Path integral formulation of scattering theory with application to scattering by black holes

Thesis/Dissertation · Tue Jan 01 04:00:00 EST 1985

OSTI ID:5525518

Zhang, T R

The computational power of Feynman path integrals was exploited. Path-integration formalism for the quantum mechanics scattering and classical wave scattering was generalized. Firstly, the standard WKB approximation was generalized to the cases where the critical points of the action functional are degenerate. Three typical semiclassical scattering features served as examples for a classification of degenerate critical points: conservation laws, rainbows, glories. Secondly, the method developed for non-relativistic quantum mechanics scattering was used in the case of classical wave scattering. Scattering by Schwarzschild black holes was chosen as an example, and WKB cross sections for scalar, vector, and tensor fields were worked out. Finally, 2s-th Bessel function behavior of WKB cross section for helicity-s polarized glory scattering in curved space time was proved.

• Research Organization: Texas Univ., Austin (USA)
• OSTI ID: 5525518
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

640102* -- Astrophysics & Cosmology-- Stars & Quasi-Stellar
Radio & X-Ray Sources
645500 -- High Energy Physics-- Scattering Theory-- (-1987)
71 CLASSICAL AND QUANTUM MECHANICS
GENERAL PHYSICS
72 PHYSICS OF ELEMENTARY PARTICLES AND FIELDS
BESSEL FUNCTIONS
BLACK HOLES
CLASSICAL MECHANICS
FEYNMAN PATH INTEGRAL
FUNCTIONS
INTEGRALS
MECHANICS
QUANTUM MECHANICS
SCATTERING
WKB APPROXIMATION