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In the Schrödinger picture of quantum field theory, the field eigenstates of a real scalar field $\hat\phi(\mathbf x)$ with $\mathbf x \in\mathbb R^3$ are the states $\hat\phi(\mathbf x)|\phi\rangle=\phi(\mathbf x)|\phi\rangle$, with field configurations $\phi$ in the space $\mathbb R^3\to\mathbb R\;$.

This field eigenbasis defines the wave-functional $\Psi[\phi]=\langle\phi|\Psi\rangle$, and expresses the vacuum state, free field wave-functional $\Psi_0[\phi]=\langle\phi|\Psi_0\rangle$ as (Jackiw 89)

$$\begin{array}{cl} \Psi_0[\phi] &= C\prod_k e^{-\omega(\mathbf k)\frac{\tilde\phi(\mathbf k)^2}{2}\epsilon^3} \\ &\to C e^{-\frac{1}{2}\int\frac{d^3k}{(2\pi)^3} \omega_{\mathbf k}|\tilde\phi(\mathbf k)|^2} \\ &= \operatorname{det}^{\frac{1}{4}}\left(\frac{K}{\pi}\right)\; e^{-\frac{1}{2}\int d\mathbf{x} \int d\mathbf{y}\, \phi(\mathbf{x}) K(\mathbf{x},\mathbf{y}) \phi(\mathbf{y}) } = \operatorname{det}^{\frac{1}{4}}\left(\frac{K}{\pi}\right)\; e^{-\frac{1}{2}\phi\cdot K\cdot\phi}.\\ \end{array}$$

Jackiw (and Symanzik 81, and Hatfield 92) also discusses the wave-functional $\Psi[\chi]=\langle\chi|\Psi\rangle$ of a fermionic field $\hat\chi(\mathbf x)$ with field eigenstates $\hat\chi(\mathbf x)|\chi\rangle = \chi(\mathbf x)|\chi\rangle$, but in less detail. (Though he does derive a form of the fermionic vacuum state wave-functional, $\Psi_0[\chi]\propto\operatorname{det}^{-\frac{1}{4}}\left(\Omega\right)\; e^{\frac{1}{2}\chi\cdot\Omega\cdot \chi}$.)

Question: In what space are the field configurations $\chi(\mathbf x)$?

In other words, what fills in $\chi:\mathbb R^3\to\mathrm (\,\_\,)\,$? (For both spin-½ and spin-3/2, and for the Majorana and Dirac cases?)


Assumptions:

Ignore UV/IR issues and assume Minkowski space is the well-defined limit of the cyclic lattice $\mathbf x\equiv a\mathbf n, \mathbf n\in \mathbb{Z}^4_N$ as $(a,N)\to(0,\infty)$.

Assume the Grassmann algebra over vector space V with basis $\{\mathbf{e}_i\}$ is denoted $\Lambda\,\mathrm{V}$, with generating elements $\{\theta_{\mathbf{e}_i}\}$.

  • for example, the dual numbers are $\Lambda\,\mathbb R$, with generator $\theta_1$ and general element $z=c_0+c_1\theta_1$

  • the infinite-dimensional Grassmann algebra over the complex free vector space of $\mathbb R^3$ is $\Lambda\,\mathbb{C}^{\mathbb R^3}$, with generators $\theta_{\mathbf x}|\mathbf x\in\mathbb R^3$ and a general element $z=\sum_{k=0}^\infty \sum_{\{\mathbf{x}_1,\cdots,\mathbf{x}_k\}\,\subset\, \mathbb R^3} \frac{1}{k!}c_{\mathbf{x}_1\cdots\mathbf{x}_k} \theta_{\mathbf{x}_1}\cdots\theta_{\mathbf{x}_k}$. Example functions $f:\mathbb R^3\to\Lambda\,\mathbb{C}^{\mathbb R^3}$ are $f(\mathbf{x})=e^{i\mathbf{k}\cdot\mathbf{x}}\theta_{\mathbf{x}}$ and $f(\mathbf{x})=e^{i\mathbf{k}\cdot\mathbf{x}}\theta_{\mathbf{k}}$ for some $\mathbf{k}\in\mathbb{R}^3$.

  • two generators per point in $\mathbb R^3$ would be $\Lambda\,\mathbb{C}^{2\mathbb R^3}$, with generating elements $\theta_{\mathbf x,a}|\mathbf x\in\mathbb R^3,a\in\{0,1\}$. An example function $f:\mathbb R^3\to\Lambda\,\mathbb{C}^{2\mathbb R^3}$ is $f(\mathbf{x})=e^{i\mathbf{k}\cdot\mathbf{x}}\theta_{\mathbf{x},0}+e^{-i\mathbf{k}\cdot\mathbf{x}}\theta_{\mathbf{x},1}$.

  • one generator per function $\psi:\mathbb R^3\to\mathbb C$ would be $\Lambda\,\mathbb{C}^{\mathbb{C}^{\mathbb{R}^3}}$

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    I think you're on the wrong track. Grassmann 'numbers' don't take values, so there is no way to define the distinct field configurations that would appear in a wave functional. – octonion Jul 30 '19 at 21:47
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    Nope. Grassmann "numbers" are elements of a complex exterior algebra, and take values. You might be confusing them with their generators. – alexchandel Jul 30 '19 at 21:54
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    I suspect you are the one confusing something. Back up a little. Take a single component of a fermion field at a given point of spacetime and define its eigenvalue as Grassmann number. You can form an exterior algebra with other components and other points of spacetime, but that eigenvalue itself doesn't take distinct values. This is not like the bosonic case. How are you going to define a wave functional like this? – octonion Jul 30 '19 at 21:58
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    I might be, I mirror the definitions that Wolfram, PlanetMath, and WP (and its sources) use to define the Grassmann algebra, with values $z\in\Lambda(V)$. Are they all wrong? – alexchandel Jul 30 '19 at 22:28
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    Using the above notation, a simple counterexample to the notion there are no distinct functions yielding Grassmanns is $\chi:\mathbf{R}^3\to\Lambda(\mathbb{C}^{\mathbb R^3})$ where $\chi(\mathbf x)=e^{i \mathbf{k}\cdot\mathbf{x}} \theta_{\mathbf x}$ with $\mathbf{k}\in\mathbb R^3$, but there are infinitely more. – alexchandel Jul 30 '19 at 22:30
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    Is your $\chi$ ever a field configuration in the sense that it is like an eigenvalue associated with a state? You essentially turned the field configurations into a map from $R^3\rightarrow C$ by multiplying each $\theta_x$ by a complex number. But by using only $\theta_x$ at each $x$ I think you're starting to see what I'm getting at. Please think about it a little, sorry if I was a little harsh in my comment. – octonion Jul 30 '19 at 22:57
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    $\chi(\mathbf x)=e^{i \mathbf{k}\cdot\mathbf{x}} \theta_{\mathbf x}$ isn't in $\mathbb{R}^3\to\mathbb C$; it's in $\mathbb{R}^3\to\Lambda(\mathbb{C}^{\mathbb R^3})$, specifically $\mathbb R^3\to\Lambda_1(\mathbb{C}^{\mathbb R^3})$. There are many other possibilities, e.g. $\chi:\mathbf{R}^3\to\Lambda(\mathbb{C}^{2\mathbb R^3})$ where $\chi(\mathbf x)=e^{i \mathbf{k}\cdot\mathbf{x}} \theta_{\mathbf x,0} + e^{-i \mathbf{k}\cdot\mathbf{x}} \theta_{\mathbf x,1}$. Painstaking rigor is needed in part because of all these superstitions about Grassmanns, like "Grassmann algebras have no values." – alexchandel Jul 31 '19 at 09:01
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    Is $\chi(\mathbf x)$ a field configuration, as in $\mathrm X(\mathbf x)$? I'd need my question answered to say. – alexchandel Jul 31 '19 at 09:02
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    I said Grassmann 'numbers' have no values. Something like $\theta_{x,0}$ appears in integrals much like a bosonic $\phi_x$ would. The difference is $\phi_x$ will take different values depending on the state so a functional makes sense. $\theta_{x,0}$ is already a member of the Grassmann algebra, it does not take new values. This is my last reply, good luck with your painstaking rigor – octonion Aug 01 '19 at 00:37
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    WP, PlanetMath, Wolfram, & nLab and their sources all disagree with you. Jackiw literally defines a fermionic wave-functional (as does Symanzik). And saying "$\theta_{x,0}$ takes no values" is as vacuous as saying "the Euclidean basis vector $\mathbf{e}_1$ takes no values;" no one ever suggested otherwise. – alexchandel Aug 01 '19 at 08:43
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    Links to abstract pages for Jackiw 89, Symanzik 81 and Hatfield 92? Which pages? – Qmechanic Jul 08 '22 at 08:25
  • Have you read Appendix A.2 of Polchinski's String Theory, Volume 1? It addresses fermionic field configurations and path integrals, but I don't know if it meets your standard of rigor. Maybe give it a try. – Blind Miner Jul 09 '22 at 09:30

1 Answers1

3
  1. DeWitt [1] defines the set of supernumbers as the exterior algebra $$\begin{array}{rccccl} \bigwedge{}^{\bullet} V &~=~& \bigwedge{}^{\rm even} V &\oplus& \bigwedge{}^{\rm odd} V& \cr && ||| &&|||& \cr && \mathbb{C}^{1|0} && \mathbb{C}^{0|1} &\cr && ||| &&|||& \cr && \mathbb{C}_c && \mathbb{C}_a \cr && ||| &&||| &\cr &&\{c\text{-numbers}\} && \{a\text{-numbers}\}& \end{array}$$ of an infinite-dimensional vector space $V$.

    In this language a single component $\chi$ of a Grassmann-odd spinor field is a map $$\mathbb{R}^3\stackrel{\chi}{\longrightarrow} \mathbb{C}_a.$$

  2. From a mathematical perspective, DeWitt's definition is unsatisfactory, starting with the choice of $V$. Instead the mathematical definition relies on sheaf and category theory via a functor of points. We refer to Refs. 2-6 for details.

References:

  1. Bryce DeWitt, Supermanifolds, Cambridge Univ. Press, 1992.

  2. Pierre Deligne and John W. Morgan, Notes on Supersymmetry (following Joseph Bernstein). In Quantum Fields and Strings: A Course for Mathematicians, Vol. 1, American Mathematical Society (1999) 41–97.

  3. V.S. Varadarajan, Supersymmetry for Mathematicians: An Introduction, Courant Lecture Notes 11, 2004.

  4. L. Balduzzi, C. Carmeli & R. Fioresi, The local functors of points of Supermanifolds, arXiv:0908.1872.

  5. nLab, https://ncatlab.org/nlab/show/supermanifold

  6. nLab, https://ncatlab.org/nlab/show/geometry+of+physics+--+supergeometry

Qmechanic
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