Counting loop diagrams: computational complexity of higher-order amplitude evaluation

We discuss the computational complexity of the perturbative evaluation of scattering amplitudes, both by the Caravaglios-Moretti algorithm and by direct evaluation of the individual diagrams. For a self-interacting scalar theory, we determine the complexity as a function of the number of external legs. We describe a method for obtaining the number of topologically inequivalent Feynman graphs containing closed loops, and apply this to one- and two-loop amplitudes. We also compute the number of graphs weighted by their symmetry factors, thus arriving at exact and asymptotic estimates for the average symmetry factor of diagrams. We present results for the asymptotic number of diagrams up to 10 loops, and prove that the average symmetry factor approaches unity as the number of external legs becomes large.Comment: 27 pages, 17 table

SARGE: an algorithm for generating QCD-antennas

We present an algorithm to generate any number of random massless momenta in phase space, with a distribution that contains the kinematical pole structure that is typically found in multi-parton QCD-processes. As an application, we calculate the cross-section of some \eplus\eminus \to partons processes, and compare SARGE's performance with that of the uniform-phase space generator RAMBO.Comment: 9 pages, affiliation correcte

Counting tree diagrams: asymptotic results for QCD-like theories

We discuss the enumeration of Feynman diagrams at tree order for processes with external lines of different types. We show how this can be done by iterating algebraic Schwinger-Dyson equations. Asymptotic estimates for very many external lines are derived. Applications include QED, QCD and scalar QED, and the asymptotic estimates are numerically confronted with the exact results.Comment: 16 page

Diagrammatic proof of the BCFW recursion relation for gluon amplitudes in QCD

We present a proof of the Britto-Cachazo-Feng-Witten tree-level recursion relation for gluon amplitudes in QCD, based on a direct equivalence between BCFW decompositions and Feynman diagrams. We demonstrate that this equivalence can be made explicit when working in a convenient gauge. We exhibit that gauge invariance and the particular structure of Yang-Mills vertices guarantees the validity of the BCFW construction.Comment: 24 pages, 33 figure