認真答。
首先要知咩係 instantons 同埋 solitons。
Instantons: finite-action solutions to classical equations of motion of a non-abelian gauge theory in Euclidean time (i.e. after Wick rotation).
Solitons: finite-energy solutions to classical equations of motion in Minkowski time (i.e. real time). (數學家會叫佢做solitary waves,但係 physicists 唔會理。
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呢啲 finite-something conditions impose 咗某啲 non-trivial boundary conditions, 令到啲 solutions 通常可以用某啲 physicists 叫做 “topological charge” 嘅嘢去label。數學上佢哋都好有趣因爲佢哋有啲好有用嘅 properties,最出名嘅例子應該係 Donaldson theory for 4-manifolds。而呢樣嘢又 under 一個更大嘅 term - Topological Quantum Field Theory。
去返 sphalerons 同埋 skymions。
Sphlaerons: static solitonic solutions to the electroweak equations of motions.
Skyrmions: solitons of a specific chiral Lagrangian (可以理解成 baryons).
至於點解呢啲 solutions 咁緊要,最主要都係因為呢啲 solutions (e.g. sphalerons) 通常 interpolate/mediate 某啲 non-perturbative processes (e.g. tunnelling by instantons)。而呢啲 effects 你係永遠唔會係 “naive” perturbation theory 見到。(題外話:有興趣嘅話可以睇下 arxiv: 1702.04148,或者某樣嘢叫做 Picard-Lefschez theory (for path integrals)。個人覺得幾有趣。
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以上講得好hand wavy,如果要想知更 detailed 嘅 physics 嘅話,可以睇下 (希望記得啱啲書名同作者
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1. Shifman - Advanced Quantum Field Theory
2. Rajamaran - Instantons and Solitons
3. Coleman - Aspects of Symmetry
4. Fradkin - Quantum Field Theory (某本新出嘅 QFT 書,覺得某啲 advances topics 寫得幾好)
5. Tong - TASI lectures on solitons