Functional approach to scattering in quantum mechanics

A functional approach to scattering theory in quantum mechanics is developed by deriving an explicit functional expression fortransition amplitudes. In applications, the formalism avoids dealing with noncommutativity problems of operators, solving the Schrödinger equation (or the integral equation of the Green's function), or dealing with the often quite complicated continual (path) integrals and, most importantly, applies to short- and long-range interactions. The basic idea is the use of the quantum action principle followed by a systematic analysis of the concept of an intervening source developed earlier in the study of stimulated emission. A comparison with the standard approach is also made.     

Semiclassical field theory approach to quantum chaos

We construct a field theory to describe energy averaged quantum statistical properties of systems which are chaotic in their classical limit. An expression for the generating function of general statistical correlators is presented in the form of a functional supermatrix non-linear σ-model where the effective action involves the evolution operator of the classical dynamics. Low-lying degrees of freedom of the field theory are shown to reflect the irreversible classical dynamics describing relaxation of phase space distributions. The validity of this approach is investigated over a wide range of energy scales. As well as recovering the universal long-time behavior characteristic of random matrix ensembles, this approach accounts correctly for the short-time limit yielding results which agree with the diagonal approximation of periodic orbit theory.     

Descending problem in Green's function approach to quantum field theory

The question how to determine lower many-point functions in terms of higher ones, which we call the descending problem, is discussed for the (ø⁴)₁₊₃ model of quantum field theory. Equations to be considered are non-linear non-compact operator equations in complex Banach spaces.Several sufficient sets of conditions for convergence of successive approximation schemes are presented for small values of the renormalised coupling constant. Local uniqueness of solution is proved under certain conditions.     

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.     

Star-product approach to quantum field theory: The free scalar field

The star-quantization of the free scalar field is developed by introducing an integral representation of the normal star-product. A formal connection between the Feynman path integral in the holomorphic representation and the star-exponential is established for the interacting scalar fields.     

A variational approach to bound states in quantum field theory

We consider here in a toy model an approach to bound state problem in a nonperturbative manner using equal time algebra for the interacting field operators. The potential is replaced by offshell bosonic quanta inside the bound state of nonrelativistic particles. The bosonic dressing is determined through energy minimisation, and mass renormalisation is carried out in a nonperturbative manner. Since the interaction is through a scalar field, it does not include spin effects. The model however nicely incorporates an intuitive picture of hadronic bound states in which the gluon fields dress the quarks providing the binding between them and also simulate the gluonic content of hadrons in deep inelastic collisions.     

The Haag-Ruelle formulation of scattering in hyperfunction quantum field theory

The Källén-Lehmann representation for two-point Wightman Fourier hyperfunctions and the cluster property for truncated vacuum expectation values are established in the framework of hyperfunction quantum field theory. With some additional assumptions these properties allow one to verify the Haag-Ruelle asymptotic conditions.     

Ab-initio Hamiltonian approach to light nuclei and to quantum field theory

Nuclear structure physics is on the threshold of confronting several long-standing problems such as the origin of shell structure from basic nucleon-nucleon and three-nucleon interactions. At the same time those interactions are being developed with increasing contact to QCD, the underlying theory of the strong interactions, using effective field theory. The motivation is clear — QCD offers the promise of great predictive power spanning phenomena on multiple scales from quarks and gluons to nuclear structure. However, new tools that involve non-perturbative methods are required to build bridges from one scale to the next. We present an overview of recent theoretical and computational progress with a Hamiltonian approach to build these bridges and provide illustrative results for the nuclear structure of light nuclei and quantum field theory.     

A self-consistent approach to quantum field theory for extended particles

A notion of quantum space-time is introduced, physically defined as the totality of all flows of quantum test particles in free fall. In quantum space-time the classical notion of deterministic inertial frames is replaced by that of stochastic frames marked by extended particles. The same particles are used both as markers of quantum space-time points as well as natural clocks, each species of quantum test particle thus providing a standard for space-time measurements. In the considered flat-space case, the fluctuations in coordinate values with respect to stochastic frames are described by coordinate probability amplitudes related to irreducible stochastic phase space representations of the Poincaré group. Lagrangian field theory on quantum space-time is formulated. The ensuing equations of motion for interacting fields contain no singularities in their nonlinear terms, and therefore can be handled by methods borrowed from classical nonlinear analysis.Supported in part by an NSERC grant.     

A note on the inverse scattering problem in quantum field theory

We study the set of local fields describing the dynamics of a scalar, massless particle. It turns out that these fields are relatively local to the free, massless, scalar fieldA if the massless particle does not interact. This leads to a simple algebraic characterisation of interacting fields in the above framework.     

A real-time approach to nonequilibrium quantum field theory of relativistic fields

Summary The basic ingredients of a real-time nonequilibrium quantumfield theoretical approach, based on a generalization of thermofield dynamics, are briefly reviewed. In particular, the possible advantages of its application to relativistic models, as the φ⁴-model for the Higgs field are pointed out. Also the differences between the above approach and others using the Feynman's path integral method are underlined. ?Angelo della Riccia? Fellow.     

Group theory approach to scattering

We show that both bound and scattering states of a certain class of potentials are related to the unitary representations of certain groups. In this class, several potentials of practical interest, such as the Morse and Pöschl-Teller potentials, are included. The fact that not only bound states but also scattering states are connected with group representations suggests that an algebraic treatment of scattering problems similar to that of bound state problems may be possible.     

Classical approach to quantum theory

A formulation of nonrelativistic, spinless, quantum mechanics is presented which is based on four postulates. Three of the postulates are very analogous to relations that hold in an operator formulation of classical mechanics, and the fourth is that the wave function evolves linearly in time. The conventional statistical assertions of quantum theory as well as the Schrödinger equation are recovered.     

Micro-local approach to the Hadamard condition in quantum field theory on curved space-time

For the two-point distribution of a quasi-free Klein-Gordon neutral scalar quantum field on an arbitrary four dimensional globally hyperbolic curved space-time we prove the equivalence of (1) the global Hadamard condition, (2) the property that the Feynman propagator is a distinguished parametrix in the sense of Duistermaat and Hörmander, and (3) a new property referred to as the wave front set spectral condition (WFSSC), because it is reminiscent of the spectral condition in axiomatic quantum field theory on Minkowski space. Results in micro-local analysis such as the propagation of singularities theorem and the uniqueness up toC of distinguished parametrices are employed in the proof. We include a review of Kay and Wald's rigorous definition of the global Hadamard condition and the theory of distinguished parametrices, specializing to the case of the Klein-Gordon operator on a globally hyperbolic space-time. As an alternative to a recent computation of the wave front set of a globally Hadamard two-point distribution on a globally hyperbolic curved space-time, given elsewhere by Köhler (to correct an incomplete computation in [32]), we present a version of this computation that does not use a deformation argument such as that used in Fulling, Narcowich and Wald and is independent of the Cauchy evolution argument of Fulling, Sweeny and Wald (both of which are relied upon in Köhler's proof). This leads to a simple micro-local proof of the preservation of Hadamard form under Cauchy evolution (first shown by Fulling, Sweeny and Wald) relying only on the propagation of singularities theorem. In another paper [33], the equivalence theorem is used to prove a conjecture by Kay that a locally Hadamard quasi-free Klein-Gordon state on any globally hyperbolic curved space-time must be globally Hadamard.To my parents     

Nonperturbative Green's function approach to quantum field theory and arbitrariness of solutions

Green's function equations are considered for interacting spinor and (pseudo) scalar fields with interactions . These equations do not determine higher many-point functions if two-point functions are given as “input.” If vertex parts are given as input, two-point functions are determined but higher many-point functions are not determined.