arXiv subjects

David J. Toms

Publications and source records attributed to David J. Toms.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources

arXiv2019

Yang-Mills Yukawa model in curved spacetime

The one-loop effective action for the scalar field part of a non-Abelian gauge theory based on a general gauge group of the form $G\times U(1)$, where the gauge group $G$ is arbitrary, is calculated. A complex scalar field, both Abelian and non-Abelian gauge fields and Dirac fermions coupled to gauge and scalar fields are included. A general mass term for the Dirac fields that includes a pseudoscalar term as well as both scalar and pseudoscalar Yukawa couplings is considered. The background field method is used in its manifestly gauge condition independent and gauge invariant form to isolate the divergent part of the one-loop effective action and to calculate the associated renormalisation group functions. Terms in the renormalised effective action up to and including those quadratic in the curvature are calculated using renormalisation group methods. The background scalar field is not assumed to be constant, so the second order derivative terms in the effective action can be calculated, and the gravitational background is kept arbitrary. The difference between the gauge condition independent approach and the more standard approach where gauge condition dependent results are found is demonstrated by explicit calculations. The anomaly that can arise if the pseudoscalar mass term for the fermions is transformed away from the classical theory is noted.

hep-th↗

arXiv2018

Gauged Yukawa model in curved spacetime

The Yukawa model in curved spacetime is considered. We consider a complex scalar field coupled to a $U(1)$ gauge field and also interacting with Dirac fields with a general Yukawa coupling. The local momentum space method is used to obtain the one-loop effective action and we adopt the gauge condition independent background field method introduced by Vilkovisky and DeWitt. The pole parts of the one-loop effective action that depend on the background scalar field, that we do not assume to be constant, are found and used to calculate the counterterms and to determine the relevant renormalization group functions. Terms in the effective action that involve the gradient terms in the scalar field as well as the effective potential are found in the case where the scalar field and Dirac fields are massless. We also discuss the anomaly that arises if the pseudoscalar mass term for the Dirac fermions is removed by a chiral transformation.

hep-th↗

arXiv2018

Effective action for the Yukawa model in curved spacetime

We consider the one-loop renormalization of a real scalar field interacting with a Dirac spinor field in curved spacetime. A general Yukawa interaction is considered which includes both a scalar and a pseudoscalar coupling. The scalar field is assumed to be non-minimally coupled to the gravitational field and to have a general quartic self-interaction potential. All of the one-loop renormalization group functions are evaluated and in the special case where there is no mass scale present in the classical theory (apart from the fields) we evaluate the one-loop effective action up to and including order $R^2$ in the curvature. In the case where the fermion is massive we include a chiral term in $γ_5$ and we show that although the $γ_5$ term can be removed by a redefinition of the spinor field an anomaly in the effective action arises that is related to the familiar axial current anomaly.

hep-th↗

arXiv2015

Quantization of the minimal and non-minimal vector field in curved space

The local momentum space method is used to study the quantized massive vector field (the Proca field) with the possible addition of non-minimal terms. Heat kernel coefficients are calculated and used to evaluate the divergent part of the one-loop effective action. It is shown that the naive expression for the effective action that one would write down based on the minimal coupling case needs modification. We adopt a Faddeev-Jackiw method of quantization and consider the case of an ultrastatic spacetime for simplicity. The operator that arises for non-minimal coupling to the curvature is shown to be non-minimal in the sense of Barvinsky and Vilkovisky. It is shown that when a general non-minimal term is added to the theory the result is not renormalizable with the addition of a local Lagrangian counterterm.

hep-th↗

arXiv2015

Faddeev-Jackiw quantization and the path integral

The method for quantization of constrained theories that was suggested originally by Faddeev and Jackiw along with later modifications is discussed. The particular emphasis of this paper is to show how it is simple to implement their method within the path integral framework using the natural geometric structure that their method utilizes. The procedure is exemplified with the analysis of two models: a quantum mechanical particle constrained to a surface (of which the hypersphere is a special case), and a quantized Schrödinger field interacting with a quantized vector field for both the massive and the massless cases. The results are shown to agree with what is found using the Dirac method for constrained path integrals. We comment on a previous path integral analysis of the Faddeev-Jackiw method. We also discuss why a previous criticism of the Faddeev-Jackiw method is unfounded and why suggested modifications of their method are unnecessary.

hep-th↗

arXiv2015

Invariants of the heat equation for non-minimal operators

A special class of non-minimal operators which are relevant for quantum field theory is introduced. The general form of the heat kernel coefficients of these operators on manifolds without boundary is described. New results are presented for the traces of the first two heat kernel coefficients for vector, Yang-Mills and perturbative gravity. It is argued that non-minimal operators can be used to define gauge-fixing independent actions and solve the conformal mode problem in quantum gravity.

hep-th↗

arXiv2014

Local momentum space and the vector field

The local momentum space expansion for the real vector field is considered. Using Riemann normal coordinates we obtain an expansion of the Feynman Green function up and including terms that are quadratic in the curvature. The results are valid for a non-minimal operator such as that arising from a general Feynman type gauge fixing condition. The result is used to derive the first three terms in the asymptotic expansion for the coincidence limit of the heat kernel without taking the trace, thus obtaining the untraced heat kernel coefficients. The spacetime dimension is kept general before specializing to four dimensions for comparison with previously known results. As a further application we re-examine the anomalous trace of the stress-energy-momentum tensor for the Maxwell field and comment on the gauge dependence.

hep-th↗

arXiv2012

Renormalization and vacuum energy for an interacting scalar field in a δ-function potential

We study a self-interacting scalar field theory in the presence of a δ-function background potential. The role of surface interactions in obtaining a renormalizable theory is stressed and demonstrated by a two-loop calculation. The necessary counterterms are evaluated by adopting dimensional regularization and the background field method. We also calculate the effective potential for a complex scalar field in a non-simply connected spacetime in the presence of a δ-function potential. The effective potential is evaluated as a function of an arbitrary phase factor associated with the choice of boundary conditions in the non-simply connected spacetime. We obtain asymptotic expansions of the results for both large and small δ-function strengths, and stress how the non-analytic nature of the small strength result vitiates any analysis based on standard weak field perturbation theory.

hep-th↗

arXiv2010

Quantum gravitational contributions to quantum electrodynamics

Quantum electrodynamics describes the interactions of electrons and photons. Electric charge (the gauge coupling constant) is energy dependent, and there is a previous claim that charge is affected by gravity (described by general relativity) with the implication that the charge is reduced at high energies. But that claim has been very controversial with the situation inconclusive. Here I report an analysis (free from earlier controversies) demonstrating that that quantum gravity corrections to quantum electrodynamics have a quadratic energy dependence that result in the reduction of the electric charge at high energies, a result known as asymptotic freedom.

hep-th↗

arXiv2009

Quantum gravity, gauge coupling constants, and the cosmological constant

The quantization of Einstein-Maxwell theory with a cosmological constant is considered. We obtain all logarithmically divergent terms in the one-loop effective action that involve only the background electromagnetic field. This includes Lee-Wick type terms, as well as those responsible for the renormalization group behaviour of the electric charge (or fine structure constant). Of particular interest is the possible gauge condition dependence of the results, and we study this in some detail. We show that the traditional background-field method, that is equivalent to a more traditional Feynman diagram calculation, does result in gauge condition dependent results in general. One resolution of this is to use the Vilkovisky-DeWitt effective action method, and this is presented here. Quantum gravity is shown to lead to a contribution to the running charge not present when the cosmological constant vanishes. This re-opens the possibility, suggested by Robinson and Wilczek, of altering the scaling behaviour of gauge theories at high energies although our result differs. We show the possibility of an ultraviolet fixed point that is linked directly to the cosmological constant.

hep-th↗

arXiv2008

Cosmological constant and quantum gravitational corrections to the running fine structure constant

The quantum gravitational contribution to the renormalization group behavior of the electric charge in Einstein-Maxwell theory with a cosmological constant is considered. Quantum gravity is shown to lead to a contribution to the running charge not present when the cosmological constant vanishes. This re-opens the possibility, suggested by Robinson and Wilczek, of altering the scaling behaviour of gauge theories at high energies although our result differs. We show the possibility of an ultraviolet fixed point that is linked directly to the cosmological constant.

hep-th↗

arXiv2007

Quantum gravity and charge renormalization

We study the question of the gauge dependence of the quantum gravity contribution to the running gauge coupling constant for electromagnetism. The calculations are performed using dimensional regularization in a manifestly gauge invariant and gauge condition independent formulation of the effective action. It is shown that there is no quantum gravity contribution to the running charge, and hence there is no alteration to asymptotic freedom at high energies as predicted by Robinson and Wilczek.

hep-th↗

arXiv2005

Statistical mechanics of an ideal Bose gas in a confined geometry

We study the behaviour of an ideal non-relativistic Bose gas in a three-dimensional space where one of the dimensions is compactified to form a circle. In this case there is no phase transition like that for the case of an infinite volume, nevertheless Bose-Einstein condensation signified by a sudden buildup of particles in the ground state can occur. We use the grand canonical ensemble to study this problem. In particular, the specific heat is evaluated numerically, as well as analytically in certain limits. We show analytically how the familiar result for the specific heat is recovered as we let the size of the circle become large so that the infinite volume limit is approached. We also examine in detail the behaviour of the chemical potential and establish the precise manner in which it approaches zero as the volume becomes large.

cond-mat.stat-mech↗

arXiv2005

Ideal Fermi gases in harmonic oscillator potential traps

We study the thermodynamic properties of an ideal gas of fermions in a harmonic oscillator confining potential. The analogy between this problem and the de Haas-van Alphen effect is discussed and used to obtain analytical results for the chemical potential and specific heat in the case of both isotropic and anisotropic potentials. Step-like behaviour in the chemical potential, first noted in numerical studies, is obtained analytically and shown to result in an oscillatory behaviour of the specific heat when the particle number is varied. The origin of these oscillations is that part of the thermodynamic potential responsible for the de Haas-van Alphen-type effect. At low temperatures we show analytically that there are significant deviations in the specific heat from the expected linear temperature dependence, again as a consequence of the de Haas-van Alphen part of the thermodynamic potential. Results are given for one, two, and three spatial dimensions. In the anisotropic case we show how the specific heat jumps as the ratio of oscillator frequencies varies.

cond-mat.stat-mech↗

arXiv2004

The Schwinger Action Principle and the Feynman Path Integral for Quantum Mechanics in Curved Space

The Feynman path integral approach to quantum mechanics is examined in the case where the configuration space is curved. It is shown how the ambiguity that is present in the choice of path integral measure may be resolved if, in addition to general covariance, the path integral is also required to be consistent with the Schwinger action principle. On this basis it is argued that in addition to the natural volume element associated with the curved space, there should be a factor of the Van Vleck-Morette determinant present. This agrees with the conclusion of an approach based on the link between the path integral and stochastic differential equations.

hep-th↗

arXiv2004

Non-constant ground states for symmetry-breaking fields in brane world models

We obtain an approximate analytical solution for the ground state of a bulk scalar field with a double-well potential in the Randall-Sundrum brane world background, in a situation where the boundary conditions rule out a constant field configuration except for the zero solution. The stability of the zero solution is determined by the brane separation. We find our approximation near the critical separation at which the zero solution becomes unstable to small perturbations.

hep-th↗

arXiv2002

Vacuum solutions for scalar fields confined in cavities

We look at vacuum solutions for fields confined in cavities where the boundary conditions can rule out constant field configurations, other than the zero field. If the zero field is unstable, symmetry breaking can occur to a field configuration of lower energy which is not constant. The stability of the zero field is determined by the size of the length scales which characterize the cavity and parameters that enter the scalar field potential. There can be a critical length at which an instability of the zero field sets in. In addition to looking at the rectangular and spherical cavity in detail, we describe a general method which can be used to find approximate analytical solutions when the length scales of the cavity are close to the critical value.

hep-th↗

arXiv2002

zeta-function regularization and the interacting Bose gas at low temperature

zeta-function methods are used to study the properties of the non-relativistic interacting Bose gas at finite temperature and density. Results for the ground state energy and pressure are obtained at both zero and finite temperature. The method used does not restrict the form of the interaction, which can be completely general. A similar procedure is then applied to evaluate the ground state energy of a binary mixture consisting of different bosons. Analytical results are obtained in the case where the two species have the same mass.

hep-th↗