Introduction to Effective Field Theories in QCD

van Kolck, U.; Abu-Raddad, L. J.; Cardamone, D. M.

Introduction to Effective Field Theories in QCD

Authors

van Kolck, U.

Abu-Raddad, L. J.

Cardamone, D. M.

Description

We present a simple introduction to the techniques of effective field theory (EFT) and their application to QCD. For problems with more than one energy scale, the EFT approach is a useful alternative to more traditional model-building strategies. The most relevant such problem for this discussion is that of making contact between QCD and the hadronic phase of matter. As a simple example, an EFT calculation of the bound states of hydrogen within QED is sketched. A more significant demonstration of the power of EFTs, the construction of the chiral Lagrangian and chiral perturbation theory, is also included. The results provide us with the road map to a complete QCD-based theory of nuclear matter at nonzero temperatures and densities, a vital component to a quantitative understanding of the phase transition from hadron gas to quark-gluon plasma.
Conference proceedings for the Pan-American Advanced Studies Institute on New States of Matter in Hadronic Interactions, January 7-18, 2002, Campos do Jordao, Brazil