The goal of this Thesis is to give a presentation of some key issues regarding the non-perturbative renormalization of the periodic scalar field theories. As an example of the non-perturbative methods, we use the differential renormalization group approach, particularly the Wegner-Houghton and the Polchinski renormalization group equations, in order to investigate the renormalization of a one-component periodic scalar field theory. The Wegner-Houghton equation provides a resummation of the loop-expansion, and the Polchinski equation is based on the resummation of the perturbation series. Therefore, these equations are exact in the sense that they contain all quantum corrections. In the framework of these renormalization group equations, field theories with periodic self interaction can be considered without violating the essential symmetry of the model: the periodicity. Both methods - the Wegner-Houghton and the Polchinski approaches - are inspired by Wilson's blocking construction in momentum space: the Wegner-Houghton method uses a sharp momentum cut-off and thus cannot be applied directly to non-constant fields (contradicts with the "derivative expansion"); the Polchinski method is based on a smooth cut-off and thus gives rise naturally to a "derivative expansion" for varying fields. However, the shape of the cut-off function (the "scheme") is not fixed a priori within Polchinski's ansatz. In this thesis, we compare the Wegner--Houghton and the Polchinski equation; we demonstrate the consistency of both methods for near-constant fields in the linearized level and obtain constraints on the regulator function that enters into Polchinski's equation. Analytic and numerical results are presented which illustrate the renormalization group flow for both methods. We also briefly discuss the relation of the momentum-space methods to real-space renormalization group approaches. For the two-dimensional Coulomb gas (which is investigated by a real-space renormalization group method using the dilute-gas approximation), we provide a systematic method for obtaining higher-order corrections to the dilute gas result.

A state sum is an expression approximating the partition function of a d-dimensional field theory on a closed d-manifold from a triangulation of that manifold. To consider state sums in completely local 2-dimensional topological field theories (TFT's), we introduce a mechanism for incorporating triangulations of surfaces into the cobordism ([infinity],2)-category. This serves to produce a state sum formula for any fully extended 2-dimensional TFT possibly with extra structure. We then follow the Cobordism Hypothesis in classifying fully extended 2-dimensional G-equivariant TFT's for a finite group G. These are oriented theories in which bordisms are equipped with principal G-bundles. Combining the mechanism mentioned above with our classification results, we derive Turaev's state sum formula for such theories. / text

We describe a procedure for classifying 4D N=2 superconformal theories of the type introduced by Davide Gaiotto. Any punctured curve, C, on which the 6D (2,0) SCFT is compactified, may be decomposed into 3-punctured spheres, connected by cylinders. The 4D theories, which arise, can be characterized by listing the ``matter" theories corresponding to 3-punctured spheres, the simple gauge group factors, corresponding to cylinders, and the rules for connecting these ingredients together. Different pants decompositions of C correspond to different S-duality frames for the same underlying family of 4D \mathcal{N}=2 SCFTs. We developed such a classification for the A_{N-1} and the D_N series of 6D (2,0) theories. We outline the procedure for general A_{N-1} and D_N, and construct, in detail, the classification through A_4 and D_4, respectively. / text

No description available.

Famously, Einstein read off the geometry of spacetime from Maxwell's equations. Today, we take this geometry that serious that our fundamental theory of matter, the standard model of particle physics, is based on it. However, it seems that there is a gap in our understanding if it comes to the physics outside of the solar system. Independent surveys show that we need concepts like dark matter and dark energy to make our models fit with the observations. But these concepts do not fit in the standard model of particle physics. To overcome this problem, at least, we have to be open to matter fields with kinematics and dynamics beyond the standard model. But these matter fields might then very well correspond to different spacetime geometries. This is the basis of this thesis: it studies the underlying spacetime geometries and ventures into the quantization of those matter fields independently of any background geometry. In the first part of this thesis, conditions are identified that a general tensorial geometry must fulfill to serve as a viable spacetime structure. Kinematics of massless and massive point particles on such geometries are introduced and the physical implications are investigated. Additionally, field equations for massive matter fields are constructed like for example a modified Dirac equation. In the second part, a background independent formulation of quantum field theory, the general boundary formulation, is reviewed. The general boundary formulation is then applied to the Unruh effect as a testing ground and first attempts are made to quantize massive matter fields on tensorial spacetimes. / Bekanntermaßen hat Albert Einstein die Geometrie der Raumzeit an den Maxwell-Gleichungen abgelesen. Heutzutage nehmen wie diese Geometrie so ernst, dass unsere fundamentale Materietheorie, das Standardmodell der Teilchenphysik, darauf beruht. Sobald es jedoch um die Physik außerhalb des Sonnensystems geht, scheinen einige Dinge unverstanden zu sein. Unabhängige Beobachtungsreihen zeigen, dass wir Konzepte wie dunkle Materie und dunkle Energie brauchen um unsere Modelle mit den Beobachtungen in Einklang zu bringen. Diese Konzepte passen aber nicht in das Standardmodell der Teilchenphysik. Um dieses Problem zu überwinden, müssen wir zumindest offen sein für Materiefelder mit Kinematiken und Dynamiken die über das Standardmodell hinaus gehen. Diese Materiefelder könnten dann aber auch durchaus zu anderen Raumzeitgeometrien gehören. Das ist die Grundlage dieser Arbeit: sie untersucht die zugehörigen Raumzeitgeometrien und beschäftigt sich mit der Quantisierung solcher Materiefelder unabhängig von jeder Hintergrundgeometrie. Im ersten Teil dieser Arbeit werden Bedingungen identifiziert, die eine allgemeine tensorielle Geometrie erfüllen muss um als sinnvolle Raumzeitgeometrie dienen zu können. Die Kinematik masseloser und massiver Punktteilchen auf solchen Raumzeitgeometrien werden eingeführt und die physikalischen Implikationen werden untersucht. Zusätzlich werden Feldgleichungen für massive Materiefelder konstruiert, wie zum Beispiel eine modifizierte Dirac-Gleichung. Im zweiten Teil wird eine hintergrundunabhängige Formulierung der Quantenfeldtheorie, die General Boundary Formulation, betrachtet. Die General Boundary Formulation wird dann auf den Unruh-Effekt angewendet und erste Versuche werden unternommen massive Materiefelder auf tensoriellen Raumzeiten zu quantisieren.

In the field of quantum gravity, it is widely expected that some form of a minimum length scale, or ultraviolet cutoff, exists in nature. Recently, a new natural ultraviolet cutoff that is fully covariant was proposed. In the literature, most studies of ultraviolet cutoffs are concerned with Lorentz-violating ultraviolet cutoffs. The difficulty in making a minimum length cutoff covariant is rooted in the fact that any given length scale can be further Lorentz contracted. It was shown that this problem is avoided by the proposed covariant cutoff by allowing field modes with arbitrarily small wavelengths to still exist, albeit with exceedingly small, covariantly-determined bandwidths. In other words, the degrees of freedom of sub-Planckian modes in time are highly suppressed. The effects of this covariant ultraviolet cutoff on the kinematics of a scalar quantum field are well understood. There is much to learn, however, about the effects on a field’s dynamics. These effects are of great interest, as their presence may have direct observational consequences in cosmology. As such, this covariant ultraviolet cutoff offers the tantalizing prospect of experimental access to physics at the Planck scale. In cosmology, the energy scales that are probed by measurements of cosmic microwave background (CMB) statistics are the closest that we can get to the Planck scale. In particular, the statistics of the CMB encodes information about the quantum fluctuations of the scalar inflaton field. A measure of the strength of a field’s quantum fluctuations is in turn given by the magnitude of the field’s Feynman propagator. To this end, in this thesis I study how this covariant ultraviolet cutoff modifies the Feynman propagator of a scalar quantum field. In this work, I first calculate the cutoff Feynman propagator for a scalar field in flat spacetime, and then I address the cutoff Feynman propagator of a scalar field in curved spacetime. My studies culminate with an explicit calculation for the case of a power-law Friedmann-Lemaître-Robertson-Walker (FLRW) spacetime. This last calculation is cosmologically significant, as power-law FLRW spacetime is a prototypical and realistic model for early-universe inflation. In preparation for studying the covariant cutoff on curved spacetime, I will review the necessary back- ground material as well as the kinematic influence of the covariant cutoff. I will also discuss several side results that I have obtained on scalar quantum field theories in spacetimes which possess a finite start time.

The theory describing the scaling properties of quantum field theory is introduced. The symmetry principles behind scale and conformal transformations are reviewed together with the renormalisation group. A method for improving perturbative calculations of physical quantities in the infra-red limit is developed using general analyticity properties valid for all unitary quantum field theories. The infra-red limit of a physical quantity is shown to equal the limiting value of the Borel transform in a complex scale parameter, where the order of the Borel transform is related to the domain of analyticity. It is shown how this general result can be used to improve perturbative calculations in the infra-red limit. First, the infra-red central charge of a perturbed conformal field theory is considered, and for the unitary minimal models perturbed by ɸ(1,3) the developed approximation is shown to be very close to the exact results by improving only a one loop perturbation. The other example is the infra-red limit of the critical exponents of x(^4) theory in three dimensions, where our approximation is within the limits of other approximations. The exact renormalisation group equation is studied for a theory with exponential interactions and a background charge. It is shown how to incorporate the background charge, and using the operator product expansion together with the equivalence between the quantum group restricted sine-Gordon model and the unitary minimal models perturbed by ɸ(1,3), the equation obtained is argued to describe the flow between unitary minimal models. Finally, a semi-classical approximation of the low energy limit of a bosonic membrane is studied where the action is taken to be the world-volume together with an Einstein-Hilbert term. A solution to the linearized equations of motion is determined describing a membrane oscillating around a flat torus.

An investigation of information loss in black hole spacetimes is performed. We demon- strate that the definition of particles as energy levels of the Harmonic oscillator will not have physical significance in general and is thus not a good instrument to study the ra- diation of black holes. This is due to the ambiguity of the choice of coordinates on the phase space of the quantum field. We demonstrate how to identify quantum states in the functional Schr ̈dinger picture. o We demonstrate that information is truly lost in the case of a Vaidya black hole (a black hole formed from null dust) if we neglect back reaction. This is done by quantizing the constrained classical system of a Klein-Gordon field in a Vaidya background. The interaction picture of quantum mechanics can be applied to this system. We find a physically well motivated vacuum state for a spherically symmetric space- time with an extra conformal Killing vector. We also demonstrate how to calculate the response of a particle detector in the a LeMaitre-Tolman-Bondi spacetime with a self- similarity. Finally, some of the claims and confusion surrounding Unruh radiation, Hawking radiation and the equivalence principle are investigated and shown to be false.

An investigation of information loss in black hole spacetimes is performed. We demon- strate that the definition of particles as energy levels of the Harmonic oscillator will not have physical significance in general and is thus not a good instrument to study the ra- diation of black holes. This is due to the ambiguity of the choice of coordinates on the phase space of the quantum field. We demonstrate how to identify quantum states in the functional Schr ̈dinger picture. o We demonstrate that information is truly lost in the case of a Vaidya black hole (a black hole formed from null dust) if we neglect back reaction. This is done by quantizing the constrained classical system of a Klein-Gordon field in a Vaidya background. The interaction picture of quantum mechanics can be applied to this system. We find a physically well motivated vacuum state for a spherically symmetric space- time with an extra conformal Killing vector. We also demonstrate how to calculate the response of a particle detector in the a LeMaitre-Tolman-Bondi spacetime with a self- similarity. Finally, some of the claims and confusion surrounding Unruh radiation, Hawking radiation and the equivalence principle are investigated and shown to be false.

It is well established that stock market volatility has a memory of the past, moreover it is found that volatility correlations are long ranged. As a consequence, volatility cannot be characterized by a single correlation time in general. Recent empirical work suggests that the volatility correlation functions of various assets actually decay as a power law. Moreover it is well established that the distribution functions for the returns do not obey a Gaussian distribution, but follow more the type of distributions that incorporate what are commonly known as fat–tailed distributions. As a result, if one is to model the evolution of the stock price, stock market or any financial derivative, then standard Brownian motion models are inaccurate. One must take into account the results obtained from empirical studies and work with models that include realistic features observed on the market. In this thesis we show that it is possible to derive the path integral for a non-Gaussian option pricing model that can capture fat–tails. However we find that the path integral technique can only be used on a very small set of problems, as a number of situations of interest are shown to be intractable. / http://proxy.library.adelaide.edu.au/login?url= http://library.adelaide.edu.au/cgi-bin/Pwebrecon.cgi?BBID=1378473 / Thesis (Ph.D.) -- University of Adelaide, School of Electrical and Electronic Engineering, 2010