Elementary particle theory. Volume 1: Quantum mechanics (Q1792263)

This book is the first volume out of three high-quality printed books on ``Elementary Particle Theory''. The first volume deals with aspects of quantum mechanics. The second volume covers quantum electrodynamics, while the third deals with ``relativistic quantum dynamics'' and gives a more general view on relativistic quantum field theory. \par The textbook, which is suggested as secondary reading for lectures, starts with a basic introduction of all relevant foundations behind quantum mechanics. It assumes familiarity of the reader with the subject and focuses on the ``deeper meaning'' and interpretation. This introduction is unconventional in a sense that it does not start from classical mechanics but rather tries to motivate a new ``quantum logic'' in contrast to classical logic to explain the most striking differences between classical and quantum mechanics. One aspect of this explanatory guide is the \textit{particle-wave dualism} of quantum mechanics which is then used to build up a quantum measurement theory based on a statistical interpretation. \par In the further course, the book covers the Poincaré group in Chapter 2, out of which also the well-known commutation relations for position and momentum operators arise in Chapter 3, where a relativistic formulation of quantum mechanics is found based on Poincaré transformations. In Chapter 4 basic observables (energy, momentum, angular momentum, spin, position and mass) are derived from the Poincaré group and its Casimir invariants. Chapter 5 describes elementary particles, massive and massles, and the position and momentum representation. It also comes up with a unorthodox description of the proton as ``elementary'' particle where the muon is considered not to be. This point of view even contradicts the author's own definition of elementary particles as ``indivisible, simplest systems that lack any internal structure'' -- which is against the experimentally established inner structure of the proton. The book wraps up with one chapter on interaction and scattering each, where also aspects of many-particle systems are discussed. \par There are a couple of appendices dealing with some technicalities of relevance for quantum dynamics.