Quantum Theory of Elementary Processes

Abstract

In modern physics, one of the greatest divides is that between space–time and quantum fields, as the fiber bundle of the Standard Model indicates. However, on operational grounds the fields and space–time are not very different. To describe a field in an experimental region we have to assign coordinates to the points of that region in order to speak of “when” and “where” of the field itself. But to operationally study the topology and to coordinatize the region of space–time, the use of radars (to send and receive electromagnetic signals) is required. Thus the description of fields (or, rather, processes) and the description of space–time are indistinguishable at the fundamental level. Moreover, classical general relativity already says—albeit preserving the fiber bundle structure—that space–time and matter are intimately related. All this indicates that a new theory of elementary processes (out of which all the usual processes of creation, annihilation, and propagation, and consequently the topology of space–time itself would be constructed) has to be devised. In this review the foundations of such a finite, discrete, algebraic, quantum theory are summarized. The theory is then applied to the description of spin-1/2 quanta of the Standard Model.