This first open access volume of the handbook series contains articles on the standard model of particle physics, both from the theoretical and experimental perspective. It also covers related topics, such as heavy-ion physics, neutrino physics and searches for new physics beyond the standard model.

A joint CERN-Springer initiative, the ¿Particle Physics Reference Library¿ provides revised and updated contributions based on previously published material in the well-known Landolt-Boernstein series on particle physics, accelerators and detectors (volumes 21A,B1,B2,C), which took stock of the field approximately one decade ago. Central to this new initiative is publication under full open access.

Herwig Franz Schopper joined as a research associate at CERN since 1966 and returned in 1970 as leader of the Nuclear Physics Division, and went on to become a member of the directorate responsible for the co-ordination of CERN's experimental programme. He was chairman of the ISR Committee at CERN from 1973 to 1976 and was elected as member of the Scientific Policy Committee in 1979. Following Léon Van Hove and John Adams' years as Director-General for research and executive Director-General, Schopper became the sole Director-General of CERN in 1981.

Schopper's years as CERN's Director-General saw the construction and installation of the Large Electron-Positron Collider (LEP) and the first tests of four detectors for the LEP experiments. Several facilities (including ISR, BEBC and EHS) had to be closed to free up resources for LEP.

Introduction.- Gauge Theories and the Standard Model.- The Standard Model of Electroweak

Interactions.- QCD: The Theory of Strong Interactions.- QCD on the lattice.- The Discovery of the Higgs boson at the LHC.- Relativistic Nucleus-Nucleus Collisions and the QCD Matter Phase Diagram.- Beyond the Standard Model.- Symmetry Violations and Quark Flavour.- The Future of Particle Physics - the LHC and Beyond.