Gauge theory of weak decays : the standard model and the expedition to new physics summits / Andrzej J. Buras.

Includes bibliographical references and index.

Fundamentals -- The standard model of electroweak and strong interactions -- Weak decays at tree level -- Technology beyond trees -- Short distance structure of weak decays -- Effective Hamiltonians for FCNC processes -- Non-perturbative methods in weak decays -- Particle-antiparticle mixing and CP violation in the standard model -- Rare B and K decays in the standard model -- [epsilon]'/[epsilon] in the standard model -- Charm flavour physics -- Status of flavour physics within the standard model -- First steps beyond the standard model -- Standard model effective theory -- Simplest extensions of the SM -- Specific models -- Beyond quark flavour physics -- Grand summary of new physics models -- Flavour expedition to the Zeptouniverse -- Summary and shopping list.

"The ultimate question of elementary particle physics is: What is the fundamental Lagrangian of nature surrounding us? The Lagrangian of the SM is very successful in describing nature at the currently available energy range. The discovery of the Higgs boson completed the particle spectrum of the SM and it is another proof of how well the SM works. Nevertheless the SM cannot be the end of the story and it is for sure not the fundamental Lagrangian of nature. The Lagrangian of the SM looses its validity at the latest at the Planck scale where gravitational effects become noticeable.Most physicists think of the SM as an effective theory that has to be replaced by a more fundamental theory above the TeV scale. What the word effective really means will hopefully be clear at later stages of our book. For the time being we will list some problems and open questions of the SM"-- Provided by publisher.