One-loop renormalization of quantum electrodynamics in curved space-time

Journal Article · Wed Apr 15 04:00:00 EST 1981 · Phys. Rev., D; (United States)

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevD.23.1735· OSTI ID:6534453

Panangaden, P

In this paper we discuss the renormalizability of quantum electrodynamics (QED) in a general curved space-time. A generating functional is introduced and position-space Feynman rules are obtained. Functional techniques are used to show that a form of Ward's identity can be derived in curved space-time. A local momentum representation for the scalar and vector propagators is introduced. The one-loop diagrams for the electron and photon self-energy are computed and it is shown that there are no divergences that are not present in flat space. It is shown that this latter result depends crucially on the gauge invariance of the theory and is not merely a trivial consequence of renormalizability of QED in flat space-time.

• Research Organization: Department of Physics, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, Utah 84112
• OSTI ID: 6534453
• Journal Information: Phys. Rev., D; (United States), Journal Name: Phys. Rev., D; (United States) Vol. 23:8; ISSN PRVDA
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

645400* -- High Energy Physics-- Field Theory
72 PHYSICS OF ELEMENTARY PARTICLES AND FIELDS
DIAGRAMS
ELECTRODYNAMICS
ENERGY
FEYNMAN DIAGRAM
FIELD THEORIES
GAUGE INVARIANCE
INVARIANCE PRINCIPLES
PROPAGATOR
QUANTUM ELECTRODYNAMICS
QUANTUM FIELD THEORY
QUANTUM GRAVITY
RENORMALIZATION
SCALAR FIELDS
SELF-ENERGY
SPACE-TIME
ULTRAVIOLET DIVERGENCES
VACUUM POLARIZATION
WARD IDENTITY