Quantum Field Theory and Topology

In recent years, topology has firmly established itself as an important part of the physicist's mathematical arsenal. It has many applications, first of all in quantum field theory, but increasingly also in other areas of physics. The main focus of this book is the results of quantum field theory that are obtained by topological methods. Some aspects of the theory of condensed matter are also discussed. Part 1 is an introduction to quantum field theory which discusses the basic Lagrangians used in the theory of elementary particles. Part 2 is devoted to the applications of topology to quantum field theory. Part 3 covers the necessary mathematical background in summary form. The book is aimed at physicists interested in the applications of topology to physics, and at mathematicians wishing to familiarize themselves with quantum field theory and the mathematical methods used in this field.