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Nikolay M. Nikolov

Publications and source records attributed to Nikolay M. Nikolov.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources
arXiv2023

Reconstruction of vertex algebras in even higher dimensions

Vertex algebras in higher dimensions correspond to models of quantum field theory with global conformal invariance. Any vertex algebra in dimension D admits a restriction to a vertex algebra in any lower dimension and, in particular, to dimension one. In the case when D is even, we find natural conditions under which the converse passage is possible. These conditions include a unitary action of the conformal Lie algebra with a positive energy, which is given by local endomorphisms and obeys certain integrability properties.

math-ph↗
arXiv2019

Semi-Differential Operators and the Algebra of Operator Product Expansion of Quantum Fields

We introduce a symmetric operad whose algebras are the Operator Product Expansion (OPE) Algebras of quantum fields. There is a natural classical limit for the algebras over this operad and they are commutative associative algebras with derivations. The latter are the algebras of classical fields. In this paper we completely develop our approach to models of quantum fields, which come from vertex algebras in higher dimensions. However, our approach to OPE algebras can be extended to general quantum fields even over curved space-time. We introduce a notion of OPE operations based on the new notion of semi-differential operators. The latter are linear operators Gamma from M to N between two modules of a commutative associative algebra A, such that for every m belonging to M the assignment "a maps to Gamma(a.m)" is a differential operator from A to N in the usual sense. The residue of a meromorphic function at its pole is an example of a semi-differential operator.

hep-th↗
arXiv2013

Renormalization of Massless Feynman Amplitudes in Configuration Space

A systematic study of recursive renormalization of Feynman amplitudes is carried out both in Euclidean and in Minkowski configuration space. For a massless quantum field theory (QFT) we use the technique of extending associate homogeneous distributions to complete the renormalization recursion. A homogeneous (Poincare covariant) amplitude is said to be convergent if it admits a (unique covariant) extension as a homogeneous distribution. For any amplitude without subdivergences - i.e. for a Feynman distribution that is homogeneous off the full (small) diagonal - we define a renormalization invariant residue. Its vanishing is a necessary and sufficient condition for the convergence of such an amplitude. It extends to arbitrary - not necessarily primitively divergent - Feynman amplitudes. This notion of convergence is finer than the usual power counting criterion and includes cancellation of divergences.

hep-th↗
arXiv2012

Curved $A_{\infty}$-algebras and Chern classes

We describe two constructions giving rise to curved $A_{\infty}$-algebras. The first consists of deforming $A_{\infty}$-algebras, while the second involves transferring curved dg structures that are deformations of (ordinary) dg structures along chain contractions. As an application of the second construction, given a vector bundle on a polyhedron $X$, we exhibit a curved $A_{\infty}$-structure on the complex of matrix-valued cochains of sufficiently fine triangulations of $X$. We use this structure as a motivation to develop a homotopy associative version of Chern-Weil theory.

math.DG↗
arXiv2012

Operadic construction of the renormalization group

First, we give a functorial construction of a group associated to a symmetric operad. Applied to the endomorphism operad it gives the group of formal diffeomorphisms. Second, we associate a symmetric operad to any family of decorated graphs stable by contraction. In the case of Quantum Field Theory models it gives the renormalization group. As an example we get an operadic interpretation of the group of "diffeographisms" attached to the Connes-Kreimer Hopf algebra.

math-ph↗
arXiv2009

Renormalization theory of Feynman amplitudes on configuration spaces

In a previous paper "Anomalies in Quantum Field Theory and Cohomologies of Configuration Spaces" (arXiv:0903.0187) we presented a new method for renormalization in Euclidean configuration spaces based on certain renormalization maps. This approach is aimed to serve for developing an algebraic algorithm for computing the Gell--Mann--Low renormalization group action. In the present work we introduce a modification of the theory of renormalization maps for the case of Minkowski space and we give the way how it is combined with the causal perturbation theory.

hep-th↗
arXiv2009

Anomalies in Quantum Field Theory and Cohomologies of Configuration Spaces

In this paper we study systematically the Euclidean renormalization in configuration spaces. We investigate also the deviation from commutativity of the renormalization and the action of all linear partial differential operators. This deviation is the source of the anomalies in quantum field theory, including the renormalization group action. It also determines a Hochschild 1-cocycle and the renormalization ambiguity corresponds to a nonlinear subset in the cohomology class of this renormalization cocycle. We show that the related cohomology spaces can be reduced to de Rham cohomologies of the so called "(ordered) configuration spaces". We find cohomological differential equations that determine the renormalization cocycles up to the renormalization freedom. This analysis is a first step towards a new approach for computing renormalization group actions. It can be also naturally extended to manifolds as well as to the case of causal perturbation theory. (This paper is based on previous preprint arXiv:0712.2194, but it has been entirely re-written and various new results are included.)

math-ph↗
arXiv2008

Harmonic bilocal fields generated by globally conformal invariant scalar fields

The twist two contribution in the operator product expansion of phi_1(x_1) phi_2(x_2) for a pair of globally conformal invariant, scalar fields of equal scaling dimension d in four space-time dimensions is a field V_1(x_1,x_2) which is harmonic in both variables. It is demonstrated that the Huygens bilocality of V_1 can be equivalently characterized by a "single-pole property" concerning the pole structure of the (rational) correlation functions involving the product phi_1(x_1) phi_2(x_2). This property is established for the dimension d=2 of phi_1, phi_2. As an application we prove that any system of GCI scalar fields of conformal dimension 2 (in four space-time dimensions) can be presented as a (possibly infinite) superposition of products of free massless fields.

hep-th↗
arXiv2007

Cohomological analysis of the Epstein-Glaser renormalization

A cohomological analysis of the renormalization freedom is performed in the Epstein-Glaser scheme on a flat Euclidean space. We study the deviation from commutativity between the renormalization and the action of all linear partial differential operators. It defines a Hochschild 1-cocycle and the renormalization ambiguity corresponds to a nonlinear subset in the cohomology class of this renormalization cocycle. We have shown that the related cohomology spaces can be reduced to de Rham cohomologies of the so called "(ordered) configuration spaces". We have also found cohomological differential equations that exactly determine the renormalization cocycles up to the renormalization freedom. This analysis is a first step towards a new approach for computing renormalization group actions. It can be also naturally extended to manifolds as well as to the case of causal perturbation theory.

hep-th↗
arXiv2006

Jacobi Identity for Vertex Algebras in Higher Dimensions

Vertex algebras in higher dimensions provide an algebraic framework for investigating axiomatic quantum field theory with global conformal invariance. We develop further the theory of such vertex algebras by introducing formal calculus techniques and investigating the notion of polylocal fields. We derive a Jacobi identity which together with the vacuum axiom can be taken as an equivalent definition of vertex algebra.

math-ph↗
arXiv2005

Elliptic Thermal Correlation Functions and Modular Forms in a Globally Conformal Invariant QFT

Global conformal invariance (GCI) of quantum field theory (QFT) in two and higher space-time dimensions implies the Huygens' principle, and hence, rationality of correlation functions of observable fields (see Commun. Math. Phys. 218 (2001) 417-436; hep-th/0009004). The conformal Hamiltonian $H$ has discrete spectrum assumed here to be finitely degenerate. We then prove that thermal expectation values of field products on compactified Minkowski space can be represented as finite linear combinations of basic (doubly periodic) elliptic functions in the conformal time variables (of periods 1 and $τ$) whose coefficients are, in general, formal power series in $q^{1/2}=e^{iπτ}$ involving spherical functions of the "space-like" fields' arguments. As a corollary, if the resulting expansions converge to meromorphic functions, then the finite temperature correlation functions are elliptic. Thermal 2-point functions of free fields are computed and shown to display these features. We also study modular transformation properties of Gibbs energy mean values with respect to the (complex) inverse temperature $τ$ ($Im(τ)=β/(2π)>0$). The results are used to obtain the thermodynamic limit of thermal energy densities and correlation functions.

hep-th↗
arXiv2005

Conformal invariance and rationality in an even dimensional quantum field theory

Invariance under finite conformal transformations in Minkowski space and the Wightman axioms imply strong locality (Huygens principle) and rationality of correlation functions, thus providing an extension of the concept of vertex algebra to higher dimensions. Gibbs (finite temperature) expectation values appear as elliptic functions in the conformal time. We survey and further pursue our program of constructing a globally conformal invariant model of a hermitean scalar field L of scale dimension four in Minkowski space-time which can be interpreted as the Lagrangian density of a gauge field theory.

math-ph↗
arXiv2005

Lectures on Elliptic Functions and Modular Forms in Conformal Field Theory

A concise review of the notions of elliptic functions, modular forms, and theta-functions is provided, devoting most of the paper to applications to Conformal Field Theory (CFT), introduced within the axiomatic framework of quantum field theory. Many features, believed to be peculiar to chiral 2D (= two dimensional) CFT, are shown to have a counterpart in any (even dimensional) globally conformal invariant quantum field theory. The treatment is based on a recently introduced higher dimensional extension of the concept of vertex algebra.

math-ph↗
arXiv2003

Globally conformal invariant gauge field theory with rational correlation functions

Operator product expansions (OPE) for the product of a scalar field with its conjugate are presented as infinite sums of bilocal fields V_k (x_1, x_2) of dimension (k,k). For a {\it globally conformal invariant} (GCI) theory we write down the OPE of V_k into a series of {\it twist} (dimension minus rank) 2k symmetric traceless tensor fields with coefficients computed from the (rational) 4-point function of the scalar field. We argue that the theory of a GCI hermitian scalar field L(x) of dimension 4 in D = 4 Minkowski space such that the 3-point functions of a pair of L's and a scalar field of dimension 2 or 4 vanish can be interpreted as the theory of local observables of a conformally invariant fixed point in a gauge theory with Lagrangian density L(x).

hep-th↗
arXiv2002

Global Conformal Invariance and Bilocal Fields with Rational Correlation Functions

The singular part of the \textit{operator product expansion} (OPE) of a pair of \textit{globally conformal invariant} (GCI) scalar fields $ϕ$ of (integer) dimension $d$ can be written as a sum of the 2-point function of $ϕ$ and $d-1$ bilocal conformal fields $V_ν(x_1, x_2)$ of dimension $(ν, ν)$, $ν= 1, ..., d-1$. As the correlation functions of $ϕ(x)$ are proven to be rational [6], we argue that the correlation functions of $V_ν$ can also be assumed rational. Each $V_ν(x_1, x_2)$ is expanded into local symmetric tensor fields of \textit{twist} (dimension minus rank) $2ν$. The case $d=2$, considered previously [5], is briefly reviewed and current work on the $d=4$ case (of a Lagrangean density in 4 space--time dimensions) is previewed.

hep-th↗
arXiv2002

Four Dimensional CFT Models with Rational Correlation Functions

Recently established rationality of correlation functions in a globally conformal invariant quantum field theory satisfying Wightman axioms is used to construct a family of soluble models in 4-dimensional Minkowski space-time. We consider in detail a model of a neutral scalar field $ϕ$ of dimension 2. It depends on a positive real parameter c, an analogue of the Virasoro central charge, and admits for all (finite) c an infinite number of conserved symmetric tensor currents. The operator product algebra of $ϕ$ is shown to coincide with a simpler one, generated by a bilocal scalar field $V(x_1,x_2)$ of dimension (1,1). The modes of V together with the unit operator span an infinite dimensional Lie algebra $L_V$ whose vacuum (i.e. zero energy lowest weight) representations only depend on the central charge c. Wightman positivity (i.e. unitarity of the representations of $L_V$) is proven to be equivalent to $c \in N$.

hep-th↗