Large N_ c in chiral perturbation theory

The construction of the effective Lagrangian relevant for the mesonic sector of QCD in the large limit meets with a few rather subtle problems. We thoroughly examine these and show that, if the variables of the effective theory are chosen suitably, the known large counting rules of QCD can unambiguously be translated into corresponding counting rules for the effective coupling constants. As an application, we demonstrate that the Kaplan–Manohar transformation is in conflict with these rules and is suppressed to all orders in . The anomalous dimension of the axial singlet current generates an additional complication: The corresponding external field undergoes nonmultiplicative renormalization. As a consequence, the Wess–Zumino–Witten term, which accounts for the U(3)U(3) anomalies in the framework of the effective theory, contains pieces that depend on the running scale of QCD. The effect only shows up at nonleading order in , but requires specific unnatural parity contributions in the effective Lagrangian that restore renormalization group invariance. Received: 14 July 2000 / Published online: 27 October 2000     

Symanzik's improved actions from the viewpoint of the renormalization group

We investigate Symanzik's improvement program in a four-dimensional Euclidean scalar field theory with smooth momentum space cutoff. We use Wilson's renormalization group transformation to define the improved actions as a sequence of initial data for the effective action at the fundamental cutoff. This leads to a sequence of solutions to the renormalization group equation. We define the parameters of the improved actions implicitly by conditions on the effective action at a renormalization scale. The improved actions are close approximations to the continuum effective action. We prove their existence to every order of improvement and to every order of renormalized perturbation theory.Supported in part by a German National Scholarship Foundation fellowship, and by the National Science Foundation under Grant DMS/PHY 86-45122     

Renormalization Group Invariance in Pionless Effective Field Theory for the NN System

We consider the NN interaction in pionless effective field theory (EFT) up to next-to-next-to-leading order (NNLO) and use a recursive subtractive renormalization scheme to describe NN scattering in the ¹ S ₀ channel. We fix the strengths of the contact interactions at a reference scale, chosen to be the one that provides the best fit for the phase-shifts, and then slide the renormalization scale by evolving the driving terms of the subtracted Lippmann?CSchwinger equation through a non-relativistic Callan?CSymanzik equation. The results show that such a systematic renormalization scheme with multiple subtractions is fully renormalization group invariant.     

Determination of the strange quark mass from Cabibbo-suppressed tau decays with resummed perturbation theory in an effective scheme

We present an analysis of the -corrections to Cabibbo-suppressed -lepton decays employing contour improved resummation within an effective scheme which is an essential new feature as compared to previous analyses. The whole perturbative QCD dynamics of the -system is described by the -function of the effective coupling constant and by two -functions for the effective mass parameters of the strange quark in different spin channels. We analyze the stability of our results with regard to high-order terms in the perturbative expansion of the renormalization group functions. A numerical value for the strange quark mass in the scheme is extracted: $m_s(M_\tau)=130\pm 27_{\mathrm{{exp}}}\pm 9_{\mathrm{{th}}}{\mathrm{ MeV}}$. After running to the scale this translates into . Received: 1 October 2000 / Revised version: 22 February 2001 / Published online: 18 May 2001     

Regularization,renormalization and “peratization” in effective field theory for two nucleons

We discuss conceptual aspects of renormalization in the context of effective field theories for the two-nucleon system. It is shown that, contrary to widespread belief, the renormalization scheme dependence of the scattering amplitude can only be eliminated up to the order the calculations are performed. We further consider an effective theory for an exactly solvable quantum mechanical model which possesses a long- and short-range interaction to simulate pionful effective field theory. We discuss the meaning of low-energy theorems in this model and demonstrate their validity in calculations with a finite cutoff \( \Lambda\) as long as it is chosen of the order of the hard scale in the problem. Removing the cutoff by taking the limit \( \Lambda\) \( \rightarrow\) ∞ yields a finite result for the scattering amplitude but violates the low-energy theorems and is, therefore, not compatible with the effective field theory framework.     

Renormalization group flow of the Holst action

The renormalization group (RG) properties of quantum gravity are explored, using the vielbein and the spin connection as the fundamental field variables. The scale dependent effective action is required to be invariant both under spacetime diffeomorphisms and local frame rotations. The nonperturbative RG equation is solved explicitly on the truncated theory space defined by a three-parameter family of Holst-type actions which involve a running Immirzi parameter. We find evidence for the existence of an asymptotically safe fundamental theory, probably inequivalent to metric quantum gravity constructed in the same way.     

Holographic renormalization of foliation preserving gravity and trace anomaly

From the holographic renormalization group viewpoint, while the scale transformation plays a primary role in holographic dualities by providing the extra dimension, the special conformal transformation seems to only play a secondary role. We, however, claim that the space-time diffeomorphism is crucially related to the latter. For its demonstration, we study the holographic renormalization group flow of a foliation preserving diffeomorphic theory of gravity (a.k.a. space-time flipped Horava gravity). We find that the dual field theory, if any, is only scale invariant but not conformal invariant. In particular, we show that the holographic trace anomaly in four dimension predicts the Ricci scalar squared term that would be incompatible with the Wess–Zumino consistency condition if it were conformal. This illustrates how the foliation preserving diffeomorphic theory of gravity could be in conflict with a theorem of the dual unitary quantum field theory.     

Can renormalization group flow end in a Big Mess?

The field theoretical renormalization group equations have many common features with the equations of dynamical systems. In particular, the manner how Callan–Symanzik equation ensures the independence of a theory from its subtraction point is reminiscent of self-similarity in autonomous flows towards attractors. Motivated by such analogies we propose that besides isolated fixed points, the couplings in a renormalizable field theory may also flow towards more general, even fractal attractors. This could lead to Big Mess scenarios in applications to multiphase systems, from spin-glasses and neural networks to fundamental string (M?) theory. We consider various general aspects of such chaotic flows. We argue that they pose no obvious contradictions with the known properties of effective actions, the existence of dissipative Lyapunov functions, and even the strong version of the c-theorem. We also explain the difficulties encountered when constructing effective actions with chaotic renormalization group flows and observe that they have many common virtues with realistic field theory effective actions. We conclude that if chaotic renormalization group flows are to be excluded, conceptually novel no-go theorems must be developed.     

A New EFT Approach to NN Scattering Problem

We present the new, modified Weinberg approach to the NN scattering problem in effective field theory. Issues of renormalization are briefly discussed and the results of LO calculations are presented.     

Non-perturbative renormalization group for simple fluids

We present a new non-perturbative renormalization group for classical simple fluids. The theory is built in the Grand Canonical ensemble and also in the framework of two equivalent scalar field theories. The exact mapping between the three renormalization flows is established rigorously. In the Grand Canonical ensemble the theory may be seen as an extension of the Hierarchical Reference Theory [Adv. Phys. 44, 211 (1995)] but, however, does not suffer from its shortcomings at subcritical temperatures. In the framework of a new canonical field theory for the liquid state developed with that aim, our construction identifies with the effective average action approach developed recently [Phys. Rep. 363 (2002)].     

Radiative electroweak symmetry breaking in the extra dimensions scenarios

We study radiative spontaneous electroweak symmetry breaking in the non-supersymmetric extra dimension scenarios of the standard model extension proposed by Antoniadis et al., Dienes et al. and Pomarol et al. In the framework of the multi-scale effective theory, by using the renormalization group method with an up-to-down viewpoint, we find that the effects of Kaluza-Klein excitations of bosons of the standard model can change the sign of the Higgs mass term of the standard model from positive to negative and break the electroweak symmetry. The critical scale for the electroweak phase transition to occur depends on the compactification scale (say 1.6 (2.0) TeV if the compactification scale is assumed to be 0.8 (1.5) TeV or so), and is insensitive to the mass of the Higgs particle. This radiative spontaneous symmetry breaking mechanism can work naturally in the extra dimension scenarios, and neither new particle contents beyond the standard model from the supersymmetry nor technicolor are necessary. Received: 7 January 2002 / Revised version: 2 March 2002 / Published online: 7 June 2002     

Adiabatic dilations and essential Regge spectrum

Adiabatic perturbation theory works for non-conserved dilation operators. At each effective coupling, all renormalization group functions are dilation eigenvalues of a “tangent” field theory, which preserves scale invariance instead of translation invariance. The adiabatic expansion reconstructs the true field theory from this tangent bundle. For complex angular momentum, the short and long distance expansions mix indecomposably at certain turning points. By connecting the UV and IR limits across them, the adiabatic method determines Regge intercepts from integrals over the renormalization group. Fixed Regge cuts or accumulations of poles are insensitive to the IR region.     

Renormalization and asymptotic behavior in a finite quantum field theory with shadow states

In this paper we present a study of the renormalization problem in a finite quantum field theory with shadow states for a system of a physical scalar field interacting with a physical fermion field. In order to make the theory finite, two fermion shadow fields are introduced. We observe that the stability criterion of renormalization can not be satisfied simultaneously by both physical fields and shadow fields, if the finiteness of the theory is to be maintained. A physical interpretation of this result is given. Furthermore, we find that the effective complete propagators for large space-like momenta behave like free field propagators without the logarithmic factors observed in the non-abelian gauge theory.     

Lectures on the functional renormalization group method

These introductory notes are about functional renormalization group equations and some of their applications. It is emphasised that the applicability of this method extends well beyond critical systems, it actually provides us a general purpose algorithm to solve strongly coupled quantum field theories. The renormalization group equation of F. Wegner and A. Houghton is shown to resum the loop-expansion. Another version, due to J. Polchinski, is obtained by the method of collective coordinates and can be used for the resummation of the perturbation series. The genuinely non-perturbative evolution equation is obtained by a manner reminiscent of the Schwinger-Dyson equations. Two variants of this scheme are presented where the scale which determines the order of the successive elimination of the modes is extracted from external and internal spaces. The renormalization of composite operators is discussed briefly as an alternative way to arrive at the renormalization group equation. The scaling laws and fixed points are considered from local and global points of view. Instability induced renormalization and new scaling laws are shown to occur in the symmetry broken phase of the scaler theory. The flattening of the effective potential of a compact variable is demonstrated in case of the sine-Gordon model. Finally, a manifestly gauge invariant evolution equation is given for QED.     

Is the strong-interaction proton-proton scattering length renormalization scale dependent in effective field theory?

It is shown that the strong-interaction ¹S₀ proton-proton scattering length in very low-energy effective field theory does not depend on the renormalization scale, if the electromagnetic interaction is switched off consistently.Received: 3 July 2003, Revised: 26 September 2003, Published online: 20 January 2004PACS: 03.65.Nk Scattering theory - 13.75.Cs Nucleon-nucleon interactions (including antinucleons, deuterons, etc.)     

Renormalization group approach to lattice gauge field theories

We study four-dimensional pure gauge field theories by the renormalization group approach. The analysis is restricted to small field approximation. In this region we construct a sequence of localized effective actions by cluster expansions in one step renormalization transformations. We construct also -functions and we define a coupling constant renormalization by a recursive system of renormalization group equations.     

Two-loop results from improved one loop computations

A nonperturbative method is proposed for the approximative solution of the exact evolution equation which describes the scale dependence of the effective average action. It consists of a combination of exact evolution equations for independent couplings with renormalization group improved one loop expressions of secondary couplings. Our method is illustrated by an example: We compute the β-function of the quartic coupling λ of anO(N) symmetric scalar field theory to order λ³ as well as the anomalous dimension to order λ² using only one loop expressions and find agreement with the two loop perturbation theory. We also treat the case of very strong coupling and confirm the existence of a “triviality bound”.     

Quantum spin model of a cubic ferromagnet in a magnetic field

The zero temperature phase diagram of a one-dimensional ferromagnet with cubic single ion anisotropy in an external magnetic field is studied. The mean-field approximation and the density-matrix renormalization group method are applied. Two phases at finite magnetic fields are identified: a canted phase with spontaneously broken symmetry and a phase with magnetization along the magnetic field. Both methods predict that the canted phase exists even for the single-ion anisotropy strong enough to destroy the magnetic order at zero magnetic field. In contrast to the mean-field theory, the density-matrix renormalization group predicts a reentrant behavior for the model. The character of the phase transition at finite magnetic field has also been considered and the critical index has been found. Received 9 May 2000 and Received in final form 5 July 2000     

NN scattering in higher-derivative formulation of baryon chiral perturbation theory

We consider a new approach to the nucleon-nucleon scattering problem in the framework of the higher-derivative formulation of baryon chiral perturbation theory. Starting with a Lorentz-invariant form of the effective Lagrangian we work out a new symmetry-preserving framework where the leading-order amplitude is calculated by solving renormalizable equations and corrections are taken into account perturbatively. Analogously to the KSW approach, the (leading) renormalization scale dependence to any finite order is absorbed in the redefinition of a finite number of parameters of the effective potential at given order. On the other hand, analogously to Weinberg’s power counting, the one-pion-exchange potential is of leading order and is treated non-perturbatively.     

Renormalization of the Regularized Relativistic Electron-Positron Field

We consider the relativistic electron-positron field interacting with itself via the Coulomb potential defined with the physically motivated, positive, density-density quartic interaction. The more usual normal-ordered Hamiltonian differs from the bare Hamiltonian by a quadratic term and, by choosing the normal ordering in a suitable, self-consistent manner, the quadratic term can be seen to be equivalent to a renormalization of the Dirac operator. Formally, this amounts to a Bogolubov-Valatin transformation, but in reality it is non-perturbative, for it leads to an inequivalent, fine-structure dependent representation of the canonical anticommutation relations. This non-perturbative redefinition of the electron/positron states can be interpreted as a mass, wave-function and charge renormalization, among other possibilities, but the main point is that a non-perturbative definition of normal ordering might be a useful starting point for developing a consistent quantum electrodynamics. Received: 8 March 2000 / Accepted: 7 July 2000