This book describes the underlying ideas and modern developments of Regge theory, confronting the theory with a huge variety of experimental data. Covering forty years of research, it provides a unique insight into the theory and its phenomenological development. Essential reading for particle physicists.

This book presents an extended introduction to the theory of hadrons, the elementary particles that occur in the atomic nucleus. The main emphasis is on the theory of the complex angular momentum plane 'Regge theory'. In 1959 Tullio Regge demonstrated that it is useful to regard angular momentum as a complex variable when discussing solutions of the Schrödinger equation for non-relativistic potential scattering. This theory helps to classify the many different particles we know of, to explain the forces between them and to predict the results of high-energy scattering experiments. Regge theory thus serves as a unifying concept drawing together many different features of high-energy physics. This monograph is intended primarily for research students just beginning in particle physics, but experienced practitioners will also find much of interest. Originally published in 1977, this title has been reissued as an Open Access publication on Cambridge Core.

Intended for graduate students, advanced undergraduates and research staff in particle physics and related disciplines and will also be of interest to physicists not working in this field who want an overview of the present development of the subject.