Astroparticle Physics - PGF5368 2021-2

ASSIGNMENTS - 01

Reading assignments

• class notes

• Quarks & Leptons: An Introductory Course in Modern Particle Physics. Francis Halzen
e Alan D. Martin:

– chapter 3 (secs 3.1, 3.2, 3.3)

– chapter 5 (secs 5.1-5.5)
– chapter 14 (secs 14.1, 14.2, 14.3)

• Introduction to Elementary Particles: David Griffiths:

– chapter 1
– chapter 7 (secs 7.1-7.2)
– chapter 11 (secs 11.1, 11.2, 11.3)

Problem set

1. A pion moving with velocity v decays into a muon and an anti-neutrino (π − → µ− + ν µ ).

If the neutrino emerges at 90◦ with respect to the pion original direction, at which angle
will the muon emerge? Write your answer in terms of the rest masses and v.

2. Prove the following properties of the Dirac α and β matrices:

(a) Tr(β)=Tr(αi )=0, i = 1, 2, 3

(b) dim(β)=dim(αi ) is even

3. Verify the following properties of the γ µ matrices

(a) {γ µ , γ ν } = γ µ γ ν + γ ν γ µ = 2g µν
(b) γ 0† = γ 0
(c) (γ 0 )2 = 1
(d) γ k† = −γ k
(e) (γ k )2 = −1
(f) γ µ† = γ 0 γ µ γ 0

1 Instituto de Fı́sica - USP

Astroparticle Physics - PGF5368 2021-2

4. A Dirac spinor ψ(xµ ) does not transform as a 4-vector under Lorentz boosts. Find out the
transformation law by imposing that Dirac equation is satisfied in both inertial frames Σ
and Σ0 that are linked by the coordinate transformation
x0µ = Λµν (v)xν ,
that is
(i~γ µ ∂µ − mc)ψ = 0 ↔ (i~γ µ ∂µ0 − mc)ψ 0 = 0

Suppose the spinor transformation is linear

ψ 0 = Sψ
and use the fact that ∂ µ is a 4-vector to show that
S −1 γ µ SΛµν = γ ν
and, therefore, S is given by
 
a+ 0 0 a−
 0 a+ a− 0 
S = a+ 1 + a− γ 0 γ 1 =  
 0 a− a+ 0 
a− 0 0 a+
with r
1
a± = ± (γ ± 1), γ = (1 − β 2 )−1/2 .
2
µ
5. Verify that the Dirac spinors ψ (s) (xµ ) = u(s) (p)e−ikµ x for a relativistic free particle of
rest mass m and energy E satisfy
Hψ (1,2) = |E|ψ (1,2) and Hψ (3,4) = −|E|ψ (3,4) ,
for H = α · pc + βmc2 .
6. Using the canonical commutation relations
[xi , pi ] = i~ δij
that for a Dirac particle, [H, L] = −i~ α × p, with L = r × p.
7. Show that for a Dirac particle
[H, Σ] = 2i~ α × p

The representation of the spin operator for spin s = 1/2 fermions is given by
 
~ ~ σ 0
S= Σ=
2 2 0 σ

Verify explicitly that for a particle moving along the z-axis (p = |p|ẑ), the Dirac spinors
are eingenstates of Sz and determine its eigenvalues.

2 Instituto de Fı́sica - USP

Astroparticle Physics - PGF5368 2021-2

8. Prove the following completeness relations

X
u(s) (p)u(s) (p) = p/ + mc
s=1,2

X
v (s) (p)v (s) (p) = p/ − mc
s=1,2

9. The lagrangian for an electromagnetic field represented by the 4-potential

 
µ V
A = ,A
c

generated by an external current J µ can be written as

1
L=− Fµν F µν + J µ Aµ .
4µ0

Show that one can obtain from this lagrangian the appropriate Maxwell’s equations in
the potential formulation
∂ν F µν = µ0 J µ .

10. Show that the lagrangian

1 ∗ µ m2 c2 ∗
L = ∂µ φ ∂ φ − φφ
2 2~2
is the right one to derive the equation of motion of charged spin zero particles (i.e. the
Klein-Gordon equation) represented by a complex field φ. Show also that the lagrangian
is invariant under global phase transformations of the field φ and that the conserved
current in that case is given by
e~ ∗ µ
J µ = −i (φ ∂ φ − φ ∂ µ φ∗ )
2m

Hint: In the lagrangian above, φ and φ∗ are to be treated as independent fields. When
the lagrangian is a function of n fields (φ1 , φ2 , ..., φn ), the conserved current for invariance
under pure field transformations (δxµ = 0) is given by
n
µ
X ∂L
j = δφr .
r=1
∂(∂µ φr )

3 Instituto de Fı́sica - USP