Book contents
- Frontmatter
- Contents
- The network
- Preface
- The constraint algebra of higher dimensional Chern-Simons theories
- Nonrelativistic Chern-Simons vortices from the constrained Hamiltonian formalism
- Classical solutions of gravitating Chern-Simons electrodynamics
- Exponentially localised instantons in a hierarchy of Higgs models
- Obstructions to ganging WZ terms: a symplectic curiosity
- Global aspects of symmetries in sigma models with torsion
- Canonical structure of the non-linear σ-model in a polynomial formulation
- A manifestly gauge-invariant approach to quantum theories of gauge fields
- On the Hamiltonian formulation of higher dimensional Chern-Simons gravity
- An Example of Loop Quantization
- Gauge fixing in constrained systems
- Light-cone formulation of gauge theories
- Hamiltonian constraints and Dirac observables
- Gauging kinematical and internal symmetry groups for extended systems
- On the harmonic interaction of three relativistic point particles
- Non existence of static multi-black-hole solutions in 2+1 dimensions
- Spherically symmetric gravity and the notion of time in general relativity
- Canonical decomposition of Belinskii-Zakharov one-soliton solutions
- Hamiltonian reduction and the R-matrix of the Calogero model
- Intrinsic approach to the Legendre transformation in super-mechanics
- Field-antifield description of anomalous theories
- Transfer matrix quantization of general relativity, and the problem of time
- The W3-particle
- Pure geometrical approach to singular Lagrangians with higher derivatives
- Dirac versus reduced phase space quantization
- Classical and quantum aspects of degenerate metric fields
- BRST-antibracket cohomology in 2d conformal gravity
- Quantisation of 2 + 1 gravity for g = 1 and g = 2
- Geometry and dynamics with time-dependent constraints
- Collective coordinates and BRST transformations or Gauge theories without gauge fields
- Geometry of fermionic constraints in superstring theories
- BRST and new superstring states
- Generalized canonical quantization of gauge theories with polarized second–class constraints
- Radiation field on superspace
- Participants
A manifestly gauge-invariant approach to quantum theories of gauge fields
Published online by Cambridge University Press: 05 November 2011
- Frontmatter
- Contents
- The network
- Preface
- The constraint algebra of higher dimensional Chern-Simons theories
- Nonrelativistic Chern-Simons vortices from the constrained Hamiltonian formalism
- Classical solutions of gravitating Chern-Simons electrodynamics
- Exponentially localised instantons in a hierarchy of Higgs models
- Obstructions to ganging WZ terms: a symplectic curiosity
- Global aspects of symmetries in sigma models with torsion
- Canonical structure of the non-linear σ-model in a polynomial formulation
- A manifestly gauge-invariant approach to quantum theories of gauge fields
- On the Hamiltonian formulation of higher dimensional Chern-Simons gravity
- An Example of Loop Quantization
- Gauge fixing in constrained systems
- Light-cone formulation of gauge theories
- Hamiltonian constraints and Dirac observables
- Gauging kinematical and internal symmetry groups for extended systems
- On the harmonic interaction of three relativistic point particles
- Non existence of static multi-black-hole solutions in 2+1 dimensions
- Spherically symmetric gravity and the notion of time in general relativity
- Canonical decomposition of Belinskii-Zakharov one-soliton solutions
- Hamiltonian reduction and the R-matrix of the Calogero model
- Intrinsic approach to the Legendre transformation in super-mechanics
- Field-antifield description of anomalous theories
- Transfer matrix quantization of general relativity, and the problem of time
- The W3-particle
- Pure geometrical approach to singular Lagrangians with higher derivatives
- Dirac versus reduced phase space quantization
- Classical and quantum aspects of degenerate metric fields
- BRST-antibracket cohomology in 2d conformal gravity
- Quantisation of 2 + 1 gravity for g = 1 and g = 2
- Geometry and dynamics with time-dependent constraints
- Collective coordinates and BRST transformations or Gauge theories without gauge fields
- Geometry of fermionic constraints in superstring theories
- BRST and new superstring states
- Generalized canonical quantization of gauge theories with polarized second–class constraints
- Radiation field on superspace
- Participants
Summary
Abstract
In gauge theories, physical histories are represented by space-time connections modulo gauge transformations. The space of histories is thus intrinsically non-linear. The standard framework of constructive quantum field theory has to be extended to face these kinematical non-linearities squarely. We first present a pedagogical account of this problem and then suggest an avenue for its resolution.
Introduction
As is well-known, for over 40 years, quantum field theory has remained in a somewhat peculiar situation. On the one hand, perturbative treatments of realistic field theories in four space-time dimensions have been available for a long time and their predictions are in excellent agreement with experiments. It is clear therefore that there is something “essentially right” about these theories. On the other hand, their mathematical status continues to be dubious in all cases (with interactions), including QED. In particular, it is generally believed that the perturbation series one encounters here can be at best asymptotic. However, it is not clear what exactly they are asymptotic to.
This overall situation is in striking contrast with, for example, non-relativistic quantum mechanics. There, we know well at the outset what the Hilbert space of states is and what the observables are. In physically interesting models, we can generally construct the Hamiltonian operator and show that it is self-adjoint. We take recourse to perturbation theory mainly to calculate its eigenvalues and eigenvectors.
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- Geometry of Constrained Dynamical Systems , pp. 60 - 86Publisher: Cambridge University PressPrint publication year: 1995
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