Mathematical Reflections on Locality

Abstract

Starting from the principle of locality in quantum field theory, which states that an object is influenced directly only by its immediate surroundings, we review some features of the notion of locality arising in physics and mathematics. We encode these in locality relations, given by symmetric binary relations, and locality morphisms, namely maps that factorise on products of pairs in the graph of such locality relations. This factorisation is a key property in the context of renormalisation, as illustrated on the factorisation of an exponential sum on convex cones, discussed at the end of the paper. The subject of locality is so vast and the issues it raises are so subtle, that this brief and modest presentation can only offer a small glimpse into this fascinating topic.