Spinor product in Peskin-Schroeder problem 5.3

In summary, Emmanuel is trying to solve a problem in Partial Differential Equations, but he is stumped. He has found references to books that discuss the general Fierz identities, but he is not sure how to solve the problem using these identities. He wonders if someone in the community might know of a solution.
  • #1
Manu_
12
1
Hello,

I am currently stuck on problem 5.3 (c) about spinor products in PS, where one needs to prove the Fierz identity:
$$ \bar{u}_{L}(p_{1}) \gamma^{\mu} {u}_{L}(p_{2}) [\gamma_{\mu}]_{ab} = 2 [u_{L}(p_{2})\bar{u}_{L}(p_1) +u_{R}(p_{1})\bar{u}_{R}(p_2) ]_{ab} $$
They say that a Dirac matric M satisfies:
$$ \gamma^{5} [M]=-[M]\gamma^{5}$$
hence should be of the form:
$$ [M]= \left( \frac{1-\gamma^{5}}{2} \right) \gamma_{\mu} V^{\mu} + \left( \frac{1+\gamma^{5}}{2} \right) \gamma_{\mu} W^{\mu} $$

But then, to get the answer, I suppose that:
$$ V^{\mu} = u_{L}(p_{2})\bar{u}_{L}(p_1) $$
$$ W^{\mu} = u_{R}(p_{1})\bar{u}_{R}(p_2) $$
Honestly, I don't see exactly why. Can someone point me out the way to make this identification?

Next, in part (d), we should get an amplitude of the form:
$$ i\mathcal{M} = (-ie)^{2} \bar{v}_{R} (k_{2}) \gamma^{\mu} u_{R} (k_{1}) \frac{-i}{s} \bar{u}_{R}(p_{1})\gamma_{\nu} v_{R}(p_2)$$
Thus, we have terms in u and v. However, all the spinor product formalism has been developed in terms of u. My question is: can one define a spinor product $$s(p_1,p_2)=\bar{v}_{R}(p_1) u_{L}(p_2) $$?

Thanks,
Emmanuel
 
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  • #2
All these messy calculations involving Fierz transformations identities can be found in the books by Atkinson's and Radovanovic's.
 
  • #3
Thanks for the references, MathematicalPhysicist.
But I took a look on these books, and all I saw was the general Fierz identities, and these are already treated in PS.
However, I still don't see where does this result come from. I'm sure it's something basic, but I can't see it...
 
  • #4
Does anyone else have a suggestion?
Thanks!
 
  • #6
Hi!
Yes, I have seen this manual, but unfortunately, he states that this is all obvious...
 
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  • #7
Hi @Manu_ , have you tried the exercises textbook of Atkinson's?
 
  • #8
Hi!
I took a look in this book and Radovanovic's, but they cover more or less what has been treated in P&S before problem 5.3. They do not mention Fierz identities used with spinor products.
 
  • #9

1. What is the spinor product in Peskin-Schroeder problem 5.3?

The spinor product in Peskin-Schroeder problem 5.3 refers to the mathematical operation used to describe the interaction between spinors in quantum field theory. It is denoted by the symbol $\otimes$ and is defined as the outer product of two spinors, resulting in a new spinor.

2. How is the spinor product used in Peskin-Schroeder problem 5.3?

In problem 5.3, the spinor product is used to calculate the amplitude for the process of electron-positron annihilation into a muon-antimuon pair. It is used to combine the spinors of the initial and final particles, as well as the spinors of the intermediate particles involved in the process.

3. What is the significance of the spinor product in quantum field theory?

The spinor product is a crucial mathematical tool in quantum field theory as it allows for the calculation of amplitudes and probabilities for particle interactions. It takes into account the spin degrees of freedom of particles, which are essential in the quantum world.

4. How do you perform the spinor product in Peskin-Schroeder problem 5.3?

The spinor product is performed by taking the outer product of two spinors, which involves multiplying the spinor components in a specific way. In problem 5.3, the spinor product is performed using the Feynman rules, which provide a systematic way of calculating amplitudes in quantum field theory.

5. Can the spinor product be applied to other problems in quantum field theory?

Yes, the spinor product can be applied to a wide range of problems in quantum field theory where the interaction between spinors needs to be described. It is a fundamental tool in this field and is used extensively in calculations of amplitudes and cross-sections for various particle interactions.

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