Continuum regularization of quantum field theory

As a complement to our earlier study of renormalization at the Langevin regularized level, we report here on equivalent renormalization programs for regularized Schwinger-Dyson systems. Both one-loop and iterated loop renormalizations of the Green functions of QCD₄ are given, and are shown to be equivalent to the Langevin results. The optional apparent ?-renormalization discussed in IV is shown to apply as well to Schwinger-Dyson systems as to Langevin systems.     

Continuum regularization of quantum field theory

As an extension of our earlier one-loop renormalization studies at the regularized Schwinger-Dyson level, we report here on equivalent renormalization programs for regularized Langevin systems. Proper structure is discussed, and proper one-loop renormalizations of the Green functions of φ ₆ ³ and QCD₄ are given. An optional apparent?-renormalization is discussed as a technical simplificaiton for gauge theories with Zwanziger's gauge-fixing.     

Stochastic methods in quantum field theory and hydrodynamics

We give a review of recent work in quantum field theory and hydrodynamics, in which methods of stochastic analysis, in particular of stochastic equations, are used. The review includes the discussion of the canonical formalism for models of quantum fields as well as the discussion of statistical solutions of the Euler equations for the motion of an inviscid fluid.     

Noninvariant zeta-function regularization in quantum Liouville theory

We consider two possible zeta-function regularization schemes of quantum Liouville theory. One refers to the Laplace–Beltrami operator covariant under conformal transformations, the other to the naive noninvariant operator. The first produces an invariant regularization which however does not give rise to a theory invariant under the full conformal group. The other is equivalent to the regularization proposed by A.B. Zamolodchikov and Al.B. Zamolodchikov and gives rise to a theory invariant under the full conformal group.     

Stochastic interpretations of nonrelativistic quantum theory

A critique of the causla and classical stochastic interpretations of nonrelativistic quantum mechanics is presented. The only way that the classical stochastic formulation can be made compatible with the theory of quantum measurement is to extend the probability measure density for fluctuating paths to the complex domain. In doing so, we obtain the generalized stochiastic formulation in which the methods of classical probability theory can be used to describe the quantum mechanical phenomenon of interfering alternatives. Illustrative examples from quantum theory are used to show the complete compatibility between the traditional and generalized stochastic interpretations of quantum mechanics. Work supported in part by a contribution from the CNR.     

Topological quantum field theory

A twisted version of four dimensional supersymmetric gauge theory is formulated. The model, which refines a nonrelativistic treatment by Atiyah, appears to underlie many recent developments in topology of low dimensional manifolds; the Donaldson polynomial invariants of four manifolds and the Floer groups of three manifolds appear naturally. The model may also be interesting from a physical viewpoint; it is in a sense a generally covariant quantum field theory, albeit one in which general covariance is unbroken, there are no gravitons, and the only excitations are topological.On leave from Department of Physics, Princeton University. Research supported in part by NSF Grants No. 80-19754, 86-16129, 86-20266     

Point-form quantum field theory

We examine canonical quantization of relativistic field theories on the forward hyperboloid, a Lorentz-invariant surface of the form x_μx^μ = τ². This choice of quantization surface implies that all components of the 4-momentum operator are affected by interactions (if present), whereas rotation and boost generators remain interaction free—a feature characteristic of Dirac’s “point-form” of relativistic dynamics. Unlike previous attempts to quantize fields on space-time hyperboloids, we keep the usual plane-wave expansion of the field operators and consider evolution of the system generated by the 4-momentum operator. We verify that the Fock-space representations of the Poincaré generators for free scalar and spin-1/2 fields look the same as for equal-time quantization. Scattering is formulated for interacting fields in a covariant interaction picture and it is shown that the familiar perturbative expansion of the S-operator is recovered by our approach. An appendix analyzes special distributions, integrals over the forward hyperboloid, that are used repeatedly in the paper.     

Quaternionic quantum field theory

We show that a quaternionic quantum field theory can be formulated when the numbers of bosonic and fermionic degrees of freedom are equal and the fermions, as well as the bosons, obey a second order wave equation. The theory takes the form of either a functional integral with quaternion-imaginary Lagrangian, or a Schrödinger equation and transformation theory for quaternion-valued wave functions, with a quaternion-imaginary Hamiltonian. The connection between the two formulations is developed in detail, and many related issues, including the breakdown of the correspondence principle and the Hilbert space structure, are discussed.     

Hyperfunction quantum field theory

The quantum field theory in terms of Fourier hyperfunctions is constructed. The test function space for hyperfunctions does not containC functions with compact support. In spite of this defect the support concept ofH-valued Fourier hyperfunctions allows to formulate the locality axiom for hyperfunction quantum field theory.     

Stochastic quantization of supersymmetric field theory

The Parisi-Wu stochastic quantization method is applied to supersymmetric field theory. The Langevin equation, which reproduces the Green functions of euclidean field theory, is written in terms of superfields. Supersymmetric U(1) theory under gauge fixing and the large N reduction in chiral SU(N) theory are discussed. Regularization based on the stochastic method is studied also.     

Stochastic regularization of QED

Stochastic quantization and stochastic regularization of QED are studied. The need to use gauge and chiral covariant Langevin equations is discussed. They allow the cancellation of all naive quadratic divergences of the photon vacuum polarization at the one-loop level. The leading logarithmically divergent contribution is then transverse, and the masslessness of the photon is easily checked. Furthermore, within stochastic regularization, a simple method for obtaining the chiral anomaly in a massive theory at large fictitious time is developed.     

Zitterbewegung in quantum field theory

Traditionally, the zitterbewegung （ZB） of the Dirac electron has just been studied at the level of quantum mechanics. Seeing the fact that an old interest in ZB has recently been rekindled by the investigations on spintronic, graphene, and superconducting systems, etc., this paper presents a quantum-field-theory investigation on ZB and obtains the conclusion that, the ZB of an electron arises from the influence of virtual electron-positron pairs （or vacuum fluctuations） on the electron.