FYSS4556 Perturbative QCD (9 cr)

Study level:
Advanced studies
Grading scale:
0-5
Language:
English
Responsible organisation:
Department of Physics
Curriculum periods:
2024-2025, 2025-2026, 2026-2027, 2027-2028

Description

  • Basics of canonical quantization of gauge field theories with free fields

  • S-matrix, Wick's theorem, propagators and Green's functions 

  • QED Feynman rules

  • SU(3) gauge transformations, gauge fixing, and QCD Feynman rules

  • SU(N) algebra: derivation of color identities, calculation of color factors for scattering cross sections

  • Inclusive jet and hard hadron production in proton-proton collisions: kinematics and leading-order partonic cross sections, gluon polarization states and ghosts, parton distribution functions and fragmentation functions, collinear factorization

  • Deep inelastic scattering: electroweak-current cases in leading-order perturbation theory, QCD-improved parton model, computation of the next-to-leading order QCD corrections and definition of parton distribution functions, DGLAP scale evolution equations and their solutions

  • Drell-Yan dilepton process: kinematics, computation of the cross sections in leading and next-to-leading order perturbative QCD

  • Decay of a quarkonium state: calculation of a decay width using perturbative QCD in the non-relativistic limit of the decaying meson state 

Learning outcomes

After this course, the student will

  • understand the canonical quantization of free fields in gauge field theories, and can derive the QED and QCD Feynman rules from this

  • understand the QCD dynamics in various types of particle collisions

  • be able to compute various types of perturbative QCD scattering cross sections and also decay widths for heavy mesons

  • understand the group theoretical SU(3) color algebra involved in QCD scatterings

  • understand the gluon polarization states and know how to correctly deal with them in scattering calculations

  • know the basics of collinear factorization

  • understand the definition of process-independent parton distribution functions in next-to-leading order perturbative QCD, and know how to apply these in scattering calculations

  • understand the basics of the scale evolution of the parton distribution functions 

Description of prerequisites

FYSS4301 and FYSS4302 Particle Physics, Parts A and B

Study materials

Lecture notes by Kari J. Eskola.

Literature

  • R.K. Ellis, W.J. Stirling and B.R. Webber, QCD and Collider Physics (Cambridge Univ. Press), ISBN 0-521-54589-7.
  • George Sterman, An introduction to Quantum Field Theory (Cambridge), ISBN 0-521-311322.
  • Richard D. Field, Applications of Perturbative QCD (Addison -Wesley) ISBN 0-201-14295-3

Completion methods

Method 1

Description:
This completion method is recommended: lectures+exercises+final exam. The course is lectured every other spring, starting from 2026.
Evaluation criteria:
Weekly exercises (max 36 p) and exam (max 24 p) = max 60 p
Time of teaching:
Period 3, Period 4
Select all marked parts

Method 2

Description:
This completion method is not recommended; This is intended for students for whom method 1 is not possible for specific reasons (e.g. living elsewhere). Contact the teacher before enrolling to the course via this completion method.
Evaluation criteria:
Exercises and exam. Weights are the same as in the completion method 1.
Select all marked parts
Parts of the completion methods
x

Participation in teaching (9 cr)

Type:
Participation in teaching
Grading scale:
0-5
Evaluation criteria:
<div>Exercises and final exam. Weights: exercises 3/5 and final exam 2/5.</div>
Language:
English
Study methods:

Lectures and exercises + final exam

Study materials:

Lecture notes by Kari J. Eskola

No published teaching
x

Independent study (9 cr)

Type:
Independent study
Grading scale:
0-5
Evaluation criteria:
<p>Exercises and exam. Weights: exercises 3/5 and exam 2/5.</p>
Language:
English
Study methods:

Independent studying, exercises and exam. 

Study materials:

Lecture notes by Kari J. Eskola

No published teaching