Past exam of the mathematics course of the University of Cambridge / 2010 / iii / Paper 42 / 3

Keep the printed coupling $g$ symbolic and use the Dirac adjoint $\bar{\psi }={\psi }^{†}{\gamma }^0$ and ${\gamma }^5=i{\gamma }^0{\gamma }^1{\gamma }^2{\gamma }^3$. Varying the action with respect to the independent adjoint variable gives the Euler-Lagrange field equationVarying with respect to $\psi$ and integrating its derivative term by parts gives the corresponding left-acting adjoint Dirac equationNow differentiate the axial current $j_5^{\mu }=\bar{\psi }{\gamma }^{\mu }{\gamma }^5\psi$. The first equation supplies ${\gamma }^{\mu }{\partial }_{\mu }\psi =-i(m+g\varphi {\gamma }^5)\psi$, and the second supplies $({\partial }_{\mu }\bar{\psi }){\gamma }^{\mu }=i\bar{\psi }(m+g\varphi {\gamma }^5)$. Since $\{{\gamma }^{\mu },{\gamma }^5\}=0$ and $({\gamma }^5{)}^2=1$,Therefore the axial-current divergence for a pseudoscalar Yukawa interaction isBoth the fermion mass and the interaction can break the axial symmetry. This is the classical field-equation identity being asked for, not a claim that quantum composite operators need no renormalization.

There is a convention issue in the original PDF: its interaction is written without an explicit $i$. The Hermiticity of a pseudoscalar Dirac bilinear follows directly fromFor real $\varphi$, the printed interaction is Hermitian if $g^{\ast }=-g$, rather than if $g$ is real. The PDF does not specify that $g$ is real, so a consistent physical convention is $g=i{g}_P$ with real $g_P$. Its interaction is $-i{g}_P\varphi \bar{\psi }{\gamma }^5\psi$, and the divergence becomes $2im\bar{\psi }{\gamma }^5\psi -2g_P\varphi \bar{\psi }\psi$. If $g$ were instead required to be real, the printed action would be non-Hermitian; the variational formulas above would still be formal calculations, but the variational adjoint equation would not be its Hermitian-conjugate equation. No missing factor is silently inserted into the solution.

Use the printed interaction, so the Dyson series contributes $-ig$ per vertex before its spinor matrix. The momentum-space Feynman rules areEach interaction vertex has one pseudoscalar line and one incoming and one outgoing fermion-number line. Conserve four-momentum at every vertex, integrate each independent loop momentum with $d^4\ell /(2\pi {)}^4$, and divide by any Feynman-diagram symmetry factor. A closed fermion loop contributes an extra minus sign. The external wavefunctions are $u$ for incoming fermions, $\bar{u}$ for outgoing fermions, $\bar{v}$ for incoming antifermions and $v$ for outgoing antifermions; spinor matrices are multiplied in order along the fermion line. An external pseudoscalar has unit wavefunction factor in standard relativistic normalization. Relative fermionic signs also occur when the external contractions are permuted.

The leading scattering amplitudes are of order $g^2$. Label the incoming momenta $p_1,p_2$ and outgoing momenta $p_3,p_4$, all with positive energy and $p_i^2=m^2$. Use the Mandelstam variables $s=(p_1+p_2{)}^2$, $t=(p_1-p_3{)}^2$ and $u=(p_1-p_4{)}^2$. The tree scattering with pseudoscalar exchange is shown below; dashed edges are pseudoscalar propagators, and arrows indicate fermion-number flow, opposite to the motion of an antifermion.

Define the scattering amplitude by $⟨f|S-1|i⟩=i(2\pi {)}^4{\delta }^4(p_3+p_4-p_1-p_2)\mathcal{M}$. Use standard relativistic normalization for external states and spinors. To fix even the overall signs, suppress the positive state-normalization factors and write the creator order of the two-fermion states as $|i⟩=b_1^{†}{b}_2^{†}|0⟩$, $|f⟩=b_3^{†}{b}_4^{†}|0⟩$, and the fermion-antifermion states as $|i⟩=b_1^{†}{d}_2^{†}|0⟩$, $|f⟩=b_3^{†}{d}_4^{†}|0⟩$. Spin labels on the $u_i,v_i$ are implicit.

For two fermions, the direct $t$ graph connects $1\to 3$ and $2\to 4$, while the exchanged $u$ graph connects $1\to 4$ and $2\to 3$. The canonical anticommutation relations give signs $+$ and $-$ for these contractions in the chosen state order. Multiplication of the two vertices and the scalar propagator gives $(-ig{)}^{2}i=-i{g}^2$. HenceInterchanging the labels of either pair of identical external fermions reverses this amplitude, as required for the antisymmetric states of fermionic Fock space.

For a fermion and an antifermion, the graphs are $t$ exchange and $s$ annihilation. Their signs can be derived without guessing an analogy with the first process. The normal-ordered product of the pseudoscalar bilinear contains terms of the formsThe minus in the second term is the antifermion sign of a normal-ordered bilinear. Between the chosen external states, exchange has sign $-$ and pair annihilation followed by pair creation has sign $+$. ThereforeChanging an external-state phase can change the common overall sign; it cannot change the relative minus between the two channels. Both amplitudes use the coefficient exactly as printed. For the Hermitian convention $g=i{g}_P$ discussed in part (a), substitute $g^2=-g_P^2$ throughout, or equivalently use vertex $g_P{\gamma }^5$ from the outset.