Quantum Scattering from Classical Field Theory

Scattering amplitudes have their origin in quantum field theory, but have wide-ranging applications extending to classical physics. We review a formalism to connect certain classical observables to scattering amplitudes. An advantage of this formalism is that it enables us to study implications of the double copy in classical gravity. We discuss examples of observables including the total change of a particle's momentum, and the gravitational waveform, during a scattering enc...

The post-Minkowskian expansion of Einstein's general theory of relativity has received much attention in recent years due to the possibility of harnessing the computational power of modern amplitude calculations in such a classical context. In this brief review, we focus on the post-Minkowskian expansion as applied to the two-body problem in general relativity without spin, and we describe how relativistic quantum field theory can be used to greatly simplify analytical calcul...

A study is made of the scattering of two large composite projectiles, such as heavy ions, which are initially prepared in a pure quantum state. It is shown that the quantum field theoretic evolution equation for this system, under certain conditions, goes over in form to the master equation of classical statistical mechanics. Thus, the statistical mechanical description of heavy ion collision is viewed as an implied outcome of the Correspondence Principle, which states that i...

Applying a variational method to a Gaussian wave ansatz, we have derived a set of semi-classical evolution equations for SU(2) lattice gauge fields, which take the classical form in the limit of a vanishing width of the Gaussian wave packet. These equations are used to study the quantum effects on the classical evolutions of the lattice gauge fields.

We discuss the non perturbative approach to the problem of high-energy hadron-hadron (dipole-dipole) scattering at low momentum transfer by means of numerical simulations in Lattice Gauge Theory.

We discuss recent results obtained from simulations of high temperature, classical, real time dynamics of SU(2) Yang-Mills theory at temperatures of the order of the electroweak scale. Measurements of gauge covariant and gauge invariant autocorrelations of the fields indicate that the ASY-Bodecker scenario is irrelevant at these temperatures.

As recent work continues to demonstrate, the study of relativistic scattering processes leads to valuable insights and computational tools applicable to the relativistic bound-orbit two-body problem. This is particularly relevant in the post-Minkowskian approach to the gravitational two-body problem, where the field has only recently reached a full description of certain physical observables for scattering orbits, including radiative effects, at the third post-Minkowskian (3P...

Path integral derivations are presented for two recently developed complex trajectory techniques for the propagation of wave packets, Complex WKB and BOMCA. Complex WKB is derived using a standard saddle point approximation of the path integral, but taking into account the hbar dependence of both the amplitude and the phase of the intial wave function, thus giving rise to the need for complex classical trajectories. BOMCA is derived using a modification of the saddle point te...

Quantum field theory provides the framework for the most fundamental physical theories to be confirmed experimentally and has enabled predictions of unprecedented precision. However, calculations of physical observables often require great computational complexity and can generally be performed only when the interaction strength is weak. A full understanding of the foundations and rich consequences of quantum field theory remains an outstanding challenge. We develop a quantum...

By adding generalizations involving translations, the machinery of the quantum theory of free fields leads to the semiclassical equations of motion for a charged massive particle in electromagnetic and gravitational fields. With the particle field translated along one displacement, particle states are translated along a possibly different displacement. Arbitrary phase results. And particle momentum, a spin (1/2,1/2) quantity, is allowed to change when field and states are tra...