arXiv subjects

D. G. C. McKeon

Publications and source records attributed to D. G. C. McKeon.

At least 145 records · Page 8Linked to original sources

arXiv2002

Renormalization Group Summation and the Free Energy of Hot QCD

Using an approach developed in the context of zero-temperature QCD to systematically sum higher order effects whose form is fixed by the renormalization group equation, we sum to all orders the leading log (LL) and next-to-leading log (NLL) contributions to the thermodynamic free energy in hot QCD. While the result varies considerably less with changes in the renormalization scale than does the purely perturbative result, a novel ambiguity arises which reflects the strong scheme dependence of thermal perturbation theory.

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arXiv2002

Pade/renormalization-group improvement of inclusive semileptonic B decay rates

Renormalization Group (RG) and optimized Pade-approximant methods are used to estimate the three-loop perturbative contributions to the inclusive semileptonic b \to u and b \to c decay rates. It is noted that the \bar{MS} scheme works favorably in the b \to u case whereas the pole mass scheme shows better convergence in the b \to c case. Upon the inclusion of the estimated three-loop contribution, we find the full perturbative decay rate to be 192π^3Γ(b\to u\barν_\ell\ell^-)/(G_F^2| V_{ub}|^2) = 2065 \pm 290{\rm GeV^5} and 192π^3Γ(b\to c\ell^-\barν_\ell)/(G_F^2|V_{cb}|^2)= 992 \pm 198 {\rm GeV^5}, respectively. The errors are inclusive of theoretical uncertainties and non-perturbative effects. Ultimately, these perturbative contributions reduce the theoretical uncertainty in the extraction of the CKM matrix elements |V_{ub}| and |V_{cb}| from their respective measured inclusive semileptonic branching ratio(s).

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arXiv2002

Renormalization-Mass Scale Dependence in QCD Contributions to Semileptonic $b \to u$ Decay

QCD contributions to the $b \to u \ell^- \barν_\ell$ decay rate, which are known to two-loop order in the $\bar{MS}$ scheme, exhibit sufficient dependence on the renormalization mass $μ$ to compromise phenomenological predictions for inclusive semileptonic $B \to X_u$ processes. Such scale dependence is ameliorated by the renormalization-group (RG) extraction and summation of all leading and RG-accessible subleading logarithms occurring subsequent to two-loop order in the perturbative series. This optimal RG-improvement of the known portion of the perturbative series virtually eliminates $μ$-dependence as a source of theoretical uncertainty in the predicted semileptonic $B \to X_u$ inclusive rate.

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arXiv2002

Three Loop Estimate of the Inclusive Semileptonic $b\to c$ Decay Rate

The renormalization-scale ($μ$) dependence of the two-loop inclusive semileptonic $b\to c\ell^-\barν_\ell$ decay rate is shown to be significant in the pole mass scheme, and the decay rate is shown to be poorly convergent in the MS-bar scheme. Three-loop contributions to the decay rate are estimated by developing Pade approximant techniques particularly suited to perturbative calculations in the pole mass scheme. An optimized Pade estimate of the three-loop contributions is obtained by comparison of the Pade estimates with the three-loop terms determined by renormalization-group invariance. The resulting three-loop estimate in the pole-mass scheme exhibits minimal sensitivity to the renormalization scale near $μ=1.0 GeV$, leading to an estimated decay rate of $192π^3Γ(b\to c\ell^-\barν_\ell)/(G_F^2|V_{cb}|^2)=992\pm 217 GeV^5$ inclusive of theoretical uncertainties and non-perturbative effects.

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arXiv2002

Closed-Form Summation of RG-Accessible Logarithmic Contributions to Semileptonic B-Decays and Other Perturbative Processes

For any perturbative series that is known to $k$-subleading orders of perturbation theory, we utilise the process-appropriate renormalization-group (RG) equation in order to obtain all-orders summation of series terms proportional to $α^n \log^{n-k}(μ^2)$ with $k = {0,1,2,3}$, corresponding to the summation to all orders of the leading and subsequent-three-subleading logarithmic contributions to the full perturbative series. These methods are applied to the perturbative series for semileptonic $b$-decays in both MS-bar and pole-mass schemes, and they result in RG-summed series for the decay rates which exhibit greatly reduced sensitivity to the renormalization scale $μ$. Such summation via RG-methods of all logarithms accessible from known series terms is also applied to perturbative QCD series for vector- and scalar-current correlation functions, the perturbative static potential function, the (single-doublet standard-model) Higgs decay amplitude into two gluons, as well as the Higgs-mediated high-energy cross-section for $W^+W^-\to ZZ$ scattering. The resulting RG-summed expressions are also found to be much less sensitive to the renormalization scale than the original series for these processes.

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arXiv2002

Transport equation and hard thermal loops in noncommutative Yang-Mills theory

We show that the high temperature limit of the noncommutative thermal Yang-Mills theory can be directly obtained from the Boltzmann transport equation of classical particles. As an illustration of the simplicity of the Boltzmann method, we evaluate the two and the three-point gluon functions in the noncommutative U(N) theory at high temperatures T. These amplitudes are gauge invariant and satisfy simple Ward identities. Using the constraint satisfied at order T^2 by the covariantly conserved current, we construct the hard thermal loop effective action of the noncommutative theory.

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arXiv2002

Operator Regularization and Large Noncommutative Chern Simons Theory

We examine noncommutative Chern Simons theory using operator regularization. Both the zeta-function and the eta-function are needed to determine one loop effects. The contributions to these functions coming from the two point function is evaluated. The U(N) noncommutative model smoothly reduces to the SU(N) commutative model as the noncommutative parameter theta_{mu nu} vanishes.

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arXiv2002

Hard Thermal Effects in Noncommutative U(N) Yang-Mills Theory

We study the behaviour of the two- and three-point thermal Green functions, to one loop order in noncommutative U(N) Yang-Mills theory, at temperatures $T$ much higher than the external momenta $p$. We evaluate the amplitudes for small and large values of the variable $θp T$ ($θ$ is the noncommutative parameter) and exactly compute the static gluon self-energy for all values of $θp T$. We show that these gluon functions, which have a leading $T^2$ behaviour, are gauge independent and obey simple Ward identities. We argue that these properties, together with the results for the lowest order amplitudes, may be sufficient to fix uniquely the hard thermal loop effective action of the noncommutative theory.

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arXiv2002

Constraints on Higher-Order Perturbative Corrections in $b\to u$ Semileptonic Decays from Residual Renormalization-Scale Dependence

The constraint of a progressive decrease in residual renormalization scale dependence with increasing loop order is developed as a method for obtaining bounds on unknown higher-order perturbative corrections to renormalization-group invariant quantities. This technique is applied to the inclusive semileptonic process $b\to u \barν_\ell\ell^-$ (explicitly known to two-loop order) to obtain bounds on the three- and four-loop perturbative coefficients that are not accessible via the renormalization group. Using the principle of minimal sensitivity, an estimate is obtained for the perturbative contributions to $Γ(b\to u \barν_\ell\ell^-)$ that incorporates theoretical uncertainty from as-yet-undetermined higher order QCD corrections.

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arXiv2001

Supersymmetry and Superfields in Three Euclidean Dimensions

The simplest supersymmetry algebra and superspace in three dimensional Euclidean (3dE) space is examined. Representations of the algebra are considered and the implications of restricting the space of states to states with positive definite norm are determined. A superspace is defined and superfields are introduced. Supersymmetric field theory models in 3dE are described both in superfield and component field forms. The relationship between these models, and similar models in four dimensional Minkowski space is described.

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arXiv2001

Spinors and Supersymmetry

In this paper, we survey the nature of spinors and supersymmetry (SUSY) in various types of spaces. We treat two distinct types of spaces: flat spaces and spaces of constant (non-zero) curvature. The flat spaces we consider are either three or four dimensional of signatures 3 + 1, 4 + 0, 2 + 2 and 3 + 0. In each of these cases, SUSY generators anti-commute to yield the generators of translations in the non-compact flat spaces. The spaces of constant curvature we consider are two-dimensional: the surface of the sphere S_2 and the Anti-deSitter space AdS_2. S_2 is embedded in a 3 + 0 Euclidean space while AdS_2 is embedded in 2 + 1 Minkowski space. The SUSY generators in these cases anti-commute to yield the generators of the isometry groups (SO(3) or SO(2,1)) of the space involved. We also report on some recent developments in looking for superspace realizations of these SUSY algebras. We can report good progress in the 3 + 0 Euclidean and in the AdS_2 case, somewhat less in the S_2 case. In each of the compact cases, we can construct field multiplet models carrying invariance under the full SUSY algebra.

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arXiv1999

A New Approach to Axial Vector Model Calculations II

We further develop the new approach, proposed in part I (hep-th/9807072), to computing the heat kernel associated with a Fermion coupled to vector and axial vector fields. We first use the path integral representation obtained for the heat kernel trace in a vector-axialvector background to derive a Bern-Kosower type master formula for the one-loop amplitude with $M$ vectors and $N$ axialvectors, valid in any even spacetime dimension. For the massless case we then generalize this approach to the full off-diagonal heat kernel. In the D=4 case the SO(4) structure of the theory can be broken down to $SU(2) \times SU(2)$ by use of the 't Hooft symbols. Various techniques for explicitly evaluating the spin part of the path integral are developed and compared. We also extend the method to external fermions, and to the inclusion of isospin. On the field theory side, we obtain an extension of the second order formalism for fermion QED to an abelian vector-axialvector theory.

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arXiv1998

A New Approach to Axial Vector Model Calculations

We consider the one-loop effective action due to a spinor loop coupled to an abelian vector and axial vector field background. After rewriting this effective action in terms of an auxiliary non-abelian gauge connection, we use the De Witt expansion to analyze both its anomalous and non-anomalous content. The same transformation allows us to obtain a novel worldline path integral representation for this effective action which avoids the usual separation into the real and imaginary parts of the Euclidean effective action, as well as the introduction of auxiliary dimensions.

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arXiv1998

Gauge Model With Extended Field Transformations in Euclidean Space

An SO(4) gauge invariant model with extended field transformations is examined in four dimensional Euclidean space. The gauge field is $(A^μ)^{αβ} = 1/2 t^{μνλ} (M^{νλ})^{αβ}$ where $M^{νλ}$ are the SO(4) generators in the fundamental representation. The SO(4) gauge indices also participate in the Euclidean space SO(4) transformations giving the extended field transformations. We provide the decomposition of the reducible field $t^{μνλ}$ in terms of fields irreducible under SO(4). The SO(4) gauge transformations for the irreducible fields mix fields of different spin. Reducible matter fields are introduced in the form of a Dirac field in the fundamental representation of the gauge group and its decomposition in terms of irreducible fields is also provided. The approach is shown to be applicable also to SO(5) gauge models in five dimensional Euclidean space.

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arXiv1998

Vortex Solutions in the Chern-Simons Stuekelberg Model

Vortex solutions to the classical field equations in a massive, renormalizable U(1) gauge model are considered in (2+1) dimensions. A vector field whose kinetic term consists of a Chern-Simons term plus a Stuekelberg mass term is coupled to a scalar field. If the classical scalar field is set equal to zero, then there are classical configurations of the vector field in which the magnetic flux is non-vanishing and finite. In contrast to the Nielsen-Olesen vortex, the magnetic field vanishes exponentially at large distances and diverges logarithmicly at short distances. This divergence, although not so severe as to cause the flux to diverge, results in the Hamiltonian becoming infinite. If the classical scalar field is no longer equal to zero, then the magnetic flux is not only finite, but quantized and the asymptotic behaviour of the field is altered so that the Hamiltonian no longer suffers from a divergence due to the field configuration at the origin. Furthermore, the asymptotic behaviour at infinity is dependent on the magnitude of the Stuekelberg mass term.

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arXiv1998

Aspects of the Supersymmetry Algebra in Four Dimensional Euclidean Space

The simplest supersymmetry (SUSY) algebra in four dimensional Euclidean space ($4dE$) has been shown to closely resemble the $N = 2$ SUSY algebra in four dimensional Minkowski space ($4dM$). The structure of the former algebra is examined in greater detail in this paper. We first present its Clifford algebra structure. This algebra shows that the momentum Casimir invariant of physical states has an upper bound which is fixed by the central charges. Secondly, we use reduction of the $N = 1$ SUSY algebra in six dimensional Minkowski space ($6dM$) to $4dE$; this reproduces our SUSY algebra in $4dE$. Moreover, this same reduction of supersymmetric Yang-Mills theory (SSYM) in $6dM$ reproduces Zumino's SSYM in $4dE$. We demonstrate how this dimensional reduction can be used to introduce additional generators into the SUSY algebra in $4dE$.

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arXiv1998

SU(2) Yang-Mills Theory with extended Supersymmetry in a Background Magnetic Field

The vacuum structure of N=2 (and N=4) SUSY Yang-Mills theory is analyzed in detail by considering the effective potential for constant background scalar- magnetic fields within different approximations. We compare the one-loop approximation with- or without instanton improved effective coupling with the one-loop result in the dual desription. For N=2 we find that non-perturbative monopole degrees of freedom remove the non-trivial minima present in the (improved) one-loop potential in the strong-coupling regime. The combination of Yang-Mills and dual desription leads to a self-consistent effective potential over the full range of background fields.

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arXiv1997

The Yukawa Coupling in Three Dimensions

We consider several renormalizable, scale free models in three space-time dimensions which involve scalar and spinor fields. The Yukawa couplings are bilinear in both the spinor and scalar fields and the potential is of sixth order in the scalar field. In a model with a single scalar field and a complex Fermion field in three Euclidean dimensions, the couplings in the theory are both asymptotically free. This property is not retained in 2+1 dimensional Minkowski space, as we illustrate by considering a renormalizable scale-free supersymmetric model. This is on account of the different properties of the Dirac matrices in Euclidean and Minkowski space. We also examine a model in 2+1 dimensional Minkowski space in which two species of Fermions, associated with the two unitarily inequivalent representations of the $2 \times 2$ Dirac matrices, couple in two different ways to two distinct scalar fields. There are two types of Yukawa couplings in this model, and either one or the other of them can be asymptotically free (but not both simultaneously).

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