Their Groups. Characters of Group Representations and Their Applications. Symmetries of Molecules and Crystals. Rotation Groups in Higher Dimensions: Multiparticle Problems:<$> Four-Dimensional Rotations: the Coulomb-Kepler Problem. Orthogonal Groups in Higher Dimensions. Further Developments. Lorentz Transformations and the Lorentz and Poincare Groups:<$> Lorentz Transformations. Generators and Representations of the Lorentz Group. The Inhomogenous Lorentz (Poincare) Group. Field Representations. Symmetries of the Scattering Continuum:<$> Symmetries of Radial Eigenfunctions. The Full Noninvariance Group of Hydrogen. Dynamics as Symmetry Transformations. Bibliography. Index.