Spin, mass, and symmetry
- Stanford Univ., CA (United States)
When the strong interactions were a mystery, spin seemed to be just a complication on top of an already puzzling set of phenomena. But now that particle physicists have understood the strong, weak, and electromagnetic interactions, to be gauge theories, with matter built of quarks and leptons, it is recognized that the special properties of spin 1/2 and spin 1 particles have taken central role in the understanding of Nature. The lectures in this summer school will be devoted to the use of spin in unravelling detailed questions about the fundamental interactions. Thus, why not begin by posing a deeper question: Why is there spin? More precisely, why do the basic pointlike constituents of Nature carry intrinsic nonzero quanta of angular momentum? Though the authos has found no definite answer to this question, the pursuit of an answer has led through a wonderful tangle of speculations on the deep structure of Nature. Is spin constructed or is it fundamental? Is it the requirement of symmetry? In the furthest flights taken, it seems that space-time itself is too restrictive a notion, and that this must be generalized in order to gain a full appreciation of spin. In any case, there is no doubt that spin must play a central role in unlocking the mysteries of fundamental physics.
- Research Organization:
- SLAC National Accelerator Lab., Menlo Park, CA (United States)
- DOE Contract Number:
- AC03-76SF00515
- OSTI ID:
- 90753
- Report Number(s):
- SLAC-444; CONF-930767-; ON: DE95008628; TRN: 95:018200
- Resource Relation:
- Conference: 21. annual SLAC Summer Institute on particle physics: spin structure in high-energy processes, Stanford, CA (United States), 26 Jul - 6 Aug 1993; Other Information: PBD: Dec 1994; Related Information: Is Part Of Spin structure in high energy processes: Proceedings; DePorcel, L.; Dunwoodie, C. [eds.]; PB: 593 p.
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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