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4442exercise 3

This document contains 5 problems related to particle physics: 1. Derive Maxwell's equations from the Lagrangian density for electromagnetism. 2. Use Dirac gamma matrix anti-commutation relations to show various trace identities. 3. Define chiral projection operators for Dirac spinors and show their significance for electromagnetic and weak interactions. 4. Derive expressions for scattering amplitudes and cross sections of various QED processes involving electrons and muons. 5. Draw Feynman diagrams and calculate kinematic quantities for interactions involving tau, muon, and pion decay.

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Roy Vesey
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31 views

4442exercise 3

This document contains 5 problems related to particle physics: 1. Derive Maxwell's equations from the Lagrangian density for electromagnetism. 2. Use Dirac gamma matrix anti-commutation relations to show various trace identities. 3. Define chiral projection operators for Dirac spinors and show their significance for electromagnetic and weak interactions. 4. Derive expressions for scattering amplitudes and cross sections of various QED processes involving electrons and muons. 5. Draw Feynman diagrams and calculate kinematic quantities for interactions involving tau, muon, and pion decay.

Uploaded by

Roy Vesey
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© © All Rights Reserved
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Download as PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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PHASM/G 442 : 2013 : Problem Sheet 3

Please return to Prof. Saakyan before 5pm on the December 12th 2013

1. Use the Euler-Lagrange equation:


!
∂L ∂L
∂µ − =0
∂(∂µ φ) ∂φ

for φ = Aν and the Lagrangian density,

L = − 14 Fµν F µν − jµ Aµ ,

to get Maxwell’s equations:


∂µ F µν = j ν ,
where F µν = ∂ µ Aν − ∂ ν Aµ .
∂(ab) ∂b ∂a
You need to multiply everything out and then use the chain rule i.e. ∂x
= a ∂x + b ∂x
and the following “standard” tricks:

• X ν = g νβ Xβ
• Xν Y ν = Xν g νβ Yβ = Xβ g βν Yν = Xβ Y β
• ∂µ Xν g να ∂α g µβ Xβ = ∂ν Xµ g µα ∂α g νβ Xβ ( i.e. indices are dummy so can interchange
all ν and µ)
• ∂µ Xν ∂(∂ ν Xµ )
∂(∂µ Xν )
= ∂ν Xµ : obvious(!); check: multiply out & swap µ for ν on LHS

2. Use the anti-commutation relations of the Dirac γ matrices

{γ µ , γ ν } = 2g µν

to show the following.

(a) T r[γ µ γ ν ] = 4g µν
(b) T r[γ µ γ ν γ ρ γ σ ] = 4(g µν g ρσ − g µρ g νσ + g µσ g νρ )
(c) T r[odd number γ] = 0

3. The chiral projection operators for Dirac spinors, u, are defined as:

uL = 12 (1 − γ 5 )u
uR = 21 (1 + γ 5 )u
uL = u 12 (1 + γ 5 )
uR = u 12 (1 − γ 5 )

(a) Show that uγ µ u = uL γ µ uL + uR γ µ uR and interpret the significance of this result for
electromagnetic interactions.
(b) Show that u 12 γ µ (1 − γ 5 ) u = uL γ µ uL and interpret the significance of this result for
weak interactions.

1
4. (a) Draw the leading order Feynman diagrams for the QED processes: e− +e+ → µ− +µ+
and e− + µ− → e− + µ− .

In the relativistic regime the invariant amplitude for the e− + µ− → e− + µ− may


be written as

2 8e4
|M| = [(P3 · P4 )(P1 · P2 ) + (P3 · P2 )(P1 · P4 )],
(P1 − P3 )4

where the the incoming electron has a four-momentum P1 , the incoming muon has
P2 , the outgoing electron has P3 and the outgoing muon has P4 .

(b) Show that this may be written in terms of the Mandlestam variables s = (P1 + P2 )2 ,
t = (P1 − P3 )2 and u = (P1 − P4 )2 as
2
2 4s + u2
|M| = 2e .
t2

(c) Use the similarities between the two processes in (a) to derive an expression for |M|2
of e− + e+ → µ− + µ+ in terms of s, t and u.
(d) In the centre of mass frame the invariant amplitude can be related to the differential
cross-section by:
dσ 1
= |M|2 .
dΩ 64π 2 s
Show that for e− + e+ → µ− + µ+ :

dσ α2
= (1 + cos2 θ)
dΩ 4s
e2
where α = 4π
.
(e) In reality the angular distribution of e− +e+ → µ− +µ+ is not completely symmetric.
Explain why this is the case and estimate the percentage asymmetry at a centre of
mass energy of 20 GeV.

5. (a) Draw the Feynman diagram producing a τ − from an interaction of a ντ and an


electron.
(b) What is the minimum energy of the ντ incident on a stationary electron required to
produce a τ − in the limit that the outgoing neutrino energy, Eν , is zero?
(c) Consider the decay π − → µ− ν µ , where the µ− and ν µ both emerge at an angle of
the original π − direction. If the π − has an energy defined by a
300 with respect to √
Lorentz γ factor of 3, show that the minimum energy of the ν µ , Eν , is given by:

Eν = √1 (mπ − mµ ) ,
3

where mπ and mµ are the rest-masses of the π − and µ− respectively.


(d) Draw a diagram illustrating the spin and momentum vectors of the µ− and ν µ from
the decay of a π − at rest. Explain briefly why this decay mode is preferred over the
decay π − → e− ν e .

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