Published June 9, 2014 | Version v1
Journal article

Manifest causality in quantum field theory with sources and detectors

  • 1. Consortium for Fundamental Physics, School of Physics & Astronomy,University of Manchester. Manchester M13 9PL. (United Kingdom)
  • 2. Institute for Particle Physics Phenomenology, Durham University,Durham DH1 3LE. (United Kingdom)
  • 3. School of Physics & Astronomy, University of Manchester,Manchester M13 9PL. (United Kingdom)

Description

We introduce a way to compute scattering amplitudes in quantum field theory including the effects of particle production and detection. Our amplitudes are manifestly causal, by which we mean that the source and detector are always linked by a connected chain of retarded propagators. We show how these amplitudes can be derived from a path integral, using the Schwinger-Keldysh "in-in" formalism. Focussing on ϕ3 theory, we confirm that our approach agrees with the standard S-matrix approach in the case of positive energy plane-wave scattering

Availability note (English)

Available from http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/JHEP06(2014)049; Available from http://repo.scoap3.org/record/2769

Additional details

Publishing Information

Journal Title
Journal of High Energy Physics (Online)
Journal Volume
2014
Journal Issue
06
Journal Page Range
p. 49
ISSN
1029-8479

INIS

Country of Publication
Germany
Country of Input or Organization
International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA)
INIS RN
48016763
Subject category
S72: PHYSICS OF ELEMENTARY PARTICLES AND FIELDS;
Descriptors DEI
CAUSALITY; PARTICLE PRODUCTION; PATH INTEGRALS; PROPAGATOR; QUANTUM FIELD THEORY; S MATRIX; SCATTERING AMPLITUDES; WAVE PROPAGATION
Descriptors DEC
AMPLITUDES; FIELD THEORIES; INTEGRALS; MATRICES

Optional Information

Copyright
Copyright (c) OPEN ACCESS, © The Authors
Notes
PUBLISHER-ID: JHEP06(2014)049; OAI: oai:repo.scoap3.org:2769
Funding organization
SCOAP3, CERN, Geneva (Switzerland)