Proof of summed form of proper-time expansion for propagator in curved space-time

Journal Article · Wed May 15 00:00:00 EDT 1985 · Phys. Rev. D; (United States)

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevD.31.2439· OSTI ID:5859458

Jack, I; Parker, L

We consider the Schwinger-DeWitt proper-time expansion of the kernel of the Feynman propagator in curved space-time. We prove that the proper-time expansion can be written in a new form, conjectured by Parker and Toms, in which all the terms containing the scalar curvature R are generated by a simple overall exponential factor. This sums all terms containing R, including those with nonconstant coefficients, in the proper-time series. This result is valid for an arbitrary space-time and for any spin. It also applies to the heat kernel. This form of the expansion is of importance in connection with nonperturbative effects in quantum field theory.

• Research Organization: Department of Physics, University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, Milwaukee, Wisconsin 53201
• OSTI ID: 5859458
• Journal Information: Phys. Rev. D; (United States), Vol. 31:10
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

72 PHYSICS OF ELEMENTARY PARTICLES AND FIELDS
QUANTUM FIELD THEORY
PROPAGATOR
SPACE-TIME
BOUNDARY CONDITIONS
GREEN FUNCTION
SCALAR FIELDS
SCHROEDINGER EQUATION
SPIN
YANG-MILLS THEORY
ANGULAR MOMENTUM
DIFFERENTIAL EQUATIONS
EQUATIONS
FIELD THEORIES
FUNCTIONS
PARTIAL DIFFERENTIAL EQUATIONS
PARTICLE PROPERTIES
WAVE EQUATIONS
645400* - High Energy Physics- Field Theory