Kronecker's delta from the solution to the final project in Peskin's and Schroeder's book

In summary, the conversation discusses a mathematical equation involving the summation of delta functions and the summation convention. The speaker questions the solution given, which states that the answer is 2, but believes it should be 2.25. Further discussion reveals that the summation is over eight generators of SU(3) and not six as the speaker initially assumed. The final conclusion is that the answer should be 1, not 2 or 2.25.
  • #1
MathematicalPhysicist
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TL;DR Summary
The reference is the final project on pages 775-777 of Peskin's and Schroeder's textbook on QFT.
And the solution from here:
https://zzxianyu.files.wordpress.com/2017/01/peskin_problems.pdf

on page 194.
My problem is on page 194 of the solution, where he writes: ##\frac{1}{2}\delta^{ab}\frac{1}{2}\delta^{ab}=2##.
I assume there are three colours and thus ##a,b \in \{ 0,1,2 \}##.
So I get: ##\delta^{ab}\delta^{ab} = \delta^{00}\delta^{11}+\delta^{11}\delta^{00}+\delta^{11}\delta^{22}+\delta^{22}\delta^{11}+\delta^{22}\delta^{00}+\delta^{00}\delta^{22}+\delta^{22}\delta^{22}+\delta^{11}\delta^{11}+\delta^{00}\delta^{00}=9##, so in the above equation in the solution shouldn't it be: ##9/4=2.25## and not ##2## as it's written in this solution?
 
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  • #2
MathematicalPhysicist said:
##\delta^{ab}\delta^{ab} = \delta^{00}\delta^{11}+\dots ##

I can stop you there and ask what the specific values of ##a## and ##b## are in that first term?
 
  • #3
PeroK said:
I can stop you there and ask what the specific values of ##a## and ##b## are in that first term?
Yes, you are quite right.
If there's a summation convention here then it should be ##2(\delta^{00}\delta^{00}+\delta^{11}\delta^{11}+\delta^{22}\delta^{22})##, the factor two is because we are counting twice.
But I still get 6 and not 8.
Where did I get it wrong?
 
  • #4
MathematicalPhysicist said:
Yes, you are quite right.
If there's a summation convention here then it should be ##2(\delta^{00}\delta^{00}+\delta^{11}\delta^{11}+\delta^{22}\delta^{22})##, the factor two is because we are counting twice.
But I still get 6 and not 8.
Where did I get it wrong?
How are ##a## and ##b## defined? If they run from ##0## to##3## then there are only four cases where ##\delta_{ab} \ne 0##. The answer should be ##1##.
 
  • #5
PeroK said:
How are ##a## and ##b## defined? If they run from ##0## to##3## then there are only four cases where ##\delta_{ab} \ne 0##. The answer should be ##1##.
I said from what I understand we have three colours, so ##a,b\in \{ 0,1,2\}## so the sum should be from 0 to 2.
 
  • #6
MathematicalPhysicist said:
I said from what I understand we have three colours, so ##a,b\in \{ 0,1,2\}## so the sum should be from 0 to 2.
I'm not sure how he gets ##8## from that.
 
  • #7
MathematicalPhysicist said:
I said from what I understand we have three colours, so ##a,b\in \{ 0,1,2\}## so the sum should be from 0 to 2.
The sum is over all the generators of SU(3). There are eight of them.
 
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1. What is Kronecker's delta and how is it used in the solution to the final project in Peskin's and Schroeder's book?

Kronecker's delta, denoted as δ, is a mathematical symbol used to represent the identity matrix in linear algebra. In the solution to the final project in Peskin's and Schroeder's book, Kronecker's delta is used to simplify the expressions for the propagator and Green's function of a quantum field theory.

2. Why is Kronecker's delta important in quantum field theory?

Kronecker's delta is important in quantum field theory because it helps to simplify and manipulate complex mathematical expressions. It is used to represent the identity matrix, which is an essential tool in linear algebra and quantum mechanics.

3. How is Kronecker's delta related to the Feynman propagator?

Kronecker's delta is used in the expression for the Feynman propagator, which is a mathematical tool used to calculate the probability amplitude of a particle to travel from one point to another in a quantum field theory. It is used to simplify the expression for the propagator and make it easier to calculate.

4. Can Kronecker's delta be used in other areas of physics?

Yes, Kronecker's delta has various applications in other areas of physics, including classical mechanics, electromagnetism, and statistical mechanics. It is a useful tool for simplifying mathematical expressions and is commonly used in many branches of physics.

5. Are there any limitations to using Kronecker's delta in quantum field theory?

While Kronecker's delta is a useful tool in quantum field theory, it has its limitations. It can only be used in discrete systems and cannot be applied to continuous systems. Additionally, it is not suitable for use in non-linear systems or systems with time-dependent variables.

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