Generalizing Functional Integration for Piecewise-Smooth Manifolds

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SUMMARY

The discussion centers on the absence of a comprehensive theory of functional integration akin to Riemann, Cauchy, and Lebesgue for piecewise-smooth manifolds. It highlights Feynman's approach to functional integrals in spacetime and questions the feasibility of decomposing piecewise-differentiable paths into infinitesimal line segments, examining the potential impact of the axiom of choice on integral values. The conversation also touches on the generalization of path integrals in complex analysis and the applicability of results like the Poisson sum formula to infinite-dimensional integrals.

PREREQUISITES
  • Understanding of functional integration concepts
  • Familiarity with piecewise-smooth manifolds
  • Knowledge of complex analysis, particularly path integrals
  • Basic grasp of the axiom of choice in set theory
NEXT STEPS
  • Research Feynman path integrals and their applications in quantum mechanics
  • Explore the theory of piecewise-smooth manifolds in differential geometry
  • Study the implications of the axiom of choice in functional analysis
  • Investigate the Poisson sum formula and its relevance to infinite-dimensional integrals
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Mathematicians, theoretical physicists, and researchers interested in advanced topics in functional integration and manifold theory.

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I'm intrigued by the fact that apparently no general theory of functional integration has been developed - something along the lines of Riemann, Cauchy, and Lebesgue. Feynman developed an approach to evaluating functional integrals for paths in spacetime - but I'm wondering whether it is possible to generally decompose the set of all piecewise-differentiable paths into infinitesimal line segments - and whether our choice of decomposition affects the value of the integral. Might the axiom of choice lead to complications? And how might one generalize this to general functions defined on piecewise-smooth manifolds in arbitrary dimension and with arbitrary signature?
 
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Well in complex analysis the notion of "a path integral" existed. Cauchy new about it.
 
Although is not the case of knowing exact functional integral formulae, there are many results that can be generalized to Infinite-dimensional integrals as for example Poisson sum-formula.

[tex]\sum_{m=-\infty}^{\infty}F[x_{0}(t)+m\delta (t-t')]= \int \mathcal D[x(t)]\sum_{m=-\infty}^{\infty}exp(2\pi m\int_{a}^{b} dt x(t))F[x(t)+x_{0} (t)][/tex]
 
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