All Questions
Tagged with physics mp.mathematical-physics
94 questions
6
votes
0
answers
371
views
What is the predictive power of each object in QFT, and how are they related? [closed]
My background is not in physics or mathematical physics, so this question is mostly out of ignorance, and probably easily known to experts.
Basic Setup
You begin with a spacetime $M$. (Minkowski in ...
- 557
1
vote
0
answers
204
views
Are causally isomorphic spacetimes Wick-related?
Take the time-orientable spacetimes $(M_1,g_1)$ and $(M_2,g_2)$ that are locally(to be clarified below) Wick-related and both are globally Wick-rotatable(to be clarified below) to the same Riemannian ...
- 612
1
vote
0
answers
228
views
Is the topological dimension of spacetime fixed for causally isomorphic spacetimes?
Suppose time-oriented spacetimes $(M_1 , g_1)$ and $(M_2, g_2)$ are not homeomorphic under their manifold topologies $\mathcal{M}_1$ and $\mathcal{M}_2$ respectively.
The Lorentzian metrics $g_1$ and $...
- 612
1
vote
0
answers
170
views
Order isomorphism + manifold homeomorphism => path topology homeomorphism?
Suppose time-oriented spacetimes $(M_1 , g_1)$ and $(M_2, g_2)$ are homeomorphic under their manifold topologies $\mathcal{M}_1$ and $\mathcal{M}_2$ respectively.
Let's call this map $\phi: (M_1, \...
- 612
1
vote
1
answer
361
views
Can the Causal Structure recover the manifold topology for non-chronological spacetimes?
Given a time-oriented spacetime $(M,g)$, a binary relation $\ll$ can be defined on this spacetime where $p \ll q$ for $p, q \in M$ if and only if there exists a time-like path connecting $p$ and $q$.
...
- 612
0
votes
0
answers
100
views
I'm looking for the NLab page on particle species
This is just a reference request.
I came across an NLab page on particle species described as certain vector bundles. But I can't seem to find it again when I searched recently.
If someone can point ...
- 2,369
14
votes
1
answer
1k
views
Hilbert's sixth problem and QFT description
The Wikipedia entry on Hilbert's sixth problem about QFT description is “Since the 1960s, following the work of Arthur Wightman and Rudolf Haag, modern quantum field theory can also be considered ...
- 3,094
1
vote
1
answer
294
views
Temporal evolution of a globally hyperbolic spacetime
Any globally hyperbolic spacetime can be assigned a global function of time as Hawking has demonstrated for stably causal spacetime. (Any globally hyperbolic spacetime is also stably causal).
For ...
- 612
1
vote
0
answers
80
views
Biot-Savart-like integral for a toroidal helix
The following problem originates from Physics, so I apologize if I will not use a rigorous mathematical jargon.
Let us consider a toroidal helix parametrized as follows:
$$
x=(R+r\cos(n\phi))\cos(\phi)...
- 255
3
votes
1
answer
249
views
Interesting question about the Thomson problem for arbitrary number of electrons
This question is crossposted from here I believe this is a pretty hard question and so I decided to repost the question in the Math Overflow forum. If there is something wrong with doing this, I am ...
- 51
3
votes
1
answer
146
views
Applications of maximal surfaces in Lorentz spaces
I have been working on minimal surfaces, only recently learnt about maximal surfaces and "maxfaces" in Lorentz spaces.
I can clearly see the mathematical motivations. But I wonder if zero-...
- 2,581
3
votes
1
answer
244
views
inclusion of von Neumann algebras implies reversing inequality of its modular operators
I'm working with von Neumann algebras and I stumbled with this statement in a work of Borchers (1999)
Since $\mathcal N \subseteq \mathcal M$, it follows by standard arguments that $\Delta_{\mathcal ...
- 424
10
votes
1
answer
566
views
D'Alembert's Principle: rigorous formulation using notions from modern differential geometry
Is there a rigorous definition of D'Alembert's principle of virtual dynamic work in the language of differential geometry? Some questions I'm hoping to answer are:
How to view the configuration space ...
- 101
0
votes
1
answer
282
views
Mathematical characterization of gravitational geons as reference request, and their properties as main question
I've edited (ten days ago) a question on Physics Stack Exchange, this Mathematical characterization of gravitational geons, post with identifier 726281 the users of the site were kind adding in the ...
2
votes
1
answer
371
views
Examples of ODEs with complex constant coefficients and applications to physics?
This question is asked on stackexchange: Are there examples for ODEs with complex coefficients with applications in physics?
but received no answers. I am reposting it here on the hope that it catches ...
- 852
4
votes
0
answers
116
views
Superspace derivation of supersymmetric non-linear sigma model in Supersolutions by Deligne and Freed
I am having a little trouble understanding passage from the linear to the non-linear sigma model in Section 4.1 of Supersolutions by Deligne and Freed. Most of my confusion comes down to the ...
user482049
16
votes
1
answer
753
views
From a physicist: How do I show certain superelliptic curves are also hyperelliptic?
As the title suggests, I am a physicist and have a question about how to show certain superelliptic curves are also hyperelliptic. The superelliptic Riemann surfaces in question has the form $$w^n = \...
- 163
2
votes
0
answers
171
views
Is there an example Hamiltonian that is uncomputable?
In a paper from 2015 Toby S. Cubitt et al showed that the problem of determining the existence of a band gap in the excitation spectrum of a quantum many-body system, was undecidable. This result ...
- 123
2
votes
4
answers
336
views
EM-wave equation in matter from Lagrangian
Note
I am not sure if this post is of relevance for this platform, but I already asked the question in Physics Stack Exchange and in Mathematics Stack Exchange without success.
Setup
Let's suppose a ...
- 61
-1
votes
1
answer
437
views
Harmonic function in infinite domain in $\mathbb{R}^3$, constant on the boundary and decaying as $1/r^2$
EDIT: Let $\Omega\subset \mathbb{R}^3$ be a bounded domain with smooth connected boundary. Let $f\colon \mathbb{R}^3\backslash \Omega \to \mathbb{R}$ be a continuous function which is harmonic in $\...
- 21.8k
2
votes
1
answer
164
views
Vacuum state generating functional
In Theorem 1 of this paper Segal stablish a relation between states and generating functionals.
He assert that in order to $\mu$ be a generating functional must satisfy
$$
\sum_{j,k\in F} \mu (z_j-...
- 424
11
votes
1
answer
1k
views
State of rigorous effective quantum field theories
It's well-known that there are no rigorously constructed and physically relevant QFTs. There is, however, a lot of mathematical work on effective field theories and renormalization, such as the books ...
- 279
4
votes
1
answer
670
views
Formula involving Wigner's 3j symbols and integration over irreducible representations of SU(2)
$\DeclareMathOperator\SU{SU}$In some calculations, I saw the following formula
$$\int_{\SU(2)}\,\mathrm{d}g\,D^{j_{1}}_{m_{1}n_{1}}(g)D^{j_{2}}_{m_{2}n_{2}}(g)D^{j_{3}}_{m_{3}n_{3}}(g)=(-1)^{j_{1}+j_{...
- 1,171
4
votes
2
answers
2k
views
Reference for mathematical Palatini formalism of general relativity
I know that this is maybe not a research level question, but since the topic is quite special, I thought that the chance to get some reference is higher in this community.
I am looking for a reference ...
- 1,171
3
votes
1
answer
386
views
What is the precise relationship between real Poisson algebras and commutative $C^*$ algebras?
I've been teaching myself quantum mechanics, and I realized that I'm missing something fundamental. Namely, there are two pictures that I don't know how to reconcile:
Quantum Mechanics generalizes ...
- 2,071
3
votes
4
answers
1k
views
Applications of Hamiltonian formalism to classical mechanics
In many courses in theoretical classical mechanics Hamiltonian formalism takes an important place. However I did not see it applied to problems of classical mechanics (unless one expands the scope of ...
- 21.8k
15
votes
6
answers
4k
views
Maxwell equations as Euler-Lagrange equation without electromagnetic potential
In (mathematical) physics many equations of motion can be interpreted as Euler-Lagrange (EL) equations. The Maxwell equation for electromagnetic (EM) field (say in vacuum and in absence of charges) ...
- 21.8k
1
vote
1
answer
116
views
Is there a Bell inequality for each of $2\times 2$, $3\times 1$, $2\times1\times1$ and $1\times1\times1\times1$ configurations?
There was no answer in https://physics.stackexchange.com/questions/600494/is-there-a-bell-inequality-for-2-times-2-and-1-times1-times1-times1-configur. Hence posting in mathoverflow on the possibility ...
- 13.9k
9
votes
1
answer
800
views
Why the least action principle is always (?) used in this particular form?
The least action principle in (mathematical) physics says the following. Given a system, e.g. collection of particles, whose motion satisfies a known system of differential equations (of second order)...
- 21.8k
3
votes
2
answers
434
views
Classification of Lagrangians with given Euler-Lagrange equations
In (mathematical) physics the equations of motion of a system of particles are often interpreted as Euler-Lagrange equations for appropriate Lagrangian $L=L(x,\dot x,t)$ where $x$ is a collection of ...
- 21.8k
2
votes
1
answer
89
views
Sufficient conditions for unitarity of a representation of a Lie Superalgebra
Suppose we have a Lie superalgebra with triangular decomposition:
\begin{equation}
\mathfrak{g} = \mathfrak{g}^{+} \oplus \mathfrak{g}^{0} \oplus \mathfrak{g}^{-}
\end{equation}
I've seen it stated ...
- 61
70
votes
10
answers
11k
views
The Planck constant for mathematicians
The questions
Q1. What are simple ways to think mathematically about the physical meanings of the Planck constant?
Q2. How does the Planck constant appear in mathematics of quantum mechanics? In ...
- 24.7k
11
votes
2
answers
640
views
What are the topological phases of quantum Hall systems?
(Fractional) quantum Hall systems are $2+1$-dimensional models which are said to possess topological order. One (maybe even complete) set of invariants of topological phases in $2+1$ dimensions is ...
- 3,001
5
votes
0
answers
240
views
Does Dijkgraaf-Witten theory have a time-reversal symmetry?
By having a time-reversal symmetry I mean that there is a local anti-unitary symmetry (representing the non-trivial element of $Z_2$) of the state-sum construction (or, if you want, of the associated ...
- 3,001
11
votes
1
answer
682
views
Importance of the principal bundle in Chern-Simons theory
This is a very basic beginners question about Chern-Simons theory. The configurations that we sum over to get the partition function are given by a Lie-algebra valued 1-form $A$ on a topological 3-...
- 3,001
21
votes
1
answer
1k
views
Fully extended TQFT and lattice models
I often read that fully extended TQFTs are supposed to classify topological phases of matter. So I would like to understand the formal nature of fully extended TQFTs on a more direct physical level (...
- 3,001
4
votes
0
answers
164
views
List of Replica Symmetry results for different models?
Does anyone know of a good source that might have a list of problems or models along with what kind of replica symmetry they are conjectured to have?
I am aware of some of the more famous results, e....
- 435
2
votes
0
answers
131
views
Questions about using mathematical methods to prove the Caratheodory's Concept of Temperature
Caratheodory's Concept of Temperature is not Carathéodory's theorem.
I have tried,but I found nothing about this question by searching online.
This is what I have seen in a thermodynamics textbook; ...
- 21
3
votes
0
answers
159
views
Does there exist a compactly supported integrable function with infinite Coulomb energy?
The title of the question pretty much says it all. I am looking for a function $f\in L^1(\Omega)$, where $\Omega \subset \mathbb{R}^3$ is a bounded domain, such that
$$
E[f] = \iint\limits_{\Omega\...
- 401
1
vote
1
answer
130
views
Localization of solutions for time-dependent Schroedinger equation
I've been playing around with numerical solutions to the Schroedinger equation and I came across something that feels very natural, but I was not able to prove it with the math I know.
The ...
- 445
3
votes
2
answers
447
views
Legendre equation: An interpretation [closed]
I am a student of physics and, especially in quantum mechanics, we are presented with the Legendre equation:
\begin{eqnarray}
(1-x^2)y''-2xy'+l(l+1)y=0.
\end{eqnarray}
Doing some calculations, we ...
3
votes
1
answer
383
views
Does current follow the path(s) of least (total) resistance?
Consider Poisson equation $\nabla \cdot (\sigma(x)\nabla u)=0$ in a domain $D$, where $\sigma(x)$ is the spatially dependent conductivity. On the boundary we have $2$ electrodes $E_1$ and $E_2$ (...
- 532
2
votes
1
answer
528
views
PDE’s whose solutions can be presented using path integrals
It is well known that solutions of the Schroedinger equation and of the heat equation can be presented using path integrals:
$$\psi(x,t)=\int K(x,t;y,0)\psi(y,0)dy,$$
where the kernel $K(x,t;y,0)$ is ...
- 21.8k
5
votes
1
answer
321
views
Quantum tunneling on the line with non-symmetric double well potential
Consider the Schroedinger equation on the line
$$i\frac{\partial \Psi(x,t)}{\partial t}=[-\frac{d^2}{dx^2}+V(x)]\Psi(x,t),$$
where one assumes that $V(x)\to +\infty$ as $|x|\to +\infty$, and $V$ has ...
- 21.8k
10
votes
4
answers
2k
views
Why the unreasonable applicability of complex numbers in physics/engineering? [duplicate]
After years of using complex numbers in every kind of analysis of physical and electrical engineering problems I am starting to wonder: why is this particular algebra so effective in modelling the ...
- 217
2
votes
0
answers
103
views
Is this correct: Inflection points of Euler number graph in Island-Mainland transition correspond to spanning cluster site percolation threshold?
I'm writing with respect to the paper Khatun, Dutta, and Tarafdar - "Islands in Sea" and "Lakes in Mainland" phases and related transitions simulated on a square lattice.
Here's a link to a PDF ...
user119567
3
votes
1
answer
276
views
wave speed and travelling wave
I have seen a lot of work has been done in the context of travelling wave. For example the work of McKenna and Chen in Journal of Differential Equations Volume 136, Issue 2, 20 May 1997, Pages 325-355....
- 402
0
votes
0
answers
3k
views
What is a self-consistent equation in percolation theory
I was reading papers about percolation theory in which I was confused by the expression "self-consistent equation", for example in Temporal percolation in activity-driven networks. I read some ...
- 211
3
votes
1
answer
512
views
Wave front set of vector-valued Dirac delta distribution
Context: I am reading a physics paper Local Wick Polynomials and Time Ordered Products of Quantum Fields in Curved Spacetime which applies the notion of the wave front set to operator-valued ...
- 193
37
votes
4
answers
4k
views
Representation theory and elementary particles
I have been looking for a clear expository mathematical text on the relation between the theory of elementary particles and the representation theory of $U(1), SU(2), SU(3)$, I was very disappointed ...
- 1,629