Functional analysis and optimization methods in hadron physics (Q2418500)

It is often seen that analyticity proves to be a useful tool for improving the precision of the theoretical predictions in hadron physics. Moreover, it turns out that more sophisticated mathematical methods, belonging to functional analysis and optimization theory, are often required in order to properly treat the information available for the physical quantities of interest. The present book aims to offer a systematic presentation of the mathematical background and of some physical problems where these techniques prove to be useful. The book has six chapters. Chapter 1 contains a brief historical overview of the standard dispersion relations in particle physics. The status of analyticity within the Standard Model is discussed in Chapter 2 where the need for methods of functional analysis and optimization theory is illustrated on several examples. Chapter 3 contains a selection of mathematical results from complex and functional analysis, which are applied in Chapter 4 for solving several specific optimization problems encountered in hadron physics. A brief review of the most important physical applications is also given here. The last two chapters are focussed on two specific applications: Chapter 5 presents in a historical perspective the derivation of model-independent constraints on several weak and electromagnetic hadronic form factors and Chapter 6 deals with the application of functional analysis and optimization methods in perturbative QCD.