On the renormalization of the Kardar-Parisi-Zhang equation

The Kardar-Parisi-Zhang (KPZ) equation of nonlinear stochastic growth in d dimensions is studied using the mapping onto a system of directed polymers in a quenched random medium. The polymer problem is renormalized exactly in a minimally subtracted perturbation expansion about d = 2. For the KPZ roughening transition in dimensions d > 2, this renormalization group yields the dynamic exponent z = 2 and the roughness exponent χ = 0, which are exact to all orders in ε ≡ (2 − d)/2. The expansion becomes singular in d = 4. If this singularity persists in the strong-coupling phase, it indicates that d = 4 is the upper critical dimension of the KPZ equation. Further implications of this perturbation theory for the strong-coupling phase are discussed. In particular, it is shown that the correlation functions and the coupling constant defined in minimal subtraction develop an essential singularity at the strong-coupling fixed point.     

The a-theorem

The c-theorem is a profound result applying to statistical mechanical theories or quantum field theories in two dimensions. Such theories may be described by a set of parameters which vary as we increase or decrease the scale on which we observe the system, until we reach a fixed point or critical point where the couplings have fixed values. The c-theorem defines a quantity (the c-function) which always increases (or is constant) with increasing scale and thereby gives a valuable insight into the ‘flows’ of the couplings between fixed points. The a-theorem is a proposed generalisation of the c-theorem to higher dimensions, especially four. In this article, we describe the c-theorem, starting in the simpler statistical mechanical context and then showing how in quantum field theory the theorem is most easily formulated in a curved spacetime. We then sketch how these concepts are applied in the more technically complex scenario of four dimensions.     

Explicit inertial range renormalization theory in a model for turbulent diffusion

The inertial range for a statistical turbulent velocity field consists of those scales that are larger than the dissipation scale but smaller than the integral scale. Here the complete scale-invariant explicit inertial range renormalization theory for all the higher-order statistics of a diffusing passive scalar is developed in a model which, despite its simplicity, involves turbulent diffusion by statistical velocity fields with arbitrarily many scales, infrared divergence, long-range spatial correlations, and rapid fluctuations in time-such velocity fields retain several characteristic features of those in fully developed turbulence. The main tool in the development of this explicit renormalization theory for the model is an exact quantum mechanical analogy which relates higher-order statistics of the diffusing scalar to the properties of solutions of a family ofN- body parabolic quantum problems. The canonical inertial range renormalized statistical fixed point is developed explicitly here as a function of the velocity spectral parameter, which measures the strength of the infrared divergence: for<2, mean-field behavior in the inertial range occurs with Gaussian statistical behavior for the scalar and standard diffusive scaling laws; for>2 a phase transition occurs to a fixed point with anomalous inertial range scaling laws and a non-Gaussian renormalized statistical fixed point. Several explicit connections between the renormalization theory in the model and intermediate asymptotics are developed explicitly as well as links between anomalous turbulent decay and explicit spectral properties of Schrödinger operators. The differences between this inertial range renormalization theory and the earlier theories for large-scale eddy diffusivity developed by Avellaneda and the author in such models are also discussed here.     

A proof of the irreversibility of renormalization group flows in four dimensions

We present a proof of the irreversibility of renormalization group flows, i.e. the c-theorem for unitary, renormalizable theories in four (or generally even) dimensions. Using Ward identities for scale transformations and spectral representation arguments, we show that the c-function based on the trace of the energy-momentum tensor (originally suggested by Cardy) decreases monotonically along renormalization group trajectories. At fixed points this c-function is stationary and coincides with the coefficient of the Euler density in the trace anomaly, while away from fixed points its decrease is due to the decoupling of positive-norm massive modes.     

The renormalization group and the ϵ expansion

The modern formulation of the renormalization group is explained for both critical phenomena in classical statistical mechanics and quantum field theory. The expansion in ? = 4?d is explained [d is the dimension of space (statistical mechanics) or space-time (quantum field theory)]. The emphasis is on principles, not particular applications. Sections 1–8 provide a self-contained introduction at a fairly elementary level to the statistical mechanical theory. No background is required except for some prior experience with diagrams. In particular, a diagrammatic approximation to an exact renormalization group equation is presented in sections 4 and 5; sections 6–8 include the approximate renormalization group recursion formula and the Feyman graph method for calculating exponents. Sections 10–13 go deeper into renormalization group theory (section 9 presents a calculation of anomalous dimensions). The equivalence of quantum field theory and classical statistical mechanics near the critical point is established in section 10; sections 11–13 concern problems common to both subjects. Specific field theoretic references assume some background in quantum field theory. An exact renormalization group equation is presented in section 11; sections 12 and 13 concern fundamental topological questions.     

Infrared singularities in the dimensional regularization scheme

Infrared singularities arising in some renormalized amplitudes of quantum electrodynamics are analyzed using the dimensional regularization method. We define infrared and ultraviolet convergent regions in the ν complex plane (ν is the number of dimensions of space time). It turns out that these regions do not overlap for quantum electrodynamics. Nevertheless, it is shown that there exists a unique analytic continuation from the infrared convergent region which allows us to interpret the infrared divergence in the renormalized electron self-energy amplitude as an isolated singularity at ν = 4. This statement seems to be true at all orders of perturbation theory. We also prove that the double limit μ → 0, ν → 4 (μ is the auxiliary photon mass) does not exist in quantum electrodynamics and we conjecture that this lack of uniformity provides theoretical support for the ansatz of Marciano and Sirlin.     

Improved renormalization group equations with dimensional regularization and the ε expansions

Due to the absence of dimensional cut-off parameters in the dimensional regularization scheme, vanishing of the renormalized mass of the scalar boson implies vanishing of its renormalized mass; thus the masses of both bosons and fermions in renormalizable field theories can be made finite by multiplicative mass renormalizations. The improved renormalization group equations in D dimensions are derived in such a way that both the large (or the small) momentum limits and the Wilson ? expansions can be uniformly treated for the fermion as well as the boson cases. We discuss the improved equations for φ₆³ theory, φ₄⁴ theory, quantumelectrodynamics, massive vector-gluon model, and non-Abelian guage theories incorporating fermions. For the latter three classes of theories, the gauge dependent problem of the coefficient functions in the improved renormalization group equations is discussed.     

What can we learn from the finite temperature renormalization group?

The renormalization group for finite temperature quantum field theories is studied, in particular for λ?⁴. It is shown that the “high” temperature limit can only be discussed perturbatively ifT dependent renormalization schemes are implemented. Zero temperature renormalization schemes or renormalization at some fixed reference temperatureT _o are both inadequate as they imply perturbative expansions about fixed points of the renormalization group which are associated with a zero temperature system and a system at temperatureT _o respectively.T dependent schemes give rise to an expansion about the true fixed point of the system, the resulting renormalization group allows the entire crossover between high and low temperature behaviour to be investigated.     

A study of the critical behavior of the O(N) linear and nonlinear σ models

A study of the large N behavior of both the O(N) linear and nonlinear σ models is presented. The purpose is to investigate the relationship between the disordered (ordered) phase of the linear and nonlinear sigma models. Utilizing operator product expansions and stability analyses, it is shown that for 2 ≤ d < 4, it is the dimensionless renormalized quartic coupling and $\text{λ}{}^1$ is the IR fixed point) limit of the linear σ model which yields the nonlinear σ model. It is also shown that stable large N linear σ models with λ < 0 (σ is the bare quartic coupling) can exist (at least in the context of no tachyonic states being present). A criteria valid for all dimensionalities d, less than four, is derived which determines when λ < 0 models are tachyonic free. Arguments are given showing that the d = 4 large N linear (for λ > 0) and nonlinear models are trivial. This result (i.e., triviality) is well known but only for one and two component models. Interestingly enough, the λ < 0, d = 4 linear σ model remains nontrivial and tachyonic free.     

Renormalization of Quantum Field Theory in Curved Space-Time and Renormalization Group Equations

The structure of quantum field theory renormalization in curved space-time is investigated. The equations allowing us to investigate the behaviour of vacuum energy and vertex functions in the limit of small distances in the external gravitational field are established. The behaviour of effective charges corresponding to the parameters of nonminimal coupling of the matter with the gravitational field is studied and the conditions under which asymptotically free theories become asymptotically conformally invariant are found. The examples of asymptotically conformally invariant theories are given. On the basis of a direct solution of renormalization group equations the effective potential in the external gravitational field and the effective action in the gravity with the high derivatives are obtained. The expression for the cosmological constant in terms of R²-gravity Lagrangian parameters is given which does not contradict the observable data. Renormalization and renormalization group equations for the theory in curved space-time with torsion are investigated.     

External gravitational interactions in quantum field theory

We consider the renormalization of Green's functions of λφ⁴ quantum field theory in an external gravitational field specified by the metric tensor g^μν(y). Green's functions Γ^(n,3) describing the interaction of j scalar particles to arbitrary order n in the gravitational field are shown to be made finite by the standard renormalizations of the flatspace theory and a renormalization of the coefficient of the improvement term in the action functional. These results in φ⁴ theory can be extended to all renormalizable field theories.     

Dimensional regularization of gauge theories in spherical spacetime: Free field trace anomalies

The O(n + 1) covariant formulation of massless quantum electrodynamics in spherical spacetime is further developed to allow a calculation of the energy-momentum tensor trace anomalies for the free Dirac, electromagnetic, and SU(2) gauge fields. The principal technical development is the construction of the Faddeev-Popov ghosts for electrodynamics and SU(2) Yang-Mills theory. This construction is unconventional first in that the gauge fixing term in the Lagrangian is not a perfect square, and second because it is necessary to remove radial as well as gauge degrees of freedom from the measure of the functional integral. The ghost fields are shown to satisfy a minimal scalar field equation. The free field effective action is found to be divergent in four dimensions, and is renormalized by the inclusion in the Lagrangian of a counterterm local in the gravitational fields. The energy-momentum tensor calculated from this renormalized effective action is shown to have a trace anomaly.     

Monte Carlo renormalization group study of φ4 field theory

A previously proposed general method for evaluating block renormalized coupling constants within the framework of the Monte Carlo renormalization group (MCRG) is applied to φ⁴ field theory. The flow diagrams, fixed points, and critical exponents are determined in two, three and four dimensions. Results in four dimensions are consistent with the idea that φ⁴ field theory is trivial (non-interacting) in the continuum limit. The possibility of using MCRG techniques to ascertain whether a general non-asymptotically free theory is trivial or not is also discussed.     

Signatures of gravitational fixed points at the Large Hadron Collider

We study quantum-gravitational signatures at the CERN Large Hadron Collider (LHC) in the context of theories with extra spatial dimensions and a low fundamental Planck scale in the TeV range. Implications of a gravitational fixed point at high energies are worked out using Wilson's renormalization group. We find that relevant cross sections involving virtual gravitons become finite. Based on gravitational lepton pair production we conclude that the LHC is sensitive to a fundamental Planck scale of up to 6 TeV.     

Cosmological constant and quantum gravitational corrections to the running fine structure constant

The quantum gravitational contribution to the renormalization group behavior of the electric charge in Einstein-Maxwell theory with a cosmological constant is considered. Quantum gravity is shown to lead to a contribution to the running charge not present when the cosmological constant vanishes. This reopens the possibility, suggested by Robinson and Wilczek, of altering the scaling behavior of gauge theories at high energies although our result differs. We show the possibility of an ultraviolet fixed point that is linked directly to the cosmological constant.     

Monte Carlo renormalization group study of φ field theory

A previously proposed general method for evaluating block renormalized coupling constants within the framework of the Monte Carlo renormalization group (MCRG) is applied to φ⁴ field theory. The flow diagrams, fixed points, and critical exponents are determined in two, three and four dimensions. Results in four dimensions are consistent with the idea that φ⁴ field theory is trivial (non-interacting) in the continuum limit. The possibility of using MCRG techniques to ascertain whether a general non-asymptotically free theory is trivial or not is also discussed.     

Renormalization of position space amplitudes in a massless QFT

Ultraviolet renormalization of position space massless Feynman amplitudes has been shown to yield associate homogeneous distributions. Their degree is determined by the degree of divergence while their order—the highest power of logarithm in the dilation anomaly—is given by the number of (sub)divergences. In the present paper we review these results and observe that (convergent) integration over internal vertices does not alter the total degree of (superficial) ultraviolet divergence. For a conformally invariant theory internal integration is also proven to preserve the order of associate homogeneity. The renormalized 4-point amplitudes in the φ⁴ theory (in four space-time dimensions) are written as (non-analytic) translation invariant functions of four complex variables with calculable conformal anomaly.Our conclusion concerning the (off-shell) infrared finiteness of the ultraviolet renormalized massless φ⁴ theory agrees with the old result of Lowenstein and Zimmermann [23].     

Non-equilibrium behavior at a liquid-gas critical point

Second-order phase transitions in a non-equilibrium liquid-gas model with reversible mode couplings, i.e., model H for binary-fluid critical dynamics, are studied using dynamic field theory and the renormalization group. The system is driven out of equilibrium either by considering different values for the noise strengths in the Langevin equations describing the evolution of the dynamic variables (effectively placing these at different temperatures), or more generally by allowing for anisotropic noise strengths, i.e., by constraining the dynamics to be at different temperatures in d _|| - and d _⊥-dimensional subspaces, respectively. In the first, isotropic case, we find one infrared-stable and one unstable renormalization group fixed point. At the stable fixed point, detailed balance is dynamically restored, with the two noise strengths becoming asymptotically equal. The ensuing critical behavior is that of the standard equilibrium model H. At the novel unstable fixed point, the temperature ratio for the dynamic variables is renormalized to infinity, resulting in an effective decoupling between the two modes. We compute the critical exponents at this new fixed point to one-loop order. For model H with spatially anisotropic noise, we observe a critical softening only in the d _⊥-dimensional sector in wave vector space with lower noise temperature. The ensuing effective two-temperature model H does not have any stable fixed point in any physical dimension, at least to one-loop order. We obtain formal expressions for the novel critical exponents in a double expansion about the upper critical dimension d _c = 4 - d _|| and with respect to d _|| , i.e., about the equilibrium theory. Received 4 April 2002 Published online 13 August 2002     

A resummable β-function for massless QED

Within the set of schemes defined by generalized, manifestly gauge invariant exact renormalization groups for QED, it is argued that the β-function in the four-dimensional massless theory cannot possess any nonperturbative power corrections. Consequently, the perturbative expression for the β-function must be resummable. This argument cannot be extended to flows of the other couplings or to the anomalous dimension of the fermions and so perturbation theory does not define a unique trajectory in the critical surface of the Gaussian fixed point. Thus, resummability of the β-function is not inconsistent with the expectation that a non-trivial fixed point does not exist.