Time-Ordering and a Generalized Magnus Expansion

Both the classical time-ordering and the Magnus expansion are well known in the context of linear initial value problems. Motivated by the noncommutativity between time-ordering and time derivation, and related problems raised recently in statistical physics, we introduce a generalization of the Magnus expansion. Whereas the classical expansion computes the logarithm of the evolution operator of a linear differential equation, our generalization addresses the same problem, including, however, directly a non-trivial initial condition. As a by-product we recover a variant of the time-ordering operation, known as ${\mathsf{T}^\ast}$ -ordering. Eventually, placing our results in the general context of Rota–Baxter algebras permits us to present them in a more natural algebraic setting. It encompasses, for example, the case where one considers linear difference equations instead of linear differential equations.     

Lie 2-Bialgebras

In this paper, we study Lie 2-bialgebras, paying special attention to coboundary ones, with the help of the cohomology theory of L _∞-algebras with coefficients in L _∞-modules. We construct examples of strict Lie 2-bialgebras from left-symmetric algebras (also known as pre-Lie algebras) and symplectic Lie algebras (also called quasi-Frobenius Lie algebras).     

Pre-Poisson Algebras

A definition of pre-Poisson algebras is proposed, combining structures of pre-Lie and zinbiel algebra on the same vector space. It is shown that a pre-Poisson algebra gives rise to a Poisson algebra by passing to the corresponding Lie and commutative products. Analogs of basic constructions of Poisson algebras (through deformations of commutative algebras, or from filtered algebras whose associated graded algebra is commutative) are shown to hold for pre-Poisson algebras. The Koszul dual of pre-Poisson algebras is described. It is explained how one may associate a pre-Poisson algebra to any Poison algebra equipped with a Baxter operator, and a dual pre-Poisson algebra to any Poisson algebra equipped with an averaging operator. Examples of this construction are given. It is shown that the free zinbiel algebra (the shuffle algebra) on a pre-Lie algebra is a pre-Poisson algebra. A connection between the graded version of this result and the classical Yang–Baxter equation is discussed.     

A Master Identity for Homotopy Gerstenhaber Algebras

We produce a master identity for a certain type of homotopy Gerstenhaber algebras, in particular suitable for the prototype, namely the Hochschild complex of an associative algebra. This algebraic master identity was inspired by the work of Getzler–Jones and Kimura–Voronov–Zuckerman in the context of topological conformal field theories. To this end, we introduce the notion of a “partitioned multilinear map” and explain the mechanics of composing such maps. In addition, many new examples of pre-Lie algebras and homotopy Gerstenhaber algebras are given. Received: 2 March 1998 / Accepted: 16 July 1999     

An eikonal line-integral model and factorization in QCD

We study an approximation to perturbative QCD in which all quarks (active and spectator) move along eikonal lines. These eikonal lines are described by matrix operatorsU defined by time-ordered and path-ordered integrals. All known examples of Bloch-Nordsieck cancellations follow simply from the unitary properties ofU. In particular, when the eikonal lines are space-like, the time-ordering can be omitted and the unitarity ofU is evident. In this model, it is possible to examine rather explicitly the soft and very-soft gluons whose effects must cancel if factorization is hold (to leading twist). We can show such cancellation if there is a smooth continuation from space-like eikonal lines to time-like ones. We give some examples relevant to this conjecture, but we are unable to prove it in general.     

Chiral deformations of conformal field theories

We study general perturbations of two-dimensional conformal field theories by holomorphic fields. It is shown that the genus one partition function is controlled by a contact term (pre-Lie) algebra given in terms of the operator product expansion. These models have applications to vertex operator algebras, two-dimensional QCD, topological strings, holomorphic anomaly equations and modular properties of generalized characters of chiral algebras such as the W_1+∞ algebra, that is treated in detail.     

Compatible Lie Bialgebras

A compatible Lie algebra is a pair of Lie algebras such that any linear combination of the two Lie brackets is a Lie bracket.We construct a bialgebra theory of compatible Lie algebras as an analogue of a Lie bialgebra.They can also be regarded as a "compatible version" of Lie bialgebras,that is,a pair of Lie bialgebras such that any linear combination of the two Lie bialgebras is still a Lie bialgebra.Many properties of compatible Lie bialgebras as the "compatible version" of the corresponding properties of Lie bialgebras are presented.In particular,there is a coboundary compatible Lie bialgebra theory with a construction from the classical Yang-Baxter equation in compatible Lie algebras as a combination of two classical Yang-Baxter equations in Lie algebras.Furthermore,a notion of compatible pre-Lie algebra is introduced with an interpretation of its close relation with the classical Yang-Baxter equation in compatible Lie algebras which leads to a construction of the solutions of the latter.As a byproduct,the compatible Lie bialgebras St into the framework to construct non-constant solutions of the classical Yang-Baxter equation given by Golubchik and Sokolov.     

Microlocal Analysis and¶Interacting Quantum Field Theories:¶Renormalization on Physical Backgrounds

We present a perturbative construction of interacting quantum field theories on smooth globally hyperbolic (curved) space-times. We develop a purely local version of the Stückelberg–Bogoliubov–Epstein–Glaser method of renormalization by using techniques from microlocal analysis. Relying on recent results of Radzikowski, K?hler and the authors about a formulation of a local spectrum condition in terms of wave front sets of correlation functions of quantum fields on curved space-times, we construct time-ordered operator-valued products of Wick polynomials of free fields. They serve as building blocks for a local (perturbative) definition of interacting fields. Renormalization in this framework amounts to extensions of expectation values of time-ordered products to all points of space-time. The extensions are classified according to a microlocal generalization of Steinmann scaling degree corresponding to the degree of divergence in other renormalization schemes. As a result, we prove that the usual perturbative classification of interacting quantum field theories holds also on curved space-times. Finite renormalizations are deferred to a subsequent paper. As byproducts, we describe a perturbative construction of local algebras of observables, present a new definition of Wick polynomials as operator-valued distributions on a natural domain, and we find a general method for the extension of distributions which were defined on the complement of some surface. Received: 31 March 1999 / Accepted: 10 June 1999     

Star products and quantum groups in quantum mechanics and field theory

Hopf algebras and quantum groups have recently been applied to the analysis of the combinatorics of Feynman graphs in relativistic quantum field theory. On the other hand, in accordance with the program of deformation quantization, the relation between star products and the perturbative expansion in field theory has also been the subject of intensive study. In the present work we clarify the relation between these two approaches. We show how these techniques can be applied in a unified way to quantum systems with a finite number of degrees of freedom and to quantum field theories. In particular, we find that the time-ordered product of quantum fields is the Weyl transform of a certain twisted product. We also show that one can pass from systems involving bosons to systems with fermions, essentially just by replacing the symmetric algebra of the relevant vector space by its exterior algebra.     

From Quantum Quasi-Shuffle Algebras to Braided Rota–Baxter Algebras

In this letter, we use quantum quasi-shuffle algebras to construct Rota–Baxter algebras, as well as tridendriform algebras. We also propose the notion of braided Rota–Baxter algebras, the relevant object of Rota–Baxter algebras in a braided tensor category. Examples of such new algebras are provided using quantum multi-brace algebras in a category of Yetter–Drinfeld modules.     

String Chopping and Time-ordered Products of Linear String-localized Quantum Fields

For a renormalizability proof of perturbative models in the Epstein–Glaser scheme with string-localized quantum fields, one needs to know what freedom one has in the definition of time-ordered products of the interaction Lagrangian. This paper provides a first step in that direction. The basic issue is the presence of an open set of n-tuples of strings which cannot be chronologically ordered. We resolve it by showing that almost all such string configurations can be dissected into finitely many pieces which can indeed be chronologically ordered. This fixes the time-ordered products of linear field factors outside a nullset of string configurations. (The extension across the nullset, as well as the definition of time-ordered products of Wick monomials, will be discussed elsewhere).     

A Class of Baker–Akhiezer Arrangements

We study a class of arrangements of lines with multiplicities on the plane which admit the Chalykh–Veselov Baker–Akhiezer function. These arrangements are obtained by adding multiplicity one lines in an invariant way to any dihedral arrangement with invariant multiplicities. We describe all the Baker–Akhiezer arrangements when at most one line has multiplicity higher than 1. We study associated algebras of quasi-invariants which are isomorphic to the commutative algebras of quantum integrals for the generalized Calogero–Moser operators. We compute the Hilbert series of these algebras and we conclude that the algebras are Gorenstein. We also show that there are no other arrangements with Gorenstein algebras of quasi-invariants when at most one line has multiplicity bigger than 1.     

On a Pre-Lie Algebra Defined by Insertion of Rooted Trees

Let K be a field of characteristic zero. For \({n \in \mathbb{N}^{*}}\) , let \({\mathcal{T}^{\,\prime}_{n}}\) be the vector space of non-planar rooted trees with n vertices (Foissy in Bull Sci Math 126, no. 3, 193–239; no. 4, 249–288, 2002). Let \({\vartriangleright}\) be the left pre-Lie product of insertion of a tree inside another defined on infinitesimal characters of the graded Hopf algebra \({\mathcal{H}}\) introduced by Calaque, Ebrahimi-Fard and Manchon. Let \({\mathcal{T}^{\,\prime}=\oplus_{n\geq 2}\mathcal{T}^{\,\prime}_{n}}\) . In this work, we first prove that \({(\mathcal{T}^{\,\prime}, \vartriangleright)}\) a pre-Lie algebra generated by the two ladders E ₁ and E ₂ where E ₁ is the ladder with one edge and E ₂ is the ladder with two edges. Second, we prove that \({(\mathcal{T}^{\,\prime}, \vartriangleright)}\) is not a free pre-Lie algebra, and we exhibit a family of relations.     

Batalin-Vilkovisky Formalism in Perturbative Algebraic Quantum Field Theory

On the basis of a thorough discussion of the Batalin-Vilkovisky formalism for classical field theory presented in our previous publication, we construct in this paper the Batalin-Vilkovisky complex in perturbatively renormalized quantum field theory. The crucial technical ingredient is an extended notion of the renormalized time-ordered product as a binary product equivalent to the pointwise product of classical field theory. Originally, in causal perturbation theory, the time-ordered product is understood merely as a sequence of multilinear maps on the space of local functionals. Our extended notion of the renormalized time-ordered product (denoted by ${\cdot_{{}^{\mathcal{T}_{\rm r}}}}$ ) is consistent with the old one and we found a subspace of the quantum algebra which is closed with respect to ${\cdot_{{}^{\mathcal{T}_{\rm r}}}}$ . On this space the renormalized Batalin-Vilkovisky algebra is then the classical algebra but written in terms of the time-ordered product, together with an operator which replaces the ill defined graded Laplacian of the unrenormalized theory. We identify it with the anomaly term of the anomalous Master Ward Identity of Brennecke and Dütsch. Contrary to other approaches we do not refer to the path integral formalism and do not need to use regularizations in intermediate steps.     

Quantizer–dequantizer operators as a tool for formulating the quantization procedure

We consider the quantization procedure and investigate the application of the quantizer–dequantizer method and star-product technique to construct associative products and the associative algebras formed by the quantizer–dequantizer operators and their symbols. The corresponding Lie algebras are also constructed. We study the case where the quantizer–dequantizer operators form a self-dual system and show that the structure constants of the Lie algebras satisfy some identity, in addition to the Jacobi identity. Using tomographic quantizer–dequantizer operators and their symbols, we construct the continuous associative algebra and the corresponding Lie algebra.     

Modular Forms and Second Order Ordinary Differential Equations: Applications to Vertex Operator Algebras

We study the relation between the Kaneko–Zagier equation and the Mathur–Mukhi–Sen classification, and extend it to the case of solutions with logarithmic terms, which correspond to pseudo-characters of non-rational vertex operator algebras. As an application, we prove a non-existence theorem of rational vertex operator algebras.     

Nuclear forces from chiral Lagrangians using the method of unitary transformation (I): Formalism

We construct the two- and three-nucleon potential based on the most general chiral effective pion-nucleon Lagrangian using the method of unitary transformations. For that, we develop a power counting scheme consistent with this projection formalism. In contrast to previous results obtained in old-fashioned time-ordered perturbation theory, the method employed leads to energy-independent potentials. We discuss in detail the similarities and differences to the existing chiral nucleon-nucleon potentials. We also show that to leading order in the power counting, the three-nucleon forces vanish lending credit to the result obtained by Weinberg using old-fashioned time-ordered perturbation theory.