On the physical interpretation of the Vilkovisky-Dewitt effective action

Journal Article · Sun Nov 01 04:00:00 EST 1987 · Mod. Phys. Lett. A; (United States)

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1142/S0217732387001117· OSTI ID:7145325

Burgess, C P; Kunstatter, G

This letter examines the physical interpretation of a class of reparameterization-invariant effective actions, recently introduced by DeWitt. These include as a special case the Vilkovisky and DeWitt effective action. The invariant actions are shown to share those features at the root of the utility of the standard effective action. In particular, they can be interpreted as the minimum energy in states that are subject to a reparameterization-invariant constraint. It is also shown that, contrary to standard lore, although the Vilkovisky-DeWitt action is given as the sum of one-particle-irreducible graphs it is not the generator of 1PI n-point functions.

• Research Organization: Physics Dept., McGill Univ., 3600 University St., Montreal, PQ H3A 2T8 (CA)
• OSTI ID: 7145325
• Journal Information: Mod. Phys. Lett. A; (United States), Journal Name: Mod. Phys. Lett. A; (United States) Vol. 2:11; ISSN MPLAE
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

645400* -- High Energy Physics-- Field Theory
657003 -- Theoretical & Mathematical Physics-- Relativity & Gravitation
71 CLASSICAL AND QUANTUM MECHANICS
GENERAL PHYSICS
72 PHYSICS OF ELEMENTARY PARTICLES AND FIELDS
ACTION INTEGRAL
FIELD THEORIES
INTEGRALS
INVARIANCE PRINCIPLES
QUANTUM FIELD THEORY
RENORMALIZATION