Introduction to Effective Field Theories in QCD

Abstract

We present a simple introduction to the techniques of effective field theory (EFT) and their application to QCD. For problems with more than one energy scale, the EFT approach is a useful alternative to more traditional model-building strategies. The most relevant such problem for this discussion is that of making contact between QCD and the hadronic phase of matter. As a simple example, an EFT calculation of the bound states of hydrogen within QED is sketched. A more significant demonstration of the power of EFTs, the construction of the chiral Lagrangian and chiral perturbation theory, is also included. The results provide us with the road map to a complete QCD-based theory of nuclear matter at nonzero temperatures and densities, a vital component to a quantitative understanding of the phase transition from hadron gas to quark-gluon plasma.