Two-Particle Irreducible Effective Action in Gauge Theories

The goal of this paper is to develop the formalism of the two-particle irreducible (2PI) (G. Baym (1962). Physical Review 127, 1391; H. D. Dahmen and G. Jona Lasino (1962). Nuovo Cimento A 52, 807; C. de Dominicis and P. Martin (1964). Journal of Mathematical Physics 5, 14; J. Luttinger and J. Ward (1960). Physical Review 118, 1417; B. Vanderheyden and G. Baym (1998). Journal of Statistical Physics 98, 843; B. Vanderheyden and G. Baym (2000). In Progress in Nonequilibrium Green's Functions, World Scientific, Singapore). (or Cornwall–Jackiw–Tomboulis (CJT) (J. Cornwall, R. Jackiw, and E. Tomboulis (1974). Physical Review D 10, 2428; U. Kraemmer and A. Rebhan (2004). Reports on Progress in Physics 67, 351; R. Norton and J. Cornwall (1975). Annals of Physics 91, 106) effective action (EA) in a way appropiate to its application to nonequilibrium gauge theories. We hope this review article will stimulate new work into this field.     

Action Principle and Modification of the Faddeev–Popov Factor in Gauge Theories

The quantum action (dynamical) principle is exploited to investigate the nature and origin of the Faddeev–Popov (FP) factor in gauge theories without recourse to path integrals. Gauge invariant as well as gauge non-invariant interactions are considered to show that the FP factor needs to be modified in more general cases and expressions for these modifications are derived. In particular we show that a gauge invariant theory does not necessarily imply the familiar FP factor for proper quantization. PACS numbers: 11.15.-q; 12.10.-g; 12.15.-y; 12.38.-t     

Local Primitive Causality and the Common Cause Principle in Quantum Field Theory

If (V) is a net of local von Neumann algebras satisfying standard axioms of algebraic relativistic quantum field theory and V ₁ and V ₂ are spacelike separated spacetime regions, then the system ( (V ₁ ), (V ₂ ), ) is said to satisfy the Weak Reichenbach's Common Cause Principle iff for every pair of projections A (V ₁ ), B (V ₂ ) correlated in the normal state there exists a projection C belonging to a von Neumann algebra associated with a spacetime region V contained in the union of the backward light cones of V ₁ and V ₂ and disjoint from both V ₁ and V ₂ , a projection having the properties of a Reichenbachian common cause of the correlation between A and B. It is shown that if the net has the local primitive causality property then every local system ( (V ₁ ), (V ₂ ), ) with a locally normal and locally faithful state and suitable bounded V ₁ and V ₂ satisfies the Weak Reichenbach's Common Cause Principle.     

Form Factors of Branch-Point Twist Fields in Quantum Integrable Models and Entanglement Entropy

In this paper we compute the leading correction to the bipartite entanglement entropy at large sub-system size, in integrable quantum field theories with diagonal scattering matrices. We find a remarkably universal result, depending only on the particle spectrum of the theory and not on the details of the scattering matrix. We employ the “replica trick” whereby the entropy is obtained as the derivative with respect to n of the trace of the nth power of the reduced density matrix of the sub-system, evaluated at n=1. The main novelty of our work is the introduction of a particular type of twist fields in quantum field theory that are naturally related to branch points in an n-sheeted Riemann surface. Their two-point function directly gives the scaling limit of the trace of the nth power of the reduced density matrix. Taking advantage of integrability, we use the expansion of this two-point function in terms of form factors of the twist fields, in order to evaluate it at large distances in the two-particle approximation. Although this is a well-known technique, the new geometry of the problem implies a modification of the form factor equations satisfied by standard local fields of integrable quantum field theory. We derive the new form factor equations and provide solutions, which we specialize both to the Ising and sinh-Gordon models.     

Nonstandard Methods in Quantum Field Theory I: A Hyperfinite Formalism of Scalar Fields

A nonstandard approach to axiomatic quantum field theory is given. Nonstandard axioms for a Hermitian scalar field is proposed, where the field operators act on a hyperfinite-dimensional Hilbert space. The axioms are shown to be equivalent to the Gårding–Wightman axioms. An example of a model of the nonstandard axioms is examined.     

Principle of Symmetric Bracket Invariance as the Origin of First and Second Quantization

The principle of invariance of the c-number symmetric bracket is used to derive both the quantum operator commutator relation and the time-dependent Schrödinger equation. A c-number dynamical equation is found, which leads to the second quantized field theory of bosons and fermions.     

The gauging of BV algebras

A BV algebra is a formal framework within which the BV quantization algorithm is implemented. In addition to the gauge symmetry, encoded in the BV master equation, the master action often exhibits further global symmetries, which may be in turn gauged. We show how to carry this out in a BV algebraic set up. Depending on the nature of the global symmetry, the gauging involves coupling to a pure ghost system with a varying amount of ghostly supersymmetry. Coupling to an N=0$N=0$ ghost system yields an ordinary gauge theory whose observables are appropriately classified by the invariant BV cohomology. Coupling to an N=1$N=1$ ghost system leads to a topological gauge field theory whose observables are classified by the equivariant BV cohomology. Coupling to higher N$N$ ghost systems yields topological gauge field theories with higher topological symmetry. In the latter case, however, problems of a completely new kind emerge, which call for a revision of the standard BV algebraic framework.     

Geometry and Physics Today

“Geometry,” in the sense of the classical differential geometry of smooth manifolds (CDG), is put under scrutiny from the point of view of Abstract Differential Geometry (ADG). We explore potential physical implications of viewing things under the light of ADG, especially matters concerning the “gauge theories” of modern physics, when the latter are viewed (as they are actually regarded currently) as “physical theories of a geometrical character.” Thence, “physical geometry,” in connection with physical laws and the associated with them, within the background spacetime manifoldless context of ADG, “differential” equations, are also being discussed.     

Quantum Fields in the Spacetime Tangent Bundle

Maximal-acceleration invariant quantum fields are formulated in terms of the differential geometric structure of the spacetime tangent bundle. The simple special case is considered of a flat Minkowski space-time for which the bundle is also flat. The field is shown to have a physically based Planck-scale effective regularization and a spectral cutoff at the Planck mass.     

Parity and the spin—statistics connection

A simple demonstration of the spin—statistics connection for general causal fields is obtained by using the parity operation to exchange spatial coordinates in the scalar product of a locally commuting field operator, evaluated at position x, with the same field operator evaluated at − x, at equal times.     

The Pauli Principle and the Restricted Primitive Model

The restricted primitive model is an electrically neutral, classical model consisting of hard spheres charged either +q or –q. We show that, by appropriately selecting the diameter of the hard spheres, the pressure when q=0 can be made equal to that for a fluid of Maxwell–Boltzmann point ions and an ideal Fermi gas of electrons. We compare the series expansion of these classical and quantum systems and find that, except for intermediate de Broglie density and moderate to strong electrical interaction strength, the restricted primitive model gives a reasonable representation of the pressure of the corresponding quantum system. Much of the current interest, however, has been focused on the above, excepted region.     

Neutrino Oscillations in Exotic Geometries and the Equivalence Principle Violation

Taking into account the violation of the equivalence principle, we analyze the propagation of neutrinos in the gravitational field generated by wormholes. The analysis is performed for massive and massless neutrinos. By using the constraints on the (negative) mass of wormholes, which is of the order of stellar-substellar masses, we determine constraints on f which characterizes the degree of violation of the equivalence principle.     

Induced Chern-Simons term of a paired electron state in the quantum Hall system

The induced Chern-Simons term for a paired electron state is calculated in the quantum Hall system by using a field theory on the von Neumann lattice. The coefficient of the Chern-Simons term, which is the Hall conductance, has not only the usual term proportional to a filling factor due to P (parity) & T (time reversal) symmetry breaking but also correction terms due to P & T & U(1) symmetry breaking. The correction term essentially comes from the Nambu-Goldstone mode and depends on an infrared limit. It is shown that the correction term is related to a topological number of a gap function in the momentum space.     

The Spinning and Curving of Spacetime: The Electromagnetic and Gravitational Fields in the Evans Field Theory

The unification of the gravitational and electromagnetic fields achieved geometrically in the generally covariant unified field theory of Evans implies that electromagnetism is the spinning of spacetime and gravitation is the curving of spacetime. The homogeneous unified field equation of Evans is a balance of spacetime spin and curvature and governs the influence of electromagnetism on gravitation using the first Bianchi identity of differential geometry. The second Bianchi identity of differential geometry is shown to lead to the conservation law of the Evans unified field, and also to a generalization of the Einstein field equation for the unified field. Rigorous mathematical proofs are given in appendices of the four equations of differential geometry which are the cornerstones of the Evans unified field theory: the first and second Maurer-Cartan structure relations and the first and second Bianchi identities. As an example of the theory, the origin of wavenumber and frequency is traced to elements of the torsion tensor of spinning spacetime.     

Valuation and dynamic replication of contingent claims in the framework of the beliefs-preferences gauge symmetry

Although symmetries play a major role in physics, their use in finance is relatively new and, to the best of our knowledge, can be traced to 1995 when Kholodnyi introduced the beliefs-preferences gauge symmetry. One of the main outcomes of the beliefs-preferences gauge symmetry is that it allows for the valuation and dynamic replication of contingent claims in a general market environment, that is, in the case of a general, not necessarily diffusion Markov process for the prices of underlying securities. This valuation and dynamic replication is based on the novel ideas of symmetry in contrast to the standard approach which uses stochastic analysis. The practical applications of the beliefs-preferences gauge symmetry range from the detection of a new type of true arbitrage to the beliefs-preferences-independent valuation and dynamic replication of contingent claims in a general market environment. Received 31 December 2001     

Constraints on the IR behaviour of gluon and ghost propagator from Ward-Slavnov-Taylor identities

We consider the constraints of the Slavnov-Taylor identity of the IR behaviour of gluon and ghost propagators and their compatibility with solutions of the ghost Dyson-Schwinger equation and with the lattice picture.     

Loop Observables for BF Theories in Any Dimension and the Cohomology of Knots

A generalization of Wilson loop observables for BF theories in any dimension is introduced within the Batalin–Vilkovisky framework. The expectation values of these observables are cohomology classes of the space of imbeddings of a circle. One of the resulting theories discussed in the Letter has only trivalent interactions and, irrespective of the actual dimension, looks like a three-dimensional Chern–Simons theory.     

Dependence on crystal parameters of the correlation time between signal and idler beams in parametric down conversion calculated in the Wigner representation

The theory of parametric down conversion within the framework of the Wigner representation has been treated recently in a series of papers using the standard model Hamiltonian. Here we take a more fundamental point of view studying the mechanism, inside the crystal, for the production of the signal and idler beams. We begin from the evolution equations for the quantum field operators, pass to the Wigner function and solve the resulting (Maxwell) equations with the use of the Green's function method. We derive the time dependence of the coincidence detection probability as a function of the parameters of the nonlinear crystal (in particular the length) the radius of the pumping beam, and the bandwidth of the filters in front of the detectors. Received 24 January 2000 and Received in final form 24 March 2000     

Properties and events in a relativistic context: Revisiting the dynamical reduction program

We reconsider the problem of attributing objective properties to an individual physical system within a quantum framework with the aim of investigating which features should characterize a relativistic model leading to the objectification of the properties at an appropriate level. A detailed analysis of the nonrelativistic case is presented and particular attention is paid to the appropriate definition of an event and to possible criteria for property attribution to individual physical systems. The same problems are then analyzed from a relativistic point of view. After having recalled some important recent contributions the whole matter is reconsidered and the basic features that any theory leading to objectification has to exhibit in order not to conflict with relativistic requirements are identified. A toy model meeting all necessary requirements is presented and all its relevant features are discussed. This analysis serves the purpose of allowing a better understanding of the basic features of the recently introduced relativistic dynamical reduction models and offers the opportunity to clarify some misunderstanding about them.Work supported in part by the Sezione di Trieste of the INFN.