How Does the Legendre Transform Generate Exact Vertices in QFT?

In summary, the effective action is a sum of 1PI diagrams that can generate exact n-vertices through the Legendre transform trick, which removes 1-particle-reducible diagrams. This means that the exact propagators and vertices of all valencies are included in the computation, including the exact 4-vertex for 2-to-2 scattering amplitudes. The exact 3-valent vertex can also be generated through this process.
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QFT. Effective action and the skeleton expansion, how the legendre transform works!

Homework Statement



I've written a presentation on the effective action and have been posed a few questions to look out for. I think I know the answer to the first but am stumped by the second.

"you've said we can get the correct scattering amplitudes by computing tree diagrams with exact propagators and vertices. Do you mean here just the exact propagators and exact 3-vertices? Or exact propagators and exact vertices of all valencies? More specifically, if you consider a 2-to-2 scattering amplitude (4 external lines), do you need an exact 4-vertex for this amplitude?

Another question: effective action is a sum of 1PI diagrams. I.e. by the Legendre transform trick we have managed to get rid of 1-particle-reducible diagrams. How then does it manage to generate exact n-vertices? Exact propagators would be understandable, for this is what the Legendre transform has done. But why exact vertices of any valency? Can you see how this works on the example of a 3-valent vertex?"

Homework Equations





The Attempt at a Solution



For the first part I'm pretty sure that we evaluate them using the exact vertices. so we use the exact 4-vertex for the 2 to 2 scattering.

For the second part I'm not too sure i understand. the idea of the legendre transform is to remove the 1pr diagrams from the sum of all connected diagrams, does that not mean it generates both exact propagators as well as exact vertices?
 
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I'm not sure how an exact 3-valent vertex will be generated though, any help would be much appreciated.
 

FAQ: How Does the Legendre Transform Generate Exact Vertices in QFT?

What is the effective action in quantum field theory (QFT)?

The effective action in QFT is a mathematical tool used to calculate the effects of virtual particles on a physical system. It takes into account all possible interactions between particles and describes how they contribute to the overall behavior of the system. It is an important concept in understanding the behavior of quantum fields at different energy scales.

How is the skeleton expansion used in QFT?

The skeleton expansion is a perturbative method used to calculate the effective action in QFT. It involves systematically breaking down the interactions between particles into a series of Feynman diagrams, which are then summed together to give the total effective action. This method is particularly useful in studying the behavior of systems with strong interactions.

What is the Legendre transform and how does it relate to the effective action?

The Legendre transform is a mathematical tool used to transform one set of variables into another related set of variables. In the context of QFT, it is used to transform the Lagrangian (which describes the dynamics of a system) into the Hamiltonian (which describes the energy of the system). The effective action is then obtained by performing a Legendre transform on the Hamiltonian.

How does the skeleton expansion help us understand the behavior of quantum fields?

The skeleton expansion allows us to study the behavior of quantum fields at different energy scales. By breaking down the interactions into a series of diagrams, we can see how the behavior of the fields changes as the energy scale changes. This helps us understand the effects of virtual particles on the overall behavior of the system.

What are some applications of the effective action and skeleton expansion in physics?

The effective action and skeleton expansion are used in many areas of physics, including particle physics, condensed matter physics, and cosmology. They are particularly useful in studying systems with strong interactions, such as in quantum chromodynamics (QCD) and the theory of superconductivity. Additionally, they have been applied to various phenomena in cosmology, such as the inflationary universe and the behavior of dark matter particles.

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