Past exam of the mathematics course of the University of Cambridge / 2005 / iii / Paper 49 / 4

Choose the phase convention in the question and use the gauge covariant derivative $D_{\mu }={\partial }_{\mu }+ie{A}_{\mu }$. For a charged Dirac field, the quantum electrodynamics Lagrangian isThe simultaneous local gauge transformation isDirect differentiation gives $D_{\mu }^{\prime }{\psi }^{\prime }=e^{ie\chi }{D}_{\mu }\psi$: the derivative of the phase cancels the shift of $A_{\mu }$. The mass term and covariant kinetic term are therefore invariant. The electromagnetic field tensor is unchanged because mixed partial derivatives of $\chi$ commute. This proves classical gauge invariance of the coupled field action. A charged scalar similarly uses $(D_{\mu }\varphi {)}^{\ast }{D}^{\mu }\varphi$ and a potential depending only on $|\varphi {|}^2$.

The electromagnetic coupling is $-e{A}_{\mu }\bar{\psi }{\gamma }^{\mu }\psi$. The matter equations give a conserved current $j^{\mu }=e\bar{\psi }{\gamma }^{\mu }\psi$, with ${\partial }_{\mu }{j}^{\mu }=0$. Constant $\chi$ gives the global symmetry and its conserved charge. When applying Noether's theorem, the sign of the parameterized Noether generator can be reversed without changing this conservation law; the transformation and coupling signs above remain fixed.

A constant phase leaves the photon unchanged and makes every QED interaction vertex invariant: its one $\psi$ and one $\bar{\psi }$ acquire opposite phases. Thus the propagators and vertex factors in the QED Feynman rules are unchanged. A Green function with $n$ insertions of $\psi$ and $\bar{n}$ of $\bar{\psi }$ acquires the phase $e^{ie\chi (n-\bar{n})}$. For an invariant vacuum it can be nonzero only when its total inserted charge is zero.

Equivalently, the conserved charge operator $Q$ commutes with the S-matrix. If initial and final states have charges $Q_i,Q_f$, thenThe scattering charge selection rule from global gauge symmetry is thereforeIn diagrams the oriented fermion lines preserve charge at every vertex, and a photon is neutral. Pair creation is allowed because a particle and its antiparticle have opposite charges. Global phase invariance supplies this selection rule; local gauge invariance supplies the stronger momentum-dependent Ward-Takahashi identity.

The Maxwell quadratic action has a null longitudinal direction: its momentum-space kinetic operator annihilates $k_{\mu }$, reflecting gauge invariance under addition of a gradient to the potential. It cannot be inverted on all four vector components before gauge fixing.

Add the covariant gauge density ${\mathcal{L}}_{\mathrm{gf}}=-({\partial }_{\mu }{A}^{\mu }{)}^2/(2\xi )$. Away from the pole, introduce the transverse and longitudinal momentum projectorsWith one index raised they obey $P^{\mathrm{T}}+P^{\mathrm{L}}=I$, $(P^{\mathrm{T}}{)}^2=P^{\mathrm{T}}$, $(P^{\mathrm{L}}{)}^2=P^{\mathrm{L}}$ and $P^{\mathrm{T}}{P}^{\mathrm{L}}=0$. The gauge-fixed kinetic operator is $K=-k^2(P^{\mathrm{T}}+{\xi }^{-1}{P}^{\mathrm{L}})$. Its inverse times $i$ gives the photon propagatorThe pole factors are interpreted with the Feynman boundary prescription; the algebraic projector inversion is performed off the pole. The choice $\xi =1$ is Feynman gauge.

Changing $\xi$ changes only a longitudinal term proportional to $k_{\mu }{k}_{\nu }$. Between conserved currents it vanishes because $k_{\mu }{J}^{\mu }=0$. In full QED amplitudes, the Ward-Takahashi identity supplies the corresponding cancellations when all diagrams at an order are combined. Thus physical on-shell scattering is gauge-parameter independent, whereas off-shell Green functions and the propagator itself can depend on the gauge choice. For the charged scalar, derivative vertices and contact terms must likewise be included for this cancellation.

The covariant Landau gauge is the zero-parameter limit $\xi \to 0$ of the covariant gauge family. It imposes the Lorenz gauge condition ${\partial }_{\mu }{A}^{\mu }=0$ sharply. The Landau gauge photon propagator is the transverse part of the inverse from solution:Away from the pole, $k^{\mu }{D}_{\mu \nu }^{\mathrm{L}}=0$, matching the divergence-free condition. This is transversality to the four-momentum, rather than a projector onto only the two physical spatial photon polarizations. The Lorenz gauge equation alone still admits residual gauge transformations with $\square \chi =0$; boundary conditions and the pole prescription complete the propagator choice. The parameter limit specifies the Landau propagator without trying to invert the ungauged Maxwell operator on its longitudinal null space.