Past exam of the mathematics course of the University of Cambridge 2002 iii Paper 66 4 b Solution Created 2026-10-03 Updated 2026-10-14
SetThe chain rule givesFor the ultraviolet expansion take and . The leading solution is . Substituting it in the next term gives , whose integration yieldsChoosing removes the additive constant. This proves the two displayed leading terms of the two-loop asymptotic running coupling.
The printed remainder is too small in general. This can be checked even for an exactly two-loop renormalization-group beta function, so it does not depend on unknown higher-loop effects. Put . Separating variables and fixing the integration constant givesExpanding this identity one order further givesThe term cannot be absorbed into a fixed change of . For example, with , the exact implicit relation is , and the next term is , which is not . The unspecified contribution to the differential equation changes the constant coefficient of , while the coefficient of is already fixed. Only special cases such as avoid this particular obstruction.
The asymptotic formula also presupposes an asymptotically free ultraviolet regime. If , division by it is invalid and the leading scaling changes. If , the weak-coupling asymptotic direction is generally toward the infrared and the logarithmic variable must be chosen accordingly. These qualifications distinguish the valid perturbative solution from an unconditional formula.