Evaluating Integral with Spherical Coordinates Using 4-Vectors

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Homework Help Overview

The discussion revolves around evaluating a complex integral involving four-vectors in the context of quantum field theory, specifically using spherical coordinates. The integral includes delta functions and step functions, indicating constraints on the variables involved.

Discussion Character

  • Exploratory, Assumption checking, Problem interpretation

Approaches and Questions Raised

  • The original poster attempts to simplify the integral by exploiting specific properties of the delta and step functions and by choosing a special reference frame. They express uncertainty about how to proceed with the integration in spherical coordinates and seek clarification on specifying angles.
  • Some participants question the validity of the integral's derivation and whether the chosen reference frame is appropriate for this type of problem.
  • Others suggest that the integral's complexity may stem from the specific delta function used, which eliminates fewer degrees of freedom than typically encountered.

Discussion Status

Contextual Notes

Participants note that the integral appears to be derived from a Feynman diagram, but there is uncertainty about its correctness and the implications of the chosen reference frame. The original poster's use of spherical coordinates raises additional questions about the integration process.

parton
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I want to evaluate the following integral:

[tex]I(p_{1}, p_{2}, p_{3}) = \int \mathrm{d}^{4} q \mathrm{d}^{4}p \, \dfrac{1}{\left[ p_{2} + q \right]^{2} - i0} \dfrac{1}{\left[ p_{1} - q - p \right]^{2} + i0} \Theta(q^{0}) \delta(q^{2}) \Theta(-p_{2}^{0} -p_{3}^{0} - q^{0} -p^{0}) \delta(\left[p_{2} + p_{3} + q + p \right]^{2}) \Theta(p^{0}) \delta(p^{2})[/tex].

[tex]p_{1}, p_{2}, p_{3}[/tex] are time-like four-vectors, so e.g. [tex]p_{1}^{2} > 0[/tex]

After some work like exploiting the step- and delta-functions [tex]\Theta(q^{0}) \delta(q^{2}) \Theta(p^{0}) \delta(p^{2})[/tex] and by choosing a special frame with
[tex]p_{2} + p_{3} = (p_{2}^{0} + p_{3}^{0}, \vec{0})[/tex] I arrived at:

[tex]I(p_{1}, p_{2}, p_{3}) = \int \dfrac{\mathrm{d}^{3}q \, \mathrm{d}^{3}p}{4 \vert \vec{q} \vert \cdot \vert \vec{p} \vert} \, \dfrac{1}{p_{2}^{2} + p_{2}^{0} \vert \vec{q} \vert + \vert \vec{p}_{2} \vert \cdot \vert \vec{q} \vert \cos \theta_{1} - i0} \, \dfrac{1}{p_{1}^{2} - 2p_{1}^{0} \vert \vec{q} \vert + 2 \vert \vec{p}_{1} \vert \cdot \vert \vec{q} \vert \cos \theta_{2} - 2 p_{1}^{0} \vert \vec{p} \vert + 2 \vert \vec{p}_{1} \vert \cdot \vert \vec{p} \vert \cos \theta_{3} + 2 \vert \vec{q} \vert \cdot \vert \vec{p} \vert - 2 \vert \vec{q} \vert \cdot \vert \vec{p} \vert \cos \eta +i0}[/tex]

[tex]\times \delta((p_{2}^{0}+p_{3}^{0})^{2} + 2 \vert \vec{q} \vert \cdot \vert \vec{p} \vert - 2 \vert \vec{q} \vert \cdot \vert \vec{p} \vert \cos \eta + 2 (p_{2}^{0}+p_{3}^{0})) <br /> \end{split}[/tex].

So I used spherical coordinates, but I don't know how to integrate that thing. I just know that if [tex]\eta[/tex] is the angle between the vectors [tex]\vec{p}[/tex] and [tex]\vec{q}[/tex] than we must have: [tex]\theta_{3} = \eta - \theta_{2}[/tex].

But how do I continue? I think I must somehow specify the elevation and azimuth angles in a special way, but I don't know how to do that.

Could anyone help me please?
 
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I have to wonder, how did you get that integral? (Obviously from a Feynman diagram, but which one?) Something about it looks off to me.
 
The integral is just the Fourier transform of [tex]G_{F}^{*} G_{F} G G[/tex]

(of course with some arguments), where [tex]*[/tex] is complex conjugation, [tex]G_{F}[/tex] is the (massless) Feynman-Propagator in p-space and [tex]G(p) = \dfrac{i}{2 \pi} \Theta(p^{0}) \delta(p^{2})[/tex].

The first expression of the integral above is correct, but I just don't know how to compute it explicitly. And now there is the problem with spherical coordinates, but I don't know how to continue. Any ideas?
 
Not really... I tried fiddling with it a bit but I couldn't get it much simpler than you did. Though I'm not sure that picking a specific reference frame is the way to go about it... whenever I've done these propagator integrals, there hasn't been any need to specialize to a particular reference frame. But on the other hand, I typically had expressions like [itex]\delta^{(4)}(p_1^\mu + p_2^\mu)[/itex] instead of your [itex]G(p)[/itex]. A delta function of a momentum four-vector eliminates four degrees of freedom from the integral, but your [itex]\delta(p^2)[/itex] only eliminates one, which means I'd expect your integral to be rather messier than anything I'm used to dealing with.
 

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