Are mathematical manipulations admisible if integral are divergents ?

In summary, the conversation discusses the admissibility of mathematical manipulations on divergent integrals. It is argued that formal manipulations are permissible for divergent integrals since they can be related to finite integrals through a change of variable. However, it is important to have a cutoff procedure in place to ensure the validity of these manipulations.
  • #1
zetafunction
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are mathematical manipulations admisible if integral are divergents ??

are formal manipulations of divergent integrals admisible whenever the integral are divergent [tex] \infty [/tex]

i mean if i have a 4-dimensional integral [tex] \int_{R^{4}}dxdydzdt F(x,y,z,t) [/tex]

why can we make a change of variable to polar coordinates ?? , or for example if we have an UV divergent integral [tex] \int_{0}^{\infty}dxx^{4} [/tex] by means of a change of variable [tex] x= 1/y [/tex] this integral is IR divergent [tex] \int_{0}^{\infty}dyy^{-6} [/tex] or if i have the divergent integral

[tex] \int_{0}^{\infty}\int_{0}^{\infty}dxdy \frac{(xy)^{2}}{x^{2}+y^{2}+1} [/tex]

this is an overlapping divergence but if i change to polar coordinates then i should only care about [tex] \int_{0}^{\infty}dr \frac{r^{3}}{r^{2}+1} [/tex] which is just a one dimensional integral.
 
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  • #2


I think that all manipulations have to be backed up by some cutoff procedure.

So given a divergent integral this is just mathematical nonsense. Introducing a cutoff, doing some manipulations and concluding that the two well-defined integrals are identical is fine. In this sense it may be reasonable to conclude that two divergent integrals are "identical", namely because their finite counterparts are related.
 

Related to Are mathematical manipulations admisible if integral are divergents ?

1. What does it mean for an integral to be divergent?

An integral is said to be divergent if it does not have a finite value. This means that the integral either approaches infinity or oscillates without converging to a specific value.

2. Why are mathematical manipulations not always admissible for divergent integrals?

Mathematical manipulations, such as integration by parts or substitution, are based on the assumption that the integral being evaluated is convergent. However, for divergent integrals, these manipulations may lead to incorrect results or even undefined expressions.

3. Can mathematical manipulations be used for all types of divergent integrals?

No, there are certain types of divergent integrals, such as improper integrals of the form ∞ − ∞, which cannot be manipulated using standard techniques. In these cases, specialized methods, such as Cauchy principal value, must be used.

4. Are there any cases where mathematical manipulations can be used for divergent integrals?

Yes, there are some cases where mathematical manipulations can be used for divergent integrals. For example, if the integral is of the form ∞ − ∞, but the integrand approaches zero faster than 1/x as x approaches infinity, then standard techniques can be used to evaluate the integral.

5. How can we determine if a mathematical manipulation is admissible for a divergent integral?

The admissibility of a mathematical manipulation for a divergent integral depends on the behavior of the integrand as x approaches infinity. If the integrand approaches a finite value or zero faster than 1/x, then the manipulation can be used. Otherwise, specialized methods must be employed to evaluate the integral.

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