Introduction to Superstrings and M-Theory

ISBN-13: 9780387985893 / Angielski / Twarda / 1998 / 587 str.

Michio Kaku; J. L. Birman; H. E. Stanley

Opis

Superstrings and M-theory: provocative and controversial, but unarguably one of the most interesting and active areas of research in current physics. Called by some, "the theory of everything," superstrings may solve a problem that has eluded physicists for the past 50 years, the final unification of the two great theories of the twentieth century, general relativity and quantum field theory. Now, here is a thoroughly revised, second edition of a course-tested comprehensive introductory graduate text on superstrings which stresses the most current areas of interest, not covered in other presentations, including: . Four-dimensional superstrings . Kac-Moody algebras . Teichmuller spaces and Calabi-Yau manifolds . M-theory Membranes and D-branes . Duality and BPS relations . Matrix models The book begins with a simple discussion of point particle theory, and uses Feynman path integrals to unify the presentation of superstrings. It has been updated throughout, and three new chapters on M-theory have been added. Prerequisites are an acquaintance with quantum mechanics and relativity."

Recenzje

From the reviews
Foundations of Physics, on the first edition:
"... the dedicated reader...will be well versed in this fascinating area of theoretical physics."
Physics Today, on the first edition:
"...presents a pedagogical survey on string theory. It covers material from early developments to present-day research ... divided into three parts ... results of quantization, string field theory, and phenomenology ... an impressive effort..."

FOUNDATIONS OF PHYSICS
"Kaku's book, at 568 pages, is a comprehensive, self-contained text on string theory...[It] contains useful summaries of mathematical topics such as index theory, cohomology, and Kahler manifolds. This is a book for the really serious student of string theory; the dedicated reader who emerges after page 568 will be well versed in this fascinating area of theoretical physics."

Spis treści

I. First Quantization and Path Integrals; 1. Path Integrals and Point Particles; 2. Nambu-Goto Strings; 3. Superstrings; 4. Conformal Field Theory and Kac-Moody Algebras; 5. Multiloops and Teichmüller Spaces; II. Second Quantization and the Search for Geometry; 6. Light Cone Field Theory; 7. BRST Field Theory; 8. Anomalies and the Atiyah-Singer Theorem; 9. Heterotic Strings and Compactification; 10. Calabi-Yau Spaces and Orbifolds; 11.M-theory and Duality; 12. Compatifications and BPS States 13. Solitons, D-branes, and Black Holes; Appendices; Index

O autorze

Michio Kaku, geb. 1947, ist Professor für Theoretische Physik an der New Yorker City University und hat die Stringtheorie mitentwickelt. Daneben hat er mehrere populärwissenschaftliche Bücher geschrieben und verfasst regelmäßig Beiträge für Zeitungen und Magazine, Hörfunk und Fernsehen.