Quantum Field Theory and Jet Phenomena

This honors thesis studies graduate-level quantum field theory including Feynman diagrams and Feynman calculus in order to connect experimental results with the theoretical background. It discusses results of a research experience for undergraduates through Duke University's high energy physics program regarding jet phenomena and explains the inadequacy of quantum mechanics in predicting particle interactions. It follows the canonical method of building a relativistic quantum field theory and describes the process for building one from Langrangians. It addresses the non-interacting part of the theory using the canonical quantization and uses the Feynman propagator and Wick's theorem to address the interacting part of the theory and write it as Feynman diagrams. It then reconnects the theory to jets with a detailed following of an established jet calculation using the Feynman calculus. The final numerical computation establishes the goal of this work.