Renormalization: An Introduction (Theoretical and Mathematical Physics) - Hardcover

Salmhofer, Manfred

Hardcover

ISBN 10: 3540646663 ISBN 13: 9783540646662

Publisher: Springer, 1998

Synopsis

Why another book on the renormalization of field theory? This book aims to contribute to the bridging of the gap between the treatments of renor­ malization in physics courses and the mathematically rigorous approach. It provides a simple but rigorous introduction to perturbative renormalization, and, in doing so, also equips the reader with some basic techniques which are a prerequisite for studying renormalization nonperturbatively. Beside these technical issues, it also contains a proof of renormalizability of ¢4 theory in d :5 4 dimensions and a discussion of renormalization for systems with a Fermi surface, which are realistic models for electrons in metals. Like the two courses on which it is based, the book is intended to be easily accessible to mathematics and physics students from the third year on, and after going through it, one should be able to start reading the current literature on the subject, in particular on nonperturbative renormalization. Chapter 1 provides a brief motivation for studying quantum theory by functional integrals, as well as the setup. In Chap. 2, the techniques of Gaus­ sian integration and Feynman graph expansions are introduced. I then give simple proofs of basic results, such as the theorem that the logarithm of the generating functional is a sum of values of connected Feynman graphs. In Chap. 3, the Wilson renormalization flow is defined, and perturbative renormalizability of ¢4 theory in d :5 4 dimensions is proven using a renormal­ ization group differential equation. The Feynman graph expansion of Chap.

About this title

From the Back Cover

This book provides a simple, but mathematically rigorous, introduction to perturbative renormalization. It can be read by students from the third year on and will leads them to a level where they can start reading the current research literature. The book gives a thorough introduction to the field-theoretic techniques required for renormalization. Special effort has been devoted to simplifying combinatorial proofs as much as possible by using generating function techniques. A renormalization group differential equation is used to study the flow of Wilson's effective action. This differential equation technique, developed during the last few years, is used to give simple but complete proofs of renormalizability theorems. The book contains an introduction to renormalization in models of solid-state physics.

Edition details

• Publisher: Springer
• Publication date: 1998
• Language: English
• ISBN 10: 3540646663
• ISBN 13: 9783540646662
• Binding: Hardcover
• Number of pages: 241