C theorem and spectral representation

Aug, 1990
55 pages
Published in:
  • Nucl.Phys.B 352 (1991) 616-670
  • Published: 1991
Report number:
  • RU-90-43,
  • UB-ECM-PF-11-90

Citations per year

1991200020092018202502468101214
Abstract: (Elsevier)
Zamolodchikov's c -theorem is reformulated by using the spectral representation for the two-point function of the stress tensor. This approach makes explicit the unitarity constraints on the field theory and implements a nice physical picture of the renormalization group flow. An attempt is made to generalize the theorem above two space-time dimensions. There are two candidate c -functions, the spectral densities for spin-zero and spin-two intermediate states. The latter one is ruled out by means of examples. The spin-zero density can satisfy a generalized c -theorem, if the corresponding “central charge” is well defined at the fixed points. A meaningful charge is obtained by defining the theory on curved hyperbolic space. However, its limit to flat space needs some assumptions which seem to hold for free theories only. As a by-product, the trace anomaly in four dimensions is related to the spectral densities.
  • field theory: conformal
  • dimension: 2-4
  • renormalization group: c-function
  • tensor: energy-momentum
  • two-point function
  • spectral representation
  • space-time
  • anomaly: conformal
  • unitarity
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