On the energy-momentum tensor in gauge field theories

The energy-momentum tensor in spontaneously broken non-Abelian gauge field theories is studied. The motivation is to show that recent results on the finiteness and gauge independence of S-matrix elements in gauge theories extends to observable amplitudes for transitions in a gravitational field. Path integral methods and dimensional regularization are used throughout. Green's functions Γ_μν^(j)(q; p₁,…,p_j) involving the energy-momentum tensor and j particle fields are proved finite to all orders in perturbation theory to zero and first order in q, and finite to one loop order for general q. Amputated Green's functions of the energy momentum tensor are proved to be gauge independent on mass shell.     

Dense stellar matter in asymptotically free gauge theories: I. The high density limit

In asymptotically free gauge theories perturbation theory may be used to obtain the behavior of dense stellar matter. The criteria for the determination of ?_crit, the minimum density above which perturbation theory is valid, are presented. The asymptotic form for the quark-gluon thermodynamic potential is given.     

Renormalization constants in asymptotically free field theories

Renormalization constants Z_i for asymptotically free field theories can be computed via renormalization group techniques from perturbation theory. We show that there exists a subclass of these theories in which, by virtue of a new eigenvalue condition on the gauge parameter, the Z_i are asymptotically gauge independent, and hence can vanish in all gauges.     

Resummation in hot field theories

There has been significant progress in our understanding of finite-temperature field theory over the past decade. In this paper, we review the progress in perturbative thermal field theory focusing on thermodynamic quantities. We first discuss the breakdown of naive perturbation theory at finite temperature and the need for an effective expansion that resums an infinite class of diagrams in the perturbative expansion. This effective expansion which is due to Braaten and Pisarski, can be used to systematically calculate various static and dynamical quantities as a weak-coupling expansion in powers of g. However, it turns out that the weak-coupling expansion for thermodynamic quantities are useless unless the coupling constant is very small. We critically discuss various ways of reorganizing the perturbative series for thermal field theories in order to improve its convergence. These include screened perturbation theory (SPT), hard-thermal-loop perturbation theory, the Φ-derivable approach, dimensionally reduced (DR) SPT, and the DR Φ-derivable approach.     

Continuum limit of A Z2 lattice gauge theory

Phase diagrams of lattice gauge theories have in several cases lines of first-order transitions ending at points at which continuous (second-order) transitions take place. In the vicinity of this critical point, a continuum field theory may be defined. We have analyzed here a Z₂ gauge plus matter model (which has no formal continuum limit) and identified the critical point with a usual Ø⁴, globally Z₂ invariant, field theory. The analysis relies on a mean field functional formalism and on a loop-wise expansion around it, which is reviewed.     

High precision mean-field results for lattice gauge theories: with special attention paid to the gauge dependence of mean-field perturbation theory to finite order

We do mean-field perturbation theory for U(1) lattice gauge theory in the axial gauge, and evaluate corrections from fluctuations up to fourth order for the free energy and plaquette energy. Comparing with similar results previously obtained in the Feynman gauge we find, to those orders studied, a gauge dependence of the size of the first correction term neglected with one exception. This gauge dependence decreases rapidly as the order of the approximation is increased. To any finite order, results in axial gauge are better approximations than results in the Feynman gauge. We speculate why. Assuming it to be generally true, we evaluate the first correction beyond the one-loop mean-field approximation to the free energy of SU(2) gauge theory with Wilson action in the axial gauge. This correction brings the mean-field result very close to Monte Carlo results for β > 1.6. It also makes the mean-field result identical, within a narrow margin, to ressumed strong coupling results in the interval 1.6 < β < 2.4, thus showing the absence of a phase transition.For both groups studied, we find that the asymptotic series of mean-field perturbation theory give much better approximations than do ordinary weak coupling series.     

Gauge covariant linear response analysis of QCD plasma oscillations

We show, using linear response theory, how plasma oscillations and screening in quark-gluon plasma can be computed in perturbation theory in a gauge covariant manner. Using this method we calculate the damping constant of color electric plasma oscillations in a Colomb gauge and show that the result agrees with an earlier calculation in the A₀ = 0 gauge.     

Chern–Simons theory with vector fermion matter

We study three-dimensional conformal field theories described by U(N) Chern?CSimons theory at level k coupled to massless fermions in the fundamental representation. By solving a Schwinger?CDyson equation in light-cone gauge, we compute the exact planar free energy of the theory at finite temperature on ?² as a function of the ??t?Hooft coupling ??=N/k. Employing a dimensional reduction regularization scheme, we find that the free energy vanishes at |??|=1; the conformal theory does not exist for |??|>1. We analyze the operator spectrum via the anomalous conservation relation for higher spin currents, and in particular show that the higher spin currents do not develop anomalous dimensions at leading order in 1/N. We present an integral equation whose solution in principle determines all correlators of these currents at leading order in 1/N and present explicit perturbative results for all three-point functions up to two loops. We also discuss a light-cone Hamiltonian formulation of this theory where a W _?? algebra arises. The maximally supersymmetric version of our theory is ABJ model with one gauge group taken to be U(1), demonstrating that a pure higher spin gauge theory arises as a limit of string theory.     

On solving four-dimensional SU (2) gauge theory by numerically finding its partition function

We demonstrate a method to directly simulate the partition function of non-abelian lattice theories. We determine the partition function of the SU(2) lattice gauge theory in four dimensions both for the full SU(2) group and the 120 element icosahedral subgroup on a variety of lattice actions for lattices of size up to 4⁴. All the phenomena (transitions, crossovers, etc.) of these theories are readily observed in our simulation. In addition, even from small lattice simulations, we can distinguish potential critical behavior from rapid changes in order parameters. With the Wilson and adjoint actions we also see a clear line of zeros pointing to the zero temperature (g₀² = 0) fixed point of this theory. We discuss how a finite size scaling analysis of the position of such zeros would yield the beta function of the theory.     

Perturbation theory in the temporal gauge and time exponentiation of the Feynman kernel

In this paper we present a critical discussion of perturbation theory in the temporal gauge in the framework of the finite-time formulation given by Rossi and Testa.We find an interesting intrinsic freedom in the definition of the Feynman rules which nevertheless can be unambiguously derived. We compute the vacuum expectation value of a rectangular Wilson loop to order g⁴, proving the expected exponentiation of its time dependence.     

Thermal activation rates in the chirally asymmetric Gross-Neveu model

We address the problem of how to incorporate quantum effects into the calculation of finite-temperature decay rates for a metastable state of a quantum field theory. To do this, we consider the Gross-Neveu model with an explicit chiral symmetry breaking term, which allows for a metastable state. This theory can be shown to have a “critical bubble” which is a solution to the exact equations of motions (i.e. to all orders in perturbation theory, including all higher derivative, quantum and thermal corrections). This configuration mediates the thermal activation of the metastable vacuum to the true ground state, with a decay rate Γ∞ exp(−F_c/T), where F_c is the free energy of the critical bubble. We then compare this exact calculation to various approximations that have been used in previous work. We find that these approximations all overestimate the activation rate. Furthermore, we study the effect of finite baryon number upon the bubble profile and the activation barriers. We find that beyond a critical baryon number the activation barriers disappear altogether.     

Monte Carlo study of three-dimensional QCD at finite temperature

Three-dimensional QCD at finite temperature is analyzed using Monte Carlo calculations. It is shown that confinement at low temperature is lost through a second-order phase transition. At high temperature, static quarks are liberated and screened and it is argued that timelike (A₀) gluons are liberated. Just above the critical temperature electric correlation functions seem to be dominated by a resonance of two timelike gluons, whose existence is suggested by perturbation theory. The influence of an external magnetic field close to the critical point is considered.     

Phase transition ofSU(3) gauge theory at finite temperature

We present evidence for the presence of a phase transition inSU(3) lattice gauge theory at finite temperature using Monte-Carlo methods. An extrapolation to the continuum limit leads to the valueT _c =Λ_mom±15% for the critical temperature separating the two phases.     

Quantum Electrodynamics at High Temperature: (I). One Spatial Dimension

The photon sector of Quantum Electrodynamics (QED) in one spatial dimension is analyzed at high temperature to all orders of perturbation theory. The imaginary-time formalism is used. The photon self-energy and propagator at finite temperature with vanishing frequency are given to second order of perturbation theory. Based upon them, an improved perturbation theory which incorporates Debye screening if formulated. In the infinite-temperature limit, the photon sector becomes equivalent to a massive scalar boson field plus a masslees pure gauge field and both are decoupled: all connected Green's functions with given external momenta much smaller than the temperature and containing, at least, one closed fermion loop with four or more vertices vanish. An approximate generating functional yielding all leading high-temperature corrections to all connected Green's functions is preaented. The Iast result leads to establish for one spatial dimension a conjecture of Gross, Pisarski and Yaffe regarding the reduction of QED to a sort of ϕ⁴ theory at high temperature. The leading high temperature contribution to the thermodynamic potential to all perturbativc orders: i) is given in terms of the dominant high temperature contribution to the two-point photon Green's function for zero frequency, ii) is shown to be both ultraviolet and infrared finite.     

Continuum QCD2 from a fixed-point lattice action

Gauge invariant expectation values for lattice gauge theory with a general local action in two dimensions may be expressed as functions of the single plaquette averages. The value of these averages at the fixed point of the renormalization group can be determined exactly, and the corresponding lattice theory is shown to reproduce the continuum results. The limit N_e = ∞ is investigated in detail, and fixed point values for all the averages are explicitly determined. Wilson's action results agree only to first order in weak coupling.     

Quartic mass matrix and renormalization constants in supersymmetric Yang-Mills theories

We derive the general formula for the supertrace of the quartic mass matrix in a general supersymmetric gauge theory, with arbitrary representations for the chiral multiplets. This formula clarifies the non-renormalization theorems in presence of gauge interactions and gives “extended renormalization theorems” for N = 2 and N = 4 supersymmetric Yang-Mills theories. In particular we find the known result that g_ren = g_bare for the N = 4 theory and the new result m_ren = m_bare for the N = 2 gauge interactions of massive hypermultiplets. We give arguments to the extent that the latter non-renormalization theorem persists to all orders in perturbation theory.     

Electroweak baryon number violation at finite temperature

We consider baryon and lepton number violating processes in the electroweak theory induced by gauge and Higgs fields passing the sphaleron solution at finite temperature. We show that for temperatures larger than 19 GeV the anomalous baryon and lepton number violating processes are suppressed by the Boltzmann factor exp (?βE _sp), whereE _sp is the sphaleron energy, rather than by the instanton tunneling factor exp (?8π²/g ²). We caculate the rate of baryon and lepton number violating processes at finite temperature and determine the freezing temperature of the anomalous processes in the early universe as a function of the Higgs mass. We compare the freezing temperature with the critical temperature of the electroweak phase transition infered from the one-loop finite-temperature effective potential. We obtain a critical Higgs mass of the order of 100 GeV, slightly depending on the top mass and the magnitude of the pre-exponential factor in the rate of theB non-conservation, above which the anomalous processes are certainly in equilibrium after the electroweak phase transition. Assuming that the temperature-dependence of the sphaleron energy is given by that found from the one-loop finitetemperature effective potential, this critical Higgs mass is lowered to a value of the order of 50 GeV.     

Improved methods for supergraphs

We introduce some new techniques into superfield perturbation theory which allow considerable simplifications in calculations. As a result, we show that all contributions to the effective action can be written as integrals over a single d⁴θ. We also give the background group field formalism for supersymmetric non-abelian gauge theories. To illustrate our methods, we give examples of loop calculations: in particular, we show that in O(4) extended supersymmetric non-abelian gauge theories all one-loop propagator corrections cancel identically (both infinite and finite parts) and that these theories, at one loop, are finite and have no renormalizations (in the Fermi-Feynman gauge).