One-loop self energies at finite temperature

Abstract

The complete one-loop self energies (real and imaginary parts) for photons, gluons, electrons and quarks at finite temperature are calculated numerically and compared to the results of the hard thermal loop (HTL) approximation used for the resummation technique of Braaten and Pisarski. In this way some light is shed on the validity of the weak coupling limit assumption ($g \ll 1$) or equivalently the high temperature assumption, on which the HTL approximation is based. Furthermore, the gauge dependence of the fermion self energy beyond the HTL approximation is considered. Finally the dispersion relations following from the real part of the self energies are compared to the HTL results.