Calculating the effective action for a self-interacting scalar quantum field theory in a curved background spacetime

Journal Article · Fri Apr 15 00:00:00 EDT 1988 · Phys. Rev. D; (United States)

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevD.37.2182· OSTI ID:5308638

Guven, J

We obtain an expansion in derivatives for the effective action of a self-interacting scalar field theory in a curved background spacetime. Working within the DeWitt--Schwinger proper-time representation, we first present a generalization of the recursive method introduced by DeWitt to obtain the proper-time series. We then provide an alternative path-integral derivation using Riemann normal coordinates. We conclude with an examination of the breakdown of the expansion in derivatives when the mass scale vanishes. We argue that the massless limit necessarily leads to nonlocal behavior. To illustrate this, we employ a second-order quasilocal approximation and reexamine perturbation theory within the proper-time framework.

• Research Organization: Center for Theoretical Physics, Laboratory for Nuclear Science dge, Massachusetts 02139
• OSTI ID: 5308638
• Journal Information: Phys. Rev. D; (United States), Vol. 37:8
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

72 PHYSICS OF ELEMENTARY PARTICLES AND FIELDS
QUANTUM FIELD THEORY
SPACE-TIME
COUPLING CONSTANTS
FEYNMAN PATH INTEGRAL
LAGRANGIAN FUNCTION
PARTICLE INTERACTIONS
PERTURBATION THEORY
RENORMALIZATION
SCALAR FIELDS
FIELD THEORIES
FUNCTIONS
INTEGRALS
INTERACTIONS
645400* - High Energy Physics- Field Theory