High Energy What is the level of Aitchison & Hey's QFT books?

AI Thread Summary
The discussion centers on the two-volume set "Gauge Theories in Particle Physics" by Aitchison and Hey, comparing its complexity and content to other well-known textbooks like Griffiths, Thomson, Peskin & Schroeder, and Schwartz. It is noted that Aitchison & Hey may present a higher level of difficulty than Griffiths or Thomson. However, they are considered to be roughly equivalent to Peskin & Schroeder and Schwartz in terms of academic rigor. The choice of textbook ultimately depends on the specific needs and preferences of the student, as each text offers valuable insights into field theory. Key topics that might be missed when opting for Aitchison & Hey over Peskin & Schroeder are subjective and vary based on the student's focus in the field.
particlesandpoems
Messages
1
Reaction score
0
I'm talking about their two volume set titled "Gauge Theories in Particle Physics". Amazon links:

Volume 1

Volume 2

From looking at the books, it seems that the level is higher compared to Griffiths or Thomson. But, how does it compare to textbooks like Peskin & Schroeder or Schwartz?

What important topics(if any) would a field theory graduate student be missing if they studied out of Aitchison & Hey instead of say Peskin & Schroeder?
 
Physics news on Phys.org
I'd say they're roughly at the same level. What you miss out on depends on what you want to do with it. (I'm more familiar with P&S and Schwartz.) But looking at the content I'd say they're all good; just see which style suits you best.
 
The book is fascinating. If your education includes a typical math degree curriculum, with Lebesgue integration, functional analysis, etc, it teaches QFT with only a passing acquaintance of ordinary QM you would get at HS. However, I would read Lenny Susskind's book on QM first. Purchased a copy straight away, but it will not arrive until the end of December; however, Scribd has a PDF I am now studying. The first part introduces distribution theory (and other related concepts), which...

Similar threads

Replies
10
Views
6K
Replies
2
Views
4K
Replies
7
Views
3K
Replies
2
Views
4K
Replies
1
Views
2K
Replies
3
Views
4K
Replies
9
Views
5K
Back
Top