Class Of Quantum Field Theories Research Articles

A stringy effect on Hawking radiation

In string theories, interactions are exponentially suppressed for trans-Planckian space-like external momenta. We study a class of quantum field theories that exhibit this feature modeled after Witten’s bosonic open string field theory, and discover a Lorentz-invariant UV/IR relation that leads to the spacetime uncertainty principle proposed by Yoneya. Application to a dynamical black hole background suggests that Hawking radiation is turned off around the scrambling time.

English

We construct a class of quantum field theories depending on the data of a holomorphic Poisson structure on a piece of the underlying spacetime. The main technical tool relies on a characterization of deformations and anomalies of such theories in terms of the Gelfand-Fuchs cohomology of formal Hamiltonian vector fields. In the case that the Poisson structure is non-degenerate such theories are topological in a certain weak sense, which we refer to as de Rham topological. While the Lie algebra of translations acts in a homotopically trivial way, we will show that the space of observables of such a theory does not define an E_n-algebra. Additionally, we will highlight a conjectural relationship to theories of supergravity in four and five dimensions.

Strongly coupled QFT dynamics via TQFT coupling

We consider a class of quantum field theories and quantum mechanics, which we couple to ℤN topological QFTs, in order to classify non-perturbative effects in the original theory. The ℤN TQFT structure arises naturally from turning on a classical background field for a ℤN 0- or 1-form global symmetry. In SU(N) Yang-Mills theory coupled to ℤN TQFT, the non-perturbative expansion parameter is exp[−SI/N] = exp[−8π2/g2N] both in the semi-classical weak coupling domain and strong coupling domain, corresponding to a fractional topological charge configurations. To classify the non-perturbative effects in original SU(N) theory, we must use PSU(N) bundle and lift configurations (critical points at infinity) for which there is no obstruction back to SU(N). These provide a refinement of instanton sums: integer topological charge, but crucially fractional action configurations contribute, providing a TQFT protected generalization of resurgent semi-classical expansion to strong coupling. Monopole-instantons (or fractional instantons) on T3 × {S}_L^1 can be interpreted as tunneling events in the ’t Hooft flux background in the PSU(N) bundle. The construction provides a new perspective to the strong coupling regime of QFTs and resolves a number of old standing issues, especially, fixes the conflicts between the large-N and instanton analysis. We derive the mass gap at θ = 0 and gaplessness at θ = π in mathbbm{CP} 1 model, and mass gap for arbitrary θ in mathbbm{CP} N−1, N ≥ 3 on ℝ2.

Quasirenormalizable Quantum Field Theories

Leading logarithms (LLs) in massless non-renormalizable effective field theories (EFTs) can be computed with the help of non-linear recurrence relations. These recurrence relations follow from the fundamental requirements of unitarity, analyticity and crossing symmetry of scattering amplitudes and generalize the renormalization group technique for the case of non-renormalizable EFTs. We review the existing exact solutions of non-linear recurrence relations relevant for field theoretical applications. We introduce the new class of quantum field theories (quasi-renormalizable field theories) in which the resummation of LLs for $2 \to 2$ scattering amplitudes gives rise to a possibly infinite number of the Landau poles.

On nonperturbative quantum field theory and noncommutative geometry

A general framework of non-perturbative quantum field theory on a curved background is proposed. A quantum field theory is in this setting characterised by an embedding of a space of field configurations into a Hilbert space over R∞. This embedding, which is only local up to a scale that we interpret as the Planck scale, coincides in the local and flat limit with the plane wave expansion known from canonical quantisation. We identify a universal Bott–Dirac operator acting in the Hilbert space over R∞ and show that it gives rise to the free Hamiltonian both in the case of a scalar field theory and in the case of a Yang–Mills theory. These theories come with a canonical fermionic sector for which the Bott–Dirac operator also provides the Hamiltonian. We prove that Hilbert space representations of algebras of observables exist non-perturbatively for a real scalar theory and for a gauge theory, both with or without the fermionic sectors, and show that the free theories are given by semi-finite spectral triples over the respective configuration spaces. Finally, we propose a class of quantum field theories whose interactions are generated by inner fluctuations of the Bott–Dirac operator.

Classical Quantum Field Theory Based on the Hypothesis of the Absolute Reference System

The quantum field theory based on the hypothesis of the absolute reference system is a classical non-relativistic theory, which is compatible with current quantum theory. This conclusion arises when one compares the theoretical results of quantum electrodynamics using the basic principles of this hypothesis. Wave equation, which replaces this of Schrodinger, is the classical wave equation of a peculiar electromagnetic wave, derived from the study of particle structure.

Erratum to: Cutkosky rules for superstring field theory

Superstring field theory expresses the perturbative S-matrix of superstring theory as a sum of Feynman diagrams each of which is manifestly free from ultraviolet divergences. The interaction vertices fall off exponentially for large space-like external momenta making the ultraviolet finiteness property manifest, but blow up exponentially for large time-like external momenta making it impossible to take the integration contours for loop energies to lie along the real axis. This forces us to carry out the integrals over the loop energies by choosing appropriate contours in the complex plane whose ends go to infinity along the imaginary axis but which take complicated form in the interior navigating around the various poles of the propagators. We consider the general class of quantum field theories with this property and prove Cutkosky rules for the amplitudes to all orders in perturbation theory. Besides having applications to string field theory, these results also give an alternative derivation of Cutkosky rules in ordinary quantum field theories.

COSMOS- $$e'$$ e ′ -soft Higgsotic attractors

In this work, we have developed an elegant algorithm to study the cosmological consequences from a huge class of quantum field theories (i.e. superstring theory, supergravity, extra dimensional theory, modified gravity, etc.), which are equivalently described by soft attractors in the effective field theory framework. In this description we have restricted our analysis for two scalar fields – dilaton and Higgsotic fields minimally coupled with Einstein gravity, which can be generalized for any arbitrary number of scalar field contents with generalized non-canonical and non-minimal interactions. We have explicitly used R^2 gravity, from which we have studied the attractor and non-attractor phases by exactly computing two point, three point and four point correlation functions from scalar fluctuations using the In-In (Schwinger–Keldysh) and the delta mathcal{N} formalisms. We have also presented theoretical bounds on the amplitude, tilt and running of the primordial power spectrum, various shapes (equilateral, squeezed, folded kite or counter-collinear) of the amplitude as obtained from three and four point scalar functions, which are consistent with observed data. Also the results from two point tensor fluctuations and the field excursion formula are explicitly presented for the attractor and non-attractor phase. Further, reheating constraints, scale dependent behavior of the couplings and the dynamical solution for the dilaton and Higgsotic fields are also presented. New sets of consistency relations between two, three and four point observables are also presented, which shows significant deviation from canonical slow-roll models. Additionally, three possible theoretical proposals have presented to overcome the tachyonic instability at the time of late time acceleration. Finally, we have also provided the bulk interpretation from the three and four point scalar correlation functions for completeness.

An Approach to Classical Quantum Field Theory Based on the Geometry of Locally Conformally Flat Space-Time

This paper gives an introduction to certain classical physical theories described in the context of locally Minkowskian causal structures (LMCSs). For simplicity of exposition we consider LMCSs which have locally Euclidean topology (i.e., are manifolds) and hence are Möbius structures. We describe natural principal bundle structures associated with Möbius structures. Fermion fields are associated with sections of vector bundles associated with the principal bundles while interaction fields (bosons) are associated with endomorphisms of the space of fermion fields. Classical quantum field theory (the Dirac equation and Maxwell’s equations) is obtained by considering representations of the structure group K⊂SU(2,2) of a principal bundle associated with a given Möbius structure where K, while being a subset of SU(2,2), is also isomorphic to SL2,C×U(1). The analysis requires the use of an intertwining operator between the action of K on R4 and the adjoint action of K on su⁡(2,2) and it is shown that the Feynman slash operator, in the chiral representation for the Dirac gamma matrices, has this intertwining property.

Cutkosky rules for superstring field theory

Superstring field theory expresses the perturbative S-matrix of superstring theory as a sum of Feynman diagrams each of which is manifestly free from ultraviolet divergences. The interaction vertices fall off exponentially for large space-like external momenta making the ultraviolet finiteness property manifest, but blow up exponentially for large time-like external momenta making it impossible to take the integration contours for loop energies to lie along the real axis. This forces us to carry out the integrals over the loop energies by choosing appropriate contours in the complex plane whose ends go to infinity along the imaginary axis but which take complicated form in the interior navigating around the various poles of the propagators. We consider the general class of quantum field theories with this property and prove Cutkosky rules for the amplitudes to all orders in perturbation theory. Besides having applications to string field theory, these results also give an alternative derivation of Cutkosky rules in ordinary quantum field theories.

Hidden Topological Angles in Path Integrals.

We demonstrate the existence of hidden topological angles (HTAs) in a large class of quantum field theories and quantum mechanical systems. HTAs are distinct from theta parameters in the Lagrangian. They arise as invariant angles associated with saddle points of the complexified path integral and their descent manifolds (Lefschetz thimbles). Physical effects of HTAs become most transparent upon analytic continuation in n_{f} to a noninteger number of flavors, reducing in the integer n_{f} limit to a Z_{2} valued phase difference between dominant saddles. In N=1 super Yang-Mills theory we demonstrate the microscopic mechanism for the vanishing of the gluon condensate. The same effect leads to an anomalously small condensate in a QCD-like SU(N) gauge theory with fermions in the two-index representation. The basic phenomenon is that, contrary to folklore, the gluon condensate can receive both positive and negative contributions in a semiclassical expansion. In quantum mechanics, a HTA leads to a difference in semiclassical expansion of integer and half-integer spin particles.

The sign problem and the Lefschetz thimble

Recently, we have introduced a novel approach to deal with the sign problem that prevents the Monte Carlo simulations of a class of quantum field theories (QFTs). The idea is to formulate the QFT on a Lefschetz thimble. Here we review the formulation of our approach and describe the Aurora Monte Carlo algorithm that we are currently testing on a scalar field theory with a sign problem.

An operator expansion for integrable quantum field theories

A large class of quantum field theories on 1 + 1 dimensional Minkowski space, namely, certain integrable models, has recently been constructed rigorously by Lechner. However, the construction is very abstract and the concrete form of local observables in these models remains largely unknown. Aiming for more insight into their structure, we establish a series expansion for observables, similar but not identical to the well-known form factor expansion. This expansion will be the basis for a characterization and explicit construction of local observables, to be discussed elsewhere. Here, we establish the expansion independent of the localization aspect, and analyze its behavior under space-time symmetries. We also clarify relations with deformation methods in quantum field theory, specifically, with the warped convolution in the sense of Buchholz and Summers.

Theory of a quantum noncanonical field in curved spacetimes

Much attention has been recently devoted to the possibility that quantum gravity effects could lead to departures from special relativity in the form of a deformed Poincar\`e algebra. These proposals go generically under the name of doubly or deformed special relativity (DSR). In this article we further explore a recently proposed class of quantum field theories, involving noncanonically commuting complex scalar fields, which have been shown to entail a DSR-like symmetry. An open issue for such theories is whether the DSR-like symmetry has to be taken as a physically relevant symmetry, or if in fact the ``true'' symmetries of the theory are just rotations and translations while boost invariance has to be considered broken. Here we analyze this issue by extending the known results to curved spacetime under both of the previous assumptions. We show that if the symmetry of the free theory is taken to be a DSR-like realization of the Poincar\'e symmetry, then it is not possible to render such a symmetry a gauge symmetry of the curved physical spacetime. However, it is possible to introduce an auxiliary spacetime which allows one to describe the theory as a standard quantum field theory in curved spacetime. Alternatively, taking the point of view that the noncanonical commutation of the fields actually implies a breakdown of boost invariance, the physical spacetime manifold has to be foliated in surfaces of simultaneity, and the field theory can be coupled to gravity by making use of the Arnowitt-Deser-Misner prescription.

Solitons as elementary particles: a paradigm scrutinized

Solitons occur as topologically stable solutions of the classical field equations underlying a large class of quantum field theories. We review some of the results which show that these solitons behave like classical Newtonian particles, albeit with some surprising behaviour, and that, suitably quantized, these solitons contribute to the particle spectrum of the quantum field theory. Along the way, we highlight some of the remaining problems. We also comment on the reverse issue: do the elementary particles we know experimentally have a description as solitons?

Heat kernel expansion in the covariant perturbation theory

Working within the framework of the covariant perturbation theory, we obtain the coincidence limit of the heat kernel of an elliptic second order differential operator that is applicable to a large class of quantum field theories. The basis of tensor invariants of the curvatures of a gravity and gauge field background, to the second order, is derived, and the form factors acting on them are obtained in two integral representations. The results are verified by the functional trace operation, by the short proper time (Schwinger–DeWitt) expansions, as well as by the computation of the Green function for the two-dimensional scalar field model.

Quantum golden field theory – Ten theorems and various conjectures

Ten theorems and few conjectures related to quantum field theory as applied to high energy physics are presented. The work connects classical quantum field theory with the golden mean renormalization groups of non-linear dynamics and E-Infinity theory.

Vacuum Geometry of the N = 2 Wess-Zumino Model

We give a mathematically rigorous construction of the moduli space and vacuum geometry of a class of quantum field theories which are N=2 supersymmetric Wess-Zumino models on a cylinder. These theories have been proven to exist in the sense of constructive quantum field theory, and they also satisfy the assumptions used by Vafa and Cecotti in their study of the geometry of ground states. Since its inception, the Vafa-Cecotti theory of topological-antitopological fusion, or tt* geometry, has proven to be a powerful tool for calculations of exact quantum string amplitudes. However, tt* geometry postulates the existence of certain vector bundles and holomorphic sections built from the ground states. Our purpose in the present article is to give a mathematical proof that this postulate is valid within the context of the two-dimensional N=2 supersymmetric Wess-Zumino models. We also give a simpler proof in the case of holomorphic quantum mechanics.

Exact Solutions to Pauli–Villars-Regulated Field Theories

We present a new class of quantum field theories which are exactly solvable. The theories are generated by introducing Pauli–Villars (PV) fermionic and bosonic fields with masses degenerate with the physical positive metric fields. An algorithm is given to compute the spectrum and corresponding eigensolutions. We also give the operator solution for a particular case and use it to illustrate some of the tenets of light-cone quantization. Since the solutions of the solvable theory contain ghost quanta, these theories are unphysical. However, the existence of an exact solution provides an important check on the implementation of PV-regulated discretized light-cone quantization (DLCQ). In the limit of exact mass degeneracy of the ghost and physical fields, the numerical DLCQ solutions are constrained to reduce to the explicit forms we give here. We also discuss how perturbation theory in the difference between the masses of the physical and PV particles could be developed, thus generating physical theories. The existence of explicit solutions of the solvable theory also allows one to study the relationship between the equal-time and light-cone vacua and eigensolutions.

Commensurate–incommensurate phase transitions for multichain quantum spin models: exact results

The behavior in an external magnetic field is studied exactly for a wide class of multichain quantum spin models. It is shown that the magnetic field together with the interchain couplings cause commensurate–incommensurate phase transitions between the gapless phases in the ground state. The conformal limit of these models is studied and it is shown that the low-lying excitations for the incommensurate phases are not independent, because they are governed by the same magnetic field (chemical potential for excitations). A scenario for the transition from one to two space dimensions for the exactly integrable multichain quantum spin models is proposed, and it is shown that the incommensurate phases in an external magnetic field disappear in the limit of an infinite number of coupled spin chains. The similarities in the external field behavior for the quantum multichain spin models and a wide class of quantum field theories are discussed. The scaling exponents for the appearance of the gap in the spectrum of low-lying excitations of the quantum multichain models due to the relevant perturbations of the integrable theories are calculated.