Nonperturbative dynamics of scalar field theories through the Feynman-Schwinger representation

We present a summary of results obtained for scalar field theories usingt he Feynman-Schwinger (FSR) approach. Specifically, scalar QED and X²φ theories are considered. The motivation behind the applications discussed in this paper is to use the FSR method as a rigorous tool for testing the quality of commonly used approximations in field theory. Exact calculations in a quenched theory are presented for one-, two-, and three-body bound states. Results obtained indicate that some of the commonly used approximations, such as Bethe-Salpeter ladder summation for bound states and the rainbow summation for one-body problems, produce significantly different results from those obtained from the FSR approach. We find that more accurate results can be obtained using other, simpler, approximation schemes.     

Dynamical ansatz for path integrals and nonperturbative trace formulas

It is shown that a recently discovered representation of the Green's function is equivalent to a certain "dynamical ansatz" for the corresponding path integral, which brings about a convenient method of nonperturbative approximations. Based on this observation, a set of nonperturbative approximations to the trace of the Green's function is established.     

The Feynman-Schwinger Representation in QCD

The proper time path integral representation is derived explicitly for Green's functions in QCD. After an introductory analysis of perturbative properties, the total gluonic field is separated in a rigorous way into a nonperturbative background and valence gluon part. For nonperturbative contributions the background perturbation theory is used systematically, yielding two types of expansions, illustrated by direct physical applications. As an application, we discuss the collinear singularities in the Feynman-Schwinger representation formalism. Moreover, the generalization to nonzero temperature is made and expressions for partition functions in perturbation theory and nonperturbative background are explicitly written down.     

Towards a nonperturbative path integral in gauge theories

We propose a modification of the Faddeev–Popov procedure to construct a path integral representation for the transition amplitude and the partition function for gauge theories whose orbit space has a non-Euclidean geometry. Our approach is based on the Kato–Trotter product formula modified appropriately to incorporate the gauge invariance condition, and thereby equivalence to the Dirac operator formalism is guaranteed by construction. The modified path integral provides a solution to the Gribov obstruction as well as to the operator ordering problem when the orbit space has curvature. A few explicit examples are given to illustrate new features of the formalism developed. The method is applied to the Kogut–Susskind lattice gauge theory to develop a nonperturbative functional integral for a quantum Yang–Mills theory. Feynman's conjecture about a relation between the mass gap and the orbit space geometry in gluodynamics is discussed in the framework of the modified path integral.     

On a trajectory method for evaluating the transition probability in a quantum system

A version of calculation of the transition probability in a quantum system based on the representation of the transition probabilities in the form of a path integral and its evaluation by the saddle-point method for part of the variables. Some problems associated with the analytic continuation of the integrand are discussed. The proposed approach is compared to related methods widely used in chemical physics.     

Taming the cosmological constant in 2D causal quantum gravity with topology change

As shown in previous work, there is a well-defined nonperturbative gravitational path integral including an explicit sum over topologies in the setting of causal dynamical triangulations in two dimensions. In this paper we derive a complete analytical solution of the quantum continuum dynamics of this model, obtained uniquely by means of a double-scaling limit. We show that the presence of infinitesimal wormholes leads to a decrease in the effective cosmological constant, reminiscent of the suppression mechanism considered by Coleman and others in the four-dimensional Euclidean path integral. Remarkably, in the continuum limit we obtain a finite spacetime density of microscopic wormholes without assuming fundamental discreteness. This shows that one can in principle make sense of a gravitational path integral which includes a sum over topologies, provided suitable causality restrictions are imposed on the path integral histories.     

Coherent state path integral methods and central limit theorem

We consider a coherent state path integral expression originating for example after path integration over a second interacting system and by using a method based on the use of the central limit theorem on the phase of the path integral representation, we extract under certain conditions a closed form for the propagator.     

On the meaning of a non-renormalizable theory of gravitation

The renormalizability of quantum gravity remains an open question while it has been established recently that quantum gravity in the presence of standard sources is non-renormalizable. In view of traditional confusion and ambiguities surrounding non-renormalizable quantum field theories, it has been felt that physical theories must be renormalizable. Recently a new, nonperturbative view of non-renormalizable theories has been suggested that may have relevance for various interactions including gravity and various sources. In a path integral approach to quantum field theory such a view attributes ‘hard cores’ in the space of field histories to non-renormalizable interactions. Just as with more familiar ‘hard cores’, turning off the interaction does not completely remove all effects of the potential. Consequently the interacting theory is not even continuously connected to the usual free theory, but rather to an alternative ‘pseudo-free’ theory that incorporates the vestiges of the ‘hard cores’. Some insight into what is the significance and interpretation of non-renormalizable interactions can be gleaned from exactly soluble models. Application of this philosophy of non-renormalizable interactions is discussed for the gravitational field in interaction with some standard sources.     

A path integral method for coarse-graining noise in stochastic differential equations with multiple time scales

We present a new path integral method to analyze stochastically perturbed ordinary differential equations with multiple time scales. The objective of this method is to derive from the original system a new stochastic differential equation describing the system’s evolution on slow time scales. For this purpose, we start from the corresponding path integral representation of the stochastic system and apply a multi-scale expansion to the associated path integral kernel of the corresponding Lagrangian. As a concrete example, we apply this expansion to a system that arises in the study of random dispersion fluctuations in dispersion-managed fiber-optic communications. Moreover, we show that, for this particular example, the new path integration method yields the same result at leading order as an asymptotic expansion of the associated Fokker-Planck equation.     

Asymptotic analysis of the flux fluctuations averaging and finite-size source scintillations in random media

A complete set of asymptotes for the flux fluctuation variance or finite-size source scintillation index is obtained, starting from the path integral representation for a field in a random medium. A new approach to asymptotic analysis of related problems is introduced based on the concept of main/additional coherence channels expansion. This new technique was applied to asymptotic analysis of the quasi-plane wave variance.     

Breakdown of the coherent state path integral: two simple examples

We show how the time-continuous coherent state path integral breaks down for both the single-site Bose-Hubbard model and the spin-path integral. Specifically, when the Hamiltonian is quadratic in a generator of the algebra used to construct coherent states, the path integral fails to produce correct results following from an operator approach. As suggested by previous authors, we note that the problems do not arise in the time-discretized version of the path integral.     

Representation of the propagator of a massive spinning particle as a BFV-BRST path integral

In the index-spinor approach, the transition amplitude for a free massive particle of arbitrary spin is obtained by calculating the relevant path integral in the BFV-BRST formalism. The calculation is performed without any renormalization of the measure in the path integral. The result coincides with the Weinberg propagator in the index-free representation. It is shown that the type of representation for the particle spin—a holomorphic or an antiholomorphic one—is determined by the choice of boundary conditions for the index spinor.     

Relativistic quantum mechanics of supersymmetric particles

The quantum mechanics of an electron in an external field is developed by Hamiltonian path integral methods. The electron is described classically by an action which is invariant under gauge supersymmetry transformations as well as worldline reparametrizations. The simpler case of a spinless particle is first reviewed and it is pointed out that a strictly canonical approach does not exist. This follows formally from the gauge invariance properties of the action and physically it corresponds to the fact that particles can travel backwards as well as forward in coordinate time. However, appropriate application of path integral techniques yields directly the proper time representation of the Feynman propagator. Next we extend the formalism to systems described by anticommuting variables. This problem presents some difficulty when the dimension of the phase space is odd, because the holomorphic representation does not exist. It is shown, however, that the usual connection between the evolution operator and the path integral still holds provided one indludes in the action the boundary term that makes the classical variational principle well defined. The path integral for the relativistic spinning particle is then evaluated and it is shown to lead directly to a representation for the Feynman propagator in terms of two proper times, one commuting, the other anticommuting, which appear in a symmetric manner. This representation is used to derive scattering amplitudes in an external field. In this step the anticommuting proper time is integrated away and the analysis is carried in terms of one (commuting) proper time only, just as in the spinless case. Finally, some properties of the quantum mechanics of the ghost particles that appear in the path integral for constrained systems are developed in an appendix.     

Second-order phase transition in causal dynamical triangulations

Causal dynamical triangulations are a concrete attempt to define a nonperturbative path integral for quantum gravity. We present strong evidence that the lattice theory has a second-order phase transition line, which can potentially be used to define a continuum limit in the conventional sense of nongravitational lattice theories.     

Asymptotic analysis of the flux fluctuations averaging and finite-size source scintillations in random media

Abstract

A complete set of asymptotes for the flux fluctuation variance or finite-size source scintillation index is obtained, starting from the path integral representation for a field in a random medium. A new approach to asymptotic analysis of related problems is introduced based on the concept of main/additional coherence channels expansion. This new technique was applied to asymptotic analysis of the quasi-plane wave variance.     

Feynman integral and perturbation theory in quantum tomography

We present a definition for tomographic Feynman path integral as representation for quantum tomograms via Feynman path integral in the phase space. The proposed representation is the potential basis for investigation of Path Integral Monte Carlo numerical methods with quantum tomograms. Tomographic Feynman path integral is a representation of solution of initial problem for evolution equation for tomograms. The perturbation theory for quantum tomograms is constructed.     

Implications of Analyticity to the Solution of Schwinger-Dyson Equations in Minkowski Space

We discuss some recent developments in nonperturbative studies of quantum field theory (QFT) using the Schwinger-Dyson equations formulated directly in Minkowski space. We begin with the introduction of essential ideas of the integral representation in QFT and a discussion of the renormalization in this approach. The technique based on the integral representation of Green’s functions is exploited to solve Schwinger-Dyson equations in several models of quantum field theory, e.g., in scalar models and in strong coupling QED₃₊₁ in the quenched and in the unquenched approximation. The phenomenon of dynamical chiral symmetry breaking in regularized theory is touched. In QCD, the analyticity of the gluon propagator on the complex momentum square plane is exploited to continue some recent lattice data to the timelike momentum axis. We find a contribution to the non-positive absorptive part in the Landau-gauge gluon propagator which is in agreement with some other new recent analyses.     

Time-dependent mean field S-matrix theory

By using the path integral approach to many-body systems, we formulate a time-dependent mean field S-matrix theory of nuclear reactions. Many-body channel eigenstates are constructed by using projection techniques. In this way the S-matrix between the channel eigenstates is expressed as a superposition of S-matrix elements between wave-packet-like states localized in space and time. A field operator representation of the interaction picture S-matrix is derived which enables one to apply the path integral approach. Applying the stationary phase approximation to the path integral representation of the interaction picture S-matrix between the localized states an asymptotically constant time-dependent mean field approximation to this S-matrix is obtained. Finally, the S-matrix between the projected channel eigenstates is obtained by evaluating the integral, arising from the projections, over the space-time positions of the localized states in the stationary phase approximation. The stationary phase conditions select those localized states from the projected channel states for which the mean field values of energy and momentum coincide with their corresponding channel eigenvalues.