Off-shell Momenta Research Articles

Off-shell extended graphic rule and the expansion of Berends-Giele currents in Yang-Mills theory

Tree-level color-ordered Yang-Mills (YM) amplitudes can be decomposed in terms of (n − 2)! bi-scalar (BS) amplitudes, whose expansion coefficients form a basis of Bern-Carrasco-Johansson (BCJ) numerators. By the help of the recursive expansion of Einstein-Yang-Mills (EYM) amplitudes, the BCJ numerators are given by polynomial functions of Lorentz contractions which are conveniently described by graphic rule. In this work, we extend the expansion of YM amplitudes to off-shell level. We define different types of off-shell extended numerators that can be generated by graphs. By the use of these extended numerators, we propose a general decomposition formula of off-shell Berends-Giele currents in YM. This formula consists of three terms: (i). an effective current which is expanded as a combination of the Berends-Giele currents in BS theory (The expansion coefficients are one type of off-shell extended numerators) (ii). a term proportional to the total momentum of on-shell lines and (iii). a term expressed by the sum of lower point Berends-Giele currents in which some polarizations and momenta are replaced by vectors proportional to off-shell momenta appropriately. In the on-shell limit, the last two terms vanish while the decomposition of effective current precisely reproduces the decomposition of on-shell YM amplitudes with the expected coefficients (BCJ numerators in DDM basis). We further symmetrize these coefficients such that the Lie symmetries are satisfied. These symmetric BCJ numerators simultaneously satisfy the relabeling property of external lines and the algebraic properties (antisymmetry and Jacobi identity).

Analyticity of off-shell Green\u2019s functions in superstring field theory

We consider the off-shell momentum space Green’s functions in closed superstring field theory. Recently in [1], the off-shell Green’s functions — after explicitly removing contributions of massless states — have been shown to be analytic on a domain (to be called the LES domain) in complex external momenta variables. Analyticity of off-shell Green’s functions in local QFTs without massless states in the primitive domain is a well-known result. Using complex Lorentz transformations and Bochner’s theorem allow to extend the LES domain to a larger subset of the primitive domain. For the 2-, 3- and 4-point functions, the full primitive domain is recovered. For the 5-point function, we are not able to obtain the full primitive domain analytically, only a large part of it is recovered. While this problem arises also for higher-point functions, it is expected to be only a technical issue.

Short-distance HLbL contributions to the muon anomalous magnetic moment beyond perturbation theory

The hadronic light-by-light contribution to the muon anomalous magnetic moment depends on an integration over three off-shell momenta squared ( {Q}_i^2 ) of the correlator of four electromagnetic currents and the fourth leg at zero momentum. We derive the short-distance expansion of this correlator in the limit where all three {Q}_i^2 are large and in the Euclidean domain in QCD. This is done via a systematic operator product expansion (OPE) in a background field which we construct. The leading order term in the expansion is the massless quark loop. We also compute the non-perturbative part of the next-to-leading contribution, which is suppressed by quark masses, and the chiral limit part of the next-to-next-to leading contributions to the OPE. We build a renormalisation program for the OPE. The numerical role of the higher-order contributions is estimated and found to be small.

Perturbation Theory of Transformed Quantum Fields

We consider a scalar quantum field ϕ with arbitrary polynomial self-interaction in perturbation theory. If the field variable ϕ is repaced by a global diffeomorphism ϕ(x) = ρ(x) + a1ρ2(x) + …, this field ρ obtains infinitely many additional interaction vertices. We propose a systematic way to compute connected amplitudes for theories involving vertices which are able to cancel adjacent edges. Assuming tadpole graphs vanish, we show that the S-matrix of ρ coincides with the one of ϕ without using path-integral arguments. This result holds even if the underlying field has a propagator of higher than quadratic order in the momentum. The diffeomorphism can be tuned to cancel all contributions of an underlying ϕt-type self interaction at one fixed external offshell momentum, rendering ρ a free theory at this momentum. Finally, we mention one way to extend the diffeomorphism to a non-diffeomorphism transformation involving derivatives without spoiling the combinatoric structure of the global diffeomorphism.

QED and QCD helicity amplitudes in parton-shower gauge

We introduce photon and gluon propagators in which the scalar polarization component is subtracted systematically by making use of the BRST invariance of the off-shell vector boson created from physical on-shell states. The propagator has the light-cone gauge form, where the spacial component of the gauge vector points along the negative of the off-shell vector boson momentum. We call the gauge as parton-shower gauge, since in collinear configurations the absolute value squared of each Feynman amplitude reproduces all the singular behaviors of the corresponding parton shower in this gauge. We introduce new HELAS codes that can be used to calculate the tree-level helicity amplitudes of arbitrary QED and QCD processes by using MadGraph. The absence of subtle gauge cancellation among Feynman amplitudes allows numerical codes to evaluate singular behaviors accurately, and helps us gaining physical insights on interference patterns.

Self-consistency of off-shell Slavnov-Taylor identities in QCD

Using Hopf-algebraic structures as well as diagrammatic techniques for determining the Slavnov-Taylor identities for QCD we construct the relations for the triple and quartic gluon vertices at one loop. By making the longitudinal projection on an external gluon of a Green's function we show that the gluon self-energy of that leg is consistently replaced by a ghost self-energy. The resulting identities are then studied by evaluating all the graphs for an off-shell non-exceptional momentum configuration. In the case of the 3-point function this is for the most general momentum case and for the 4-point function we consider the fully symmetric point.

Computing one-loop corrections to effective vertices with two scales in the EFT for Multi-Regge processes in QCD

The computation of one-loop corrections to Reggeon-Particle-Particle effective vertices with two scales of virtuality is considered in the framework of gauge-invariant effective field theory for Multi-Regge processes in QCD. Rapidity divergences arising in loop integrals are regulated by “tilted Wilson lines” prescription. General analysis of rapidity divergences at one loop is given and necessary scalar integrals with one and two scales of virtuality are computed. Two examples of effective vertices at one loop are considered: the effective vertex of interaction of (space-like) virtual photon with one Reggeized and one Yang-Mills quark and the effective vertex of Reggeized gluon to Yang-Mills gluon transition with an insertion of the operator tr[GμνGμν] carrying the (space-like) off-shell momentum. All terms ∼r±ϵ in the rapidity-regulator variable r cancel between diagrams and only log⁡r-divergence is left. It is checked on several examples, that obtained results indeed allow one to reproduce Regge limit of one-loop QCD scattering amplitudes.

Analyticity and crossing symmetry of superstring loop amplitudes

Bros, Epstein and Glaser proved crossing symmetry of the S-matrix of a theory without massless fields by using certain analyticity properties of the off-shell momentum space Green’s function in the complex momentum plane. The latter properties follow from representing the momentum space Green’s function as Fourier transform of the position space Green’s function, satisfying certain properties implied by the underlying local quantum field theory. We prove the same analyticity properties of the momentum space Green’s functions in superstring field theory by directly working with the momentum space Feynman rules even though the corresponding properties of the position space Green’s function are not known. Our result is valid to all orders in perturbation theory, but requires, as usual, explicitly subtracting / regulating the non-analyticities associated with massless particles. These results can also be used to prove other general analyticity properties of the S-matrix of superstring theory.

Properties of scattering forms and their relation to associahedra

We show that the half-integrands in the CHY representation of tree amplitudes give rise to the definition of differential forms — the scattering forms — on the moduli space of a Riemann sphere with n marked points. These differential forms have some remarkable properties. We show that all singularities are on the divisor {overline{mathrm{mathcal{M}}}}_{0,n}backslash {mathrm{mathcal{M}}}_{0,n} . Each singularity is logarithmic and the residue factorises into two differential forms of lower points. In order for this to work, we provide a threefold generalisation of the CHY polarisation factor (also known as reduced Pfaffian) towards off-shell momenta, unphysical polarisations and away from the solutions of the scattering equations. We discuss explicitly the cases of bi-adjoint scalar amplitudes, Yang-Mills amplitudes and gravity amplitudes.

Wilson lines, Grassmannians and gauge invariant off-shell amplitudes in mathcal{N}=4 SYM

In this paper we consider tree-level gauge invariant off-shell amplitudes (Wilson line form factors) in mathcal{N}=4 SYM. For the off-shell amplitudes with one leg off-shell we present a conjecture for their Grassmannian integral representation in spinor helicity, twistor and momentum twistor parameterizations. The presented conjecture is successfully checked against BCFW results for MHVn, NMHV4 and NMHV5 off-shell amplitudes. We have also verified that our Grassmannian integral representation correctly reproduces soft (on-shell) limit for the off-shell gluon momentum. It is shown that the (deformed) off-shell amplitude expressions could be also obtained using quantum inverse scattering method for auxiliary mathfrak{g}mathfrak{l}left(4Big|4right) super spin chain.

Wilson lines and gauge invariant off-shell amplitudes

We study matrix elements of Fourier-transformed straight infinite Wilson lines as a way to calculate gauge invariant tree-level amplitudes with off-shell gluons. The off-shell gluons are assigned “polarization vectors” which (in the Feynman gauge) are transverse to their off-shell momenta and define the direction of the corresponding Wilson line operators. The infinite Wilson lines are first regularized to prove the correctness of the method. We have implemented the method in a computer FORM program that can calculate gluonic matrix elements of Wilson line operators automatically. In addition we formulate the Feynman rules that are convenient in certain applications, e.g. proving the Ward identities. Using both the program and the Feynman rules we calculate a few examples, in particular the matrix elements corresponding to gauge invariant g * g * g * g and g * g * g * g * g processes. An immediate application of the approach is in the high energy scattering, as in a special kinematic setup our results reduce to the form directly related to Lipatov’s vertices. Thus the results we present can be directly transformed into Lipatov’s vertices, in particular into RRRP and RRRRP vertices with arbitrary “orientation” of reggeized gluons. Since the formulation itself is not restricted to high-energy scattering, we also apply the method to a decomposition of an ordinary on-shell amplitude into a set of gauge invariant objects.

Integral representations combining ladders and crossed-ladders

We use the worldline formalism to derive integral representations for three classes of amplitudes in scalar field theory: (i) the scalar propagator exchanging N momenta with a scalar background field (ii) the "half-ladder" with N rungs in x - space (iii) the four-point ladder with N rungs in x - space as well as in (off-shell) momentum space. In each case we give a compact expression combining the N! Feynman diagrams contributing to the amplitude. As our main application, we reconsider the well-known case of two massive scalars interacting through the exchange of a massless scalar. Applying asymptotic estimates and a saddle-point approximation to the N-rung ladder plus crossed ladder diagrams, we derive a semi-analytic approximation formula for the lowest bound state mass in this model.

Coherent quantum Boltzmann equations from cQPA

We reformulate and extend our recently introduced quantum kinetic theory for interacting fermion and scalar fields. Our formalism is based on the coherent quasiparticle approximation (cQPA) where nonlocal coherence information is encoded in new spectral solutions at off-shell momenta. We derive explicit forms for the cQPA propagators in the homogeneous background and show that the collision integrals involving the new coherence propagators need to be resummed to all orders in gradient expansion. We perform this resummation and derive generalized momentum space Feynman rules including coherent propagators and modified vertex rules for a Yukawa interaction. As a result we are able to set up self-consistent quantum Boltzmann equations for both fermion and scalar fields. We present several examples of diagrammatic calculations and numerical applications including a simple toy model for coherent baryogenesis.

Renormalization-group analysis for low-energy scattering of charged particles

The low-energy scattering of two charged particles is analyzed using a renormalization group approach based on dimensional regularization with power-divergence subtraction. A nontrivial solution with a marginally unstable direction is found, corresponding to a system with a bound state at zero energy. For purely energy-dependent perturbations around this solution, the power counting agrees with that from Wilsonian methods. These terms in the effective potential are in direct correspondence with the the terms in the Coulomb-distorted effective-range expansion. We also study perturbations that depend on off-shell momenta as well as energy, and we show that these affect only the off-shell form of the scattering matrix. These terms are of higher order than the corresponding energy-dependent ones and so terms in the potential that depend only on the off-shell momenta do not have definite orders in power counting.

Off-Shell Photon Light-Cone Transverse Wavefunction atLeading Twist

The explicit expression of the transverse photon wavefunctionϕγ⊥(u,P2) at the leading twist with theon-shell and the off-shell momenta are calculated in theeffective low-energy theory derived from the instanton vacuum ofQCD, where both the space-like region as well as the time-like one ofthe momenta for the virtual photons are investigated. Inaddition, the problem about the consistency between the twodifferent definitions of the transverse photon wavefunction withchiral-odd Dirac structure, σμν, has beenconsidered, and proven to be true at the leading order by means ofthe sum rule method. A brief discussion of the dependence of thetransverse light-cone photon wavefunction ϕγ⊥(u,P2)and its coupling, Fγ⊥(u,P2) to the correspondingquark–antiquark current with respect to P2, and that about theend-point behaviour of the transverse photon wavefunction is given.

Quantum Light-Front Wave Function in a Scalar Yukawa Model

The valence component of the light-front wave function of a quantum of a scalar field is studied within a bosonic model. The light-front time projection of the inhomogeneous Bethe-Salpeter equation for the vertex function in the covariant ladder approximation is given. The valence wave function and distribution are obtained from the numerical solution of the light-front equation for the vertex with different values of the time-like off-shell momentum carried by the quantum.

Boundary String Field Theory as a Field Theory - Mass Spectrum and Interaction

We study the BSFT actions by using an analytic continuation in momentum space. We compute various two- and three-point functions for some low-lying excitations including massive states on BPS/non-BPS D-branes. The off-shell two-point functions for the tachyon, the gauge field and the massive fields are found to reproduce the well-known string mass-shell conditions. We compare our action with the tachyon actions previously obtained by the derivative expansion (or the linear tachyon profiles), and find complete agreement. Furthermore, we reproduce the correct on-shell value of the tachyon-tachyon-gauge three-point function on brane-anti-brane systems. Though inclusion of the massive modes has been thought difficult because of the non-renormalizability in string ? models, we overcome this by adopting general off-shell momenta and the analytic continuation.

Massive Feynman diagrams and inverse binomial sums

When calculating higher terms of the ɛ-expansion of massive Feynman diagrams, one needs to evaluate particular cases of multiple inverse binomial sums. These sums are related to the derivatives of certain hypergeometric functions with respect to their parameters. Exploring this connection and using it together with an approach based on generating functions, we analytically calculate a number of such infinite sums, for an arbitrary value of the argument which corresponds to an arbitrary value of the off-shell external momentum. In such a way, we find a number of new results for physically important Feynman diagrams. Considered examples include two-loop two- and three-point diagrams, as well as three-loop vacuum diagrams with two different masses. The results are presented in terms of generalized polylogarithmic functions. As a physical example, higher-order terms of the ɛ-expansion of the polarization function of the neutral gauge bosons are constructed.

Scaling property of domain-wall QCD in perturbation theory

We estimate the lattice artifacts in loop corrections perturbatively for domain-wall QCD with an infinite number of extra flavors. We find that there appear no $\mathcal{O}(a)$ errors in renormalization factors of the quark wave function, mass, and quark bilinear operators at the one- and two-loop levels with off-shell quark momentum. Our proof is based on the even- or oddness of the quantum correction in terms of the quark external momentum and mass, and it can be extended to any loop level.

KaonBparameter with the Wilson quark action using chiral Ward identities

A lattice QCD calculation of the kaon $B$ parameter ${B}_{K}$ is carried out with the Wilson quark action in the quenched approximation at $\ensuremath{\beta}{=6/g}^{2}=5.9--6.5.$ The mixing problem of the $\ensuremath{\Delta}s=2$ four-quark operators is solved nonperturbatively with full use of chiral Ward identities employing four external quarks with an equal off-shell momentum in the Landau gauge. This method, without invoking any effective theory, enables us to construct the weak four-quark operators exhibiting good chiral behavior. Our results for ${B}_{K}$ with the nonperturbative mixing coefficients show small scaling violation beyond the lattice cutoff ${a}^{\ensuremath{-}1}\ensuremath{\sim}2.5\mathrm{GeV}.$ Our estimate concludes ${B}_{K}(\mathrm{N}\mathrm{D}\mathrm{R},2\mathrm{}\mathrm{GeV})=0.69(7)$ at ${a}^{\ensuremath{-}1}=2.7--4.3\mathrm{GeV},$ which agrees with the value obtained with the Kogut-Susskind quark action. For comparison we also calculate ${B}_{K}$ with one-loop perturbative mixing coefficients. While this yields incorrect values at finite lattice spacing, a linear extrapolation to the continuum limit as a function of $a$ leads to a result consistent with those obtained with the Ward identity method.