Algebra of currents and some applications to elementary particle physics

Abstract

We study the implications of the algebra of currents to elementary particle processes. In Chapter 1 we introduce the concepts of current algebra and discuss how the information contained in the current commutators can be used to set up sum rules and in particular to evaluate strong interaction renormalization effects. In Chapter II we apply some of the techniques developed in Chapter 1 and obtain consistency conditions for the K-meson scattering amplitude. In the third chapter we illustrate the methods further by calculating the F/D ratio and find good agreement with experiment. Finally, in Chapter IV we are concerned with calculating the coupling constant of the so far hypothetical a-meson to nucleon states. We find that the techniques of current algebras enable us to do so and we find a value for its coupling constant which should ultimately be testable experimentally should the a-meson exist as a physical particle.