Axioms for renormalization in Euclidean quantum field theory

A set of axioms which fix Euclidean renormalizations up to a finite renormalization is proposed. There exists a one to one correspondence between Euclidean renormalizations and renormalizations in Minkowski space-time satisfying Hepp's axioms. No restrictions on masses are imposed.     

Supersymmetric instantons and topological quantum field theory

We present an action which generates the supersymmetric self-dual equations corresponding to euclidean super Yang-Mills theory in four dimensions. By adding additional constraint fields with new local symmetries, the classical equations of this system are the usual super self-dual equations when a gauge is chosen for the constraint fields. This construction is a supersymmetric generalization of the Labastida-Pernici action which corresponds to a gauge unfixed version of Witten's topological quantum field theory. We discuss some topological prospects for this model, and the role of supersymmetric instantons in Donaldson theory.     

Gauge fixing for the field theory of the bosonic string

We give a procedure for the gauge fixing of the Witten theory of the bosonic string. The corresponding gauge-fixed action is invariant under a nilpotent BRST transformation.     

Gauge invariance and renormalization schemes in quantum chromodynamics

A general analysis of the Slavnov-Taylor identity connecting the triple gluon and ghost-ghost-gluon vertices and its consequences for two momentum subtraction (symmetric and asymmetric) renormalization schemes are given. It is shown that in the asymmetric scheme proposed in this paper the relation follows directly from the identity for a simple and natural definition of the renormalization constants. Explicit one-loop expressions for the renormalization constants in an arbitrary covariant gauge, including quark masses are given in support of the general analysis.     

Four-dimensional BF theory as a topological quantum field theory

Starting from a Lie group G whose Lie algebra is equipped with an invariant nondegenerate symmetric bilinear form, we show that four-dimensional BF theory with cosmological term gives rise to a TQFT satisfying a generalization of Atiyah's axioms to manifolds equipped with principal G-bundle. The case G=GL(4,) is especially interesting because every 4-manifold is then naturally equipped with a principal G-bundle, namely its frame bundle. In this case, the partition function of a compact oriented 4-manifold is the exponential of its signature, and the resulting TQFT is isomorphic to that constructed by Crane and Yetter using a state sum model, or by Broda using a surgery presentation of four-manifolds.     

Dynamical renormalization group approach to relaxation in quantum field theory

The real time evolution and relaxation of expectation values of quantum fields and of quantum states are computed as initial value problems by implementing the dynamical renormalization group (DRG). Linear response is invoked to set up the renormalized initial value problem to study the dynamics of the expectation value of quantum fields. The perturbative solution of the equations of motion for the field expectation values of quantum fields as well as the evolution of quantum states features secular terms, namely terms that grow in time and invalidate the perturbative expansion for late times. The DRG provides a consistent framework to resum these secular terms and yields a uniform asymptotic expansion at long times. Several relevant cases are studied in detail, including those of threshold infrared divergences which appear in gauge theories at finite temperature and lead to anomalous relaxation. In these cases the DRG is shown to provide a resummation akin to Bloch-Nordsieck but directly in real time and that goes beyond the scope of Bloch-Nordsieck and Dyson resummations. The nature of the resummation program is discussed in several examples. The DRG provides a framework that is consistent, systematic, and easy to implement to study the non-equilibrium relaxational dynamics directly in real time that does not rely on the concept of quasiparticle widths.     

Gauge fixing in fully gauge-invariant field theory of closed bosonic and Neveu-Schwarz strings

The gauge fixing procedure is reanalyzed in our fully gauge-invariant closed bosonic and Neveu-Schwarz string field theory which does not have any constraint on string functionals and gauge parameters. The relations to other formulations are clarified; in particular, it is shown that our theory recovers other formulation with constraints L₊ − L₋ = 0 after partial gauge fixing but without any truncation. Complete gauge fixing is also made and the expected propagator is obtained. The constraint L₊ − L₋ = 0 appears as a field equation in our formulation.     

Morse theory interpretation of topological quantum field theories

Topological quantum field theories are interpreted as a generalized form of Morse theory. This interpretation is applied to formulate the simplest topological quantum field theory: topological quantum mechanics. The only non-trivial topological invariant corresponding to this theory is computed and identified with the Euler characteristic. Using field theoretical methods this topological invariant is calculated in different ways and in the process a proof of the Gauss-Bonnet-Chern-Avez formula as well as some results of degenerate Morse theory are obtained.     

2+1-D topological quantum field theory and 2-D conformal field theory

We describe the relation between three dimensional topological quantum field theory and two dimensional conformal field theory. Some Applications to quantum knot invariants leading to the equivalence of Chern-Simons-Witten and Kohno's approaches are outlined.     

On the renormalization of topological Yang-Mills field theory in N = 1 superspace

We discuss the renormalization aspects of topological super-Yang-Mills field theory in N = 1 superspace. Our approach makes use of the regularization-independent BRS algebraic technique adapted to the case of an N = 1 supersymmetric model. We give the expression of the most general local counterterm to the classical action to all orders of the perturbative expansion. The counterterm is shown to be a BRS coboundary, implying that the cohomological properties of the supertopological theory are not affected by quantum effects. We also demonstrate the vanishing of the Callan-Symanzik β-function of the model by employing a recently discovered supersymmetric antighost Ward identity.     

Gauge fixing, families index theory, and topological features of the space of lattice gauge fields

The families index theory for the overlap lattice Dirac operator is applied to derive topological features of the space of SU(N) lattice gauge fields on the 4-torus: the topological sectors, specified by the fermionic topological charge, are shown to contain noncontractible even-dimensional spheres when N3, and noncontractible circles in the N=2 case. We describe how certain obstructions to the existence of gauge fixings without the Gribov problem in the continuum setting correspond on the lattice to obstructions to the contractibility of these spheres and circles. We also point out a canonical connection on the space of lattice gauge fields with monopole-like singularities associated with the spheres.     

Charge renormalization in quantum field theory by the unitary clothing transformation method

The clothing procedure in several lowest orders in the coupling constant has been implemented using the unitary clothing transformation method. Within a simple field theory model, including interaction of charged spinless nucleons and scalar mesons, an expression for the charge shift is obtained, which is determined by the operators beyond the energy shell.     

Bosonization,topological solitons and fractional charges in two-dimensional quantum field theory

We further develop the quantization of topological solitons in two-dimensional quantum field theory in terms of Euclidean region functional integrals. Our approach is nonperturbative and mathematically rigorous. We apply it to construct physical states with fractional fermion number in models of interacting bosons and fermions without recurring to a semiclassical approximation. A related issue discussed in this paper is two-dimensional chiral bosonization.     

A topological quantum field theory construction on piecewise linear manifolds

The generalisation of the topological quantum field theory construction of Turaev and Viro to arbitrary dimension is presented, and it is shown that q-deformed spin-networks, or the recoupling theory of the quantum group U_qsl(2) provide a realisation of the initial data for the construction of 2-, 3- and 4-dimensional TQFTs.     

On the renormalization of the quantum field theory of point-like monopoles and charges

The quantum field theory of point-like monopoles and charges is first formulated on a euclidean lattice for a convenient regularization. The regularization preserves the peculiar features of the theory, namely those related to the invariance and to the quantization condition. The partition function is expressed as a path integral over the particle's closed paths and the action is constructed in terms of arbitrary surfaces having those paths as boundaries. The possible divergences of the continuum limit are discussed, in particular the vacuum polarization ones. It is found that, although both the electric charge Q and the magnetic charge G are renormalized as Q = Z_QQ_R and G = Z_GG_R, the quantization condition is preserved by the renormalization i.e. Z_QZ_G = 1 so that QG = Q_RG_R = 2πn. Due to the dual symmetry of the theory, then, for Q = G we get Z_Q = Z_G = 1.     

具有全局对称性的强关联拓扑物态的规范场论

在有对称性保护的条件下,拓扑能带绝缘体等自由费米子体系的拓扑不变量可以在能带结构计算中得到.但是,为了得到强关联拓扑物质态的拓扑不变量,我们需要全新的理论思路.最典型的例子就是分数量子霍尔效应:其低能有效物理一般可以用Chern-Simons拓扑规范场论来计算得到;霍尔电导的量子化平台蕴含着十分丰富的强关联物理.本文将讨论存在于玻色和自旋模型中的三大类强关联拓扑物质态:本征拓扑序、对称保护拓扑态和对称富化拓扑态.第一类无需考虑对称性,后两者需要考虑对称性.理论上,规范场论是一种非常有效的研究方法.本文将简要回顾用规范场论来研究强关联拓扑物质态的一些研究进展.具体内容集中在"投影构造理论"、"低能有效理论"、"拓扑响应理论"三个方面.     

规范场和爱因斯坦

文章讨论的主题是现代非亚贝尔规范场的理论思想．文章说明了这个理论思想是承传、推广和拓展了爱因斯坦的物理思想、目标和原则．规范场理论把爱因斯坦后半生努力奋斗而未能达到的目标提到现实，更加迫近和部分地圆了爱因斯坦的梦想。     

Gauge invariance and renormalization

The renormalization of Abelian and non-Abelian local gauge theories is discussed. It is recalled that whereas Abelian gauge theories are invariant to local c-number gauge transformations δA_μ(x) = ?_μ,…, with □Λ = 0, and to the operator gauge transformation δA_μ(x) = ?_μφ(x), …, δφ(x) = α^?1?·A(x), with □φ = 0, non-Abelian gauge theories are invariant only to the operator gauge transformations $\text{δA}{}_{\mathrm{\mu }}\text{(x) ～}\textcolor{red}{}{}_{\mathrm{\mu }}\text{C(x)}$, …, introduced by Becchi, Rouet and Stora, where

_μ is the covariant derivative matrix and C is the vector of ghost fields. The renormalization of these gauge transformation is discussed in a formal way, assuming that a gauge-invariant regularization is present. The naive renormalized local non-Abelian c-number gauge transformation $\text{δA}{}_{\mathrm{\mu }}\text{(x) = (Z}{}_1\text{/Z}{}_3\text{)gA}{}_{\mathrm{\mu }}\text{(x) ×}\text{Λ}\text{(x)+?}{}_{\mathrm{\mu }}\text{Λ}\text{(x)}$, …, is never a symmetry transformation and is never finite in perturbation theory. Only for $\text{Λ}\text{(x) = (Z}{}_3\text{/Z}{}_1\text{)L}$ with L finite constants or for $\text{Λ}\text{(x) = Ω}\text{z}\text{?}{}_3\text{C(x)}$ with Ω a finite constant does it become a finite symmetry transformation, where $\text{z}\text{?}{}_3$ is the ghost field renormalization constant. The renormalized non-Abelian Ward-Takahashi (Slavnov-Taylor) identities are consequences of the invariance of the renormalized gauge theory to this formation. It is also shown how the symmetry generators are renormalized, how photons appear as Goldstone bosons, how the (non-multiplicatively renormalizable) composite operator A_μ × C is renormalized, and how an Abelian c-number gauge symmetry may be reinstated in the exact solution of many asymptotically fr ee non-Abelian gauge theories.     

Monopoles and topological field theory

We present a topological quantum field theory for magnetic monopoles in an SU(N) Yang-Mills-Higgs model. This field theory is obtained by gauge fixing the topological action defining the monopole charge. This work extends to the three-dimensional case the quantization of invariant polynomials in four dimensions. We choose the Bogomolny self-duality equations as gauge conditions for the magnetic monopole topological field theory. In this way the geometrical equation discussed e.g. in Atiyah and Hitchin's work are recovered as ghost equations of motion. We give the cocycles of the corresponding topological symmetry. In the N→∞ limit interesting phenomena occur. The functional integration is forced to cover only the moduli space and the role of the ghosts stemming from the gauge fixing process is to provide a smooth semiclassical approximation.     

Complex-mass renormalization in chiral effective field theory

We consider a low-energy effective field theory of vector mesons and Goldstone bosons using the complex-mass renormalization. As an application we calculate the mass and the width of the ρ meson.