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arXiv:2303.12666

Euclidean Quantum Field Theory from Variational Dynamics

Brenden McDearmon

Published Feb 4, 2023• 0 citations
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Abstract

A variational phase space is constructed for a system of fields on Euclidean space with periodic boundary conditions. An extended action functional is defined such that the Euler-Lagrange equations generate a symplectic flow on the variational phase space. This symplectic flow is numerically integrated as it evolves with respect to the variational parameter. Assuming ergodicity, the resulting flow samples the Euclidean path integral.

DOI
10.48550/arxiv.2303.12666

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A variational phase space is constructed for a system of fields on Euclidean space with periodic boundary conditions. An extended action functional is defined such that the Euler-Lagrange equations generate a symplectic flow on the variational phase space. This symplectic flow is numerically integrated as it evolves with respect to the variational parameter. Assuming ergodicity, the resulting flow samples the Euclidean path integral.
Abstract Functional integrals are basic tools to study first quantum mechanics (QM), and quantum field theory (QFT). The path integral formulation of QM is well suited to the study of systems with an arbitrary number of degrees of freedom. It makes a smooth transition between nonrelativistic QM and QFT possible. The Euclidean functional integral also emphasizes the deep connection between QFT and the statistical physics of systems with short-range interactions near a continuous phase transition. The path integral representation of the matrix elements of the quantum statistical operator e-β H for Hamiltonians of the simple separable form p2/2m +V(q) is derived. To the path integral corresponds a functional measure and expectation values called correlation functions, which are generalized moments, and related to quantum observables, after an analytic continuation in time. The path integral corresponding to the Euclidean action of a harmonic oscillator, to which is added a time-dependent external force, is calculated explicitly. The result is used to generate Gaussian correlation functions and also to reduce the evaluation of path integrals to perturbation theory. The path integral also provides a convenient tool to derive semi-classical approximations.
We develop a mathematically well-defined path integral formalism for general symplectic manifolds. We argue that in order to make a path integral quantization covariant under general coordinate transformations on the phase space and involve a genuine functional measure that is both finite and countably additive, the phase space manifold should be equipped with a Riemannian structure (metric). A suitable method to calculate the metric is also proposed. 1. Most quantization formulations lead to correct results only when the system in question is expressed in one of a family of special (Cartesian) coordinate systems [1]. However, for Hamiltonian systems on a generic symplectic manifold, the canonical variables do not admit such special coordinates. Moreover classical Hamiltonian dynamics exhibits covariance under general coordinate transformations on the symplectic manifold, and, in this sense, is coordinate-free. This covariance is lost upon a formal phase-space path integral quantization. The reason is that the Hamiltonian action involves terms linear in the time derivatives and, therefore, its exponential (even in Euclidean time) does not induce a
An action having an acceleration term in addition to the usual velocity term is analyzed. The quantum mechanical system is directly defined for Euclidean time using the path integral. The Euclidean Hamiltonian is shown to yield the acceleration Lagrangian and the path integral with the correct boundary conditions. Due to the acceleration term, the state space depends on both position and velocity — and hence the Euclidean Hamiltonian depends on two degrees of freedom. The Hamiltonian for the acceleration system is non-Hermitian and can be mapped to a Hermitian Hamiltonian using a similarity transformation; the matrix elements of the similarity transformation are explicitly evaluated.
Symplectic quantization is a functional approach to quantum field theory that allows sampling of quantum fluctuations directly in Minkowski space-time by means of a generalized microcanonical ensemble similar to the one of the standard microcanonical approach to lattice field theory. In a previous paper we showed that, for an interacting scalar field theory in 1+1-dimensions, this formalism allows to capture numerically some crucial real-time features inaccessible to any Euclidean approach to lattice field theory. Yet, the new approach was plagued by two main limitations: an ill-defined non-interacting limit and the absence of a direct formal correspondence between its correlation functions and those generated by the Feynman path integral approach. In this paper, we introduce the new \emph{"constrained symplectic quantization"} approach, for which the perfect equivalence with the Feynman path integral is proved and which is perfectly well defined for the free theory. This new approach is characterized by the analytical continuation of all fields and of the action from R\mathbb{R}R to C\mathbb{C}C and the presence of some constraints which guarantee the stability of the generalized Hamiltonian dynamics and the convergence of the corresponding generalized microcanonical partition function, hence the name of the theory. We show the application of this formalism to the quantum harmonic oscillator on a Minkowskian-time lattice, finding perfect agreement between one- and two-point numerical correlators and the exact quantum-mechanical results. We observe genuine real-time features such as the oscillatory propagator and the discrete excited-state energy spectrum. Our results provide strong numerical evidence that constrained symplectic quantization can sample real-time quantum-mechanical observables, offering a concrete route to overcome the limitations of Euclidean-time importance sampling.
The symmetry properties of quantum variational principles are considered. Euler-Poincaré reduction theory is applied to the Dirac-Frenkel variational principle for Schrödinger's dynamics producing new variational principles for the different pictures of quantum mechanics (Schrödinger's, Heisenberg's and Dirac's) as well as for the Wigner-Moyal formulation. In addition, new variational principles for mixed states dynamics have been formulated. The already known geometric characterization of quantum mechanics on the complex projective space is shown to emerge naturally from the Euler-Poincaré variational principle. Semidirect-product structures are seen to produce new variational principles for Dirac's picture. \n \nOn the other hand, the variational and Hamiltonian approach to Ehrenfest expectation values dynamics is proposed. In the Lagrangian framework, the quantum variational principle for Schrödinger's dynamics is extended to account for both classical and quantum degrees of freedom. First, it is shown that the mean field model of any quantum mechanical system can be derived from a classical-quantum Euler-Poincaré Lagrangian on the direct sum Lie algebra of the Heisenberg and unitary groups. Then, the semidirect-product structure (named Ehrenfest group), is constructed using the displacement operator from the theory of coherent quantum states ( the unitary action of the Heisenberg group on the space of wavefunctions). New classical-quantum equations for Ehrenfest's expectation values dynamics are derived redefining the mean-field model Euler-Poincaré Lagrangian on the Lie algebra of the Ehrenfest group. In the Hamiltonian framework, first expectation values of the canonical observables are shown to be equivariant momentum maps for the unitary action of the Heisenberg group on quantum states. Then, the Hamiltonian structure for Ehrenfest's dynamics is shown to be Lie-Poisson for the Ehrenfest group. The variational formulation is then given a corresponding Hamiltonian structure. The classical-quantum Ehrenfest dynamics equations produce classical and quantum dynamics as special limit cases. \n \nIn the particular case of Gaussian states, expectation values couple to second order moments, so that GS are completely characterized by first and second moments. When the total energy is computed with respect to a Gaussian state, higher moments can be expressed in terms of the first two, so that the moment hierarchy closes for Gaussian states. Second moments are shown to be equivariant momentum maps for the action of the symplectic group on the space of Wigner functions. Eventually, Gaussian states are shown to possess a Lie-Poisson structure on the Jacobi group. This structure produces an energy-conserving variant of a class of Gaussian moment models that have appeared in the chemical physics literature.
The path integral approach to quantum mechanics provides a method of quantization of dynamical systems directly from the Lagrange formalism. In field theory the method presents some advantages over Hamiltonian quantization. The Lagrange formalism preserves relativistic covariance which makes the Feynman method very convenient to achieve the renormalization of field theories both in perturbative and non-perturbative approaches. However, when the systems are confined in bounded domains we shall show that the path integral approach does not describe the most general type of boundary conditions. Highly non-local boundary conditions cannot be described by Feynman's approach. We analyse in this note the origin of this problem in quantum mechanics and its implications for field theory.