Why can we apply the symmetries of S-Matrix to part of Feynman diagram

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SUMMARY

The discussion focuses on the application of S-Matrix symmetries to Feynman diagrams, emphasizing that while individual diagrams may not always exhibit these symmetries, the sum of diagrams can. The Ward-Takahashi identity illustrates that one must consider all insertion points of photons in fermion lines to demonstrate this symmetry. Furthermore, if a relation holds for all diagrams, it is inherently valid for the S-Matrix, contingent on the convergence of perturbation theory. The conversation references key concepts such as gauge transformations and off-shell Green's functions, highlighting their relevance in quantum field theory (QFT).

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  • Knowledge of Ward-Takahashi identities in quantum field theory
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ndung200790
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How can we demonstrate that the symmetries of S-Matrix can be applyed to parts of Feynman diagrams?The S-Matrix is the sum of infinite diagrams,why we know each or part of each diagram has the same symmetries as the symmetries of S-Matrix?
 
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They don't always--sometimes you need to sum up multiple diagrams in order to produce a symmetry of the S-matrix. For instance, the Ward-Takahashi identity is not satisfied per-diagram--you need to sum across all insertion points of the photon into the fermion lines in order to show it.

However, the converse is true--if you can show that a relation is true for all diagrams, then it is automatically true for the S-matrix as well (assuming that perturbation theory converges).
 
Ward identities (or Ward-Takahashi, Slavnov-Taylor identities) hold order by order in the \hbar expansion if they hold for the full expression, because \hbar enters the theory as an overall factor in the path-integral for generating functions.
 
Can Ward Identity ensure that the correspondent sum of diagrams(the sum satisfies the Ward Identity) is invariant under the symmetry transformation(the symmetry of S-Matrix or of Lagrangian)?
 
So I do not understand what does author mean in Weinberg's QFT &10.1 when writing:
''One obvious but important use of the theorem quote above(the theorem saying:the sum of all diagrams for a process α--->β with extra vertices inserted corresponding to operators Oa(x),Ob(x),etc is given by the matrix element of the time ordered product of the corresponding Heisenberg-picture operators...) is to extend the application of symmetry principles from S-matrix elements,where all external lines have four-momenta on the mass-shell,to part of Feynman diagrams,with some or all external lines off the mass-shell''
(At the end of the section,he leads to Furry's theorem as an example of charge-conjugate symmetry of sum of diagrams)
 
I do not understand why the matrix element of the time ordered product of corresponding Heisenberg-picture operators:

(\Psi^{-}_{\beta},T{-iO_{a}(x),O_{b}(y)...}\Psi^{+}_{\alpha})

is invariant under the symmetries if S-matrix is invariant?
 

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