Regularization of the stress-energy tensor for vector and scalar particles propagating in a general background metric

Journal Article · Mon Aug 01 00:00:00 EDT 1977 · Ann. Phys. (N.Y.); (United States)

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1016/0003-4916(77)90313-X· OSTI ID:7288404

Adler, S L; Lieberman, J; Ng, Y J

We study the regularization of the stress-energy tensor for massless vector and massless and massive scalar particles propagating in a general background metric, using covariant point-separation techniques. We find a prescription which leads to a stress-energy tensor which is conserved (provided, in the scalar case, that zeta=1/6) and which is traceless in the conformal invariant limit. The prescription, however, is not a unique one, since the conventionally renormalized stress-energy tensor contains an undetermined multiple of a term, which can be formally reinterpreted as arising from an addition to the gravitational action which is quadratic in the Weyl curvature tensor.

• Research Organization: The Institute for Advanced Study, Princeton, New Jersey 08540
• OSTI ID: 7288404
• Journal Information: Ann. Phys. (N.Y.); (United States), Journal Name: Ann. Phys. (N.Y.); (United States) Vol. 106:2; ISSN APNYA
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

657003* -- Theoretical & Mathematical Physics-- Relativity & Gravitation
71 CLASSICAL AND QUANTUM MECHANICS
GENERAL PHYSICS
BASIC INTERACTIONS
CONFORMAL INVARIANCE
ENERGY-MOMENTUM TENSOR
FIELD THEORIES
GRAVITATIONAL FIELDS
GRAVITATIONAL INTERACTIONS
INTERACTIONS
INVARIANCE PRINCIPLES
METRICS
QUANTUM FIELD THEORY
RENORMALIZATION
SCALAR FIELDS
TENSORS
VECTOR FIELDS