On gauge independence in quantum gravity

We prove the gauge independence of the one-loop path integral for on-shell quantum gravity obtained in the framework of the modified geometric approach. We use a projector on pure gauge directions constructed via the quadratic form of the action. This enables us to formulate the proof entirely in terms of determinants of non-degenerate elliptic operators without reference to any renormalization procedure. The role of the rotation of the conformal factor in achieving gauge independence is discussed. Direct computations on CP² in a general three-parameter background gauge are presented. We comment on the gauge dependence of previous results by Ichinose.     

Space-time trajectories of quantum particles

The concept of trajectory is extended theoretically from classical mechanics through nonrelativistic and relativistic quantum mechanics. Forced motion of the particle as might be caused by an electromagnetic field is included in the equations. A new interpretation of the electromagnetic potential and the gauge transformation is presented. Using this formal structure, the problem of collecting particles into packets using trajectories is studied for both quantum mechanics and classical mechanics. Quantum mechanical trajectories are found to be significantly more restricted than those allowed by classical physics. The uncertainty principle comes from the second-order nature of the field equation without recourse to statistical arguments. The trajectories of particles in a quantum state can be calculated explicitly from the wave function (also see article in Volume 20, Number 6).     

Factorization and hence reggeization in massive QED

We investigate the high-energy limit of fermion-antifermion scattering into two vector mesons in massive quantum electrodynamics. By the use of the Coulomb gauge in a suitably chosen class of frames the scattering amplitude can be cast into a factorized form, apart from certain correction terms. Factorization, taken together with the frame independence of the amplitude, is sufficient to imply Regge behaviour. We explicitly verify that the correlation terms are negligible to high enough order to ensure that reggeization holds up to three-loop order. We expect them to be negligible to all orders.     

Renormalization constants and asymptotic behaviour in quantum electrodynamics

Using dimensional regularization, a field theory contains at least one parameter less than usual with the dimension of mass. The Callan-Symanzik equations for the renormalization constants then become solvable entirely in terms of the coefficient functions. Explicit expressions are obtained for all the renormalization constants in quantum electrodynamics. At non-exceptional momenta the infrared behaviour and the three leading terms in the asymptotic expansion of any Green function are controlled by the Callan-Symanzik equations. For the propagators the three leading terms are computed explicitly. The gauge dependence of the asymptotic electron propagator in momentum space is calculated in all orders of perturbation theory.     

Selected topics of quantum computing for nuclear physics

Nuclear physics,whose underling theory is described by quantum gauge field coupled with matter,is fundamentally important and yet is formidably challenge for simulation with classical computers.Quantum computing provides a perhaps transformative approach for studying and understanding nuclear physics.With rapid scaling-up of quantum processors as well as advances on quantum algorithms,the digital quantum simulation approach for simulating quantum gauge fields and nuclear physics has gained lots of attention.In this review,we aim to summarize recent efforts on solving nuclear physics with quantum computers.We first discuss a formulation of nuclear physics in the language of quantum computing.In particular,we review how quantum gauge fields(both Abelian and non-Abelian)and their coupling to matter field can be mapped and studied on a quantum computer.We then introduce related quantum algorithms for solving static properties and real-time evolution for quantum systems,and show their applications for a broad range of problems in nuclear physics,including simulation of lattice gauge field,solving nucleon and nuclear structures,quantum advantage for simulating scattering in quantum field theory,non-equilibrium dynamics,and so on.Finally,a short outlook on future work is given.     

Ghost-free formulation of quantum gravity in the light-cone gauge

By choosing the light-cone gauge, we remove all redundant components of the metric tensor as well as all Faddeev-Popov ghosts from the Einstein Lagrangian, from which Feynman rules for two independent transverse components can be immediately formulated. The 2 + 2 decomposition of the metric tensor proves to be simpler than the usual canonical 1 + 3 decomposition, so that all spurious components can be explicitly eliminated from the spectrum. Because the Lagrangian is now only a function of independent components, it is possible to study the unresolved problem of the functional measure for quantum gravity. We are presently studying the measure problem.     

Fateev-Zamolodchikov量子自旋链的潜藏定域规范不变性

详细研究了自旋为1的Heisenberg XXZ模型(Fateev-Zamolodchikov模型)的潜藏定域规范不变性。发现与自旋为1/2的情形相类似,该模型允许AbelU(1)规范交换,且其能谱在规范变换下保持不变,而其本征矢却与规范变换明显相关。     

Weil algebra structure and geometrical meaning of BRST transformation in topological quantum field theory

The Weil algebra structure of the BRST transformation of topological quantum field theory is investigated. This structure appears in the gauge and ghost fields sector and is common to both topological quantum field theory and BRS gauge fixed non-abelian gauge theory. By the Weil algebra structure, we can derive the descent equations of topological quantum field theory which generate the Donaldson polynomials. The algebraic structure also reveals the geometrical meaning of the ghost fields ψ and ? in topological quantum field theory as the components of the total curvature.     

Comment on “Infrared and pinching singularities in out of equilibrium QCD plasmas”

Analyzing the dilepton production from out of equilibrium quark-gluon plasma, Le Bellac and Mabilat have recently pointed out that, in the reaction rate, the cancellation of mass (collinear) singularities takes place only in physical gauges, and not in covariant gauges. They then have estimated the contribution involving pinching singularities. After giving a general argument for the gauge independence of the production rate, we explicitly confirm the gauge independence of the mass-singular part. The contribution involving pinching singularities develops mass singularities, which is also gauge dependent. This “additional” contribution to the singular part is responsible for the gauge independence of the “total” singular part. Received: 27 October 1997 / Revised version: 9 January 1998 / Published online: 10 March 1998     

The QCD Hamiltonian and nonlinear quantum mechanics

We study the canonical quantization of SU(N) gauge theory in linear, noncovariant gauges. The canonical formalism is first discussed for the classical theory, with special attention to the features involving nonlinearity and the gauge degrees of freedom. The transition to the quantum theory is then performed for an arbitrary linear gauge, using the covariant quantization rules of nonlinear quantum mechanics. When the quantum Hamiltonian is written in the Weyl-ordered form appropriate for the application of the usual Dyson-Wick perturbative techniques, additional ordering terms appear with respects to the classical Hamiltonian. We discuss the relation of our results to those of previous authors, and the relevance of the ordering terms in field theory.     

Osp(1,2)自旋链的潜藏定域规范不变性

在量子反散射框架内研究了Osp（1，2）自旋链的潜藏定域规范不变性．结果表明，该模型允许AbelU（1）规范变换，其能谱在规范变换下保持不变，而本征矢及Bethe ansatz方程明显与规范变换相关． 关键词：     

Topological order and conformal quantum critical points

We discuss a certain class of two-dimensional quantum systems which exhibit conventional order and topological order, as well as quantum critical points separating these phases. All of the ground-state equal-time correlators of these theories are equal to correlation functions of a local two-dimensional classical model. The critical points therefore exhibit a time-independent form of conformal invariance. These theories characterize the universality classes of two-dimensional quantum dimer models and of quantum generalizations of the eight-vertex model, as well as and non-abelian gauge theories. The conformal quantum critical points are relatives of the Lifshitz points of three-dimensional anisotropic classical systems such as smectic liquid crystals. In particular, the ground-state wave functional of these quantum Lifshitz points is just the statistical (Gibbs) weight of the ordinary two-dimensional free boson, the two-dimensional Gaussian model. The full phase diagram for the quantum eight-vertex model exhibits quantum critical lines with continuously varying critical exponents separating phases with long-range order from a deconfined topologically ordered liquid phase. We show how similar ideas also apply to a well-known field theory with non-Abelian symmetry, the strong-coupling limit of 2+1-dimensional Yang–Mills gauge theory with a Chern–Simons term. The ground state of this theory is relevant for recent theories of topological quantum computation.     

Remarks on quantum symmetry

We discuss the concept of Quantum Symmetry in quantum field theory, and in particular the role of the gauge principle. We present a scheme how quantum symmetries can be realized in a Hilbert space, and sketch its construction from the theory of superselection sectors of the gauge invariant (observable) quantities. The approach is independent of (Drinfeld's) quantum groups.Presented at the Colloquium on the Quantum Groups, Prague, 18–20 June, 1992.     

Simplicial gauge theory and quantum gauge theory simulation

We propose a general formulation of simplicial lattice gauge theory inspired by the finite element method. Numerical tests of convergence towards continuum results are performed for several SU(2) gauge fields. Additionally, we perform simplicial Monte Carlo quantum gauge field simulations involving measurements of the action as well as differently sized Wilson loops as functions of β.     

Massive supersymmetric quantum gauge theory

We continue the study of the supersymmetric vector multiplet in a purely quantum framework. We obtain some new results which make the connection with the standard literature. First we construct the one‐particle physical Hilbert space taking into account the (quantum) gauge structure of the model. Then we impose the condition of positivity for the scalar product only on the physical Hilbert space. Finally we obtain a full supersymmetric coupling which is gauge invariant in the supersymmetric sense in the first order of perturbation theory. By integrating out the Grassmann variables we get an interacting Lagrangian for a massive Yang‐Mills theory related to ordinary gauge theory; however the number of ghost fields is doubled so we do not obtain the same ghost couplings as in the standard model Lagrangian.     

Quantum Gravitational Contributions to Gauge Field Theories

We revisit quantum gravitational contributions to quantum gauge field theories in the gauge condition independent Vilkovisky-DeWitt formalism based on the background field method.With the advantage of Landau-DeWitt gauge,we explicitly obtain the gauge condition independent result for the quadratically divergent gravitational corrections to gauge couplings.By employing,in a general way,a scheme-independent regularization method that can preserve both gauge invariance and original divergent behavior of integrals,we show that the resulting gauge coupling is power-law running and asymptotically free.The regularization scheme dependence is clarified by comparing with results obtained by other methods.The loop regularization scheme is found to be applicable for a consistent calculation.     

A quaternion quantum system

The (generalized) quantum mechanics of the two-dimensional quaternionic Hilbert space is constructed explicitly. In this simple example the unconventional properties of such a system as compared to complex quantum mechanics are discussed.     

Generalised BRST symmetry and gaugeon formalism for perturbative quantum gravity: Novel observation

In this paper the novel features of Yokoyama gaugeon formalism are stressed out for the theory of perturbative quantum gravity in the Einstein curved spacetime. The quantum gauge transformations for the theory of perturbative gravity are demonstrated in the framework of gaugeon formalism. These quantum gauge transformations lead to renormalised gauge parameter. Further, we analyse the BRST symmetric gaugeon formalism which embeds more acceptable Kugo–Ojima subsidiary condition. Further, the BRST symmetry is made finite and field-dependent. Remarkably, the Jacobian of path integral under finite and field-dependent BRST symmetry amounts to the exact gaugeon action in the effective theory of perturbative quantum gravity.     

Gauge theories with minimal subtraction and the decoupling theorem

We show explicitly, to the two-loop level, that the decoupling theorem of Appelquist and Carazzone is valid, and a consistent light effective field theory exists, for quantum electrodynamics in arbitrary α-gauges, and non-abelian gauge theory in α = 0, Landau gauge, renormalized by minimal subtraction.