4,907 research outputs found
Quantum Field Theory: Where We Are
We comment on the present status, the concepts and their limitations, and the
successes and open problems of the various approaches to a relativistic quantum
theory of elementary particles, with a hindsight to questions concerning
quantum gravity and string theory.Comment: To appear in: An Assessment of Current Paradigms in the Physics of
Fundamental Phenomena, to be published by Springer Verlag (2006
Wedge-Local Quantum Fields and Noncommutative Minkowski Space
Within the setting of a recently proposed model of quantum fields on
noncommutative Minkowski spacetime, the consequences of the consistent
application of the proper, untwisted Poincare group as the symmetry group are
investigated. The emergent model contains an infinite family of fields which
are labelled by different noncommutativity parameters, and related to each
other by Lorentz transformations. The relative localization properties of these
fields are investigated, and it is shown that to each field one can assign a
wedge-shaped localization region of Minkowski space. This assignment is
consistent with the principles of covariance and locality, i.e. fields
localized in spacelike separated wedges commute.
Regarding the model as a non-local, but wedge-local, quantum field theory on
ordinary (commutative) Minkowski spacetime, it is possible to determine
two-particle S-matrix elements, which turn out to be non-trivial. Some partial
negative results concerning the existence of observables with sharper
localization properties are also obtained.Comment: Version to appear in JHEP, 27 page
Infra-Red Asymptotic Dynamics of Gauge Invariant Charged Fields: QED versus QCD
The freedom one has in constructing locally gauge invariant charged fields in
gauge theories is analyzed in full detail and exploited to construct, in QED,
an electron field whose two-point function W(p), up to the fourth order in the
coupling constant, is normalized with on-shell normalization conditions and is,
nonetheless, infra-red finite; as a consequence the radiative corrections
vanish on the mass shell and the free field singularity is
dominant, although, in contrast to quantum field theories with mass gap, the
eigenvalue of the mass operator is not isolated. The same construction,
carried out for the quark in QCD, is not sufficient for cancellation of
infra-red divergences to take place in the fourth order. The latter
divergences, however, satisfy a simple factorization equation. We speculate on
the scenario that could be drawn about infra-red asymptotic dynamics of QCD,
should this factorization equation be true in any order of perturbation theory.Comment: 30 pages, RevTex, 8 figures included using graphic
On dilation symmetries arising from scaling limits
Quantum field theories, at short scales, can be approximated by a scaling
limit theory. In this approximation, an additional symmetry is gained, namely
dilation covariance. To understand the structure of this dilation symmetry, we
investigate it in a nonperturbative, model independent context. To that end, it
turns out to be necessary to consider non-pure vacuum states in the limit.
These can be decomposed into an integral of pure states; we investigate how the
symmetries and observables of the theory behave under this decomposition. In
particular, we consider several natural conditions of increasing strength that
yield restrictions on the decomposed dilation symmetry.Comment: 40 pages, 1 figur
New Concepts in Particle Physics from Solution of an Old Problem
Recent ideas on modular localization in local quantum physics are used to
clarify the relation between on- and off-shell quantities in particle physics;
in particular the relation between on-shell crossing symmetry and off-shell
Einstein causality. Among the collateral results of this new nonperturbative
approach are profound relations between crossing symmetry of particle physics
and Hawking-Unruh like thermal aspects (KMS property, entropy attached to
horizons) of quantum matter behind causal horizons, aspects which hitherto were
exclusively related with Killing horizons in curved spacetime rather than with
localization aspects in Minkowski space particle physics. The scope of this
modular framework is amazingly wide and ranges from providing a conceptual
basis for the d=1+1 bootstrap-formfactor program for factorizable d=1+1 models
to a decomposition theory of QFT's in terms of a finite collection of unitarily
equivalent chiral conformal theories placed a specified relative position
within a common Hilbert space (in d=1+1 a holographic relation and in higher
dimensions more like a scanning). The new framework gives a spacetime
interpretation to the Zamolodchikov-Faddeev algebra and explains its thermal
aspects.Comment: In this form it will appear in JPA Math Gen, 47 pages tcilate
Vacuum Fluctuations, Geometric Modular Action and Relativistic Quantum Information Theory
A summary of some lines of ideas leading to model-independent frameworks of
relativistic quantum field theory is given. It is followed by a discussion of
the Reeh-Schlieder theorem and geometric modular action of Tomita-Takesaki
modular objects associated with the quantum field vacuum state and certain
algebras of observables. The distillability concept, which is significant in
specifying useful entanglement in quantum information theory, is discussed
within the setting of general relativistic quantum field theory.Comment: 26 pages. Contribution for the Proceedings of a Conference on Special
Relativity held at Potsdam, 200
Kitaev's quantum double model from a local quantum physics point of view
A prominent example of a topologically ordered system is Kitaev's quantum
double model for finite groups (which in particular
includes , the toric code). We will look at these models from
the point of view of local quantum physics. In particular, we will review how
in the abelian case, one can do a Doplicher-Haag-Roberts analysis to study the
different superselection sectors of the model. In this way one finds that the
charges are in one-to-one correspondence with the representations of
, and that they are in fact anyons. Interchanging two of such
anyons gives a non-trivial phase, not just a possible sign change. The case of
non-abelian groups is more complicated. We outline how one could use
amplimorphisms, that is, morphisms to study the superselection
structure in that case. Finally, we give a brief overview of applications of
topologically ordered systems to the field of quantum computation.Comment: Chapter contributed to R. Brunetti, C. Dappiaggi, K. Fredenhagen, J.
Yngvason (eds), Advances in Algebraic Quantum Field Theory (Springer 2015).
Mainly revie
Very late-onset neuromyelitis optica spectrum disorder beyond the age of 75
Aquaporin-4 antibody (AQP4-Ab)-positive neuromyelitis optica spectrum disorder (NMOSD) is a rare but often severe autoimmune disease with median onset around 40Â years of age. We report characteristics of three very-late-onset NMOSD (including complete NMO) patients >75Â years of age, in whom this diagnosis initially seemed unlikely because of their age and age-associated concomitant diseases, and briefly review the literature. All three patients, aged 79, 82 and 88 years, presented with a spinal cord syndrome as the first clinical manifestation of AQP4-Ab-positive NMOSD. They all had severe relapses unless immunosuppressive therapy was initiated, and one untreated patient died of a fatal NMOSD course. Two patients developed side effects of immunosuppression. We conclude that a first manifestation of NMOSD should be considered even in patients beyond the age of 75 years with a compatible syndrome, especially longitudinally extensive myelitis. Early diagnosis and treatment are feasible and highly relevant. Special attention is warranted in the elderly to recognize adverse effects of immunosuppressive therapies as early as possible
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