Scattering theory in quantum field theory in configuration space

The recent analysis of the propagation of relativistic particles inspacetime and their localization problem is used to develop scattering theory in quantum field theory inconfiguration space. An explicit functional expression is derived for the underlying transition amplitudes having a consistent probabilistic interpretation. Some of the basic ingredients in the analysis are the functional approach developed earlier for transition amplitudes and the amplitudes for stimulated emission of particles by external sources in spacetime.     

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.     

Action Principle and Algebraic Approach to Gauge Transformations in Gauge Theories

The action principle is used to derive, by an entirely algebraic approach, gauge transformations of the full vacuum-to-vacuum transition amplitude (generating functional) from the Coulomb gauge to arbitrary covariant gauges and in turn to the celebrated Fock–Schwinger (FS) gauge for the Abelian (QED) gauge theory without recourse to path integrals or to commutation rules and without making use of delta functionals. The interest in the FS gauge, in particular, is that it leads to Faddeev–Popov ghosts-free non-Abelian gauge theories. This method is expected to be applicable to non-Abelian gauge theories including supersymmetric ones.     

Perturbative gauge invariance: electroweak theory II

A recent construction of the electroweak theory, based on perturbative quantum gauge invariance alone, is extended to the case of more generations of fermions with arbitrary mixing. The conditions implied by second order gauge invariance lead to an isolated solution for the fermionic couplings in agreement with the standard model. Third order gauge invariance determines the Higgs potential. The resulting massive gauge theory is manifestly gauge invariant, after construction.     

Gauge dependence in MBPT amplitudes

We generally discuss both electrodynamic and quantum mechanical gauge invariance. Many-body perturbation theory (MBPT) is widely used in various fields of physics and has been used to define mechanisms for collision dynamics for the interaction of matter with both photons and with charged particles. It is shown that individual MBPT amplitudes for photoionization do not obey gauge invariance, but that MBPT amplitudes summed to within a given order do satisfy gauge invariance. Explicit gauge transformations between length (L), velocity (V), and acceleration (A) forms of the dipole matrix element used for interactions of matter with photons are given.     

Factorization and hence reggeization in Yang-Mills theories

We show how to calculate high-energy gauge meson exchange reactions in general, spontaneously broken Yang-Mills theories. We exploit a class of non-covariant gauges in which the scattering amplitudes take on a factorized form in leading order in ln s. Such factorization can only be consistent with Lorentz invariance if the amplitudes have a power law, or Regge behaviour. We evaluate the trajectory functions by a one-loop calculation and verify that the gauge mesons lie on the trajectories.     

Conformal invariance and the critical behavior of the tripletXY quantum chain

We introduce and study the critical properties of the tripletXY quantum chain. This system is described in terms of three-spin interactions and is the generalization of the standardXY quantum chain. We show that this model, with periodic boundaries, has a local gauge invariance and can be described by the composition of two triplet Ising models, with general toroidal boundary conditions. From this composition the phase diagram as well the conformai anomaly and critical exponents are determined by exploring their relations with the mass gap amplitudes predicted by conformai invariance.     

Quadratic Actions in Dependent Fields and the Action Principle

General field theories are considered, within the functional differential formalism of quantum field theory, with interaction Lagrangian densities L _I (x;λ), with λ a generic coupling constant, such that the following expression ∂ L _I (x;λ)/∂ λ may be expressed as quadratic functions in dependent fields but may, in general, be arbitrary functions of independent fields. These necessarily include, as special cases, present renormalizable gauge theories. It is shown, in a unified manner, that the vacuum-to-vacuum transition amplitude (the generating functional) may be explicitly derived in functional differential form which, in general, leads to modifications to computational rules by including such factors as Faddeev–Popov ones and modifications thereof which are explicitly obtained. The derivation is given in the presence of external sources and does not rely on any symmetry and invariance arguments as is often done in gauge theories and no appeal is made to path integrals.     

Renormalization of a gauge theory in a nonlinear gauge

We discuss renormalization of an O(3) gauge model with the gauge fixing term given by ℒ_g.f.=-1/ζ|(∂_μ-igA ₃ ^μ )W ^+μ|²-(1/2α)(∂A ³)². We utilize earlier results on the general theory of renormalization of gauge theories in quadratic gauges to prove multiplicative renormalizability of the theory together with a subtractive renormalization of gauge fixing and ghost terms. We show that this model has a double BRS invariance and that it is preserved under renormalization.     

Gauge fixing,BRS invariance and Ward identities for randomly stirred flows

The Galilean invariance of the Navier–Stokes equation is shown to be akin to a global gauge symmetry familiar from quantum field theory. This symmetry leads to a multiple counting of infinitely many inertial reference frames in the path integral approach to randomly stirred fluids. This problem is solved by fixing the gauge, i.e., singling out one reference frame. The gauge fixed theory has an underlying Becchi–Rouet–Stora (BRS) symmetry which leads to the Ward identity relating the exact inverse response and vertex functions. This identification of Galilean invariance as a gauge symmetry is explored in detail, for different gauge choices and by performing a rigorous examination of a discretized version of the theory. The Navier–Stokes equation is also invariant under arbitrary rectilinear frame accelerations, known as extended Galilean invariance (EGI). We gauge fix this extended symmetry and derive the generalized Ward identity that follows from the BRS invariance of the gauge-fixed theory. This new Ward identity reduces to the standard one in the limit of zero acceleration. This gauge-fixing approach unambiguously shows that Galilean invariance and EGI constrain only the zero mode of the vertex but none of the higher wavenumber modes.     

HELAS and MadGraph/MadEvent with spin-2 particles

Fortran subroutines to calculate helicity amplitudes with massive spin-2 particles (massive gravitons), which couple to the standard model particles via the energy momentum tensor, are added to the HELAS (HELicity Amplitude Subroutines) library. They are coded in such a way that arbitrary scattering amplitudes with one graviton production and its decays can be generated automatically by MadGraph and MadEvent, after slight modifications. All the codes have been tested carefully by making use of the invariance of the helicity amplitudes under the gauge and general coordinate transformations.     

Gauge symmetry and supersymmetric two-particle problem

An analogy between the removal of nonphysical relative time (or relative energy) in the supersymmetric two-particle problem and the account of local gauge invariance in supersymmetric quantum field theory is discussed. A group of gauge transformations for the Bethe-Salpeter amplitudes is suggested, the invariants of which are the relativistic three-dimensional (quasipotential) wave functions in the Logunov-Tavkhelidze approach. Subsidiary conditions imposed on the Bethe-Salpeter amplitudes in the Todorov approach are shown to be equivalent to appropriate gauge fixing.     

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.     

Gauge invariance of relativistic two-particle bound-state energies (I)

The gauge invariance of relativistic two-particle energy levels in quantum electrodynamics is demonstrated for both covariant and non-covariant gauges, by considering infinitesimal gauge transformations from a fixed gauge. The proof is carried out by expressing the bound-state energies in terms of ratios of contour integrals involving four-point Green functions in the neighborhood of their poles in the energy plane. The generalized Ward-Takahashi identities are then used to help reduce the Green functions which appear into forms which make the singularity structure of the four-point function apparent. The formalism is illustrated for the special cases of one- and two-photon exchange in perturbation theory.     

Gauge technique and BCS theory of superconductivity

Summary The gauge technique in unbroken (exact) relativistic quantum electrodynamics is applied to the nonrelativistic BCS theory exhibiting spontaneously brokenU(1) gauge invariance. In addition to the BCS-type solution, we find an interestingnew solution forweak coupling exhibiting ahigh T _c. The authors of this paper have agreed to not receive the proofs for correction.     

Recursive method for calculation of tree-level elements of arbitrary order <Emphasis Type="Italic">S</Emphasis> matrix in scalar electrodynamics

The possibility of creating a recursive method for the calculation of tree-level elements of an S-matrix based on the functional integration method is considered, as exemplified by scalar electrodynamics. One of the advantages of this method is the gauge invariance of amplitudes provided without additional operations with them.     

Gauge invariance and gauge independence of the S-matrix in nonrelativistic quantum mechanics and relativistic quantum field theories

The gauge independence of transition rates as opposed to the gauge invariance of the equations of motion and gauge dependence of operators and state vectors is critically examined and explicitly demonstrated, both in nonrelativistic quantum mechanics and quantum field theory. Time independent as well as time dependent gauge transformations are explicitly analyzed using several techniques in order to clarify the physical content and significance of gauge independence and the conditions for its applicability.     

U(1)×SU(2)-gauge invariance of non-relativistic quantum mechanics,and generalized Hall effects

We show that the non-relativistic quantum mechanics of particles with spin coupled to an electromagnetic field has a naturalU(1)×SU(2) gauge invariance. Ward identities reflecting this gauge invariance combined with an assumption of incompressibility of a system of such particles in an appropriate external field and for suitable values of the particle density permit us to determine the form of the effective action of the system as a functional of small fluctuations in the electromagnetic field, in the large-distance-, adiabatic limit. In this limit, the action is found to have a universal form. We present explicit results for two-dimensional, incompressible electron fluids and apply them to derive the equations of linear response theory, describing a variety of generalized Hall effects. Sum rules for the Hall conductivities, magnetic susceptibilities and other quantities of physical interest are found.     

Manifest gauge and Poincaré covariance

Manifest gauge invariance is known to be incompatible with manifest Poincaré covariance (Strocchi's theorem). By extending the notion of gauge invariance to that of gauge covariance, we circumvent that incompatibility, at least for free electromagnetic potentials. In the new formulation the potentials, A_G, for all permissible gauges G. act on a common Hilbert space. This formulation is shown to be inequivalent to the more conventional ones. (In particular, the Coulomb gauge is now inaccessible.) The abstract gauges G are represented by c-number potentials V_G, which play a central role in the theory. Even without interaction, they obey a field equation with a source, and thus they anticipate the existence of electric charges.     

The Maxwell–Einstein system,Ward identities and the Vilkovisky construction

The gauge fixing dependence of the one-loop effective action of quantum gravity in the proper-time representation is investigated for a space of arbitrary curvature, and the investigation is extended to Maxwell–Einstein theory. The construction of Vilkovisky and DeWitt for removal of this dependence is then considered in general gauges, and it is shown that nontrivial criteria arising from a Ward identity of the theory must be obeyed by the regularization scheme, if the construction is to remove the gauge dependence of quadratic and quartic divergences. The results apply also to non-Abelian gauge theories; they are used to address the question of gauge dependence of asymptotic freedom arising through internal graviton lines at one-loop order as suggested by Robinson and Wilczek.