Lesson plan

Schwinger function

In quantum field theory, the Wightman distributions can be analytically continued to analytic functions in Euclidean space with the domain restricted to ordered n-tuples in \mathbb R^d that are pairwise distinct. These functions are called the Schwinger functions (named after Julian Schwinger) and they are real-analytic, symmetric under the permutation of arguments (antisymmetric for fermionic fields), Euclidean covariant and satisfy a property known as reflection positivity. Properties of Schwinger functions are known as Osterwalder–Schrader axioms (named after Konrad Osterwalder and Robert Schrader). Schwinger functions are also referred to as Euclidean correlation functions.

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Article summary

In quantum field theory, the Wightman distributions can be analytically continued to analytic functions in Euclidean space with the domain restricted to ordered n-tuples in \mathbb R^d that are pairwise distinct. These functions are called the Schwinger functions (named after Julian Schwinger) and they are real-analytic, symmetric under the permutation of arguments (antisymmetric for fermionic fields), Euclidean covariant and satisfy a property known as reflection positivity. Properties of Schwinger functions are known as Osterwalder–Schrader axioms (named after Konrad Osterwalder and Robert Schrader). Schwinger functions are also referred to as Euclidean correlation functions.

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  1. Summarise the article in your own words. Which single claim would you verify first, and why?
  2. Which claim in this article is most likely to be revised as the sources update? How would you check its current status?
  3. If two sources disagreed about one of these facts, what would you need in order to trust one over the other?

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