Introduction to Equilibrium Thermal Field Theory
Abstract
Description
Within the next few years experiments at RHIC and the LHC will seek to create in the laboratory a quark-gluon plasma, the phase of matter through which the Universe passed very early in its life. It is believed that the plasma will survive long enough to reach thermal equilibrium. I give an introduction to the formalism of thermal field theory, the combination of statistical mechanics and quantum field theory needed to describe the plasma in thermal equilibrium, in a way that tries to keep close to the physics it describes.
14 pages, plain tex. Lectures given in August 1998 at the University of Regensburg, based on a course given in February 1997 at the IX Jorge Andre Swieca Summer School, Campos do Jordao, Brazil
14 pages, plain tex. Lectures given in August 1998 at the University of Regensburg, based on a course given in February 1997 at the IX Jorge Andre Swieca Summer School, Campos do Jordao, Brazil