Quantum Field Theory III: Gauge Theory

The author is a retired director of the Max Planck Institute for Mathematics in the Sciences, Leipzig (Germany). He is a member of the German National Academy of Sciences, Leopoldina.

Prologue.- Part I. The Euclidean Manifold as a Paradigm: 1. The Euclidean Space E3 (Hilbert Space and Lie Algebra Structure).- 2. Algebras and Duality (Tensor Algebra, Grassmann Algebra, Cli_ord Algebra, Lie Algebra).- 3. Representations of Symmetries in Mathematics and Physics.- 4. The Euclidean Manifold E3.- 5. The Lie Group U(1) as a Paradigm in Harmonic Analysis and Geometry.- 6. Infinitesimal Rotations and Constraints in Physics.- 7. Rotations, Quaternions, the Universal Covering Group, and the Electron Spin.- 8. Changing Observers - A Glance at Invariant Theory Based on the Principle of the Correct Index Picture.- 9. Applications of Invariant Theory to the Rotation Group.- 10. Temperature Fields on the Euclidean Manifold E3.- 11. Velocity Vector Fields on the Euclidean Manifold E3.- 12. Covector Fields and Cartan's Exterior Differential - the Beauty of Differential Forms.- Part II. Ariadne's Thread in Gauge Theory: 13. The Commutative Weyl U(1)-Gauge Theory and the Electromagnetic Field.- 14. Symmetry Breaking.- 15. The Noncommutative Yang{Mills SU(N)-Gauge Theory.- 16. Cocycles and Observers.- 17. The Axiomatic Geometric Approach to Bundles.- Part III. Einstein's Theory of Special Relativity: 18. Inertial Systems and Einstein's Principle of Special Relativity.- 19. The Relativistic Invariance of the Maxwell Equations.- 20. The Relativistic Invariance of the Dirac Equation and the Electron Spin.- Part IV. Ariadne's Thread in Cohomology: 21. The Language of Exact Sequences.- 22. Electrical Circuits as a Paradigm in Homology and Cohomology.- 23. The Electromagnetic Field and the de Rham Cohomology.- Appendix.- Epilogue.- References.- List of Symbols.- Index

From the reviews:

"This book is the third volume of a complete exposition of the important mathematical methods used in modern quantum field theory. It presents the very basic formalism, important results, and the most recent advances emphasizing the applications to gauge theory. ... the book's greatest strength is Zeidler's zeal to help students understand fundamental mathematics better. I thus find the book extremely useful since it signifies the role of mathematics for the road to reality ... ." (Gert Roepstorff, Zentralblatt MATH, Vol. 1228, 2012)

"The present book is a good companion to the literature on the subject of the volume title, especially for those already familiar with it. ... the book touches upon a large number of subjects on the interface between mathematics and physics, providing a good overview of gauge theory in both fields. It contains lots of background material, many historical remarks, and an extensive bibliography that helps the interested reader to continue his or her more thorough studies elsewhere." (Walter D. van Suijlekom, Mathematical Reviews, Issue 2012 m)