Calculating Noether Currents in Peskin & Schroeder QFT

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Discussion Overview

The discussion revolves around the calculation of Noether currents as presented in the Peskin and Schroeder Quantum Field Theory (QFT) textbook. Participants are exploring the mathematical derivation of these currents, specifically focusing on the expressions for the currents and the underlying principles of Noether's theorem.

Discussion Character

  • Technical explanation
  • Conceptual clarification
  • Debate/contested
  • Homework-related

Main Points Raised

  • One participant expresses confusion regarding the calculus used to derive the Noether currents from the Peskin and Schroeder book.
  • Another participant explains that the derivation involves treating the fields and their derivatives as independent variables and emphasizes the role of symmetry in defining the current.
  • A participant indicates that they have not learned about Noether's theorem in classical mechanics, which contributes to their confusion about the calculations.
  • One participant raises a concern about the foundational knowledge required for QFT, suggesting that a solid understanding of classical mechanics and Lagrangians is essential.
  • A request is made for the original poster to share their calculations for a specific Lagrangian to identify where the discrepancies arise.

Areas of Agreement / Disagreement

Participants do not appear to reach a consensus on the calculations of the Noether currents, with some expressing confusion and others providing explanations. The discussion remains unresolved regarding the specific calculations and understanding of the underlying principles.

Contextual Notes

There is an indication that the understanding of Noether's theorem and its application in classical mechanics may be lacking for some participants, which could affect their ability to grasp the QFT concepts being discussed. Additionally, the dependence on specific transformations and Lagrangian forms is noted but not fully explored.

Breo
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As Peskin and Schroeder present it, the calculus is essentially that of partial derivatives while treating \phi and \partial_\mu \phi as independent variables. For a given Lagrangian density \mathcal{L}, he defines the current in eq. (2.12). However, the current depends on the symmetry at hand, which enters through the \mathcal{J}^\mu term, defined on the previous page.

If this still looks too opaque, do you remember the treatment of Noether's theorem in classical mechanics of particles?
 
Hypersphere said:
If this still looks too opaque, do you remember the treatment of Noether's theorem in classical mechanics of particles?

No, I didn't learn it in my classical mechanics subject.

My doubt is how it get those results for the currents. I tried to do the calcs but I get different results.
 
Ok... To be honest, that is a bit of a red flag! QFT is a tricky subject in its own right, but it relies heavily on classical mechanics. So you may want to pick up a good book and learn Lagrangians, variational calculus and Noether's theorem properly as soon as possible. Otherwise I think you may be in for a rough ride.

Could you show your work, say for the \mathcal{L}=\left( \partial_\mu \phi \right)^2 Lagrangian under the \phi \rightarrow \phi + \alpha transformation? That way it'll be more clear to us where your problems lie.
 

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