On Wick polynomials of boson fields in locally covariant algebraic QFT

TL;DR

This paper develops a framework for defining and classifying Wick polynomials of vector fields in curved spacetime quantum field theory, emphasizing local covariance, scaling, and background field dependence.

Contribution

It provides a general classification theorem for finite renormalization terms of Wick powers in locally covariant algebraic QFT, including explicit structure results.

Findings

Finite renormalization terms are finite-order polynomials in background fields and derivatives.

Counterterms depend smoothly on polynomial scalar invariants of background fields.

Results apply to vector Klein-Gordon and scalar fields with derivatives.

Abstract

This work presents some results about Wick polynomials of a vector field renormalization in locally covariant algebraic quantum field theory in curved spacetime. General vector fields are pictured as sections of natural vector bundles over globally hyperbolic spacetimes and quantized through the known functorial machinery in terms of local $^*$-algebras. These quantized fields may be defined on spacetimes with given classical background fields, also sections of natural vector bundles, in addition to the Lorentzian metric. The mass and the coupling constants are in particular viewed as background fields. Wick powers of the quantized vector field are axiomatically defined imposing in particular local covariance, scaling properties and smooth dependence on smooth perturbation of the background fields. A general classification theorem is established for finite renormalization terms (or counterterms) arising when comparing different solutions satisfying the defining axioms of Wick powers. The result is specialized to the case of general tensor fields. In particular, the case of a vector Klein-Gordon field and the case of a scalar field renormalized together with its derivatives are discussed as examples. In each case, a more precise statement about the structure of the counterterms is proved. The finite renormalization terms turn out to be finite-order polynomials tensorially and locally constructed with the backgrounds fields and their covariant derivatives whose coefficients are locally smooth functions of polynomial scalar invariants constructed from the so-called marginal subset of the background fields. The notion of local smooth dependence on polynomial scalar invariants is made precise in the text.