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arXiv · hep-th/9309085

Predictivity and Nonrenormalizability

Damiano Anselmi
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Abstract

We consider the problem of removing the divergences in an arbitrary gauge-field theory (possibly nonrenormalizable). We show that this can be achieved by performing, order by order in the loop expansion, a redefinition of some parameters (possibly infinitely many) and a canonical transformation (in the sense of Batalin and Vilkovisky) of fields and BRS sources. Gauge-invariance is turned into a suitable quantum generalization of BRS-invariance. We define quantum observables and study their properties. We apply the result to renormalizable gauge-field theories that are gauge-fixed with a nonrenormalizable gauge-fixing and prove that their predictivity is retained. A corollary is that topological field theories are predictive. Analogies and differences with the formalisms of classical and quantum mechanics are pointed out.

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Damiano Anselmi. 1993-10-28. Predictivity and Nonrenormalizability. https://doi.org/10.1088/0264-9381%2F11%2F9%2F005

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