Selected topics in gauge theories (Q1069540)

The lecture note under review is devoted to students in theoretical physics having a solid background in quantum field theory (QFT). The aim is to present calculations normally needed, but not given, in courses or textbooks in QFT or gauge theory, respectively. The following subjects are treated: 1. Classical Yang-Mills theory, 2. path integral quantization of gauge theories, 3. background field methods, 4. instantons and \(\theta\)-vacua, 5. Schwinger model \((QED)_ 2\), 6. chiral anomaly in \((QED)_ 2\), 7. Fujikawa's path integral method, 8. chiral anomaly in the Schwinger-Symanzik formalism, 9. anomalous Ward identities à la Wess-Zumino, 10. topological aspects of the Wess-Zumino effective action, 11. topological Baryon number and the Skyrme model, 12. The Atiyah-Singer index theorem (for the Euclidean Dirac Operator). 13. Chiral anomalies and differential geometry, 14. effective gauge theory actions in \((2n+1)\) dimensions, 15. chiral anomaly with gravitational background field, 16. vacuum charge in \(2n+1\) dimensions.