Invariance of integration measure under shifts in field

Click For Summary
SUMMARY

The integration measure ##\mathcal{D}\phi(x)## in the path integral formulation of quantum field theory is invariant under shifts in the field, specifically of the form $$\phi(x)\rightarrow\tilde{\phi}(x)=\phi(x)+\int d^{4}y\Delta(x-y)J(y)$$. This invariance arises because the shift term is independent of the field configuration at each spacetime point. To better understand this concept, one can visualize the integration in a lattice version, treating space and time as a finite 4D grid, which clarifies that the measure remains unchanged when all integration variables are shifted by constants.

PREREQUISITES
  • Understanding of path integral formulation in quantum field theory
  • Familiarity with Green's functions, specifically for the operator ##\Box + m^{2}##
  • Knowledge of multidimensional integrals
  • Basic concepts of lattice field theory
NEXT STEPS
  • Study the properties of Green's functions in quantum field theory
  • Explore the lattice formulation of quantum field theories
  • Learn about the implications of integration measure invariance in path integrals
  • Investigate the role of source terms in quantum field theory
USEFUL FOR

Students and researchers in theoretical physics, particularly those focusing on quantum field theory and path integrals, will benefit from this discussion.

"Don't panic!"
Messages
600
Reaction score
8
I've been trying to teach myself the path integral formulation of quantum field theory and there's a point that's really bugging me: why is the integration measure ##\mathcal{D}\phi(x)## invariant under shifts in the field of the form $$\phi(x)\rightarrow\tilde{\phi}(x)=\phi(x)+\int d^{4}y\Delta(x-y)J(y),\qquad\mathcal{D}\phi(x)\rightarrow\mathcal{D}\tilde{\phi}(x)$$ (where ##\Delta(x-y)## is a Green's function corresponding to the differential operator ##\Box + m^{2}## and ##J(x)## is a source).
Is it simply because the shift term ##\int d^{4}y\Delta(x-y)J(y)## is independent of the field configuration ##\phi(x)## at each spacetime point, or is there more to it than that?
 
Physics news on Phys.org
Yes, that's it! If you are in doubt about some operation in path integration, just think about it in the "lattice version", i.e., consider space and time to be a finite 4D grid of discrete points. Then you have just a usual multidimensional integral. Then it's indeed clear that the integration measure does not change by just shifting all integration variables by arbitrary constants.
 
vanhees71 said:
Yes, that's it! If you are in doubt about some operation in path integration, just think about it in the "lattice version", i.e., consider space and time to be a finite 4D grid of discrete points. Then you have just a usual multidimensional integral. Then it's indeed clear that the integration measure does not change by just shifting all integration variables by arbitrary constants.

Ah OK ,great, I thought that was probably the case, but just wanted to make sure. Thanks for your help!
 
Time reversal invariant Hamiltonians must satisfy ##[H,\Theta]=0## where ##\Theta## is time reversal operator. However, in some texts (for example see Many-body Quantum Theory in Condensed Matter Physics an introduction, HENRIK BRUUS and KARSTEN FLENSBERG, Corrected version: 14 January 2016, section 7.1.4) the time reversal invariant condition is introduced as ##H=H^*##. How these two conditions are identical?

Similar threads

  • · Replies 13 ·
Replies
13
Views
2K
  • · Replies 5 ·
Replies
5
Views
1K
  • · Replies 0 ·
Replies
0
Views
1K
  • · Replies 33 ·
2
Replies
33
Views
6K
  • · Replies 13 ·
Replies
13
Views
3K
  • · Replies 6 ·
Replies
6
Views
4K
  • · Replies 1 ·
Replies
1
Views
1K
  • · Replies 24 ·
Replies
24
Views
3K
Replies
1
Views
2K
  • · Replies 4 ·
Replies
4
Views
3K