The formation and development of the concept of virtual particles

这个项目从历史和科学哲学的角度研究了虚拟粒子的概念（“综合HPS”）。这个概念是现代物理学的一个组成部分，主要是因为它提供了一种用相对简单的术语描述和解释复杂量子物理过程的方法。尽管它被广泛使用，但虚粒子的概念似乎并没有得到明确的定义。本项目追溯了这个概念的起源，并随着时间的推移而演变。第一阶段系统地研究了引入量子力学和早期量子场论概念的原因。第二阶段将侧重于在QFT、s矩阵理论和标准模型的背景下进一步发展这一概念。在这一阶段，我们还旨在解释这个术语今天不同用法的起源，并考虑到上一阶段的结果，进一步加深我们对物理科学中概念形成的一般理解。

This project investigates the concept of a virtual particle from the viewpoint of the history and philosophy of science ("integrated HPS"). This concept is an integral part of modern physics, mainly since it provides a means to describe and interpret complex quantum physical processes in comparatively simple terms. Despite its wide use, the notion of a virtual particle appears not to be clearly defined. The present project traces the origins of the concept and follows its evolution through time. Phase 1 investigated systematically the reasons for the introduction of the concept in quantum mechanics and early quantum field theory (QFT). Phase 2 will focus on the further development of the concept in the context of QFT, S-matrix theory, and the Standard Model. In this phase we also aim to explain the genesis of today’s diverse uses of the term and, taking into account the results from the previous phase, to further our general understanding of concept formation in the physical sciences.