Ebook: Patterns of Symmetry Breaking

The conceptofspontaneous symmetry breaking plays a fundamental role in contemporary physics. It is essential for the description of degenerate ground states, massless modes, and topological defects. Examples are abundant in condensed matter physics, atomic and particle physics, as well as in astro­ physics and cosmology. In fact, spontaneous symmetry breaking can be re­ garded as a cornerstone ofa whole branch ofphysics which intersects the above mentioned traditionally distinct fields. In the year 2000 the European Science Foundation (ESF) started the Pro­ gramme "Cosmology in the Laboratory" (COSLAB), with the goal to search for and to develop analogies betweencondensed matterphysics, particle physics, and cosmology. Not surprisingly, spontaneous symmetry breaking is among the most useful notions in that endeavour. It has been decided that in the sec­ ond year of the Programme a School should be held in order to work out and deliver to a wide audience of students synthetic overviews of achievements and of current research topics of COSLAB. This idea has been supported by the Scientific and Environmental Affairs Division of NATO by including the School in the renowned series of its Advanced Study Institutes. The School, entitled" Patterns of Symmetry Breaking", was held in Cracow during 16-28 September 2002. It gathered 17 lecturers and about 60 students. The present volume contains notes ofmost of the lectures from that School. We hope that of the physics of spon­ it will convey to the reader the breadth and the beauty taneous symmetry breaking.

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The concept of spontaneous symmetry breaking plays a fundamental role in contemporary physics. It is essential to descriptions of such phenomena as the presence of degenerate ground states, massless modes, and topological defects. Examples are abundant in condensed matter physics, atomic and particle physics, as well as in astrophysics and cosmology. The book contains comprehensive, instructive reviews of significant aspects of the physics of spontaneous symmetry breaking. The emphasis is on topological defects: their appearance after phase transitions and the consequences of their presence. The most attractive feature of the book is that it embraces phenomena belonging to traditionally distinct branches of physics, such as the low temperature physics, liquid crystals, particle physics and cosmology. Both experimental and theoretical physics are represented. The unity and coherence of the underlying concepts is illustrated by an enormous variety of physical phenomena. As such, the book will interest any professional physicist working in modern physics.

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The concept of spontaneous symmetry breaking plays a fundamental role in contemporary physics. It is essential to descriptions of such phenomena as the presence of degenerate ground states, massless modes, and topological defects. Examples are abundant in condensed matter physics, atomic and particle physics, as well as in astrophysics and cosmology. The book contains comprehensive, instructive reviews of significant aspects of the physics of spontaneous symmetry breaking. The emphasis is on topological defects: their appearance after phase transitions and the consequences of their presence. The most attractive feature of the book is that it embraces phenomena belonging to traditionally distinct branches of physics, such as the low temperature physics, liquid crystals, particle physics and cosmology. Both experimental and theoretical physics are represented. The unity and coherence of the underlying concepts is illustrated by an enormous variety of physical phenomena. As such, the book will interest any professional physicist working in modern physics.
Content:
Front Matter....Pages i-2
Symmetry Breaking and Defects....Pages 3-36
Liquid 4He and its Superfluidity....Pages 37-82
The Role of Topological Defects in Cosmology....Pages 83-110
Cosmic Defects and Particle Physics Constraints....Pages 111-138
Introduction to the Modern Theory of Phase Transitions....Pages 139-159
Defects in Liquid Crystals: Surface and Interfacial Anchoring Effects....Pages 161-195
Scaling Laws for Fluxon Formation in Annular Josephson Tunnel Junctions....Pages 197-207
Nonholonomic Field Theory of Vortices and Defect and their Physe Transitions....Pages 209-272
Vortices and Flat Directions: The Uses of Bogomolnyi Bounds....Pages 273-285
Evolution of Local Vortices and Interfaces....Pages 287-311
Non-Equilibrium Mott Transition in a Lattice of Bose-Einstein Condensates....Pages 313-333
Spontaneous Breakdown of Chiral Symmetry in QCD....Pages 335-365
Domain Wall Solutions....Pages 367-379
Phenomenology of Effective Gravity....Pages 381-404

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The concept of spontaneous symmetry breaking plays a fundamental role in contemporary physics. It is essential to descriptions of such phenomena as the presence of degenerate ground states, massless modes, and topological defects. Examples are abundant in condensed matter physics, atomic and particle physics, as well as in astrophysics and cosmology. The book contains comprehensive, instructive reviews of significant aspects of the physics of spontaneous symmetry breaking. The emphasis is on topological defects: their appearance after phase transitions and the consequences of their presence. The most attractive feature of the book is that it embraces phenomena belonging to traditionally distinct branches of physics, such as the low temperature physics, liquid crystals, particle physics and cosmology. Both experimental and theoretical physics are represented. The unity and coherence of the underlying concepts is illustrated by an enormous variety of physical phenomena. As such, the book will interest any professional physicist working in modern physics.
Content:
Front Matter....Pages i-2
Symmetry Breaking and Defects....Pages 3-36
Liquid 4He and its Superfluidity....Pages 37-82
The Role of Topological Defects in Cosmology....Pages 83-110
Cosmic Defects and Particle Physics Constraints....Pages 111-138
Introduction to the Modern Theory of Phase Transitions....Pages 139-159
Defects in Liquid Crystals: Surface and Interfacial Anchoring Effects....Pages 161-195
Scaling Laws for Fluxon Formation in Annular Josephson Tunnel Junctions....Pages 197-207
Nonholonomic Field Theory of Vortices and Defect and their Physe Transitions....Pages 209-272
Vortices and Flat Directions: The Uses of Bogomolnyi Bounds....Pages 273-285
Evolution of Local Vortices and Interfaces....Pages 287-311
Non-Equilibrium Mott Transition in a Lattice of Bose-Einstein Condensates....Pages 313-333
Spontaneous Breakdown of Chiral Symmetry in QCD....Pages 335-365
Domain Wall Solutions....Pages 367-379
Phenomenology of Effective Gravity....Pages 381-404
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