The Particle Data Group (PDG) is an international collaboration of
particle physicists that compiles and reanalyzes published results related to the properties of
particles and
fundamental interactions. It also publishes reviews of theoretical results that are phenomenologically relevant, including those in related fields such as
cosmology
Cosmology () is a branch of physics and metaphysics dealing with the nature of the universe, the cosmos. The term ''cosmology'' was first used in English in 1656 in Thomas Blount's ''Glossographia'', with the meaning of "a speaking of the wo ...
. The PDG currently publishes the ''Review of Particle Physics'' and its pocket version, the ''Particle Physics Booklet'', which are printed biennially as books, and updated annually via the
World Wide Web
The World Wide Web (WWW or simply the Web) is an information system that enables Content (media), content sharing over the Internet through user-friendly ways meant to appeal to users beyond Information technology, IT specialists and hobbyis ...
.
In previous years, the PDG has published the ''Pocket Diary for Physicists'', a calendar with the dates of key international conferences and contact information of major
high energy physics institutions, which is now discontinued. PDG also further maintains the standard numbering scheme for particles in
event generators, in association with the event generator authors.
''Review of Particle Physics''
The ''Review of Particle Physics'' (formerly ''Review of Particle Properties'', ''Data on Particles and Resonant States'', and ''Data on Elementary Particles and Resonant States'') is a voluminous, 1,200+ page reference work which summarizes particle properties and reviews the current status of
elementary particle physics,
general relativity
General relativity, also known as the general theory of relativity, and as Einstein's theory of gravity, is the differential geometry, geometric theory of gravitation published by Albert Einstein in 1915 and is the current description of grav ...
and
Big Bang
The Big Bang is a physical theory that describes how the universe expanded from an initial state of high density and temperature. Various cosmological models based on the Big Bang concept explain a broad range of phenomena, including th ...
cosmology. Usually singled out for
citation analysis, it is currently the most cited article in
high energy physics, being cited more than 2,000 times annually in the scientific literature ().
The Review is currently divided into three sections:
* Particle Physics Summary Tables—Brief tables of particles:
gauge and
higgs boson
The Higgs boson, sometimes called the Higgs particle, is an elementary particle in the Standard Model of particle physics produced by the excited state, quantum excitation of the Higgs field,
one of the field (physics), fields in particl ...
s,
leptons,
quark
A quark () is a type of elementary particle and a fundamental constituent of matter. Quarks combine to form composite particles called hadrons, the most stable of which are protons and neutrons, the components of atomic nucleus, atomic nuclei ...
s,
meson
In particle physics, a meson () is a type of hadronic subatomic particle composed of an equal number of quarks and antiquarks, usually one of each, bound together by the strong interaction. Because mesons are composed of quark subparticles, the ...
s,
baryon
In particle physics, a baryon is a type of composite particle, composite subatomic particle that contains an odd number of valence quarks, conventionally three. proton, Protons and neutron, neutrons are examples of baryons; because baryons are ...
s, constraints for the search for hypothetical particles and violation of physical laws.
* Reviews, Tables and Plots—Review of fundamental concepts from mathematics and statistics, table of
Clebsch-Gordan coefficients,
periodic table of elements, table of
electron
The electron (, or in nuclear reactions) is a subatomic particle with a negative one elementary charge, elementary electric charge. It is a fundamental particle that comprises the ordinary matter that makes up the universe, along with up qua ...
ic configuration of the elements, brief table of material properties, review of current status in the fields of
Standard Model
The Standard Model of particle physics is the Scientific theory, theory describing three of the four known fundamental forces (electromagnetism, electromagnetic, weak interaction, weak and strong interactions – excluding gravity) in the unive ...
,
Cosmology
Cosmology () is a branch of physics and metaphysics dealing with the nature of the universe, the cosmos. The term ''cosmology'' was first used in English in 1656 in Thomas Blount's ''Glossographia'', with the meaning of "a speaking of the wo ...
, and
experiment
An experiment is a procedure carried out to support or refute a hypothesis, or determine the efficacy or likelihood of something previously untried. Experiments provide insight into cause-and-effect by demonstrating what outcome occurs whe ...
al method of particle physics, and with tables of fundamental physical and astronomical constants (many from
CODATA and the
Astronomical Almanac).
* Particle Listings—Comprehensive version of the ''Particle Physics Summary Tables'', with all significant measurements fully referenced.
A condensed version of the ''Review'', with the ''Summary Tables'', a significantly shortened ''Reviews, Tables and Plots'', and without the ''Particle Listings'', is available as a 300-page, pocket-sized ''Particle Physics Booklet''.
The history of the ''Review of Particle Physics'' can be traced back to the 1957 article ''Hyperons and Heavy Mesons (Systematics and Decay)'' by
Murray Gell-Mann
Murray Gell-Mann (; September 15, 1929 – May 24, 2019) was an American theoretical physicist who played a preeminent role in the development of the theory of elementary particles. Gell-Mann introduced the concept of quarks as the funda ...
and
Arthur H. Rosenfeld, and the unpublished update tables for its data with the title ''Data for Elementary Particle Physics'' (
University of California Radiation Laboratory ''Technical Report UCRL-8030'') that were circulated before the actual publication of the original article. In 1963,
Matts Roos independently published a compilation ''Data on Elementary Particles and Resonant States''.
[
] On his suggestion, the two publications were merged a year later into the 1964 ''Data on Elementary Particles and Resonant States''.
The publication underwent three renamings thereafter: in 1965 to ''Data on Particles and Resonant States'', in 1970 to ''Review of Particle Properties'', and in 1996 to the present form ''Review of Particle Physics''. Starting in 1972, the ''Review'' no longer appeared exclusively in ''
Reviews of Modern Physics'', but also in ''
Physics Letters B'', ''
European Physical Journal C'', ''
Journal of Physics G'', ''
Physical Review D'', and ''
Chinese Physics C'' (depending on the year).
Past editions of the ''Review of Particle Physics''
See also
*
CODATA
References
External links
Particle Data Group official sitean
electronic edition of ''Review of Particle Physics'' 2018Photo of the 2004 ''Review of Particle Physics''First edition of the wallet card from the Particle Data Group, 1958Particle Physics Booklet, current versionParticle Physics Booklet, July 2010Particle Physics Booklet, 2014Particle Physics Booklet, 2018
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Particle physics
Physical constants