During the past two decades gauge theory has been the focus of intense mathematical scrutiny. This book, together with the author's earlier book, Topology, Geometry and Gauge Fields: Foundations, Springer 1997, provides a gentle introduction to the basics of the subject with the somewhat unique feature of picking out what students need to know from both the mathematics and physics of the subject. Extensive exercises are included to encourage readers to actively participate in the material.

Autorentext

Gregory L. Naber is a Professor in the Department of Mathematics at Drexel University in Philadelphia, PA.

Klappentext

A study of topology and geometry, beginning with a comprehensible account of the extraordinary and rather mysterious impact of mathematical physics, and especially gauge theory, on the study of the geometry and topology of manifolds. The focus of the book is the Yang-Mills-Higgs field and some considerable effort is expended to make clear its origin and significance in physics. Much of the mathematics developed here to study these fields is standard, but the treatment always keeps one eye on the physics and sacrifices generality in favor of clarity. The author brings readers up the level of physics and mathematics needed to conclude with a brief discussion of the Seiberg-Witten invariants. A large number of exercises are included to encourage active participation on the part of the reader.

Inhalt

Preface.- Acknowledgements.- Geometrical Background.- Physical Motivation.- Frame Bundles and Spacetime.- Differential Forms and Integration Introduction.- de Rham Cohomology Introduction.- Characteristic Classes.- Appendix.- References.- Symbols.- Index.